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30 Sec Burst can help...

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30 Sec Burst can help... Empty 30 Sec Burst can help...

Post by Admin Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:57 pm

Got this from RoadBike Rider Digest:

Cycling Fitness in 30-second Bursts

A study at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, has found that several short bursts of sprinting, separated by breaks for recovery, three times a week are as beneficial as two hours of moderate daily cycling.

"The most striking finding from our study was the remarkably similar adaptations induced by two such diverse training strategies," noted Martin Gibala, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster.

The researchers used two groups of eight men. They asked one group to perform four-to-six 30-second bursts of "all out" cycling separated by four minutes of recovery during each training session. The other group did 90-120 minutes of continuous riding at moderate intensity.

During two weeks, total training time was 2.5 hours in the sprint group (including recovery intervals) as opposed to 10.5 hours for the steady-cycling group.

Both groups showed similar improvements in performance and their muscles' ability to resist fatigue.

"Our study confirms that interval-based exercise is indeed a very time-efficient training strategy," Gibala said. "It is a demanding type of training and requires a high level of motivation. However, it might be the perfect option for those who say they have no time to exercise."

Gibala added that for those interested in losing weight, calories continue to be consumed at an increased rate during the recovery periods between sprints.

"Just because you have physically stopped [sprinting] doesn't mean the effects of the workout are over," he said.

Sounds great, but we'd still rather burn those calories and get that fitness with two-hour rides. Let's not overlook the pleasures of being on a bike on the open road. It's good to know, though, that there's an effective shortcut when time is an issue.
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