Interval training for your sport will build your muscular power and increase your lactate threshold (LT) and VO2 Max.
One simple way to start interval training is to add a hill workout once per week. You can run or cycling hills, rest on the way down and repeat the interval. Each week you should plan your interval to be a little longer and faster, but with the same amount of rest between repeats.
Train on hills that are long and gradual (perhaps a 5% grade), rather than short and steep. The distance should be long enough to allow you to add 1 to 2 minutes of climbing each week.
Early in the season, these will not be all-out efforts. Your rating of perceived exertion should be about 15 to 16. (This is equivalent to about a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10). Your climbing speed and pace should be steady the entire hill. If you find you are slowing down or speeding up at the end, you need to adjust your pace.
Here's a sample 6-week hill training plan:
- Week 1 : Perform 4, 2-minute hill climbs with 2 minutes rest between each.
- Week 2 : Perform 4, 3-minute hill climbs with 2 minutes rest between each.
- Week 3 : Perform 4, 4-minute hill climbs with 2 minutes rest between each.
- Week 4 : Perform 3, 6-minute hill climbs with 2 minutes rest between each.
- Week 5 : Perform 3, 7-minute hill climbs with 2 minutes rest between each.
- Week 6 : Perform 3, 8-minute hill climbs with 2 minutes rest between each.
Also See: Explosive Exercise Training Tips
