What is Fartlek training and is it the best way to tone up before summer’s out?

Between LIIT training, HIIT training, group training and the rest, it can be difficult to navigate the various fitness fads to find one that actually works for you.

That’s where Fartlek comes in.

The training method originates from Sweden and is a method that involves slowly down and speeding up completely randomly.

What is Fartlek?

The term means ‘speed play’. In a nutshell, Fartlek is a training method than combines continuous training with interval training.

The practice Fartlek all you need to do is alternate your pace randomly at whichever sport you’re doing, from running to cycling or swimming and walking.

“Fartlek is based on the idea of unstructured interval training and imitation of real-life sports and real-life physical activity of animals and humans, which is never structured”, Georgios Tzenichristos, cellulite specialist and Director at Lipotherapeia, told Glamour.

The method is ideal for competitive runners because the training style mirrors the stop-start nature of racing.

Makes sense, right?

How is Fartlek different to interval training?

“Slow interval training activates aerobic metabolism somewhat, and fast interval training works mainly anaerobically”, Tzenichristos told the magazine.

“But Fartlek, due to its large variations in intensity and speed, can be both types of interval training (slow and fast, aerobic and anaerobic) in the same workout and in a playful manner.”

Read: it’s the best of both.

What’s an example of Fartlek training?

Fartlek runs are a good way to try out the technique for the first time: simply head out on your normal long distance run but constantly alternate your speed from fast to slow.

To make Farklet training work at its most effective, you need to banish and inhibitions about looking crazy.

Why? Because the method might see you sprinting through the park, only to stop suddenly to walk, accelerate to a jog, stop to a slow walk and speed right up into a sprint again.

How you make it work if up to you: the beauty of Fartlek is that there’s no rules.

What can Fartlek do for your body?

Fartlek works by placing stress on the aerobic and anaerobic systems in your body through the varying intensity and continuous nature of the exercise.

As well as burning fat and speeding up the metabolism, the Swedish method is also supposedly one of the best for banishing cellulite.

It can be said that Fartlek training is the most fun anti-cellulite training regime, as it combines both mechanical stimulation and a serious metabolism hike,” says Tzenichristos.

So what are you waiting for? Race you to the park.

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How to adjust your workout for the summer months

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