STAY SHARP

Endurance training typically involves plenty of work in the ‘long and slow’ range. But experts at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland have found high-intensity training can be equally beneficial for boosting long-distance performance. The researchers compared two-week blocks of low-intensity and high-intensity interval training, to see how they influenced the performance and recovery of amateur athletes.

“Both groups improved their 3,000m running performance immediately after the block,” explained researcher Olli-Pekka Nuuttila. “The interval group improved, on average, by 13 seconds, and the low-intensity group 11 seconds.”

Although the interval group posted faster times, their training was more demanding, leading to greater muscle soreness and higher levels of the stress hormone norepinephrine – so a healthy balance of the two is best.