5 EASY RUNNING WORKOUTS THAT BURN FAT AND HELP YOU GAIN MUSCLE

For many people, running is simply the best workout available. It releases stress, helps burn fat, and can be done anywhere you have a pair of shoes and the right attire. However, running has lost some of its popularity in recent years, since many people think that it ruins your muscle development. New research says otherwise.

Benefits of Running

Exercise researchers still believe that running is an excellent way to lose weight, broadcast, and build muscle. However, rather than recommending long runs that last an hour or more, trainers now recommend intermittent exercise. This involves changing your pace fairly frequently. This routine leads to faster muscle growth.

Tempo with 5-Minute Speed Bursts

If you are used to running long distances or keeping a steady pace throughout your entire run, this running workout may be a great way for you to start getting into HIIT. These runs typically last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or more. What is important is that you maintain a steady competition pace.

Working intervals into your workouts can really change how you build muscle and burn fat. To start, run at a slightly faster pace for five minutes in the middle of your workout. Add these faster intervals throughout your workout, occasionally increasing your speed.

400-Meter Sprint

400 meters doesn’t sound like a lot until you are trying to run this same distance over and over for your workout. The idea of this workout is to run 400 meters as fast as you can, pushing yourself to the limit each round. In between each run, give yourself 90 to 120 seconds of rest. You should only do this routine one time per week because of how intense it is.

Depending on your fitness level, you may start with two to five 400-meter runs in your first week. As you pick up speed and develop cardiovascular strength, you can work your way up to seven 400-meter runs per workout.

Intervals

Intervals are perhaps the most flexible type of HIIT workout. Rather than following a strict time schedule, you use your experience to determine how fast you should run and how long you should run. One popular routine involves running as fast as you can for one minute and recovering for 30 seconds.

You can repeat this interval as many times as you need to get a full workout. Change up your speed, your interval times, and your best times to aid in the process of muscle confusion.

Fartlek

This Swedish running workout is one of the easiest to incorporate in your routine. You do need to run outside, rather than on a treadmill, to do this. While running, look for a visual landmark—trees, houses, lampposts, and benches all work well. Run to that point at max speed and then take a short recovery period.

Sprint Intervals

Many runners enjoy the fast-paced nature of this running routine. Simply run as fast as you possibly can for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this cycle eight times. Studies indicate that repeating this workout three times per week can maximize your results.