Page 7 - Chapter_12

the body more efficient, enhances glycogen that, “When an athlete runs at the speed of 80%, his
and alkali stores in the body, and also helps pulse rate will be 150 to 180. At rest, the pulse rate
in maintaining interval temperature. In the fast should come down to 120 to 140. This is the best
constant type, the heartbeat is raised to 160-180 recovery time for speed endurance.”
beats per minute, and duration is reduced to 30 The foundation of interval training method
minutes. It improves quality of enzymes, lends is the principle of ‘effort and recovery’,
vigour to heart and lungs, and increases the workload is increased by raising workout
number and size of mitochondria. The varied duration while shortening the period of
pace constant type is characterised by change of recovery simultaneously. For the training of an
speed against a constant load. For example, an athlete for 400 metres, the following example
athlete may stick to the fast constant for first can be used:
20 minutes and then change to slow constant — —400 m race with 80% speed
for the next 20 minutes. Heart beat numbers at
140 to 150 per minute. This method improves — —jogging or walking until the pulse rate
the aerobic and anaerobic performance of an comes down to 120 to 140 approximately,
individual. followed by 400 m race with 80% speed.
Training of this method depends on the
interval training method factors like the speed of work, interval
The interval training method is implemented of recovery, duration of work, repetition
with repeated efforts at a fast pace, with and mode of recovery. These factors are
intervals of incomplete recovery in between. maintained as per the capacity of the
Its target is to extend the heart beat 170 to athlete. The advantages of this method
180 beats per minute. Due to this reason, the may be gained through this training
heart beat is monitored and it is referred to as include improvement of respiratory and
training of the heart. circulatory systems, thus enabling the
athlete to attain peak performance in a
relatively short period of time and drilling
a habit of patience into the athlete.
fartlek method

In the 1920s, the victories of Paavo Nurmi
started an innovative training strategy in
neighbouring Sweden’s cross country runners.
The Swedish Coach Gosta Homer developed
the Fartlek method in 1937, in which a
combination of fast and slow phrases replaced
the prevailing single of cross-country running
Fig. Interval training at a steady speed. ‘Fartlek’ is a Swedish wond
for speed play. In this method, the change in
This method of training was formulated by intensity is determined by the surroundings,
the Finnish coach Lauri Pikhala, who named the surface of running, the climate and athlete’s
it ‘terrace training’. The technique of balancing physical strength and limitations. For example,
work with rest helped Pikhala’s trainee, Paavo terrains can switch from woody areas to river
Nurmi, win both 1500 m and 5000 m at the 1924 sides and hills. It is used for both aerobic and
champions. Nurmi used to run 400 m, 10 to 20 anaerobic systems of the body. The pulse
times in a day, instead of continuously running rate should remain within 140 to 180 beats
10 to 20 miles. Toney, a German Coach states

Psychology and Sports 7