It might be painful, but it does work: High intensity interval training benefits WOMEN in particular

• Interval training may be the best way for women to benefit from running
• Women get more from high intensity interval training than men do
• A 2:1 work-to-rest ratio is optimal during HIIT for both men and women

When it comes to running, women may get more out of high intensity interval training than their male counterparts

Many gym goers have learnt to dread interval training but new research suggests that it may be the best way for women to get maximum benefits from exercise.
The research shows that when it comes to running, women may get more out of high intensity interval training than their male counterparts.
Earlier interval training studies primarily focused on highly trained males, but researchers say that they overlooked the variety of other populations that routinely use interval training.
Drs Matt Laurent and Matt Kutz, at Bowling Green State University, Lauren Vervaecke, at the University of South Carolina, and Dr Matt Green at the University of North Alabama, put eight men and eight women between the ages of 19 and 30 through self-paced, high intensity interval training using different recovery periods.
All of them reported at least a moderate fitness level and participation in at least one session of interval training a week.
Participants used a treadmill for six, four-minute intervals performed at the highest intensity they felt they could maintain.
Recovery periods between intervals consisted of one minute, two minute or four minute breaks.
Throughout the intervals, the participants’ maximum oxygen consumption and heart rates were measured.
Results revealed a significant effect of gender on both percentages.
Across the trials, men self-selected a faster relative pace, but the women worked at a higher percentage of their maximum heart rate than the men, and a higher percentage of their maximum oxygen consumption.
‘I think what our data show is that there appear to be meaningful differences in how men and women self-regulate their workouts,’ Dr Laurent said.
‘Specifically, in our case, men and women tend to work at the same level of perceived exertion and feel similarly recovered between each interval, however, as they perform the interval runs women tended to work “harder” from a relative cardiovascular standpoint than men.’
Results also confirmed previous findings suggesting that a 2:1 work-to-rest ratio is optimal during HIIT for both men and women.

The results also confirmed previous findings suggesting that a 2:1 work-to-rest ratio is optimal during high intensity interval training for both men and women

‘I really think one of the “take home” points from our study was, despite the gender differences that we found, individuals performing high-intensity interval training should listen to, and trust, their body and pay attention to how they are feeling,’ said Dr Laurent.
‘Without having any feedback about their data, all the participants had to use to set their pace was how they felt during the run and how recovered they felt.
‘In that sense, when runners perform high-intensity intervals, trust that if you push yourself to run what you consider hard, you are probably at the correct intensity, and if you maintain recommended work-to-rest ratios you most likely will recover appropriately to get the most out of your workout, independent of gender.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2404653/It-painful-does-work-High-intensity-interval-training-benefits-WOMEN.html#ixzz2dMBW9AKm