Fartlek
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Fartlek, which is translated to ‘speed play’ in Swedish and is a form of conditioning which puts stress mainly on the aerobic energy system due to the continuous nature of the exercise. The difference between this type of training and continuous training is that the intensity or speed of the exercise varies, meaning that aerobic and anaerobic systems can be put under stress. Most Fartlek sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes and can vary from aerobic walking to anaerobic sprinting. Fartlek training is generally associated with running, but can include almost any kind of exercise including cycling, rowing or swimming.
Gösta Holmer
Fartlek training was developed in the 1930’s by Swedish coach Gösta Holmer (1891-1983) and has been adopted by many physiologists since. When Fartlek was introduced in Sweden it quickened training worldwide; it was as innovative as any idea in athletics. Gösta Holmer was the Swedish maverick behind the idea. It was designed for the downtrodden Swedish cross-country teams, which had been thrashed throughout the 1920s by Paavo Nurmi and the Finns. His concept was faster-than-race-pace and concentrated on simultaneous speed/endurance training.
Fartlek Sessions
This is the first session that was designed by Gösta Holmer for a cross-country runner. This is also an example of what a Fartlek session might look like, but Fartlek sessions should be designed for an Athlete's own event or sport – as well as catering for their individual needs. Sessions should be at an intensity that causes the Athlete to work at 60% to 80% of their Heart Rate Maximum, as outlined by the Karvonen Method. This should mean that their body will not experience too much discomfort while exercising. An athlete should also include a good warm up at the beginning of the session, and a cool down at the end of the session, to improve performance and to decrease the chances of injury – among other reasons.
- Warm up – easy running for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Steady, hard speed for three quarters of a mile to a mile and a half – like a long repetition.
- Rapid walking for about 5 minutes – recovery.
- Easy running interspersed with sprints of about 50 – 60 yards, repeated until a little tired. – Start of speed work.
- Easy running with three or four ‘quick steps’ now and then (simulating suddenly speeding up to avoid being overtaken by another runner).
- Full speed up hill for 175 – 200 yards.
- Immediately, fast pace for 1 minute.
- The whole routine is then repeated until the total time prescribed on the training schedule has elapsed.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Fartlek
Fitness Benefits
One of the main reasons for the success of Fartlek training was that it is flexible and can be adapted to the needs of the individual. Unlike continuous training Fartlek training can benefit participants of field games such as soccer, field hockey and rugby, as it develops aerobic and anaerobic activities which are both used in these sports. To take this a step further athletes can make the most of the flexibility of Fartlek training by mimicking the activities would take place during their chosen sport or event.
Tactical Applications
Due to the flexibility of Fartlek it is possible to adapt training sessions so that they reflect a runners individual tactics. For example a 1,500-meter runner may include sprinting at points in their training sessions to mimic the event of a sprint finish.
Psychological Benefits
One of the main things many Athletes lack is motivation when it comes to fitness training, which is not only seen as hard work, but also monotonous. Fartlek adds much needed variety into training, as it is a lot less repetitive than other forms of training. This is of great benefit to the Athlete as it makes running a bit more interesting, meaning that they will continue for longer and therefore achieve more.
Medical Benefits
"Losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight will reduce your visceral-fat stores by 25 to 40 percent." – Professor Jean-Pierre Despres of human nutrition at Laval University in Quebec City. A study in Sports and Exercise found that alternating intensity throughout your training helps you lose weight faster than moving at a steady pace – this is one of the main principles of Fartlek training.
Disadvantages
The one disadvantage of Fartlek is that because the Athlete sets their own sessions sometimes they might not push themselves as hard as they should. This can be overcome if they have a trainer or someone else to set the session for them.
External links
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