Green Power Intervals target your most explosive energy system —the alactic system. To accomplish that, you need to keep the work periods short, typically around 5-10 seconds.
The rest intervals will need to be a bit longer—around a minute—to help you recover before the next work period. That’s because you’ll be pushing yourself as hard as you can during each interval.
If you can’t maintain your power output for the duration of the 5-10 second work period, cut your reps short. As your fitness improves, you’ll be able to sustain the same power output over more reps.
Interval Summary
Goal: Develop the explosive, alactic energy system, so you can repeat explosive bursts of energy without losing power.
How: Start in the middle of your blue zone, then go at 100% intensity for 5-10 seconds. Lower your heart rate back down to the middle of your blue zone over a 40-60 second rest period. If you need to rest longer to achieve 100% intensity in the next round, extend the rest period. Repeat for 10-20 reps.
Exercises: You can use a variety of exercises, such as sport-specific drills. However, low-impact exercises, such as biking, rowing, etc., are ideal to help protect your joints.