Four or more workouts a week with 2 days a week of interval training and 2+ days a week of endurance / cardio training are a good start to get ready for the season. Two to three workouts a week will maintain fitness. The 4 th and 5th workouts are where an athlete can improve fitness. Be careful you don’t overdo it. Rest days are important.

Interval Training (Twice a Week)

· Running outside on a forgiving surface (not concrete) is best to get ready to play a team sport outside. However, using machines or completing pool workouts every once in a while are good ways to mix up your interval training. Machines could include the stair master, stationary bike or treadmill but the elliptical is not as effective. Beware of the built in calorie counters. Don’t assume they’re accurate.

The key here is to fluctuate your heart rate by changing your tempo and pace.

· 220 minus your age should be your max heart rate (100%) while training. Interval training should be done between a target heart rate of 65% to your max heart rate.

· If you have a heart rate monitor then 65% will be about 130bpm to 140bpm and your max should be between 185bpm and 200bpm. Without a heart rate monitor you’ll have to manually check your pulse after a workout to see where you are and if you’ve trained hard enough. Then adjust your effort at your next workout.

· You need to do bursts of 100% while sustaining the 65% during your rest phase.

· On the treadmill this might be a 5 minute warm up at 65% and then intervals of at least 30 seconds at 100% with no more than a 30 second recovery at 65% for 20 minutes total workout time.

· If you don’t have a heart rate monitor then do your best to alternate between 65% for the rest phase and 100% for the sprint phase, check it and then adjust next time. The idea here is to spike your heart rate and then have it drop before you spike it again. This is how you increase your VO2 Max, which is the capacity to run harder for longer periods of time. 

Cardio / Endurance Training (Two to Three Times a Week)
· Machines are okay every once in a while here too if you feel the need to break up the monotony or they will get you doing something instead of putting it off.

· The key here is to maintain a fast steady pace for more than 25 to 35 minutes. Your heart rate should hover around 65% at all times.

· This is your long run day and your focus should be completing the run at a fast pace. It is not a long slow run day. It should be a continuous fast pace beyond your comfort level to increase your cardio vascular capacity.

· Your veins and capillaries will increase in size if you keep it going for 25 minutes or more. That’s when you become fit and healthy, for sports and for life.

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