Key finding
Short, repeated high-intensity intervals improve maximal aerobic capacity as effectively as much longer moderate sessions.
The core finding across meta-analyses is consistency: structured interval work, typically intervals of several minutes near maximal sustainable effort, produces improvements in maximal aerobic capacity that match or exceed far longer moderate-intensity blocks.
The mechanism is straightforward. Interval work accumulates more time at high percentages of maximal oxygen uptake, providing a stronger stimulus for central cardiovascular adaptation.
In practice: intervals are a tool for a specific purpose, not a replacement for easy volume. Programmes that pair one to two quality interval sessions with sufficient low-intensity mileage achieve the best of both.
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