*vibration*

“Slow”

“Fast!”

For anyone who does interval training, it’s a rough haul. Interval training is broadly defined as repetitions of high-speed/intensity work followed by periods of rest or low activity. Generally used in cardiovascular workouts (e.g. stationary biking, running, rowing, etc.), interval workouts involve brief bouts of near-maximum exertion interspersed with periods of lower-intensity activity. The point is to really amp up the heart rate for endurance and cardiovascular benefits while tapping into your fat stores when slowing the heart rate down. This way you avoid burning mostly glycogen stores in your muscles and avoid the lactic acid buildup that occurs when you stay at maximum exertion for too long (that fiery burn when you’re running your own personal marathon? Yep, that’s lactic acid, baby).

The method itself is super easy: warm up for a few minutes, then allot yourself a workout time of, say 30 minutes, which you divide into fast and slow intervals, let’s say 25 seconds of hard exertion with a heart rate of 170 bpm, followed by 15 seconds of a slower rest period with 120 bpm. All you have to do is keep track of the time and, well, do the work. The only problem I’ve encountered with interval training is when I’m busy focusing on footfalls and pace, my breathing or even my surroundings, the last thing I need to mentally keep track of are the passing minutes. It’s easier when using gym equipment like stationary bikes, because they come with their own built-in timers; but, once again, there’s a matter of distraction with those captivating flat-screen TVs and sweat pouring in rivulets down your face.

Appnoose recently released an app called ITGO, Interval Trainer GO, for the iPhone and iPod Touch that takes the mundane attention out of interval work by offering user-controlled sound alerts in tandem with custom fast and slow music playlists. The app itself is simple but effective, with sleek artwork by Maksim Daunarovich that manages to make an otherwise basic timer app looks crisp and modern, professional-looking. First, upload your music playlists – both for the fast and slow intervals parts if you wish – by tapping on the Sounds tab. You may adjust the volume here, along with electing to repeat just one song, the entire playlist, or shuffle (my preference). Here, you may also customize what audio prompt you want for reminding you to switch up the pace, the choices lying between a male voice commanding “slow,” and “fast,” simple beeps, or a custom option, where you may choose between various robotic and beeping noises. The Settings screen is where you customize your workout, choosing from a quick 10 minute session to as long as a 30 minute one, with everything in between. Then, pick the interval rate, from as low as every 10 seconds, to changing your speed every minute. Depending on whether you’re running hills or flat terrain, or your gym machines difficulty level, switching your pace every 10 seconds can actually be more murderous than lasting an entire minute, so choose your routine wisely. The real clincher actually rests on the interval ratio you choose: a 1:1 ratio means the slow interval rate will be just as long as the fast interval rate (speed up for 20 seconds, rest speed for 20 seconds), whereas a ratio of 2:1 means your slow interval will last twice as long as the fast interval (a fast interval of 20 seconds means a rest interval of 40 seconds). Once you set everything up you’re ready to start.

The Timer screen will prompt you to select a warm-up time, and displays all your customized information – session time, interval ratio, song currently playing. Tap on the large timer in the center of the screen and your workout begins, with cool blue and orange lights counting down around the clock for fast and slow intervals, respectively. Tap the timer again to pause, in case those rough intervals are really clamming up your calves. Feel free to ignore the timer as you take your run or keep your eyes glued to a TV screen, because you’ll soon hear the audio reminder – for me, it’s a man chirping “Slow!” then “Fast!” in my ear every 30 seconds.

ITGO accomplishes all you could need for an interval trainer timer, in a slick package. I took it on a run recently, and the only drawback was lugging around my surprisingly cumbersome iPhone on a run; even strapped securely to my arm I felt ever so slightly off balance compared to running encumbrance-free or with a tiny Apple shuffle. However, it’s a small sacrifice to keep me centered on proper intervals, especially since practicing my running intervals help me build speed and endurance more quickly than just static running, alone.

So, mess around, find out what challenges you, and you can skip the pricey personal trainer.

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