Because of the nature of its name people ask the question: What is Fartlek Training?
Answer: Fartlek, a Swedish term that means “speed play,” is a form of interval or speed training that can be effective in improving your speed and endurance.
Fartlek running involves varying your pace throughout your run, alternating between fast segments and slow jogs. Unlike traditional interval training that involves specific timed or measured segments, fartleks are more unstructured. Work-rest intervals can be based on how the body feels. With fartlek training, you can experiment with pace and endurance, and to experience changes of pace.
Why is fartlek an ideal training type, especially pre and early season for hockey players? The answer lies in the fact that fartlek training can simulate what happens in a hockey game, which is full of stop/starts, long/short runs, fast/slow/medium pacing. It is more flexible, and not as demanding as traditional interval training. Another benefit of fartlek training is that it doesn’t have to be done on a hockey field and can be done on all types of terrains — roads, trails, or even hills. Essendon and the Suns Australian rules teams incorporate it in their high altitude USA pre season training.
To do a fartlek workout, try introducing some short periods of slightly higher pace into your normal runs. Maintain the faster pace for a short distance or time intervals, such as 200m or 30 seconds. The intervals can vary throughout the workout, and you can even use landmarks such as streetlights or telephone poles to mark your segments.
Once you complete a fast segment, slow your pace to below your normal running pace, until you have fully recovered and your breathing has returned to normal. Then return to running at your normal pace, and incorporate more slightly fast intervals later in the run.
Fartlek training puts a little extra stress on your system, eventually leading to faster speeds and improving your anaerobic threshold.
Examples of fartlek training schedules and purpose can be seen below;
Sample Fartlek Workout:
KEY: On = sprint; Off = jog; Run = 800 meter pace (faster than jog); X = number of reps
Fartlek I
5 min. run
2 min. on / 2 min. off x 4
1:30 on / 1:30 off x 4
1 min. on / 45 sec. off x 4
5 min. run
Total: 39 minutes
Fartlek II
5 min. steady pace
1 min. on / 1 min. off x 2
1:30 min. on / 1:30 min. off x 2
2 min. on / 2 min. off x 2
1:30 min. on / 1:30 min. off x 2
1 min. on / 1 min. off x 2
5 min. steady pace
Total: 38 minutes
For further information on fartlek training review the below video;
