Translated from Swedish, "Fartlek" literally means "speed play." What is it? It's simple - Fartlek training is every type of interval rolled into one workout!

Fartlek training will allow your mind and body to be accustomed to training at higher than normal levels. This in turn means you have the chance to greatly improve your aerobic and anaerobic systems and, if required, lose weight more effectively.

Sessions should be at an intensity that causes the athlete to work at 60% to 80% of their maximum heart rate (220-your age. E.g 220-19=201) , as outlined by the Karvonen Method. This should mean that their body will not experience too much discomfort while exercising. An athlete should also include a good warm up at the beginning of the session, and a cool down at the end of the session, to improve performance and to decrease the chances of injury and for other reasons.

• Warm up – easy running for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Steady, hard speed for 1.5-2 km; like a long repetition.
• Rapid walking for about 5 minutes – recovery.
• Easy running interspersed with sprints of about 50 – 60 m, repeated until a little tired. – Start of speed work.
• Easy running with three or four "quick steps" now and then (simulating suddenly speeding up to avoid being overtaken by another runner).
• Full speed up hill for 175 – 200 m.
• Immediately, fast pace for 1 minute.
• The whole routine is then repeated until the total time prescribed on the training schedule has elapsed.
  

One of the main reasons for the success of fartlek training is that it can be adapted to the needs of the individual. Unlike continuous training, fartlek training can benefit participants of field games such as football, soccer, rugby, hockey and lacrosse as it develops aerobic and aerobic capacities which are both used in sports such as these.