Is it OK to run intervals everyday?

Author: Kylee Bergstrom  |  Last update: Thursday, January 22, 2026

In other words, less is more. “Start with one interval run per week,” advises Joy Marxer, adding: “Give your body at least one day's rest after each interval training session, no matter how fit and experienced you are.” Otherwise you risk overtraining.

Can you do interval running everyday?

Both Rhines and Mahon stress the importance of recovery for anyone who's integrating interval training into their fitness routine. To allow yourself time to recover, Mahon suggests doing intervals two or three times a week, alternating with easier runs at a steady pace.

Is it better to run continuously or in intervals?

For Speed and Efficiency: Interval training is more effective. Ultimately, a combination of both methods can provide a well-rounded running program. If you're new to running, consider starting with continuous running and gradually incorporating intervals as your fitness improves.

What is a disadvantage of interval training?

If you do HIIT too often, your body might not be able to fully recover, which means you can't work out as hard as you should. When you're tired during an HIIT workout, your form and technique might suffer, which makes it more likely that you'll get hurt.

What happens to your body if you run every day?

Regular running can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Daily running can help maintain a healthy weight or support weight loss by burning calories and boosting metabolism. Running releases endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

I Was Running Everyday for a Month, See What Happened to My Body

Why is it not good to run everyday?

Your overall cardiorespiratory fitness level, running duration and intensity, and recovery strategies all play a part in whether running every day is helpful or not. For many people, daily runs can translate to overtraining, which means higher risk of overuse injuries and fatigue.

Can running reduce belly fat?

Running is an excellent workout option for losing stubborn belly fat. It works well for burning fat, especially in the belly area. Adding intervals or strength training to your running routine might improve fat reduction. Making these changes can significantly impact your ability to reduce your waist size.

Can you do too much interval training?

Too much of a good thing

For the most part, the stress HIIT puts the body under is beneficial – as it's this stress that drives change. But the body is only able to handle a certain amount of stress at once. As it transpires, too much HIIT can actually bring more harm than good.

What exercise burns the most belly fat?

Activities like running, cycling, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burn more calories and fat throughout the body, including the upper belly, lower belly, and obliques. So, while ab exercises can help define your core, it's a holistic approach that will help you lose the fat covering those muscles.

What is a drawback of the interval scale?

Disadvantages of Interval Data

There is no actual zero point or set starting on the interval scale. Even though one of the values is labelled “zero,” they lack an absolute zero.

What pace should I run intervals at?

When you're first starting out, for short intervals of 30 seconds to one minute, aim for a RPE of 8 or 9 (your recovery intervals should be at a light intensity of around 2 to 3). For longer intervals of around two minutes, aim for a RPE of 6 to 7.

Is it better to run longer less often or shorter more often?

The elevated intensity of running shorter distances can also lead your body to burn more calories at a faster rate. Reduced risk of long-term injury. Short-distance runners are at less risk of wearing down their muscles in the long term.

Are intervals better than jogging?

The intensity of intervals means you burn more calories than you would during a steady-state run. One study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared the calorie expenditure of aerobic, resistance, and HIIT workouts.

Should I run continuously or in intervals?

Interval running often allows you to do more overall work at greater intensities than steady-state running. This helps quicken your pace. For example, if your 5K race pace is eight minutes per mile, you probably wouldn't be able to go out and run 6K at that same pace.

Does interval running burn belly fat?

A: Interval running is more effective for fat loss and losing belly fat when compared to steady-state running.

What is a good distance to run everyday?

Try to start with one to three miles per day if you are new to running. Stay closer to the one-mile end if you don't currently do much exercise. If you hike, bike, or do something similar, you may want to see how you do running three miles a day. As you gain more miles over time, your heart and lungs become stronger.

Does fat get jiggly before you lose it?

The Science of Fat Loss

Think of it like a balloon losing air—it deflates, but doesn't disappear immediately. Over time, your body adjusts, but the jiggly feeling can be a temporary step along the way.

Can I do intervals every day?

Frequency: beginners and newcomers should start with one interval training session per week. If you already jog regularly, several times a week, doing one or two interval training sessions per week is also a possibility – but you must always take a day's break in between.

Does jogging raise cortisol?

This could be done at home. “We were surprised to find that running caused the level of cortisol in the blood to rise rapidly and that the level of cortisol in saliva remained high on running days, right up until bedtime.

Is 20 minutes of interval training enough?

A 20-minute training is more than enough to be an effective workout. And if you opt for high-intensity interval training (HIIT), it may bring you even more benefits than traditional training. HIIT workouts will burn calories, give you a mental boost, and improve your cardiovascular fitness.

Will running 2 miles a day lose belly fat?

But long runs alone aren't going to help you shed that belly fat. You also need to make dietary and lifestyle changes to shift those problem areas. Even if you're a regular runner who is watchful of what you eat, it's still possible to have belly fat that you just can't shift. In many cases, this can be down to diet.

How to lose a hanging belly?

8 Ways to Lose Belly Fat and Live a Healthier Life
  1. Try curbing carbs instead of fats. ...
  2. Think eating plan, not diet. ...
  3. Keep moving. ...
  4. Lift weights. ...
  5. Become a label reader. ...
  6. Move away from processed foods. ...
  7. Focus on the way your clothes fit more than reading a scale. ...
  8. Hang out with health-focused friends.

Should I run faster or longer to lose weight?

Faster runners burn more fat and carbs, use more muscle fibers, and burn calories more efficiently. On the flip side, fast running requires more recovery time and is not suitable for every day. Benefits for distance runners include improved endurance and a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

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