What Does Interval Training Do for an Athlete?

Build strength, power, and resilience—one round at a time

If you’re looking to get stronger, faster, and more resilient without spending hours in the gym, interval training might be the missing piece. For athletes—especially those in rotational, dynamic, or power-endurance sports like golf, hockey, skiing, and even equestrian sports—intervals are one of the most efficient ways to build real performance capacity.

In this post, we’ll explore what interval strength training does for the body, how it fits into a functional strength training approach, and how to use functional movement patterns to get the most out of it.

Why This Matters

Athletes don’t just need strength. They need repeatable strength, quick recovery, and the ability to stay strong under fatigue.

That’s where interval strength training excels. It allows you to target multiple energy systems, improve muscular endurance, and develop explosive power—all in a time-efficient format.

According to the Journal of Sports Sciences, interval training improves both aerobic power and anaerobic capacity, making it ideal for athletes who need to start, stop, and repeat bursts of movement across an entire game, run, or ride (source).

For sports like golf, hockey, ski/snowboard, this means:

• More power in every swing, stride, or jump

• Better recovery between explosive efforts (huge in hockey)

• Increased capacity to stay strong, stable, and injury-free

What to Focus On

Use Interval Formats That Build Power

Intervals aren’t just for cardio—they’re a powerhouse tool in functional strength training. When you use resistance-based intervals, you teach your body to express and repeat strength under time constraints.

Examples:

• EMOMs (Every Minute on the Minute):
  Perform 2–3 compound movements each minute
  → Great for golf and ski athletes focusing on coordination and explosiveness

• AMRAPs (As Many Rounds As Possible):
  Push consistency and control across a set time
  → Ideal for hockey players building repeat sprint capacity

• Timed Circuits with functional movement patterns:
  Include lunges, chops, planks, and carries for stability and rotational strength

Internal Link: Build this into your next cycle with APX MVMT LAB
Alt Text: “Athlete training with kettlebell during interval strength session”

Combine Movement Patterns for Sport-Relevant Gains

The most effective interval sessions don’t just isolate muscles—they train movement patterns your body uses in sport.

Here’s how to apply functional movement patterns in intervals:

• Golf/Hockey:
  Cable chops, med ball slams, rotational lunges

• Ski/Snowboard:
  Lateral hops, landmine presses, offset carries

• Equestrian:
  Split squats, side planks, anti-rotation presses

Use supersets or circuits that blend upper/lower and rotational/anti-rotational work. The key is dynamic control under fatigue—exactly what your sport demands.

How to Apply

Start simple. Intervals are easy to implement, but hard to recover from if overdone. Try this simple structure:

Beginner Interval Template (2-3x/week):

• 30 sec work / 90 sec rest → Power

• 1 min work / 1 min rest → Strength

• 3 min work / 2 min rest → Endurance

Or start with bodyweight-only intervals for coordination and control:

• 20 sec work / 10 sec rest x 8 sets (Tabata):

  • Side Planks

  • Rotational Lunges

  • Russian Twists

Keep the focus on movement quality, not just heart rate.

Final Thoughts

Interval strength training helps athletes build power that lasts, recover faster between efforts, and move with more precision—even under fatigue.

When done right, it’s one of the most effective ways to blend functional strength training and movement pattern development in a way that translates directly to sport.

Train smart, move with purpose, and build a body that performs when it counts.

FAQs

What is interval strength training?
It’s a method of performing strength exercises in time-based intervals to improve power, endurance, and recovery.

How is this different from traditional strength training?
Traditional lifting focuses on max strength with full recovery. Interval strength adds a time element, making it more sport-specific and energy-system focused.

Can interval training be part of functional training?
Absolutely. When structured with functional movement patterns, it enhances stability, coordination, and repeatable force.

What sports benefit most from interval strength?
Any sport with start-stop effort, rotational power, or endurance demands—like golf, hockey, skiing, and equestrian.

Want strength that translates to your Favorite sport?

Join the APX MVMT LAB and train with purpose. Our programs blend interval, strength, and movement-based conditioning to help you perform better and stay in the game longer.