Fartlek: Swedish Training Trick for Better Running

Fartlek is a Swedish term meaning “speed play,” and it helped take the nation’s cross-country success to whole new levels decades ago. Now, athletes and everyday runners around the world are benefiting from the training technique that is considered an unique interval form of speed running.

It’s one of the most appealing types of running workouts because it helps increase running economy and it’s fun, not monotonous like some types of running workouts.

Fartlek is definitely more of a freestyle speed workout, meaning it improves speed and endurance, but you can do it almost anywhere. It’s way less structured than a typical track workout might be.

Many people complain about being slow runners, saying they struggle to run faster, and that’s often because most people haven’t implemented the speed work necessary to gain speed.

It’s time to change that with fartlek training.

Ad

What is a fartlek workout?

The fartlek style workout was created in 1937 by the Swedish cross-country coach named Gösta Holmér. Holmér developed a plan to focus on speed and endurance training using short bursts of faster than race pace efforts during training runs.

Through a fartlek training plan, the record for the mile toggled between Swedish runners Gunder Hagg and Arne Anderson in the 1940s. Hagg eventually took the record with an impressive 4:01 in 1945 and held that record for nine years.

Let’s take a closer look at the fartlek workout. This type of running involves fast and slower portions of the run. The slower segments allow for recovery.

You may be familiar with track workouts involving intervals of 400 meters with a 200 meter jog, for example. That is typically a very structured workout at a very specific pace for a very specific distance.

A fartlek workout is usually less structured. There is a specific intention with the workout: gain speed and running economy. And while you can do fartlek training on a track, it can actually be done anywhere: on the road, trails, hills and even on the beach.

Fartlek can improve running speed, stamina, economy, the ability to perform endurance work and overall performance. The idea is to have freestyle, more spontaneous sprint bursts combined with the amount of active recovery you feel you need to go a bit faster on the next one … and the next one and so on.

Active recovery is when you continue moving but usually at a resting pace, such as an easy jog. Studies have indicated that interval cardio training can greatly help with VO2 max, which is the maximum oxygen uptake, helping you become more efficient with practice. This has even been shown to be effective for people dealing with obesity.

The intention of fartlek training is to help instill the ability, both mentally and physically, to surge during races, especially if you’re competing.

Fartlek training benefits

1. Breaks up monotony of training

It’s not uncommon to get burned out with your workouts. Fartlek may be the perfect way to bring new energy and results back to your workouts when you’re feeling bored and uninspired.

Sometimes you just need a little variety to make exercise more interesting and a little fun. Fartlek training is a great way to add variety to your workouts.

You can even do this with a friend to make it even more fun.

On your next run, after warming up, choose a starting point. At that point, such as the next red light, run for one minute at marathon pace, and then run for three minutes at an easy pace.

Continue this pattern, performing four or five intervals to start. You can work up eight to 10 intervals as you gain strength.

2. Builds strength

If you do the same thing over and over, it may become comfortable, but eventually your body will not respond as well. The body gets used to the activity and, over time, can plateau.

What happens is the nervous system and muscles, for example, adapt to your fitness routine. This happens pretty fast, maybe as soon as six to eight weeks. At that point, you may not feel very challenged, mentally or physically.

Ad

To stay sharp, engaged and enhance your performance, you may need to change things up. Fartlek workouts can offer the perfect challenge, and you can change the fartlek routine, rotating through several options.

One week, you may run sprints for a period of 30 seconds, while the next you may run them for two minutes. The options are nearly endless and can help the body gain strength and efficiency.

3. Burns more calories

Speed work will definitely burn more calories in less time. According to research, performing interval types of workouts burns more calories because you are working more systems in the body, which requires more effort. More effort will burn more calories than if exercising at a steady state.

This could make the fartlek a great workout for anyone who has less time for exercise but wants to be as effective as possible.

Think about it this way: Walking leisurely and even breathing burn calories, but walking fast is going to burn more calories and fat in a shorter amount of time because you are using more energy.

Running faster does the same. A leisurely jog is great for good health, but doing a little speed play can increase your calorie burn in way less time than a leisurely jog while improving your muscle development.

The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn at rest. By combining both rest intervals or an easy jog with some hard sprints, you can get a great workout and burn calories at the same time.

4. Helps prevent injuries

Fartleks may be a great way to prevent injuries in runners. Interval training can allow the body to safely recover between intervals so you minimize your risk of injury.

It is very common to see runners getting injured due to doing too much too soon. By doing intervals, you can start with a few and work your way up, while giving the body ample time to recover.

The American Council on Exercise has stated that by doing short bouts of intervals using a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio, such as one minute fast running with two to three minutes of easy recovery, you can get a great workout while putting less stress on the body.

5. Can increase speed and endurance

Finding a workout that can increase speed and endurance at the same time is ideal for many. Fartlek may be your workout if this is what you are trying to achieve.

A good fartlek workout can ramp up your speed and endurance. This happens because you are working the cardiovascular system each time you kick up the pace. With practice, this helps your system improve its level of effort and overall threshold.

For instance, a 2020 study investigated the effects of fartlek training on cardiovascular and speed endurance in college-aged men. Thirty participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group that followed a structured fartlek training program three times per week for 12 weeks and a control group that did not undergo any specialized training.

Fartlek was used to test its impact on athletic performance. At the end of the program, significant improvements were observed in the experimental group.

Cardiovascular endurance was measured using Cooper’s 12-minute run/walk test, while speed endurance was assessed with a 150-meter sprint. The results showed that those who engaged in fartlek training improved both endurance markers compared to the control group, highlighting fartlek’s effectiveness in enhancing both aerobic capacity and speed-related performance.

How to incorporate fartlek training

You can gain amazing benefits from doing a fartlek workout. You can perform this workout on the road, at the track, on hills and even on the treadmill at the gym.

Here are some tips on how to utilize fartlek training:

1. Start with a warm-up

Begin each session with a five- to 10-minute easy jog to prepare your muscles and cardiovascular system for the workout ahead.

2. Choose your fartlek structure

Fartlek workouts can be tailored to your fitness level and goals. Consider the following approaches:

• Time-based intervals: Alternate between periods of faster running and recovery jogs. For example, run hard for one minute, then jog for two minutes. Repeat this cycle for the desired duration.
• Landmark-based intervals: Use natural or urban landmarks to dictate your pace changes. Sprint to the next lamppost, then jog to the following mailbox and so on. This method adds spontaneity and can make workouts more engaging.
• Structured workouts: Implement a set pattern, such as the “Mona Fartlek,” which includes intervals like 90 seconds fast, 90 seconds easy, 60 seconds fast, 60 seconds easy, down to 15-second intervals. This structure can help in tracking progress over time.

3. Adjust intensity and duration

Tailor the intensity and length of your intervals based on your current fitness level:

• Beginners: Start with shorter, less intense intervals, such as 30 seconds of faster running followed by two minutes of easy jogging.
• Intermediate to advanced runners: Incorporate longer or more intense intervals, adjusting the recovery periods accordingly to maintain workout quality.

4. Incorporate into weekly training

Integrate fartlek sessions once or twice a week, ensuring they complement your overall training plan and allowing adequate recovery between high-intensity workouts.

5. Cool down

Conclude your workout with a five- to 10-minute easy jog or walk to aid in recovery and reduce muscle soreness.

Here are some more fartlek run workouts for specific types of training:

5K or 10K training fartlek

Purpose: Build race-specific speed and stamina.

Example:

• five-minute easy jog
• six rounds of: two minutes hard + two minutes easy
• five-minute cooldown
• Tip: Run the fast segments at 5K race pace; jog the recoveries.

Descending ladder fartlek

Purpose: Improve endurance and pacing awareness.

Example:

• five-minute easy jog
• four minutes fast + two minutes easy
• three minutes fast + 90 seconds easy
• two minutes fast + one minute easy
• one minute fast + one minute walk or jog
• five-minute cooldown
• Tip: Each interval gets shorter but should be progressively faster.

Half or full marathon fartlek

Purpose: Introduce controlled speed work into longer runs.

Example:

• 20- to 30-minute easy run
• 10 x one-minute moderate-hard effort + two minutes easy
• Finish with steady running for the remainder of the planned long run
• Tip: Keep efforts at tempo or just under race pace to avoid overtraining.

Fartlek training on a treadmill

Purpose: Control speed precisely indoors.

Example:

• Warm-up jog (five minutes at 1 percent incline)
• one minute fast (e.g., 8 mph) + two minutes easy (e.g., 5.5 mph) – repeat six to eight times
• Cool down (five minutes)
• Tip: Use treadmill settings to increase challenge with incline during fast segments.

Fartlek training outside

Purpose: Make use of natural surroundings for variety.

Example:

• Warm up for five to 10 minutes
• Sprint to the next mailbox or tree, jog to the next stop sign; repeat for 20-30 minutes
• Cool down with five minutes of easy running
• Tip: Let the terrain and environment guide the pace and distance.

By incorporating fartlek training into your routine, you can improve both speed and endurance while keeping your workouts varied and enjoyable.

Fartlek vs. HIIT vs. Tabata

A fartlek workout could be likened to a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout or Tabata workout since they are all forms of interval training. The main difference is that with fartlek you run easy to moderate for an active recovery period to prepare your body for another interval.

This is beneficial, as research has revealed that active recovery increases VO2 max more than passive recovery, such as standing.

HIIT workouts are a great way to help athletes gain more fitness by helping their bodies and minds adapt and learn how to work at a higher intensity. The rest intervals give the muscles time to rest, allowing you to put max effort into the short bursts of intensity.

Tabata is similar in that it is filled with bursts of hard work, but it is typically structured in four-minute segments with 20 seconds of hard exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. HIIT is usually designed in a more 1:1 or 1:2 ratio, a little more similar to the fartlek style.

Ultimately, the longer the work interval, the longer the rest interval should be, though the workouts can vary to make them more challenging.

Here a quick glance comparing these types of interval training:

Fartlek

• Work: 30 seconds to several minutes
• Rest: 30 seconds to several minutes
• Heart rate: 70 percent to 85 percent of max heart rate
• Total workout time: 30-60 minutes

Tabata

• Work:  20 seconds
• Rest: 10 seconds
• Heart rate: Close to 100 percent of max heart rate
• Total workout time: four minutes

HIIT

• Work: one to two minutes
• Rest: 60 seconds to two minutes. 1:1 or 1:2 ratio, such as one minute of work with one minute of rest or one minute work and two minutes rest. You can add variety, such as two minutes of work and one minute of rest.
• Heart rate: 80 percent to 95 percent of max heart rate
• Total workout time: 20-40 minutes

Precautions

Keep in mind, that as mentioned earlier, too much too soon can result in injury. (That goes with just about any type of exercise.)

Take it slow, and it is best to have some base running under your belt first. If you are uncertain, check with your doctor or your coach.

Speaking of coach, you may want to consider getting one (if you do not already have one) to help you with your goals and workout plans, as well as accountability.

Final thoughts

• Changing your routine can add some spice to your workouts as well as provide strength, speed and endurance.
• While these goals are not for everyone, fartlek could be worth a try, especially if you hit a plateau in your fitness routine or desired results.
• Consider inviting a friend and make it fun. Workouts should be a time to get away while improving your overall health, and fartlek is a great way to keep things exciting, challenging and enjoyable.