Post Reports Want to live longer? Try fartleks.
Dec 29, 2025
In this discussion, Gretchen Reynolds, an exercise columnist for The Washington Post and a champion of practical fitness, introduces the concept of fartleks, or 'speed play'. She explains how this informal interval training can enhance strength, endurance, and longevity with just brief bursts of effort. Reynolds contrasts fartleks with stricter routines and emphasizes their fun and accessible nature. She highlights that aerobic fitness is a stronger predictor of lifespan than body weight, and offers quick workout ideas, including the popular seven-minute workout.
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Narrated Fartlek Run Example
- Gretchen Reynolds narrates a fartlek run, describing warm-up, picking up pace, and slowing down to recover.
- She even stops to say hi to dogs, showing fartleks can be casual and social.
How To Do A Fartlek Right Now
- Do fartleks by warming up, then pick a nearby landmark, speed up to it, and slow down to recover.
- Repeat with different markers; there is no fixed time or distance, so customize intensity and duration.
Short Intensity Yields Big Physiological Gains
- Pushing your body occasionally produces lactate and other responses that benefit muscles and the brain.
- That intensity raises VO2 max faster than always-easy workouts, improving fitness more efficiently.