A common sight, especially when the sun is shining, is the plethora of joggers puffing, panting and sweating their way through another gruelling run.

Pounding the pavements can be tough on the joints, and is time consuming and monotonous, yet it seems to be the first (and often only) choice of the outdoor runner. But why is this? I’m not sure, but I do know that these exercisers are missing a trick.

Just as a car needs energy to drive it, the body requires energy to function. Essentially the body has two main energy processes, called the aerobic and anaerobic systems. Activities such as jogging employ the aerobic system, and high intensity pursuits like sprinting rely on the anaerobic system. In other words, different forms of exercise utilise either the aerobic or anaerobic energy systems.

Most people believe that aerobic exercise is the best way to lose fat. Actually it's the other way round, with anaerobic training being the more effective method. The principle reason is that it produces a higher calorie burn, both during and after the workout session. Sports Science boffins refer to this as the EPOC (exercise post oxygen consumption) effect. Simply put, the higher the exercise intensity, the faster and longer your body will process calories.

A tried and tested method for exercising your anaerobic energy system is fartlek running. Fartlek (which means 'speed play' in Swedish) was developed in the 1930's and combines both slow jogging with sprinting.

An example of this type of training could be as follows:-

1. Warm up for five minutes running at your comfortable pace

2. Sprint for a short distance
3. Jog slowly for a short distance
4. Repeat steps two and three between five and ten times
5. Finish off with five minutes running at your comfortable pace