← Back to the plan

4 × 4 intervals

Get fitter, faster · Running · 41 min

The gold-standard fitness session from the research: four hard four-minute efforts with easy jogging between. Tough, time-efficient, and brilliant for your VO₂max.

How to do it

Warm up well, then run 4 minutes hard (only a word or two of talk) and jog 3 minutes easy. Repeat four times and cool down.

The session

41 minutes total
EasyHard
  1. Warm-up8 min · easyBuild from a walk to an easy jog.
  2. Hard intervals4 × (4 min hard / 3 min easy)Hard but even — aim to finish rep four as strong as rep one.
  3. Cool-down5 min · easyEasy jog into a walk.

Good to know

Hold something back on the first rep — they get harder. Nail all four at an even pace before you push the speed.