Fartlek
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 An athletic training technique, used especially in running, in which periods of intense effort alternate with periods of less strenuous effort in a continuous workout. countable, uncountable
"In an article in Athletics Journal, Paul A. Smith described fartlek as "a continuous overdistance run with numerous faster-paced interval runs interspersed, until the runner feels tired, but not exhausted." Smith claimed that because fartlek existed in the mind of the runner as a form of play, it deemphasized the feeling or perception of fatigue. […] In a typical fartlek workout, you pick some landmark such as a tree or a bush and sprint to it, then jog until you've recovered."
- 2 a method of athletic training (especially for runners) in which strenuous effort and normal effort alternate in a continuous exercise wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"In an article in Athletics Journal, Paul A. Smith described fartlek as "a continuous overdistance run with numerous faster-paced interval runs interspersed, until the runner feels tired, but not exhausted." Smith claimed that because fartlek existed in the mind of the runner as a form of play, it deemphasized the feeling or perception of fatigue. […] In a typical fartlek workout, you pick some landmark such as a tree or a bush and sprint to it, then jog until you've recovered."
Etymology
Borrowed from Swedish fartlek, from fart (“speed”) + lek (“child’s play”).