What is the primary benefit of interval training for athletes?

Interval training is particularly beneficial as it enhances both aerobic and anaerobic capacities, which are crucial for athletes in various sports. This form of training involves alternating periods of high-intensity efforts with lower-intensity recovery phases. By engaging in this cycle, athletes can push their cardiovascular systems to improve endurance (aerobic capacities) while simultaneously training their bodies to tolerate high-intensity efforts and recover effectively (anaerobic capacities).

This dual enhancement allows athletes to perform better during competitions, as they can sustain high-intensity efforts for longer while also recovering quickly during events and between rounds of competition. The increased capacity in both energy systems leads to improved overall athletic performance, making interval training a favored approach among many trainers and athletes alike.

The other options, while they may have merit in specific contexts, do not capture the primary benefit of interval training. Flexibility and mobility improvements can be achieved through other forms of training, strength development can be targeted separately, and relaxation techniques are more focused on mental preparedness rather than the physical conditioning that interval training provides.