Fartlek Training

Fartlek, developed in the 1930s, comes from the Swedish for 'Speed Play' and combines continuous and interval training. FFartlek allows athletes to run at varying intensity levels over their chosen distances. This type of training stresses both the aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways.

Fartlek for Runners

The following are a selection of fartlek sessions:

Watson Fartlek

Suitable for 10k, 5k, 3k and cross country.

10 minutes warm-up
Stride hard for 4 minutes with 1-minute jog recovery - repeat eight times
10-minute cool-down

Saltin Fartlek

Suitable for 1500m, 5k and 3k.

10 minutes warm-up
Repeat six times - Stride hard for 3 minutes with a 1-minute jog run recovery
10-minute cool-down

Astrand Fartlek

Suitable for 800m.

10 minutes warm-up
Repeat three times - Maximum effort for 75 seconds, 150 seconds jog/run, a maximum effort for 60 seconds, 120 seconds jog run.
10-minute cool-down

Gerschler Fartlek

Suitable for getting fit quickly when combined with steady running.

10 minutes warm-up
Repeat 3 times - Stride hard for 30 seconds, jog 90 seconds. Repeat with 15 second decreases in recovery jog e.g. 30-90, 30-75, 30-60, 30-45, 30-30, 30-15 and 30-15-30
10-minute cool-down

Hill Fartlek

10 minutes warm-up
Select a 2-mile hilly course. Repeat three times - Run hard up all hills twice before moving to the next hill, jog, run between hills
10-minute cool-down

Whistle Fartlek

Using a whistle, the coach controls the session over an 800 metres circumference grass area.

10 minutes warm-up
When the whistle is blown, the athletes run hard until the whistle is blown again. Pyramid session of 4 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes with a 60-second jog run recovery between each run
10-minute cool-down

Fartlek for games players

A fartlek session for games players should include sprinting, running, jogging and walking with variations in the direction of movement to fit in with the demands of their sport. It should involve controlling an object (e.g. football) or carrying any implement (e.g. hockey stick, rugby ball) used in the sport.

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

MACKENZIE, B. (1998) Fartlek Training [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/fartlek.htm [Accessed


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FFartlek allows athletes to run at varying intensity levels over their chosen distances. This type of training stresses both the aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways. Fartlek for Runners The following are a selection of fartlek sessions: Watson Fartlek Suitable for 10k, 5k, 3k and cross country. 10 minutes warm-up Stride hard for 4 minutes with 1-minute jog recovery - repeat eight times 10-minute cool-down Saltin Fartlek Suitable for 1500m, 5k and 3k. 10 minutes warm-up Repeat six times - Stride hard for 3 minutes with a 1-minute jog run recovery 10-minute cool-down Astrand Fartlek Suitable for 800m. 10 minutes warm-up Repeat three times - Maximum effort for 75 seconds, 150 seconds jog/run, a maximum effort for 60 seconds, 120 seconds jog run. 10-minute cool-down Gerschler Fartlek Suitable for getting fit quickly when combined with steady running. 10 minutes warm-up Repeat 3 times - Stride hard for 30 seconds, jog 90 seconds. Repeat with 15 second decreases in recovery jog e.g. 30-90, 30-75, 30-60, 30-45, 30-30, 30-15 and 30-15-30 10-minute cool-down Hill Fartlek 10 minutes warm-up Select a 2-mile hilly course. Repeat three times - Run hard up all hills twice before moving to the next hill, jog, run between hills 10-minute cool-down Whistle Fartlek Using a whistle, the coach controls the session over an 800 metres circumference grass area. 10 minutes warm-up When the whistle is blown, the athletes run hard until the whistle is blown again. Pyramid session of 4 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes with a 60-second jog run recovery between each run 10-minute cool-down Fartlek for games players A fartlek session for games players should include sprinting, running, jogging and walking with variations in the direction of movement to fit in with the demands of their sport. It should involve controlling an object (e.g. football) or carrying any implement (e.g. hockey stick, rugby ball) used in the sport. Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: MACKENZIE, B. (1998) Fartlek Training [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/fartlek.htm [Accessed