fartlek

English

WOTD – 7 April 2022

Etymology

Borrowed from Swedish fartlek, from fart (“speed”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to go through; to carry forth, fare”)) + lek (“child’s play”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“to jump around, run around; to frolic, play; to dance; to jitter, shake”)).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɑːtlɛk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɑɹtlək/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: fart‧lek

Noun

fartlek (countable and uncountable, plural fartleks)

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.

   Synonym: interval training

   • 1992, Hal Higdon, “Fartlek: A Time-tested Treasure”, in Kathleen A. Becker, editor, Run Fast: How to Train for a 5-K or 10-K Race, Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press, →ISBN, pages 128–129:

     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.

Translations

training technique in which periods of intense effort alternative with periods of less strenuous effort in a continuous workout

• Finnish: vauhtileikittely
• German: Fahrtspiel n
• Hebrew: אימון פארטלק
• Japanese: ファルトレク
• Lithuanian: fartlekas
• Russian: фартлек (fartlek)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Roman: fartlek m

• Swedish: fartlek c

See also

• wind sprint

Further reading

• fartlek on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Swedish

Etymology

fart (“speed”) +‎ lek (“(child's) play”)

Noun

fartlek c

1. fartlek

Declension

Declension of fartlek
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	fartlek	fartleken	fartlekar	fartlekarna
Genitive	fartleks	fartlekens	fartlekars	fartlekarnas

References

• fartlek in Svensk ordbok (SO)