Pokemon Go has exploded onto Android and iPhone, and for the first time gamers of all ages get to feel what it’s like to become a Pokemon trainer in real life. But one thing we never considered playing the earlier games is just how fit Pokemon trainers would have to be, running and cycling practically everywhere they go.

To catch ‘em all in Pokemon Go, you’ve got to be able to go the distance, as the last thing you want is to be out of energy (or pokeballs, for that matter) when a rare Pokemon appears just a few hundred metres away. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide for fitness training, so you can get to all the hard-to-reach areas and find the best Pokemon for yourself.

Top Fitness Training Techniques

The importance of where

Pokemon trainers cover all terrains in their adventures, and so should you. Always running on a hard, uniform surface like a road or footpath increases your risk of injury, and only ever activates the same muscles. Go off-road and hit some difficult trails to give yourself some variety and keep yourself from getting stuck in a training rut.

Go slow for long

Because you want to build endurance, you need to focus on maintaining a steady pace over time. This trains your slow-twitch muscle fibres, which stave off muscle fatigue. If you’re going too hard to hold a conversation, you need to slow down.

Interval training

Of course, you also want to be able to move quickly when it matters, so you can have first first dibs on a new Pokemon before everyone else arrives (if you’ve ever tried looking for Pokemon at Southbank on the weekend, you’ll know what we mean!). Consistent, fast-paced interval training will give you this speed and train you to withstand fatigue and keep going. 4 to 6 intervals of about 2 minutes each with 1 to 1:30 minutes in between is ideal.