Sprinting not only burns HUGE amounts of calories, it also keeps your metabolism flying for days after. Sprinting combined with running / jogging can bring amazing results, especially when combined with a healthy diet!
It can be done on a stationary bicycle, a stair stepper, or any activity where you can alternate periods of high intensity with periods of low intensity.
The research, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, shows that just 15 minutes of sprint interval training over a two-week period was enough to improve exercise performance by almost 100%
Benefits to sprinting
Sprinting is an amazing exercise period. It is a great tool to help in fat loss, kill stress as well as increasing your metabolic rate for days. On top of all this, sprinting is a great exercise for your hamstrings and can help sculpt and tone those muscles you would kill to have. Besides, sprint training may offer an option for individuals who cite lack of time as a major impediment to fitness and conditioning. One other positive motivational benefit you will find with sprinting is that the uncontrollable human urge to beat a STOP-WATCH can help your clients’ blast through plateaus and dramatically increase performance. Plus there is at least some preliminary evidence that sprint training causes the body to release anabolic hormones: testosterone and human growth hormone with all the positive physiological and anti-aging effects you are striving for in a workout. Sprinting is the original CORE exercise. That means, for a minimum amount of time you spend sprinting you can replace hours spent in the gym on CORE or Functional exercises.
A study was conducted on 16 subjects: eight who performed a two-week sprint-interval training program and eight who did no exercise training . The training program consisted of between four and seven 30-second bursts of “all out” cycling followed by four minutes of recovery three times a week for two weeks. Researchers found that endurance capacity in the sprint group increased on average from 26 minutes to 51 minutes, whereas the control group showed no change. The muscles of the trained group also showed a significant increase in citrate synthase, an enzyme that is indicative of the tissue’s ability to utilize oxygen.
How many days a week should I be sprinting?
WF team suggest spreading your sprinting out evenly and doing it two times a week. Mondays and Thursdays would be fine, leaving enough time for recovery between each day as your muscles will need time to grow and heal. Not only will spreading it out help you recover faster it will also keep your metabolism peaked more evenly and prolong the effect.
If you are ready for sprint training, check out the following sample program:
WEEK ONE
Warm-up : 10 minutes – Jog (vary intensity from 40-60%/max)
Workout : Sprint (at 80-90%) 4 Reps for 10-15 seconds
Walk at slow jog for 5 minutes between reps
Cool Down: 10 minutes – Jog/walk (low intensity, slowing to walk)
STRETCH
WEEK TWO
Warm-up : 10 minutes – Jog (vary intensity from 50-70%/max)
Workout : Sprint (at 85-95%) 5 Reps for 12-15 seconds
Walk at slow jog for 4 minutes between reps.
Cool Down: 10 minutes – Jog (low intensity, slowing to walk)
STRETCH
WEEK THREE
Warm-up : 10 minutes – Jog (vary intensity from 60-80%/max)
Workout : Sprint (at 85-100%) 6 Reps for 12-15 seconds
Walk at slow jog for 4 minutes between reps
Cool Down: 10 minutes – Jog (low intensity, slowing to walk)
STRETCH
WEEK FOUR
Warm-up : 10 minutes – Jog (vary intensity from 60-80%/max)
Workout : Sprint (at 90-100%) 7 Reps for 15 seconds
Walk at slow jog for 4 minutes between reps
Cool Down: 10 minutes – Jog (low intensity, slowing to walk)
STRETCH
After week four, you focus on improving time in the sprints by optimizing technique. Two to three sessions/week will be all you need to make great gains. Remember, recovery occurs within 24-48 hours, adaptation takes longer, usually 72-96 hours after an intense exercise session. By week five you will be operating at maximum intensity, which will require 3-4 days rest for full recovery and adaptation. Plan your training accordingly.