Sprints...

Ok, so we all know that cardio is not my favourite thing in the world! It is a struggle for me to do cardio with any kind of consistency and even with my week planning I do tend to talk myself out of cardio in favour of lifting. I love lifting, it's my thing and I get results from pushing weights. Although in saying that, when I do a few weeks of consistent cardio sessions, I do notice changes in my body and then when I am lifting I feel fitter and leaner!

If I told you that there was a much better, more effective form of cardio which didn't involve 45 minutes of slow and steady on the treadmill, cross-trainer, bike {or any other form of torture} would you believe me?



do I really need to sprint up the stairs?

I have been doing a form of cardio that doesn't bore me to tears or have me running for the weights room. A form of cardio that is short, sharp, gets you sweaty and has you feeling like you are on top of the world when you have finished!

Sprint intervals!

Once you get going they are awesome and empowering! And I don't just love them because they are short and over with quickly, there are so many other reasons why sprint intervals will get your body where you want it to be....

1. By doing sprints you will increase your post exercise oxygen consumption, effectively increasing your metabolic rate and energy use after the sprint work-out

2. You will  burn a lot of calories quickly, enhancing the use of enzymes and proteins that are involved in using fat as your body's preferred source of fuel

3. Sprint training will build muscle and increase the size and strength of fast-twitch fibres {muscle fibres that contract quickly and release energy rapidly}. With the right nutrition and recovery, sprinting will enhance protein synthesis {in short muscle building and repair} leading to muscle building

 

4. Sprint training can increase anabolic hormones that improve body composition. Women won’t experience the same increase in testosterone as men but sprints will increase growth hormone which means more fat burning and muscle building which will result in a stronger, leaner body

 

5. Sprints encourage your body to work more effectively by increasing the amount of glycogen that can be stored in the muscle by as much as 20%. This in turn trains your body to burn fat for fuel and preserves muscle glycogen {glycogen is the principal stored form of carbohydrate energy known as glucose which is reserved in your muscles. When your muscles are full of glycogen, they look and feel full}

 

And not only do sprints make you look stronger, fitter and leaner they are also great for your all round health and well-being....

 

Better heart and lung health, improved circulation, better cognition, improved metabolism, and the optimal hormonal environment. And most important for me they save my sanity from boring slow and steady cardio!

 

Here are a two sprint interval work-outs that my clients just love doing {well, I think they do}!!!!

 

In the gym :: pick your equipment :: bike, treadmill, rower, cross-trainer

 

A1. Foam roll

B1. Two minute warm up at 50-60% MHR

C1. Intervals - 15 sets - 30seconds active / 30seconds recovery - 15 minutes total

D1. 3 minute cool down

E1. Stretch

 

Outdoors :: download the application Round Timer :: set to 1minute active / 30seconds recovery

 

A1. Stretch

B1. Two minute warm up at 50-60% MHR

C1. Intervals - 15 sets - 1minute active / 30seconds recovery - 10 minutes total

D1. 3 minute cool down

E1. Stretch

 

 

Source: Charles Poliqion Blog