Intervals | Time to Sprint

Is your goal to burn fat?  Then you better make intervals a key part of your program.  I discussed the benefits of Tabatas earlier this week, but what if you are a runner?  Can any runner make intervals a part of their routine?  You bet!  Speed work and sprints are not only going to help you burn more fat, but they will also make you stronger in certain points of a race, especially when trying to cross the finish line with nothing left!

There is a certain magic to doing intervals that they have an ability to continue burning fat and calories event after you leave the gym.  Here's the real science, your body is not able to bring in enough Oxygen during periods of hard work and you start to accumulate a "debt" of oxygen that must be repaid post workout.  Your body must help you recover and bring you back to your normal.  This leaves your metabolism revved for hours after you leave the gym.  This is what we like to call excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC.  

Intervals should be made into a regular part of your routine for the best results.  You can always start with slower intervals with more rest to work.  As you improve, shorten the amount of rest you take or make the interval faster.  Ideally, interval training is best when you complete it a couple times a week.  Make sure to have at least one rest day in between.

On to the next point, how do they make you stronger/faster?  Intense intervals stimulate muscle building hormones, which help you to build lean mass.  You will also be developing your cardiovascular system at the same time.  This will increase your cardio ability and strengthen the heart.  Not only will you be able to push harder and harder the more you improve, but you will be able to recover faster and faster!

Here is a treadmill sprint workout for an intermediate to advanced athlete:

1 minute Sprint

90 second Recovery

1 minute Sprint at 3% incline

90 second Recovery

1 minute Sprint at 6% incline

90 second Recovery

1 minute Sprint at 9% incline

90 second Recovery

1 minute Sprint at 12% incline

2-3 minutes Complete Rest

Repeat three to six times depending on level of conditioning.  Recovery should be light walking while complete rest means to stop.  Do this by jumping your feet to the sideboards of the treadmill.

Be sure to include at least 5 minutes of warm-up and a good walking cool down with light stretching.  Post number of sets to comments.

Good Luck! Em