Sprint Intervals Revisited

[StrappingYoungLad]

Mr X has informed me that this info was helping some people...So without further ado,may I present to you...The SYL way to sick-as-f#@k abs without the foolishness of dieting...
You need a stopwatch,and a track.I say a stopwatch because you'll be sprinting for time,not distance.I say a track,because I've yet to see an elite sprinter train on a treadmill.For this to really work well,you need to run for your life,with total abandon,for brief periods..I feel this places your "mind-body" in a state of heightened awareness that creates a sense of urgency..If your body "believes" that your life depends upon running incredibly fast,for brief periods,it will go about it's own mysterious way of transforming you into a "human cheetah"and we all know there's no such thing as a fat one,despite the fact that they don't spend hours doing cardio...BTW,if your ONLY option is a treadmill,this will still work,albeit not as quickly,or as well,and I feel you will be shortchanging yourself...
You will do this 3 days a week.Preferably on non-training days,and non-consecutive days.You will start with 4 minutes.As follows:
Jog for 60 secs.
Sprint for 30 secs.
Jog for 60 secs.
Sprint for 30 secs.
Jog for 60 secs.
That's it.You're done.Lest you think that's "too easy",let me remind you that when I say"sprint",what I mean is "run like your freakin' life depends upon it",like you've never run before.You will never run for more than 12 minutes at a time,but the more intensity you can muster,the better your results.That's the beauty of it.You are in total control of your own destiny.
Now unless you're IN REALLY GOOD CONDITION,running for your life for 30 secs.at a time 'aint gonna be easy.30 secs.can seem like an eternity.That's okay.A time will come(sooner than you may think)when you can do it.When that time comes,each 3rd workout,add a 30 sec.sprint,and a 30 sec. jog.The first 4 minute core remains the same,but if you were training M,W,F for example,every Friday you add 30 sec,sprint,30 sec jog...Until you reach 12 minutes total..Then STOP,that's enough.I know by then,it's gonna be fun,you're gonna feel like you want to,and can,run forever..But that is counter-productive,you will lose muscle,and start to catch colds easily,and generally start to resemble a concentration camp victim..(I most certainly hope I haven't offended any long-distance runners out there,but I stand by my "opinion")
So eventually,it'll look like this:
J 60
S 30
J 60
S 30
J 60

S 30
J 30
S 30
J 30
S 30
J 30
Etc...
Don't do any other aerobics.You don't need them.The reason we have trouble sticking to any new discipline is that all our available energy is already consumed by our daily routines.The trick is to pull our energy away from things that are not to our benefit,and apply that energy to things that are.

Once,when I was training,a girl approached me.I wouldn't have thought her fat,perhaps a bit chubby.She said she was having trouble sticking to her diet,and could I perhaps suggest something?I enthusiastically launched into my spiel about sprints,and cheetahs,and all sorts of wonderful things,when she interrupted me.The exchange went something like this:
"Oh,I know!I used to run sprints when I was on my high schooltrack team"
(She looked to be about 20)
"And were you satisfied with your condition?"
"Absolutely.I was in great shape.That's how I want to be now."
"And did you have to diet?"
"I ate whatever I wanted.In fact I used to eat 10 bologna sandwiches a day,with gobs of mayonaise."
"That's wonderful!"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what to do."
"Oh...(her voice trailed off)..But isn't there something else I could do?"
"I don't know....Maybe"
Absolutely amazing.She knew what to do,she knew that it worked.Yet she still wanted me to tell her how to change,without changing.

Information is useless.It's only when you ACT upon information,and validate it through personal experience,that it becomes knowledge.And knowledge is power.You have the Info...Do you want the Power?
I wish you success,in all that you do...

I'm gonna give these a shot somehow. Maybe on my off training days.

[jjfigure]

I do one day of sprints a week year round - they keep me in great condition, and it's nice to be outdoors training every once in a while.

[Mr.X]

Great post....

STICKY

[DRINU]

sprint are the best thing for fat loss and to keep your muscle ,but sometimes its really hard especially in the morning to do it, infact i always take some coffee + ephedrine to give me that boost i need because it is really demanding.

[DRINU]

is it ok to sprint first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with just maybe a strong cup of coffee for just 12 min or is it still catabolic ??

[StrappingYoungLad]

It's fine,just make sure that you eat afterwards.

[The Red Dragon]

If only I didn't have flat feet

[Sh4dowF4lcon]

I absolutely agree 100%.

Sprints have been my secret for sometime now. I can gain weight and hold water easily. When I want to lean out sprints always lean me out the quickest.

I usually do my sprints in the morning while it is cool (I liveinTexas). I do these things on an empty stomach and it jump starts my metabolism and burns all day long.

One other thing: arguably the most imporant thing with this routine is stretching. You need to loosen those muscles in your legs and warm them up prior to the sprints and stretch again and let them cool down. This is important to prevent quad pulls or hamstring problems.

[Sh4dowF4lcon]

Originally Posted by The Red Dragon

If only I didn't have flat feet

get up on your toes bro, like springs.