So I've been sprinting. One of my new year's fitness resolutions was to begin sprinting, because it burns fat and encourages muscle growth, so it begun. Do you sprint? My new trainer, Jarrett Hahn, Owner of M.O.V.E Fitness & Performance in Hoboken, NJ discusses the benefits to sprint training and lays down some ground rules to ensure you're getting the most out of your workout. After all, we don't have time to waste.
"One of the main benefits of sprinting is that it gets your nervous system fired up, releases endorphins and growth hormone, and activates muscle fibers that would otherwise be dormant," Hahn explained.
Make Sure Your Form is On Point
Form and technique is just as important in sprinting as in any other exercise or movement. Everything from the start phase, to the acceleration phase, to the maximum speed phase. Turns out, I wasn't sprinting correctly until I was coached. Here's a video on the proper form.
Use a Heart Rate Monitor
Wearing a heart rate monitor during sprinting, can be very beneficial if you’re looking to shed excess body fat and widen your aerobic window. It helps to get your body into an anaerobic state of exercise, which is short duration, high intensity exercise that lasts anywhere seconds up to around two minutes. (For example, I've been doing a series of 15 second sprints to increase my heart rate, then allowing it to come down to 120 bpm before doing another.)
After two minutes, the body’s aerobic system kicks in. The anaerobic effect happens in the body when we exert ourselves at 84% of our max heart rate and above. The residual effects include: burning more calories at rest, developing strength, an increased VO2 max, a more lean and defined body, and a more efficient use of time.
Take it Easy
I've been doing a sprint training routine for 10-20 minutes per day three days a week. "You want to get right to the edge of that breaking point and call it a day. It is best to start on the more conservative side to avoid injury or overreaching," Hahn warns.
