Interval-Sprint training-HIIT  

General guidelines:

•Choose any aerobic activity: swimming, running or cycling.

•Warm up with same activity for 5 minutes.

•Gradually increase the number and intensity of sprints over several weeks or longer, depending on your fitness level, to 8, 30second sprints with 11/2 minutes rest between sprints (number of sprints, rest and activity ratios are variable).

•Rest is relative: heart rate must remain in aerobic zone (65-75% of heart rate (HR) max).

Fine points:

•Increase the intensity and shorten the duration of your “aerobic” type exercise.

•Keep intensity high enough to fatigue in 30 sec. to 1 minute. You are trying to reach 90% + of your estimated heart rate maximum by your 3rd. or 4th sprint.   (use a heart rate monitor)

•Perceived exertion moves from uncomfortable at rest, to very difficult or max effort during sprint.

•If your heart rate goes below 70% HR max in the rest period, try to push harder during activity or shorten rest period. (Your HR increases during the workout. Try to get the percentages right by your last 3 or 4 sprints).

•Runners: should sprint on hills or the highest incline of a treadmill unless you are a young athlete or your sport requires level surface sprinting. This will reduce impact shock on your joints. The incline will have to be steep enough for you to reach all out exertion in chosen sprint interval.

•Cyclists: can achieve sprint intensity by increasing the resistance and standing up, if using a stationary bike. You can also cycle up a steep hill alternating between sprints and reduced intensity intervals.

•Strength training: Similar hormonal and metabolic environments, that are the rational for the health and fitness benefits of sprinting, can be accomplished by full body strength training exercises (strength-interval workout). Chose multi-joint movements, repetition range of 8-12, for upper body exercises, and 12-20 for lower body exercises. To keep HR in appropriate ranges, use short rest periods (active: keep moving), try hybrid exercises (combining upper and lower body exercises into one, and supersets (instead of resting between sets, do a set with opposing muscle group).  Strive for work-rest intervals in the 90% to 70% HR max range.

•Do three to a maximum of four sprint workouts per week.

•Alternating between cycling, running and strength-interval workouts is a good cross training, injury prevention strategy. 

•Keep workouts short to insure optimal physiological responses.

Research shows:

•Sprinters are leaner and have more muscle mass than marathon runners.

•High intensity exercise burns more fat, during and after the workout, than lower intensity exercise, contributing to a healthier body composition (less fat and more muscle).

•Sprinting causes excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and a fat burning, anabolic (muscle building) hormonal environment that is more effective for weight loss than the “duration of exercise and calories burned” model.

•Blood levels of human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone increase after sprint and strength training. (These strong fat burning, regenerative hormones decrease as we age).

•In long duration aerobic exercise the stress hormone cortisol is unopposed by HGH and testosterone (not optimal muscle building and possibly exceeding the body,s ability to control oxidative stress-free radical damage).

•Short periods of high intensity exercise can produce similar health benefits as longer periods of aerobic “zone” exercise; stimulating improvements in aerobic metabolism that are comparable to traditional endurance training with the added benefit of increasing anaerobic capacity. (Gibala).

•Fitness improves insulin sensitivity, heart and lung function, body composition, and lowers stress hormones (sprinting is our evolutionary antidote to stress: the outlet for our body’s metabolic and hormonal preparation when confronted with a strong stressor. Think, fright-flight response).

•The improvements in fitness derived from interval and strength training can help prevent osteoporosis and muscle loss as we age.

•Applying interval training heart rate guidelines to a multi-joint strength training program can increase muscle mass and cardio-respiratory fitness.

Online resources and references:

* Al Sears M.D. who recommends intervals for heart health link

*http://www.naturopathichealthclinic.com/  (click on articles)

* http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=4516

* http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=4229

* http://www.xiser.com/downloads.php

A consultation with a qualified exercise specialist is highly recommended when starting a new exercise program. He or she can help you safely attain your fitness goals. Helping you with exercise selection, intensity, and proper execution. Medical and orthopedic histories can be taken into consideration and a doctor’s release may be required.

To your health,

Ken Niehoff

Choose your body type

from: Mark Smith “xiser”