If you’ve decided to shed those extra kilos this summer then stop whatever you are doing and just start sprinting. Did you know that sprinting boosts your metabolism and can regulate your fat burning hormones, giving you the abs you’ve been dreaming of? Sprinting is not an easy exercise and requires a lot of strength and dedication, but the excellent results it leads to can provide the best motivation.
Running on the treadmill for an hour can often get tedious, and after a few days you might lose the motivation as well. As a result, your dream to shed weight and get into shape is shattered. But wait – Binod Bhadri, Fitness and Adventure Sports Expert have got you covered!
He suggests an alternative that is more effective in the world of fitness – Sprinting. Sprints are basically short runs which requires you to run as hard as you can, utilizing all your energy and muscle power for short intense bursts.
The benefits of sprinting are endless. It is an excellent cardiovascular exercise, it increases your stamina, burns lot of calories in a short time and moreover, it gives a boost to your metabolism so even when your workout is over, it keeps on burning calories, says Mr Bhadri who leads a fitness group – Dare To Gear.
What To Do: Initially start sprinting for 10 minutes and then gradually increase the duration. Aim to do 10 rounds and each time cover a distance of 15-20 metres. Take a rest of 30 seconds after completing one sprint.
So, just grab your running shoes and hit the floor!
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1. 1 Hour Of High Intensity Cardio = 10 Sprints For 15 Minutes. What’s Your Pick?
Why sweat extra when you can achieve the same results in a shorter period of time. Sprints give you quick bursts of movements thereby helping you lose weight effectively. They are just as, if not more effective, than jogging for an hour. If you are crunched for time then going for sprints is the best workout decision you can ever take. It maximizes your workout in half the time!
Doing the same type of workout every day is boring; moreover it is not effective for your body. Every day, I see people going for long runs or are just simply running on the treadmill in order to lose weight. That’s not how fitness regimes work, people should have variety. Doing sprints adds just that, added Mr Bhadri.
2. Sprinting Makes Muscle
As sprinting is an anaerobic exercise, it helps in build muscles in the same way that weight training does. However, while weight training you focus on one body part at a time. Sprinting, on the other hand, uses dozens of muscles at the same time, making it one of the most complete muscle training exercises available.
There are studies that show sprinting can enhance protein synthesis pathways which helps in breaking down protein by as much as 230 percent. With the right nutrition and recovery, sprinting can actually promote muscle building, allowing your body to become leaner.
When you go for long runs or marathons you lose muscles, simply because your body is in action for longer duration. But sprinting is different; it works in your favour. Sprinting is for a shorter duration, and your muscles get enough time to recover after the sprint action. Therefore it helps in building muscles, said Mr Bhadri
Also Read: From Flab To Fit: Top 5 Exercises To Beat Belly Fat
3. Sprinting Boosts Metabolism – You Lose Weight Even After The Workout Is Over
There is no doubt that sprinting helps in burning a lot of calories in a short span of time. But, what’s great is that one loses weight even when the workout is over. If you are wondering how, the answer is simple. When you sprint, you kick-start your metabolism that allows you to burn more calories even when you stop sprinting. This fact is also backed by a study done by Professor James Timmons from the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh which reports that sprinting can actually boost the body’s metabolism sharply.
4. Sprinting Take Cares Of Your Heart – Improves Heart Health
Sprinting is not just about weight loss, but also comes with cardiovascular benefits. It can help lower your blood pressure. The fast-twitch muscles (type II muscles) that you are building while you sprint helps in improving your heart function. When you do sprints, you put all your effort on your muscles making your heart pump harder, thus improving overall blood circulation. As a result, your heart is healthy and strengthens up which reduces your chances of heart disease.
Also Read: Switch To Endurance Training For Holistic Fitness
5. Sprints Increases Human Growth Hormone Production
The other exciting benefit of sprints is its ability to naturally increase the production of human growth hormone (HGH) in your body, which also plays a significant role in weight loss and also slows down the aging process by enhancing the tissue growth in your body.