2008

Sprints are great for training

Sprints are great for training
Usain Bolt

The above picture may not need any introduction, however for those of you that don't recognize him, it is Usain Bolt a.k.a. "The World's Fastest Man". On Thursday, the workout of the day consisted of 200 meter sprints. And because its a crossfit WOD, we couldn't just do 1, 2 or 3 sets, but rather 7 rounds! Sweet. And of course to make it interesting, after each 200m sprint we are only allowed 1 minute for recovery. The workout was scored based on time elapsed for the sprinting portion of the workout.

For example, starting the clock as I began my first sprint, I'd completed my run in 0:42 seconds. Then allowing the clock to continue to count up, I'd started out on my 2nd sprint when the clock hit 1:42. At the end of the 7th sprint, I subtract 6 minutes for total rest time between rounds and the remaining amount of time is my score (total cumulative time to complete 7 x 200 meter sprints). My time was 4:26. Not bad for a 230 pound frame that I know is not built for running, but lots of room for improvement.

Being 2 days later, my legs are still extremely tight and fatigued. I had my heart rate higher than I normally train. I hit about 185 beats per minute. This is great and I definitely loved the pump I had after the workout. i highly recommend trying to incorporate sprints into your workouts for variety.

Below is a quote from a great article on sprint training (read more here):

“Sprint training may offer an option for individuals who cite lack of time as a major impediment to fitness and conditioning,” said Martin Gibala, an associate professor in the department of kinesiology at McMaster University. “This type of training is very demanding and requires a high level of motivation; however, less frequent, higher intensity exercise can indeed lead to improvements in health and fitness..."

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOUgZvJbZUU]
Share by: