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Your guide
What you'll learn
On your marks...get set...SPRINT!
Wait a second, sprint?! That's right! Believe it or not, sprint training can positively impact performance in just about any sport. When you really think about it, sprinting plays a role in most sports on two feet. From the goalie to the point guard, to the runner closing in on the finish line of their half marathon...we all need to know how to find and turn on that next gear. Beyond sports, finding the next gear has proven to provide many health benefits. Guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week (1). For many, the inclusion of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or sprint interval training (SIT) has been an enjoyable and effective way to improve fitness while meeting the recommended guidelines. So, lace up! Let's dive into the definition of a true sprint, the benefits of sprinting or adding HIIT & SIT to your workout routine, and the impact on the sport that may come from finding that next gear.
What is Sprinting?
Merriam - Webster's dictionary defines sprinting as "to run or go at top speed, especially for a short distance" (2). Essentially, how fast can you accelerate and how long can you maintain that speed prior to reaching a state of fatigue. Sprinting is a high-intensity exercise, and high-intensity exercise can be divided into aerobic HIIT or anaerobic SIT.
Looking for more ways to improve your running speed? Check out the YouTube video above to learn how the introduction of power-based movements into your workouts can serve a role.
Aerobic HIIT involves short, vigorous efforts that elevate the heart rate to 85%-95% of the peak heart rate. These efforts are interspersed with active recovery. Many protocols for HIIT exist, with the duration of the exercise effort lasting between 30 seconds to several minutes (1).
The Benefits of Sprinting
The incorporation of HIIT into a training program has been utilized by many, from trained cyclists to individuals with lifestyle-related diseases with or without cardiac involvement. Several studies have demonstrated improved peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) in 60% of patients with coronary artery disease and in 45.6% of individuals with congestive heart failure (1). That is huge! What a testament to high-intensity interval training for anyone, anywhere.
Sprint interval training (SIT) is the highest-intensity exercise protocol and goes beyond the VO2 peak seen in HIIT. Therefore, the efforts are only 30 seconds with a 2-5 minute full recovery. In a study that reviewed the effects of different sprint intervals on maximum oxygen uptake in athletes, it was determined that 3 weeks of 8-12 repetitions of 20-30 second sprint intervals with <3 minutes of rest between the intervals was most effective in improving VO2peak (3).
Of all the sprint training programs compared, the SIT program worked the best for athletes, but it may not be the best option for everyone. Due to the demand for SIT, it is recommended for young sedentary, and recreationally active individuals and not for those with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease (1). Many protocols are assessing the benefit of less intensity within the exercise effort of a SIT due to a lack of translation to any individual. It has been noted that even with altered intensities and altered durations, health benefits are still seen from periods of increased effort within a workout (1). Pretty cool, right?
With that being said, touch base with your primary care provider if you are considering the incorporation of high-intensity interval training into your exercise regimen. There are many factors that go into the determination of maximum heart rate, VO2peak, and readiness to exert the body to the next gear. A member of your healthcare team can help to determine what makes the most sense for your body and your exercise routine. Let's practice safe sprinting, please!
Sprinting and Sport
It's no surprise that sprinting finds its way into many sports. And more than that, many athletes often find themselves adjusting speed, accelerating, decelerating, cutting, dribbling, and tackling all while sprinting! As seen above, high-intensity interval training can improve overall health and increase maximum oxygen consumption, but as an athlete how can it improve your performance? Let's find out.
READ: HOW TO IMPROVE RECOVERY AFTER EXERCISE
With an increase in demands of our body with higher intensity training also means that we need to be recovering appropriately to be able to meet those demands. Check out this article all about recovery!
Training for the demands of your sport are important and being able to run fast, cut quickly, and jump high are seen as important to many athletes. Sprint training with resistance (via sleds, parachutes, etc.) has continued to gain popularity and is frequently being studied to determine benefits. A recent study looked at the benefit of both forward and backwards resisted sprinting on jump height, leg stiffness, and speed in male high school athletes. It was determined that both forward and backward resisted sprint training improved jump height, speed over 20 meters, and leg stiffness over the duration of 8 weeks with sled use 2 days per week (4).
READ: RETURN TO RUNNING AFTER INJURY
Combat sports are known for their intermittent periods of high intensity and then periods of rest. Several studies have looked at the benefit of using HIIT to improve the physical fitness of combat sport athletes. Across several studies it was determined that HIIT positively improved anaerobic power and maximum oxygen uptake in combat athletes (4). Many may initially think to incorporate HIIT training into field and court sports, but for those who kick, box, spar, and grapple their way to victory, HIIT training can allow for sport specificity AND improved fitness.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR JUMP PERFORMANCE PROGRAM
AND IT DOESN'T STOP THERE! Studies have found benefits from the integration of HIIT workouts in elite endurance runners and cyclists (5). Any badminton fans out there? For 8 weeks, both men and women elite badminton athletes participated in SIT training three times per week and saw improvements in aerobic capacity and ability to aerobically recover (6). From an athletic stance, this makes a lot of sense! Train for short intervals at high intensity to perform for short intervals at high intensity. We love specificity! And we also love the health benefits that come along with training a little harder, for a little bit shorter.
Exercises to Get Your Heart Rate Up and Sprint
Finding ways to begin to incorporate higher-intensity exercises for a shorter duration of time into your workout routine can be a great start to building up your tolerance to HIIT and SIT. Again, be sure to chat with a trusted healthcare provider about if and when you can begin to add some of these exercises to your routine but here are a few of our favorites to get that heart pumping!
Exercise 01 of 03
Exercise demonstration
Jump Rope
View exercise instructions
- HOW: Start by holding a jump rope with each hand. While stay stiff and rigid throughout your entire body with a soft bend in your knees, begin jump roping by moving your hands forward while jumping over the rope as you go.
- FEEL: This should feel like a cardio workout - getting your heart rate up along with a lower body workout, especially your calves and quads.
- COMPENSATION: Focus on quality landing each time, do not excessively bounce or loss stiffness in your lower body. Do not let your knees buckle in or your upper body lean side to side.
Jump rope is a good way to get your heart rate up fast and also works on other skills such as coordination! Does this take anyone else back to the "Jump Rope for Heart" days!?!
Exercise 02 of 03
Exercise demonstration
Deceleration Drill - 1 Step, Backpedal
View exercise instructions
- HOW: Place two cones about 10 yards apart. From one cone, sprint towards the other. Break down and decelerate your speed as you get to the cone. Your breakdown should consist of about 3 stutter steps. At the cone, plant one leg in the ground and push yourself backwards going into a backpedal all the way until you reach the starting cone.
- FEEL: You should feel the muscles in your legs working.
- COMPENSATION: Make sure to slow up and break down your sprint.
Before we pump the gas pedal it's important to know how to pump the brakes! Practicing deceleration techniques will serve as a good way to get your heart rate up while also practicing a necessary skill before we go fast!
Exercise 03 of 03
Exercise demonstration
Half Kneeling To Sprint
View exercise instructions
- HOW: Begin in a half kneeling position. One knee is bent up with your foot flat on the ground and the other knee is on the ground with your toes pushing into the ground. From here, raise your body up by pushing into the ground with the back leg. Shift your bodyweight to the front leg and begin a sprinting motion. Repeat for as many reps as prescribed.
- FEEL: You should feel the big muscle groups in your legs working. The quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors.
- COMPENSATION: Make sure to push off the back leg when you start.
When it's time to put the pedal to the metal, this can be a fun way to do so as it incorporates power production from a half kneeling position instead of a standing position, adding some variation to your typical sprinting can challenge our muscles to produce power in different ways than they are typically use to doing.
Again, please be sure to chat with a trusted healthcare provider about if the incorporation of HIIT or SIT into your workout routine is right for you!
Closing Thoughts
Sprinting allows for sports specificity, provides health benefits, and can be a fun way to mix up the workout routine within the week. Aerobic HIIT and anaerobic SIT protocols have demonstrated improved peak oxygen consumption and aerobic capacity. These protocols operate off of a percentage of an individual's peak heart rate or Vo2 peak and it is recommended that one consults with a member of their healthcare team before integrating a HIIT or SIT protocol into their workout program. However, the addition of some harder and shorter cardio efforts throughout a workout routine can certainly pay off! So next time you're out for a ride, pick up the pedal stroke for a bit, push the pace for a couple of seconds on your next run, or hop on the assault bike at the gym and feel the burn.
On your marks...get set...GO!
References
- Ito S. High-intensity interval training for health benefits and care of cardiac diseases - The key to an efficient exercise protocol. World J Cardiol. 2019 Jul 26;11(7):171-188. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v11.i7.171. PMID: 31565193; PMCID: PMC6763680.
- Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Sprint. In the Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprint
- Yang Q, Li D, Xie H, Ji H, Lu J, He J, Qin Z, Sun J. Effects of sprint interval training on maximal oxygen uptake in athletes: a meta-analysis. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2021 Oct 5. doi 10.23736/S0022-4707.21.12815-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34609099.
- Vasconcelos BB, Protzen GV, Galliano LM, Kirk C, Del Vecchio FB. Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training in Combat Sports: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2020 Mar;34(3):888-900. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003255. PMID: 31904713.
- Laursen PB, Jenkins DG. The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimising training programmes and maximising performance in highly trained endurance athletes. Sports Med. 2002;32(1):53-73. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200232010-00003. PMID: 11772161.
- Liu H, Leng B, Li Q, Liu Y, Bao D, Cui Y. The Effect of Eight-Week Sprint Interval Training on Aerobic Performance of Elite Badminton Players. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan 13;18(2):638. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18020638. PMID: 33451086; PMCID: PMC7828502.
About The Author
Lyndsay Provencio, PT, DPT
[P]rehab Writer & Content Creator
Dr. Lyndsay Provencio graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Health and Exercise Science and a concentration in Sports Medicine. After multiple personal sports-related injuries and discovering a passion for healing through movement, Lyndsay attended Creighton University to receive her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. An avid runner herself, she has a particular interest in working with high school, recreational, and elite endurance athletes and has undergone specialty training in pelvic floor rehabilitation, postpartum care, and management of the female athlete to better serve her clientele. Through this specialty training, she has acquired a Certificate of Achievement in Pelvic Health Physical Therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association. Lyndsay now owns her own practice StrongHER in Park City, UT where she specializes in female athletics and care of pregnant and postpartum individuals. Additionally, Lyndsay is BSPTS C2 certified in scoliosis specific exercises and has found a niche working with adolescents with scoliosis to improve overall spinal health. No, you’re not seeing double! Lyndsay is an identical twin to Lauren Lynass, one of our [P]rehab rockstars. A native of Colorado, Lyndsay is an adventure seeker who loves to hike, camp, and race her twin sister on the mountain trails. When she isn't exploring Park City's outdoor playground, you can find her curled up with a cup of tea and a good book. Follow along @strongher_dpt on Instagram!