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The Fastest Way to Boost Your Fitness
Sprinting, at least for short distances, can be a great way to level up your workout routine.
Experts say that sprinting offers health benefits that jogging cannot — and in far less
time. But it’s important to start slow and listen to your body.
When was the last time you sprinted?
I mean a full-blown, all-out, redline sprint.
For many of us, it’s been a while. Possibly even as far back as high school. In nearly
every town in the United States, you can find a 5K, 10K, half marathon or full
marathon to run. But it’s far less likely that you’ll find an organized track meet to run
a 100-, 200- or 400-meter dash (though they do exist).
One reason many adults avoid sprinting is that the thought of past injuries (or
possible future ones) can be frightening. Another, of course, is that sprinting is hard,
often leaving us doubled over gasping for air.
But hard is the idea. Sprinting puts an enormous amount of stress on our physical
systems, which — when done safely — makes us stronger, more resilient and more fit. lOMoARcPSD|50202050 Why sprint?
Put simply, sprinting is running at or near your top speed. “It is one of the
movements that gives the biggest bang for buck,” said Matt Sanderson, a director at the fitness brand SOFLETE. Sprinting helps build
fast-twitch muscle fibers. Maintaining these and maintain fibers
can help prevent older slips and falls, which are the leading cause of injury people. among
Because sprinting engages so many muscles, “it’s going to do a better job of helping
maintain your muscle mass and avoid muscle loss as you age,” said Christopher
Lundstrom, a lecturer in kinesiology at the University of Minnesota who studies sports and exercise science.
Several small studies also suggest that sprinting is even better at maintaining and
building bone density than endurance running. Image
While you might be tempted to start out on a track, its springier surface can lead to
injuries. It’s better to get your feet under you on turf first, then pavement, then specialized tracks. Credit...
Mimi d’Autremont for The New York Times
However, running flat out should be undertaken only after a thorough warm-up,
regardless of your fitness level, as it can cause muscle pulls and strains as well as lOMoARcPSD|50202050
major injuries, like Achilles’ tears. If you have any concerns about injuries or health
issues, talk with your doctor first.
If you have a larger body and are concerned about stress on your joints or bones, Mr.
Sanderson recommended starting with lower-impact exercises such as sled pushes to
build up strength and develop conditioning before trying to sprint.
“Spend some time preparing your tissues,” he said. “Jumping rope, even jumping or
bouncing in a swimming pool.”
Lastly, remember that “top speed” is a relative term. If you ran a 12-second 100meter
dash several decades ago, adjust your expectations. Every athlete is different, but
here are a few general tips for sprinting safely. Start slow.
Even though the ultimate goal is to go fast, it’s important to start slow. Running a
100-meter dash right away is probably a bad idea.
“If you haven’t sprinted recently, maybe go and run slightly faster than you’re used
to,” Dr. Lundstrom said. Then “a little bit harder, and gradually getting up to a full sprint.” Roll up the intensity.
Experts also suggested “rolling sprints” during a standard jog to work into running at
top speed. As you jog, pick a point to begin increasing the intensity of your running
every 10 meters or so until you reach an effort where speaking would be hard. From
there, decrease every 10 meters until you’re back to your regular jogging pace.
If you are not a jogger, you can do rolling sprints as a stand-alone workout, repeating
each sprint a handful of times. Set a baseline.
Once you start sprinting, the first thing you should do is set a benchmark time over a
certain distance. This is less about bragging rights and more about having a tool to structure later workouts.
Start with a distance between 40 and 60 meters long. Simply work into a sprint and note your best time. Use your threshold.
Once you have a benchmark time, use it to plan your workouts. One easy routine, Mr.
Sanderson said, is to run repeated sprints at your chosen distance, trying to keep
your efforts within a certain range of your benchmark time. He calls that range a “percentage threshold.” lOMoARcPSD|50202050
Thresholds vary for each athlete, but for someone with a high fitness level, 5 percent
is good. Others may aim for 10 percent.
Sprinting can also improve your distance running, Dr. Ludstom said, because it
makes your body more efficient. “If you improve your running economy, you’re
able to run the same pace using less energy.” Credit...
Mimi d’Autremont for The New York Times
If it takes you seven seconds to sprint 40 yards, a 10 percent threshold is 7.4 seconds.
So keep repeating that sprint (with a few minutes of easy walking in between) until
you run slower than about eight seconds, then stop your workout.
At first, the number of sprints that you can run may be low. But as you gain strength
and speed, you’ll find that your ability to maintain speed will grow.
Stay off the local high school track — at first.
While you may be tempted to lace up your old track spikes and head to your local
high school, Mr. Sanderson recommended against starting on a rubberized surface,
as the bouncy track could increase the chance for injury.
“Your performance will probably go up,” he said of running on a track. “But it’s
asking more of your Achilles and your calf.”
He recommends starting sprint work on turf or natural grass. From there, you can
graduate to pavement and, finally, the rubberized track you may remember from high school.