Get fit faster with these running sprint workouts

30-Second Running Sprints

Short, high intensity sprint workouts improve endurance and aerobic capacity  in about half the time of traditional endurance exercise. Therefore, if you're short on time, but want the cardiovascular benefits that an endurance exercise provides, sprint workouts might be your perfect solution.

The benefits of sprint workouts

• Short bouts of intense exercise improves muscle performance and health.
• The muscles of the trained group have a significant increase in citrate synthesis (citrate is an enzyme that is a marker of the tissue's ability to utilize oxygen). 
• Burns more calories than the same amount of time in moderate levels cardiovascular exercise.

How to do the 30 second sprint workout 

• Safety. Sprinting is a high intensity exercise and it is recommended that you check with your doctor before commencing this program. 
• Base Fitness. To build a strong base fitness in running follow the 10% rule and gradually increase your training volume.
• Delayed onset muscle soreness. If you haven't done much training prior to this workout, launching into a sprinting program may cause delayed onset muscle soreness. It is recommend that you do 3-4 weeks of base fitness before beginning a sprinting program.
• Warm up. Warming up before high intensity exercise programs will prevent you from getting injured during your program.

How to do a running sprint workout. 

• How Often? As a sprint workout is high intensity, it shouldn't be done more than 3 days a week, with plenty of rest in between workouts.  
• Warm up. Ensure that you warm up thoroughly with easy exercise for 5-10 minutes prior to preforming the sprint exercises. 
• Sprint. Run for 30 seconds at about 60 % max intensity. If you feel any joint pain or muscle tightness, continue to warm up.
• Recover. Recover for 2 minutes by jogging (or walking depending on your fitness level) at a comfortable pace.
• Sprint. Run your next 30 second sprint at about 80 % max intensity.
• Recover. Recover for 2 minutes.
• Sprint. Perform the remainder of your 30 second sprints at 100 % max intensity.
• Recover. After each sprint at 100 % max intensity, recover for 2 to 4 minutes.
• Repeat. The sprint/recovery routine should be repeated 4-8 times depending upon your fitness levels. For your first sprint workout, you will want to stop at 4 sprints. That's fine, as over time you will be able to build up to 8. 
• Rest and recovery. Ensure you have at least one to two days of rest or other easy exercise between sprint workouts.