A couple days ago, I sent you an email with a promise to include one of my very favorite sprint workouts. Which I did, attached.

But first I want to talk about why sprinting has been a regular part of my training regimen for the last 10 years.

There is no other training modality that maximizes the muscle-building, fat-burning effects of exercise like sprinting does. It is the ultimate in (not only being a total badass, but also) leveraging hormones associated with exercise—cortisol, catecholamines, testosterone, human growth hormone, etc.—optimally for body change.

Of course, body change isn’t everything, and you are certainly perfect right this second, but if you are in the market for visible definition in the midsection, a little quad sweep, some powerful glutes and some healthy joints, sprinting might be something to try.

You’re in control when you sprint, too, which I like.

Unlike on the treadmill where the force is exerted on you, and you just have to keep up, with sprinting you are always in control of your intensity. Push as much or as little as you want and create the perfect workout for you.

Start out slowly at 50% speed, and then progress to 75% speed and for the final couple sprints try to get close to 100%.

If you are worried about form and about staying safe, grab Jen Sinkler’s Lightning and Thunder program this week for all the how-to’s when it comes to speed, agility and quickness (SAQ). The program includes 12 week’s of 2-days-a-week SAQ work, plus an optional strength training program to do along side it.

We’ve even written on sprinting from the mental-emotional health perspective on JillFit in the past. Something about alternating those hard segments, heavy breathing, pushing your body, with the long rest periods, just taking in the scene (if you are training outside) is actually meditative!

Just feeling yourself in your body with no distractions. Sprinting can be a mindfulness practice, ha!

Okay, so now for the workout:

The workout I’ve attached, ‘The Runaround’ includes some other stuff too, like walking lunges and also some turns and backwards running to challenge your nervous system and move your body in new ways (also similar to some of the drills included in Lightning and Thunder).

Try it and see what you think! I'd do it once a week for at least 4-6 weeks to be able to monitor results.

Happy sprinting!

And remember, this week only, it’s your opportunity to get Lightning and Thunder for 50% off, through Friday only, HERE, if you want to learn how to move like an athlete and have your body respond like one ;)

Let me know if you have any questions!

Xo,

Jill