When most people think of “cardio” they think of slogging along on the Stairmaster, running or using the recumbent bike at a conversational pace. Ask yourself this question: what other endeavor do you do in life in such an unfocused, half hearted manner and expect to get great results or outcomes? I would venture to say that would be zero. So why should your “cardio” ,or energy system work (ESD) as we will henceforth call it, be any different? Do you really believe that listening to your iTunes, watching TV or reading the newspaper means that is a productive, efficient way to train? Time to get real!
Just as with other types of training, there has to be some intensity to your ESD to reap meaningful benefits. Now I am talking about non-beginner exercisers here not people with heart issues or just starting an exercise program so let’s be straight with that fact.
When I say say sprinting I am going to be referring to running but you could also apply the same principles to cycling, rowing, etc. So let’s get into some of the issues with steady state ESD and the solutions that sprinting provides to those problems.
One of the problems with steady state ESD is that the very thing that may work in the beginning i.e., metabolic disturbance, doesn’t work as you get fitter. Because you were not fit and inefficient in the beginning steady state ESD worked because any activity, if you were sitting on the couch previously, would create a metabolic disturbance and help you lose weight. But as you get fitter you get more efficient which means the same workout won’t reap you the same benefits as before i.e. amt. of calories burned, heart rate response, etc. So now you are on the vicious cycle of never ending amounts of steady state ESD.
One of the other problems with steady state ESD, esp. running, is because after a while you are only seeking the most efficient means to get through the session you tend to just shuffle along. Have you ever witnessed “older” marathoners? They are shuffling along so slowly and their stride is so abbreviated it is hard to tell whether they are actually running or walking!
So I am suggesting to you an alternative to this steady state madness: sprinting, specifically sprint intervals. In numerous studies, it has been shown that it is at least the equal of steady state ESD in developing the fitness markers of endurance such as VO-2 max and it far surpasses steady state ESD in other realms of fitness: anaerobic fitness, body composition, hormone profiles, EPOC (excess post exercise oxygen consumption-the “afterburn” effect, if you will) and even blood lipid profiles. That is to say nothing of what it does for waking up your probably long dormant fast twitch muscles and helping to develop some power!
Well, people will say that, “I’m not an athlete or sprinter why should I do that?” I will give you two reasons: it’s fun and it is much more efficient. You can do a killer sprint interval workout in 20 minutes or less and that includes the warmup and cooldown. And running fast, no matter your age or ability level, is fun. You don’t see kids jogging for miles on end….that is an adult concept. Kids sprint and rest, sprint and rest, repeatedly which is essentially sprint interval training.
So the key is to start out easily (do striders or “sprint” at 70-80% at first) and it is imperative you do a good dynamic warmup first. Otherwise, you are asking for soreness at the least and injury if you aren’t careful.
So give sprint interval training a try and let me know how it goes. See you at the track!
Bruce Kelly, MS, CSCS, is a trainer/coach located in Media, Pa. Bruce is the owner of Kelly High Performance Training/Fitness Together in Media. He has coached/trained athletes in a variety of sports as well as trained clients to look better, feel better, and perform better. Bruce has over 25 years experience in the training/fitness field, has authored articles for strengthcoach.com and other websites, has contributed to several books on training, and presented seminars on a variety of health, fitness, and training topics at high schools, health clubs, and service clubs.
You can visit Bruce on the web at: [http://www.ftswarthmore.com] if you are interested in training with him or his staff. You can also see his blog at the website and sign up for the weekly email newsletter. They also train teams/individuals on site/at home as well.
