----------------------------------------------------------------------
Article of the month
SPRINT TRAINING FOR WEIGHT LOSS
By John Diaz
Have you ever seen a fat sprinter in the Olympics? The fact is that sprinters,
whether it is a runner, swimmer or cyclist, tend to have the best muscle to fat
ratio in sports. Short duration high intensity exercise not only burns fat, but
also builds muscle and increases bone density.
Generally, when most people want to lose weight they cut back on calories
and begin a cardio program usually in the form of prolonged low-moderate
intensity exercise such as a 45 minute walk or 3 mile jog, etc. Now where this
practice would improve cardiovascular health and burn a number of calories
while performed, you get virtually no significant bump to metabolism after
stopping. In fact without resistance exercise large amounts of cardio can
actually lead to a loss of lean body mass thus lowering metabolism.
Enter sprint training. It’s easy to distinguish the difference in body structure
between an Olympic track sprinter versus a long distance runner. The sprint
athlete has more and better defined muscle mass. A recent study at NSW
University in Australia found that test subjects who used a sprint format of
8second sprints with 12 seconds rest in between lost 3 times as much weight
in 20 minute sessions as compared to a group working at moderate intensity
for 40 minutes. There maybe two reasons for this.
1) High intensity training increases the release of a family of chemicals from
the adrenal glands known as catecholamines. These chemicals are known for
their fight or flight response in the body. Another effect is an increased
release of fatty acids from the cells.
2) High intensity training, being more vigorous, causes more tissue damage,
therefore necessitating more body repair. This requires greater resources and
elevates metabolism for an extended period. This is called afterburn.
Because of the demands of this type of training you should already be in fairly
good shape. Consider this a progression to your routine rather than a starting
point. Also, if you have health issues this may not be an advisable course for
you. Those of you who want the benefits of sprinting but have bad knees may
do better with swim or cycle sprints. If it’s shoulder problems cycling should
work. Let’s get started.
Program 1
10 minute warm up.
Active stretching (toes touches, jumping jacks, straight leg stretch kicks)
30 second sprint
60 second active rest
Repeat for 20 minutes.
Cool down
Static stretch. (stretch and hold)
Program 2
10 minute warm up.
Active stretch
60 second sprint
90 second active rest
Repeat for 30 minutes.
Cool down.
Static stretch.
Program 3
10 minute warm up.
Active stretch
4 x 60 second sprints
4 x 30 second sprints
4 x 15 second sprints
Cool down.
Static stretch.
The goal is to increase the speed of the sprints. Start with ½ perceived max
speed and work toward ¾. 20 to 30 minutes of mixed sprints should be plenty
for most. Do these no more than twice a week and vary the programs often.
Article of the month
SPRINT TRAINING FOR WEIGHT LOSS
By John Diaz
Have you ever seen a fat sprinter in the Olympics? The fact is that sprinters,
whether it is a runner, swimmer or cyclist, tend to have the best muscle to fat
ratio in sports. Short duration high intensity exercise not only burns fat, but
also builds muscle and increases bone density.
Generally, when most people want to lose weight they cut back on calories
and begin a cardio program usually in the form of prolonged low-moderate
intensity exercise such as a 45 minute walk or 3 mile jog, etc. Now where this
practice would improve cardiovascular health and burn a number of calories
while performed, you get virtually no significant bump to metabolism after
stopping. In fact without resistance exercise large amounts of cardio can
actually lead to a loss of lean body mass thus lowering metabolism.
Enter sprint training. It’s easy to distinguish the difference in body structure
between an Olympic track sprinter versus a long distance runner. The sprint
athlete has more and better defined muscle mass. A recent study at NSW
University in Australia found that test subjects who used a sprint format of
8second sprints with 12 seconds rest in between lost 3 times as much weight
in 20 minute sessions as compared to a group working at moderate intensity
for 40 minutes. There maybe two reasons for this.
1) High intensity training increases the release of a family of chemicals from
the adrenal glands known as catecholamines. These chemicals are known for
their fight or flight response in the body. Another effect is an increased
release of fatty acids from the cells.
2) High intensity training, being more vigorous, causes more tissue damage,
therefore necessitating more body repair. This requires greater resources and
elevates metabolism for an extended period. This is called afterburn.
Because of the demands of this type of training you should already be in fairly
good shape. Consider this a progression to your routine rather than a starting
point. Also, if you have health issues this may not be an advisable course for
you. Those of you who want the benefits of sprinting but have bad knees may
do better with swim or cycle sprints. If it’s shoulder problems cycling should
work. Let’s get started.
Program 1
10 minute warm up.
Active stretching (toes touches, jumping jacks, straight leg stretch kicks)
30 second sprint
60 second active rest
Repeat for 20 minutes.
Cool down
Static stretch. (stretch and hold)
Program 2
10 minute warm up.
Active stretch
60 second sprint
90 second active rest
Repeat for 30 minutes.
Cool down.
Static stretch.
Program 3
10 minute warm up.
Active stretch
4 x 60 second sprints
4 x 30 second sprints
4 x 15 second sprints
Cool down.
Static stretch.
The goal is to increase the speed of the sprints. Start with ½ perceived max
speed and work toward ¾. 20 to 30 minutes of mixed sprints should be plenty
for most. Do these no more than twice a week and vary the programs often.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Fitness is to the body, What knowledge is to the mind. |
| Special Holiday Rates: Give yourself or a friend the gift of health. 10 Sessions: $500.00 *2 Sessions: $125.00 *(includes fitness eval, body fat test, take home workout program, diet analysis and e-mail follow-up. Rates good thru 12/13/08 Lock in your rate today! |
| 323-874-7166 |
| 3211 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Suite 101 Los Angeles, CA 90068 (off 101 at Barham) Near Hollywood, Studio City, Burbank, Universal City |
| FREE PARKING |
| Conceive Commit Achieve -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Not getting the results you're used to, our personal trainers can get you back on track...fast. Ultra private personal training in our Los Angeles/Hollywood location or at your home or office. Our personal trainers have been serving the Los Angeles, Hollywood, Studio City area since 1989. |
| The right personal trainer for the right results. Personal Training in: Weight lifting, Pilates, Kick-boxing, Core, and Functional Training. Nutrition and Weight loss programs. |
| 323.874.7166 |
| LTIMATE HEALT PERSONAL TRAINING CENTER |
| U |
H
| ---------------------- Fill in form below for a completely free session with a top Los Angeles personal trainer. ---------------------- |
