5 Simple Sprint Exercises for Fat Loss

Sprint exercises make use of your biggest and strongest muscles (your glutes and thighs) for quick, short bursts of energy that help you burn calories and fat, making it incredibly effective (albeit tough).

Consider including sprint exercises and intervals in your exercise plan if you're looking for a quick and effective strategy for fat loss, building your heart and muscle endurance, and improving your overall level of physical fitness.

Cardio and resistance training sessions are greatly enhanced by sprint exercises. These can be altered to meet your schedule, level of fitness, desired level of intensity, and accessible workout area.

Pyramid-Style Sprint Workout and 4 other Best Sprint Exercises to Lose Weight

In fact, sprint workouts—short, intense efforts followed by easy recovery intervals—help you improve as a runner at all paces and distances.

This is because they train the body to recruit and create fast-twitch muscle fibers, build muscle, enhance heart rate, and generally increase metabolic efficiency.

Here’s a list of sprint exercises that should be a part of everyone’s routine:

1) Fast Sprint Workout

By working out at a very high intensity for very brief efforts—with complete recovery in between reps—you can train the neural system to function at its best for acceleration, top speed, force production, and efficient limb movement. Use treadmill for this sprint exercise to create appropriate incline.

Here’s how to do it:

3x 10–12 seconds at 85% effort (or quickly but not fully) while inclining at 8%
90-sec. Strolling or jogging
5 times for 10–12 seconds at 95% effort (the fastest you can go) while inclining by 1%
90-sec. Strolling or jogging as a form of recovery

2) Hill Sprint Workout

For this sprint exercise, you'll need a steep hill approximately a third of a mile long (or, if you're using a treadmill, set the elevation to 3.5–4.5%. As you raise the length of the hill climb, this workout will continually push you outside of your comfort zone. On the ascent, make an effort to exert a consistent effort and use the descents to recover. Don't undervalue the quick sprints at the conclusion either. Strides help to stretch all of your leg muscles, enhance efficiency, and increase turnover.

Instructions:

Run quickly down the first third of the hill, then jog slowly back down.
Run quickly up the first third of the hill, then jog slowly back down.
Run as quickly as you can up the slope, then jog slowly back down.
Take two minutes to relax.
After four 20-second sprints up the slope, jog slowly back down.

3) Descending Sprint Workout

The benefits of doing shorter, faster sprints as you approach the finish line are both physical—increasing your overall cardiovascular fitness—and psychological. As you proceed to the shorter sprint exercise, your brain will recognize and understand it, which will help you move more quickly.

Instructions:

3 rounds of 600 metres or 90 seconds at 80% effort (or 2 MPH slower than the top sprint speed) followed by a 2-minute rest period In between sets, take a recovery jog or stroll.
3 sets of 400 metres or 60 seconds at 90% effort (or 1 mile per hour slower than the peak sprint speed) followed by a 90-second rest period. In between sets, take a recovery jog or stroll.
1 minute of sprinting at 100% for 3 times 200 metres or 30 seconds. In between sets, take a recovery jog or stroll.

4) Pyramid-style sprint workout

Pyramid-style sprint exercises increase your speed before bringing you back to the start. No interval is a direct repetition, which is ideal for keeping the body guessing. You should feel like you're flying by the end of each round. The recovery lasts twice as long as the work effort, so you're always prepared for the next interval.

Instructions:

30-sec. sprint, then one minute. recuperation jog or stroll
45-sec. sprint, then 90 seconds. recuperation jog or stroll
1-min. sprint, then two minutes. recuperation jog or stroll

5) Endurance sprint workout

This time, instead of running with full force, your goal is to maintain your top speed for a considerable amount of time. This will teach your body to feel at ease while maintaining a quicker pace for longer periods of time, which is crucial if you intend to compete in a half-marathon or marathon.

Instructions:

4 rounds of 18 to 22 seconds at 85% effort on an 8% inclination
90-sec. recuperation jog or stroll
1% incline, 4 x 18–22 sec. at 95% effort
90-sec. recuperation jog or stroll

Wrapping Up

Sprinting is an excellent and efficient technique to train your anaerobic system, burn calories, and increase the amount of lean muscle in your legs. Sprint interval workouts should only be done two to three days a week due to how taxing they are.