When it comes to developing your overall cardiovascular function, there’s nothing better than running. But you’re not alone if you have a love-hate relationship with running.
However, there is a way to get all the benefits of running without putting in endless miles at a dirt-slow pace. Rethink your cardio, longer isn’t always better. Sprint interval workouts allow you to effectively train for shorter periods of time, but at higher levels of fitness providing long-term benefits.
In addition to raising your heart rate and working your muscles harder in less time, sprint intervals are a great way to push your lactate threshold, or VO2 max. And when your lactate threshold increases, so does your body’s efficiency at ridding itself of the lactic acid that accumulates in your blood stream during exercise.
The turf provides the perfect space for running sprints for many reasons: its flat surface, measured lines and ts lower impact on your joints than a treadmill or concrete surface. Get started incorporating sprints into your workout with this no-fuss routine you can tack onto the beginning or end of your strength workout
10 Meter Turf Sprints
Time: 10-30 Minutes (Add more time to increase intensity.) Not sure how long 10 meters is? Just take 10 giant steps, and you’ll be close enough.
Equipment: Turf or flat surface and a stopwatch
- Measure out 10 meters on the turf. Make sure your path is clear.
- The first few minutes are going to be extremely easy so use them as your built-in warm up.
- Start a stopwatch. In the first minute, complete one 10-meter length. Then rest the remainder of that minute.
- In the second minute, complete two 10-meter lengths, and then rest.
- In the third minute, three lengths.
- Continue until you can’t finish the designated number of lengths in a minute. Make sure you take advantage of your rest breaks. Around minute 8, 9, or 10, you won’t have time.
