Sprint Training
Adaptations To Sprint Training
By Vince DelMonte
If you are looking to improve your physical
conditioning, sprint training is one of the
best ways to go about doing so.
Many individuals prefer sprint training because
it takes a lot less time than traditional forms
of cardio that have you going for thirty to
sixty minutes at a time and there are a great
number of benefits that will be seen when you
do this more intense form of sprint training
workout.
EPOC
One of the biggest benefits you’ll get
from sprinting is the EPOC effects it creates.
This is known as excess post-exercise oxygen
consumption and is where the body will expend
a great deal of calories returning the body
back to its former state after the workout.
Because sprint training is so intense, this
will contribute to a large calorie burn after
you have finished the workout. To even further
increase the EPOC that is seen, consider doing
hill sprint training. Since this is even more
intense in nature, it will further challenge
your body.
Metabolic Adaptations
Next, when you perform a number of sprint training
workouts, the body will upregulate its ability
to produce enzymes that are going to work at
increasing the storage capacity of the muscle
for energy substrates such as ATP.
This then has the corresponding effect of allowing
you to work out harder for a longer period of
time without fatigue setting in. Note though
that this occurs when you are working more on
the aerobic side of things, so while it is intense,
you are still utilizing oxygen.
If no oxygen is present, you will only be able
to last 5-20 seconds, regardless of how well
conditioned you are (the better condition you
are though, the harder you will be able to work
during that time).
Phosphate Metabolism
The next benefit you’ll get with sprint
training is its effect on phosphate metabolism.
Phosphate creatine stores comprise a major component
of the body’s fuel source for muscular
activity, so anything you can do to increase
this is going to be beneficial.
Myokinase is an enzyme that is responsible
for resynthesizing the energy from phosphate
creatine, and with sprint training, it will
increase its concentration within the muscle
tissue by up to 20%.
Glycolysis
The next adaptation that will occur after you’ve
been doing sprint training for a period of time
is that of glycolysis. This is the primary form
of metabolism used during a 10 second all out
sprint and contributes between 55 and 75% towards
energy production during exercise.
Phosphofructokinase (PFK), an enzyme that catalyses
the phosphorylation of the glycolytic intermediate
fructose 6-phosphate), has also been shown to
increase when sprint training is performed,
along with the enzymes of lactate dehydrogenase
and glycogen phosphorylase (other enzymes responsible
for the glycolysis system).
Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
Finally, the last adaptation that’s seen
with sprint training is the buffering capacity
of the muscle. During glycoglysis, various byproducts
are created such as lactic acid, and when these
accumulate, it causes the extreme feelings of
fatigue in the muscle tissues.
This then forces you to stop exercising as
the fatigue sets in and often will be the end
of your workout.
Overtime, sprint training will increase your
ability to buffer these byproducts so that you
can then workout for a longer period of time
while maintaining that intensity.
So, next time you’re debating about whether
to do a sprint training session or a moderate
paced cardio session lasting for 40 minutes
or so, opt for the sprint session.
The benefits you’ll receive are far more
numerous and fat loss will be kicked up a notch
as an added benefit. Keep in mind that for these
type of benefits to occur, you want your sprints
to last somewhere in the neighborhood of 20
seconds to 40 seconds, with a work to rest ration
of about 1:2. Repeat this process a total of
6 to 8 times and begin and end with a five minute
warm-up and cool-down.
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About the Author:
Vince DelMonte
is the author of Your Six Pack Quest found at
http://www.YourSixPackQuest.com
He specializes in helping chubby guys and
gals get six pack abs without gimmicks, supplements
or dieting. |
