Weight loss, or fat burn, happens when you are not consuming enough calories through food and drink to meet the body's energy requirements. The body then turns to its energy reserves, your fat stores, for fuel. You can create this deficit between available calories and energy requirement either by eating less calories or becoming more active, using more energy. Some exercises are more effective than others at burning calories. One of the more effective ones is sprinting.
EPOC
EPOC, or excess postexercise oxygen consumption, is the name given to the oxygen debt that experience after physical exertion. The body is desperately trying to get more energy into the muscles and return the respiratory system to homeostasis, the way it was before exercise. The heavier and more intense the physical exercise was, the harder the body has to work to return to normal. The process of EPOC involves a considerable amount of energy.
Resistance vs. Aerobic
Resistance exercise, such as sprinting, has a more pronounced effect on EPOC than any form of aerobic exercise, notes the website of Dr. Len Kravitz. The high intensity of sprinting disrupts the homeostasis of the body to a greater degree than a longer and slower jog on the treadmill. The body is put in a state of shock and removed from its comfort zone. If not enough calories are available, fat is burned for fuel to restore normality in the body.
HIIT
HIIT, or high intensity interval training, is a method of training that you can apply to your sprint workouts. MayoClinic.com recommends interval training as being a very effective fat burning technique. It is simply the application of varying the levels of intensity throughout your workout. The intervals will typically go from high to low intensity, with the high intervals going from 70 percent or 80 percent intensity to flat-out.
HIIT Sprinting
An HIIT sprinting workout will cause the body to reach high levels of EPOC and therefore burn off calories to help with weight loss. Warm up with a comfortable jog for five minutes. Sprint at high intensity, between 70 and 100 percent, for 20 seconds before jogging at low intensity for 40 seconds. Repeat this pattern 10 to 12 times for an HIIT sprint workout and then jog for five minutes to cool down.
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