Sprinting is one of the best high-intensity exercises that burns fat and develops strength in the glutes and thighs. Taking your sprint workouts to the next level by doing hill sprints can help to increase strength in your glutes and hamstrings and help prevent common injuries that occur during flat sprints.
Hamstrings & Glutes
Sprinting uphill forces you to lift your knees high up, off the ground, which activates and helps strengthen the glutes and hamstrings. Strong glutes and hamstrings not only help to increase speed during traditional sprints, but also help prevent injuries. Hamstring pulls are one of the common injuries that occur during regular flat-surface sprints. The inclined surface works to prevent hamstring injuries by not allowing a complete stretch of the muscle during the sprint as it does with flat or downhill running. Furthermore, sprinting uphill is an extremely high-intensity exercise, but prevents you from running at full speed, which also reduces your risk for hamstrings pulls.
Anterior Tibialis
During hill sprints, you are forced to flex your foot toward your shin. Flexing your toes toward the shins works the muscle located on the front your lower leg called the anterior tibialis. Strengthening this muscle can help increase the amount of power you exert off the ground, thus enabling your to sprint faster, notes Tim Kauppinen of BrianMac Sports Coach. Additionally, developing a strong anterior tibialis helps reduce the risk for developing shin splints.
Considerations
Because hill sprinting is a high-intensity, high-impact exercise, it should be limited to three times a week on nonconsecutive days. Beginners should start out with once a week hill sprints or hill jogging and gradually increase the intensity or volume of the training over time. A thorough warmup is essential prior to any sprinting activity to ensure the hamstrings are properly warmed up. Begin with a five to 10 minute jog, followed by some moderate-speed sprint between 60 to 75 percent of max speed. Stretch your upper and lower body, particularly your hamstrings prior to beginning your hill sprints.
Sample Hill Sprint Workout
Begin with three to five warm-up hill sprints beginning at about 50 percent of max speed, gradually increasing speed with each set. Complete 10 full speed hill sprints to the top of the hill limiting rest periods between sets to the time it takes you to walk down the hill. For long hills, perform five hill sprints only going half way up, and five sprints to the top of the hill. If you do not have access to a hill, use an inclined treadmill and sprint for 30-second intervals 10 to 15 times, resting 30 to 60 seconds between sets. Conclude each workout by stretching your hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps and calves to help reduce muscle soreness.
