Sprinting and jogging both involve running, but at different intensities. If you are looking for fast results, sprinting is a better option. Not only does it burn a high amount of calories, but it also revs up your metabolism for hours after you are finished. As an added bonus, sprinting causes you to forcefully contract your abs and leg muscles which can improve your definition. Losing weight involves discipline and following a routine schedule.
Step 1
Move your body through a series of dynamic stretches before you begin your workouts. Dynamic stretches involve moving the body parts through a steady range of motion. This, in turn, prepares your body for the demands of exercising motions and reduces your chances of injury. Perform stretches like arm circles, shoulder shrugs, arm crossovers, leg swings, high knees, ankle bounces and walking lunges.
Step 2
Perform a light warm-up to raise your core body temperature and get blood flowing to your muscles. Start at a walking pace and gradually increase your speed until you get to five minutes. You should be jogging lightly at this point.
Step 3
Begin your sprint intervals. Look straight ahead and run as fast as you can for 20 seconds. Pump your arms smoothly, push off the ground forcefully and breathe as steady as possible. Make sure to also keep your abs tight to generate force and stabilize your spine.
Step 4
Stop running for a recovery phase. Rest completely for 40 seconds, then sprint again. Alternate back and forth for the rest of your workout and finish with a light cool-down. Perform your cool-down in reverse of your warm-up. Start out jogging at a moderate pace, then jog slowly and keep working your way down to a slow walk by the end.
Step 5
Exercise often and long enough to reap the benefits of sprinting. Being that sprinting is intense, you do not need to work out very long. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes of training, not counting your warm-up and cool-down. Do your sprint workouts three days a week on nonconsectuive days and work out every week for the best results.
Tips and Warnings
- If you are patient, and do not like the idea of enduring a high amount of impact on your joints, jogging is a better option. Follow the same warm-up and cool-down procedures, except exercise for a longer time frame. As a rule of thumb, the higher the intensity, the shorter you need to train. Being that jogging is a moderately paced activity, aim for at least 60 minutes to promote weight loss. If you want to really boost your weight loss efforts, do not stop in between sprints. Either jog lightly or walk at a brisk pace. The 20 and 40-second times are not set in stone either. Set your sprint and rest times up any way you want. Just make sure to follow a 1-to-2 work to rest ratio.
- Sprinting is a very intense form of training. If you are new to exercise, make sure to get cleared by your health care provider before attempting.
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