Let’s face it, certain stationary cardio equipment can get mundane, routine and boring. Also, when performing the same exercise, your weight may stall. That’s right, the dreaded plateau. A plateau happens when you body no longer responds to your diet and fitness routine. Is it worth your time to do an exercise that is no longer effective? One sure fire way to maximize the benefits of most stationary cardio machines, is by adding sprint (speed) intervals. With sprint intervals you alternate going as fast as possible with periods of recovery.
Here is an example of a 10-minute sprint interval on an elliptical set on “manual.” Increase your speed and intensity by adding 20 second sprints and recover for 40 seconds.
- Two minute warm up at a steady pace
- At minute 2, go as fast as you can for 20 seconds and go back to a steady pace for 40 seconds. Repeat this same sequence for a total of 6 minutes, minutes 2 to 8.
- Cool down at a steady pace for the last 2 minutes, minutes 9 to 10.
Advantages of Sprint Training
- Promotes fat loss.
- Increases strength by increasing muscle mass.
- Increases endurance.
- Increases cardiovascular fitness.
- Saves time. If short on time, a 10-minute set of sprint intervals can burn a high amount of metabolism and boost your energy.
- Its versatile. Sprint intervals can be done with just about any stationary cardio equipment. Also, sprint interval training can be done outdoors, i.e. swimming and jogging.
As always, consult with your physician before performing any exercise. When considering sprint intervals, understand that your pace, speed and duration will be dictated by your fitness level. S print intervals are a great way to push through a plateau and a great way to challenge yourself. Have great day sprinting through your Move It Monday.
