I’ve started doing the jog/sprint intervals recently with a 60 second jog and 15 second sprint with the primary goal of losing bodyfat asap.
After I do a few intervals my sprint is more like a run then a sprint since I’m somewhat winded at that point. Would it be more beneficial to:
A: Sprint for 15 seconds, then walk for about 60 seconds to regain enough energy to sprint again.
B: Do the jog and run intervals as best I can as long as im running as fast as possible.
How often and when are you doing them? It might be better to do them on lifting days. Your CNS can only tolerate so much high stress activities. What I do is do sprinting (>90%) right before lifting on monday and friday since wednesday is my heavy leg day so I dont do any sprinting. On monday, I might do short sprints (less than 200M) and on fridays, I might do long sprints (200-400M) or do them several hours after lifting. On the non lifting days (tue, thurs, sat) I do some kind of tempo running (around 75% of best time in the distance like 100,200,400M) and you do them for a mile total. Depending on how fit you are, you can go up to 2 miles. No more. I’d run for 100, then jog or walk for 100 then repeat till you get to 1 mile total. Same thing for other distances as long as you’re running at 75%. You’d have to find out your personal best and base your 75% off it so you don’t push it too much. The goal of this is active recovery and build up work capacity. I use Kenn’s Tier System to go with it since it’s alot easier to work with. Keep in mind, most of time I do only 2 tempo running days usually on tues and saturday. I just walk on thursday, do a bit of dynamic and static stretching to loosen up since wednesday is my heavy leg day and i don’t feel like running.
My primary goal is fat loss, not recovery or conditioning.
As for how often I do it, I started out with two sessions last week, this week will be three and next week I may go up to four, probably no more. I do them in the morning on my off days or I’ll do them in the morning and my weight training will be in the early evening. I’m getting used to the running and the leg training so I’m not really ever too sore to run.
Another thing I considered was 400M sprints since they’ll allow me to regain energy by walking a bit after a sprint.
I’m basically looking to get shredded.
[quote]Ironboy wrote:
“I’d run for 100, then jog or walk for 100 then repeat till you get to 1 mile total”
Tungsten is that 1 mile worth of 100m sprints or 1 mile total of sprints and walk/jog? Thanks[/quote]
Total of sprints and walk/jog. I’d probably start out with 800M if you haven’t ran in a while. It’s harder than you think esp with jogging as your recovery part! Cycle them every 3 weeks. 800M,1000M,1200M then cut back to 1000M,1200M,1400M, then cut back to 1200M and repeat the process.
I don’t always do this on the track. I sometimes run on the athletic field, you know run 100yard then walk back and repeat it 8 times or whatever. For 200-400M, I do it at the track. Where else do I have space to run that long in straight line?
You should check out what Stephen Holt has to say on the subject. He recommends doing no more than 10 - 15 seconds on the sprint and jogging for as much as 45 seconds until you’re in better cardiovascular shape. I’ve been doing meltdown training as of late so I haven’t been doing his methods so I have forgotten a bit. Anyway, just my two cents if other advice hasn’t helped you any.
[quote]Leth wrote:
I’ve started doing the jog/sprint intervals recently with a 60 second jog and 15 second sprint with the primary goal of losing bodyfat asap.
After I do a few intervals my sprint is more like a run then a sprint since I’m somewhat winded at that point. Would it be more beneficial to:
A: Sprint for 15 seconds, then walk for about 60 seconds to regain enough energy to sprint again.
B: Do the jog and run intervals as best I can as long as im running as fast as possible.
C: Change up the jog/run/sprint times.
D: Other.
[/quote]
Do A, B, or C or a combo of all three. It doesn’t matter. Just do the energy work and the fat loss will come. I love the answers here of you have to do it this way or that way. I’ve gotten really lean doing all of those combinations. Just do it.
Thank you all for your responses, I appreciate the help.
Tungsten, I’m probably going to do it about 3-4 times per week, but only for about 10 minutes each time, so it probably wont be enough to burn me out.
Thanks for the info.
I had success and kick myself for not getting back to it. quarter mile track. jog on each turn and alt between sprints and walk on straight away. in other words, start of a turn jog around until track goes straight, then sprint. Sprint until the turn, slowing to a jog. jog around far turn until it goes straight then walk the far straight. Start jogging the turn, etc. doesn’t take many of these to start the melt.
5 Minute warm-up at moderate pace (run/ row at a good clip, work up a light sweat and regular breathing), then:
8-10x[20 seconds maximal exertion, 10 seconds total rest] And I mean maximal - you should want to stop after interval number 4.
No rest: 5 minute cool-down. Try to match your warm-up pace. This should be painful. Tabata intervals kick ass for aerobic/anaerobic conditioning, and especially for fat loss.