The importance of sprinting for total fitness

Sprinting, or running a short distance at maximum pace, is an intense effort that challenges the limits of your physical capabilities. In Sprint Interval Training, also known as SIT, these max-effort sprints are broken up with recovery periods of rest before the next intense short bursts. Sprinting workouts allow you to maintain this intensity over a short period.

And sprinting isn’t just about getting faster. It offers a wide range of health benefits that carry over into everyday life. In this article, we’ll get into what sprinting is, the benefits of sprinting, and how you can start incorporating it into your workout routine.

Sprinting is a short and let’s face it, not so sweet, running workout that’s time efficient and requires you to push yourself both mentally and physically. Regular sprint training can help improve speed, build explosive power, and improve your overall running technique.

This high-intensity effort triggers a powerful stimulus for enhancing physical fitness and physiological adaptation.² But what, exactly, happens to trigger these changes?

Let’s dive into the science behind sprinting.

When you start sprinting, your body relies primarily on the anaerobic energy systems for immediate power. While your aerobic system is always active, the energy demands of a sprint can’t keep up. But what does that actually mean?

In the first seconds of a sprint, your body relies on the stored energy of the anaerobic energy system, also known as the Glycolytic System. This means that it burns more glycogen – think carbs – than fat, to produce quick energy.

During this process, your body produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the key fuel for muscle contractions, along with lactic acid. At the same time, your fast-twitch muscle fibers activate, allowing you to produce explosive, high-intensity movements.

But this state is short-lived – even highly trained athletes can only sustain true maximum sprint intensity for up to 20 seconds. As lactic acid builds up, your muscles become fatigued and performance drops.

It is possible to extend this anaerobic phase, delay muscle fatigue, and build resistance to lactic acid buildup with consistent sprint training. Over time, your body will adapt, and you’ll be able to sprint faster for longer.

Sprinting involves several major muscle groups, particularly those of the posterior chain. Here are some of the key drivers:³

• The gluteus maximus is the main muscle in sprinting, helping with hip extension and generating force that propels the body forward
• The hamstrings aid in deceleration, pulling the leg backward, and prepare the body for ground contact
• The calves act as springs to help generate vertical force and power during the push off the ground
• The core plays a key role in stabilization
• The arms contribute to balance and can support quicker leg turnover by driving them back and forth faster

Burns fat and improves body composition

One of the biggest pros to adding sprint training to your workout routine is that it is an incredibly effective way to burn excess body fat, boost metabolism, and improve body composition.

Sprinting triggers an afterburn effect, or EPOC, which means your body continues to burn calories even after you’ve stopped working out. It does this by stimulating the release of growth hormones, helping your body burn fat, build muscle, and increase your overall performance.

What’s more, sprinting also engages the type 2 fast-twitch muscle fibers in the large, power muscles, which burn even more energy as they work, making it a very efficient way to transform your body and build muscle.

So if weight loss is your goal, sprinting might be the key!

Improves cardiovascular health

Sprinting is a type of high-intensity cardio workout that quickly raises your heart rate. And when you do sprint training consistently, it makes your heart work harder – strengthening it, improving blood circulation and blood pressure, and reducing the risk of heart disease.

The NHS recommends 75 minutes of vigorous cardio per week for optimal health. Sprinting offers an even more intense and efficient way for you to achieve that daily target, broken down into small, powerful sessions.⁴

Helps with bone density

Even though sprinting is high-impact and physically demanding on the body, it’s precisely this high force that’s generated that helps improve bone density.

The repeated impact and mechanical load placed on your bones when sprinting stimulate bone formation and increase bone strength over time.⁵

Increases speed, power, and explosiveness

It should go without saying, but running faster really does, in fact, make you faster. It also offers a ton of other benefits that can help you become a stronger, more well-rounded athlete.

As mentioned above, sprinting activates your type-2 fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for explosiveness and acceleration.

By consistently training these specific muscles with sprints, you build greater power and improve your ability to push off the ground harder. And it’s this increase in force that ultimately makes you a faster runner.⁶

Enhances endurance

Sprint Interval Training is short and fast, but it also helps improve your endurance training and VO2 max as well.

One study showed that even short-term, low-volume SIT workouts can significantly improve both aerobic endurance and anaerobic performance, making it a time-efficient way to build stamina and overall fitness.⁷

Builds functional strength

Sprinting is a truly effective way to build functional strength by targeting key lower-body muscles, including your glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

At the same time, with sprinting, you’re getting your heart rate up, which will improve your cardiovascular fitness and athletic performance.

Improves neuromuscular coordination

Training at higher speeds helps your brain and muscles work together more efficiently, teaching your body to run at faster speeds thanks to the neuromuscular adaptations taking place.

Repeated sprint interval training reinforces the movement patterns that are involved in a sprint, allowing your muscles to “remember” your stride mechanics (oh hello, muscle memory).

An added bonus is that regular sprint training will raise your “speed ceiling”, making that easy zone 2 long run feel even easier.

If you still need some convincing on the benefits of sprinting, here are a few more to motivate you to lace up and speed up:

Mental health

No, “runner’s high” isn’t just a myth; it’s very real, and sprinting is a great way to tap into those feel-good endorphins during and post-workout.

One study found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which included sprint training as a protocol, also helps improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.

Accessible and convenient

Sprinting is probably one of the most straightforward workouts out there. It requires little gear, just a good pair of running shoes and a flat running surface to get started.

And sprinting doesn’t require a ton of time – perfect for busy people who struggle to fit exercise into their schedule.

It’s also a great workout even if you’re not the biggest fan of running. Most sprinting sessions last up to 20 minutes, and you can get in a solid workout in under 15 minutes.

Plus, when you consider the aforementioned afterburn effect, calorie burn, and surge of endorphins, you’ll get all the benefits of a long training session in a fraction of the time.

1. Start small & find your stride: you don’t want to go from zero to hero right from the start, especially if you haven’t been running. Take time to find your stride and identify your different training zones to establish what your all-out max actually looks like.
2. Head for the hills: give hills sprints a go if you’re new to sprint intervals. The added incline helps prevent you from overstriding and actually reduces the impact on your body.
3. Progress slowly: it may take some time to establish your 100% max effort, and that’s a good thing. Start lower and progress from there, just make sure not to skimp on the warm-up!
4. Go in with a plan: before starting your sprint session, establish what your work-to-rest ratio will be and hold firm on this plan. Remember, this recovery time helps you establish your peak power during the sprint.
5. Swap it in: if you want to add sprinting to your training plan, don’t just randomly add it on top of your heavy leg day workout. Sprinting is taxing on your central nervous system and your body, so plan it strategically to avoid injury.

The importance of sprinting truly can’t be understated. Sprinting is a powerful, efficient tool for people of all fitness levels.

Even just a few sprints per week can deliver more results in 10-20 minutes than an hour of traditional cardio. And its benefits go beyond the physical, boosting your overall mental health.

Don’t let the idea of “I’m not a sprinter” hold you back. Anyone can benefit from sprinting and the strength and confidence that come with it.

Go at your pace, find your stride, and unleash your inner sprinter today.