SPRINT-8
Sprint-8
Sprint 8 is an efficient, fat-burning HIIT workout that gives you a complete cardio exercise experience, including warm-up and cool-down, in just 20 minutes. Since high-intensity cardio exercises are among the best exercise for weight loss, most people see results in just 8 weeks or less. Sprint 8 is an efficient and effective way to maximise your health and physique.
The Sprint 8 Workout
WARMING UP
- Avoid high-fat meals for one hour prior to beginning your workout. Instead, consume easy-to-digest carbohydrates, such as bananas, to help fuel workout intensity.
- Gradually increase heart rate by performing the pre-programmed 3-minute warm-up.
SPRINTS
- Each sprint is 30 seconds long and must be performed at an all-out intensity. If you could go longer than 30 seconds, you are not working hard enough. Keep in mind that, for some people, “all-out intensity” may be a fast walking pace.
- Signs that you are performing at the appropriate intensity include being out of breath, sweating and feeling muscle burn.
- Incline and/or speed will adjust on treadmills, while resistance adjusts on bikes and elliptical trainers to increase intensity. Ascent trainers also adjust incline.
- Initially you may start with just a few sprints but, over a period of time, you can work up to the full eight sprints necessary for maximum results.
- Sprinting is an anaerobic exercise, which forces the heart muscle to pump fast and hard to pay back the oxygen debt caused by this form of exercise. Even young athletes need to build up anaerobic capacity.
ACTIVE RECOVERY
- Following each sprint is a 90-second period of active recovery.
- Keep moving, allowing your intensity and heart rate level to come down.
- If you feel recovered in less than 90 seconds, work harder in the next sprint to realise the full impact of the Sprint 8 programme.
- Drink water during your training to stay hydrated.
COOLING DOWN
- Just as your body needs a warm-up period, it also needs a cool-down period.
- The 2.5-minute, pre-programmed cool-down allows your heart rate to gradually come down from its high.
- A cool-down period is a much safer way to end a workout than simply stopping.
POST-WORKOUT
- The 2-hour post-workout window is when the body most rapidly absorbs nutrients to rebuild itself from the tearing-down effect of the workout. Limit sugar during this time.
- Consume 20–25 grams of high-quality protein, such as lean meat, nuts and cottage cheese, and drink a lot of water to rehydrate.
