How often do you sprint? As in a running-full-pelt dash. If the last time was on your school sports day\u2019s 100m final, you might be missing out on an important way to boost your overall fitness.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery park has a 5k and everyone\u2019s talking about marathons and ultramarathons, but short, sharp, intense bursts of fast running are a vital element of any workout routine,\u201d says Tana von Zitzewitz, a specialist running coach and master trainer at Barry\u2019s UK. \u201cSprinting boosts your cardiovascular fitness and aerobic capacity, increases testosterone and strengthens your muscles, tendons and heart.\u201d Plus, it burns lots of calories and \u201cimproves metabolic fitness, so you burn more calories when resting\u201d. <\/p>\n
Running at full speed can help to prevent muscle loss as we age because it engages so many muscles: studies have found sprinting is better than endurance running at building and maintaining bone density in older athletes. Regular sprints can also improve your performance in other sports such as cycling and swimming.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Lesser known muscles you shouldn\u2019t ignore \u2014 and how to work them<\/a><\/p>\n To pick up the pace, don\u2019t just start sprinting unless you want to pull a muscle.Do targeted warm-ups, says Jonas Dodoo, an elite sprint coach. \u201cStart with some plyometric exercises \u2014 short, fast movements that allow muscles to reach maximum force quickly.\u201d He suggests tuck jumps (jump up and pull your knees up to your chest before landing with knees bent), box jumps (jump up onto a raised platform) and squat jumps (squat down, then jump upwards in a single explosive movement).<\/p>\n Warm up your hip flexors too \u2014 with high knee raises, bum kicks and lunges. \u201cA lot of people have lazy hip flexors,\u201d Von Zitzewitz says. \u201cThis stops them driving the knee forward when they sprint, so you want to lengthen those out.\u201d<\/p>\n Once your heart rate is up and your muscles are activated, it\u2019s time for sprinting drills. \u201cTry hopping on one leg, keeping your other knee high,\u201d says Von Zitzewitz. <\/p>\n