Coaches Tip – Exercise – Sprints good for your health
As many people know I am not a big supporter of long duration aerobic exercise when it comes to improving performance or health – I feel it is a large time demand and has little extra benefits to developing the human body’s abilities. Researchers at Heriot-Watt Unviersity in Scotland investigated the effects of high intensity interval training on the body’s ability to improve insulin action and blood sugar clearance. The group tested was subject to bike sprints lasting 30 sec and the group was found to have improved metabolic processes after only weeks of training. The researchers state; “What we have found is that doing a few intense muscle exercises, each lasting only about 30 seconds, dramatically improves your metabolism in just two weeks.”
This is important information with regard to anyone with diabetic issues other cardiovascular disease issues – small amounts of exercise at a high intensity can provide the same if not better results than much of the traditional exercise guidelines recommended by many trainers and health care providers.
Synergy Strength’s programming concepts are designed to incorporate high intensity interval processes 2-4 times a week. Recently the Synergy group class finished a workout as follows;
4 gym length sprints – every 60 sec x 20 rounds.
Or
15 sec aridyne sprint – rest 45 sec x 15 rounds
These sprints were done at a high intensity, but only lasted short durations – one more secret to the members of Synergy Strengths dominant fitness abilities.
