Speed and Stamina – not just an Olympic Sprinter

A short sprint requires you to challenge your heart, lungs and muscles.

You don't need to be an Olympic athlete to get the health benefits of picking up the tempo in your workout.
A short sprint is great for your heart and lungs, but it needn't always be round a racetrack.
In fact, you can go about speeding things up when you walk to work, cycle or even when doing the housework.

Really, 'sprinting' is defined as a period of all-out effort – we tend to associate it with running. But this type of training can be applied to any activity and conveys many health benefits.
So, what are these benefits and how can you add some extra speed to your routine?

Benefits to cardiovascular health

A short sprint requires you to challenge your heart, lungs and muscles, which over time can bring a positive health boost, leading to a stronger heart and lower blood pressure, which will reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

However, most of us don't hit full pace that often and tend to perform everyday activities, and even some forms of exercise, at a moderate intensity.

While this does bring health benefits, a rule of thumb is that what you get out of your routine is related to the intensity of the activity – the higher the pace, the greater the potential benefit.
What this means is that sprint-style training is much more efficient.

A recent study showed that high-intensity sprint training for a total of only around four minutes (eight 20 second sprints plus breaks) was better at increasing fitness than 60 minutes of moderate training, despite taking a fraction of the time.

However, if you're just getting started, an acute bout of strenuous activity can be an unexpected stress that causes heart rate and blood pressure to increase, which could be potentially harmful.
The trick is to start off slowly and work up, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of this training over a period of time.

Speed things up

Pedal as hard and fast as you can, covering the distance in the shortest possible time.

You don't need to get dressed up in lycra running gear or take to the Olympic stadium to get sprinting – you can just as easily integrate some 'sprints' into your day-to-day routine.

While it might be too much to sprint all the way to work or to the shops, you can try alternating faster bursts with longer spells of rest and recovery.

This practice is known as interval training and is commonly employed by athletes from a range of sports.
If you're walking somewhere, try to pick up the pace and maintain it for a minute, then slow down and walk at your regular pace again for another minute or so before repeating. As a general rule, the harder you work, the longer you need to rest and recover between each effort.

If you cycle, try sprinting in a high gear between two landmarks, such as trees in the park.
Pedal as hard and fast as you can, covering the distance in the shortest possible time.
Slow down and change to a lower gear, covering the equivalent (or even greater distance) before trying another sprint. Aim to sprint for 10 to 15 seconds and then recover for 45 to 60 seconds.

The sprinting/recovery principle can be applied to any form of activity, even housework.
Perhaps put on your favourite up-tempo songs and then move as fast and energetically as you can for the chorus.
Slow back down to a regular speed for each verse and then speed up each time the chorus is repeated.

Exercise tips

It's important to prepare your heart and lungs, as well as your joints and muscles, before working all-out because this will reduce the risk of injury.

Start with a thorough warm up involving a few minutes of gentle activity and movement, and gradually increase the intensity to your first sprint effort.

The biggest health benefits come from working the large muscles, such as the legs because these have a greater effect on the heart and lungs.

Walking, cycling, swimming, stair-climbing and vacuuming are all excellent activities to try.
Exaggerate smaller movements, such as sweeping or cleaning the windows by dynamically stepping as you move. This will increase the demand on the whole body and give you a greater health effect.

Dancing also lends itself to sprint-style activity as you can match the speed of your steps to the tempo of the music. Any style of dance will do, so pick the era or style of music that you enjoy most, and dance away.

What to avoid

Slow down and stop if you feel any kind of pain or discomfort because this is usually a sign that something is wrong.

Rest for a day or two to see if the symptoms disappear. If they do, start with some light activity and progress from there. If pain persists stop and seek medical advice.
This form of training can be strenuous, so start at an intensity that you feel comfortable with, and then gradually increase it if you feel confident.

Begin with a sprint that is the equivalent of a 6 or 7 out of 10 of your maximum effort, and then gradually increase to an eight or nine. Doing too much too soon is a sure-fire way of causing an injury.
Safety is paramount so make sure the environment is as controlled as possible.
When walking, stick to smooth surfaces, free of rabbit holes and anything else that might cause a twisted ankle. If cycling, stick to cycle paths you know well so you don't find yourself hurtling toward a blind bend or hill crest.

If your last sprint was as slow as your recovery, it's time to finish for the day.
This form of training is more about quality than quantity, so if you're struggling to maintain the pace, then you're doing too much or not letting yourself recover sufficiently between intervals.