How Many Sprints Should A Beginner Do To See Results?
I’m lazy, and as a result, I’ve always been obsessed with finding out what the bare minimum amount of exercise someone can do to see results from working out. Due to that curiosity, in the past, I’ve chosen one exercise and done it for an entire month to see if someone could simply do that one exercise and get into great shape.
So far, I’ve done 100 push-ups a day for a month, 30 pull-ups, 100 kettlebell swings, 10 minutes of jump rope, and 50 single-leg deadlifts. Until now, I thought that jumping rope for ten minutes a day was the most effective; I felt the best after the workouts and had the most fun.
However, after running 300 sprints this past month, sprints might be the new winner. While they certainly aren’t as fun as jumping rope, the results are shocking.
Why is sprinting such a good workout?
Sprinting full speed is a total body exercise. It isn’t uncommon for new runners to feel sore in their triceps and shoulders after their first few workouts. Running sprints works a good percentage of the muscles in your body, your calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings, triceps, and core.
Sprinting is an anaerobic exercise, like lifting weights, and will help build muscle. Building muscle, in turn, helps boost your metabolism and helps you burn more calories throughout your day.
If you need inspiration on why you should switch from a slow jog to sprinting workouts, look at Olympic sprinters and Olympic marathon runners. If you had to choose your ideal body composition, I bet you’d go with the sprinter.
What do I need to get started sprinting?
Nothing. There is no entry cost to the sport of running, which is excellent. Nonetheless, some things make it more enjoyable. I run in minimalist shoes. I like the feeling of the ground, the good form they force, and the speed. However, if you want to start sprinting today, all you need is a pair of regular running shoes. If you want to start running in minimalist shoes, I recommend transitioning slowly.
If you’ve got a pair of shoes and are serious about starting sprinting, I recommend grabbing a massage gun or foam roller. It isn’t necessary, but you will want something to get those knots out of your calves and the rest of your body when you start running.
Lastly, you need a place to sprint, which is sometimes harder to find than you’d think. Sprinting on a treadmill is much more dangerous than sprinting outside, but it may be your only option if you live in a city.
I’d strongly recommend sprinting on a Woodway over the conventional type if your gym has one. They slow down or speed up as you do and make the experience much safer for sprinters.
How many sprints a day should a beginner do?
A beginner should start with ten 100-meter sprints and only two at full speed. I know that doesn’t sound too hard, and honestly, it isn’t. The whole workout takes about 20 minutes.
This workout will feel easy for some people, and for others, it will feel extremely difficult. If you are going to try and go from couch potato to daily sprinter, you will need to take rest days. Listen to your body and rest when you need to.
In addition, there is a little more nuance that goes into sprinting workouts than stepping outside and running as fast as you can. Structuring your sprinting workout and warm-up effectively is essential to staying healthy and getting the best results.
How should you structure your beginner sprint workout?
While sprinting portion of this workout will only take you ten minutes. As with any training, you must warm up. For sprinting, please warm up your legs effectively. Below is an under ten-minute workout that will help you prevent injury.
WARM-UP
High Knees: Running or Walking with high knees 100 meters
Frankensteins: March with straight legs - 100 meters
Side Lunges: Eight each leg
Lunges: Eight each leg
Squats: Ten
Single-Leg Deadlifts: Eight each leg
Run a quarter mile at 50% speed and walk backward for two minutes.
THE WORKOUT
Every minute on the minute for ten minutes, run one sprint. Increase the speed as you go.
0.00: Sprint at 60% Speed
1.00: Sprint at 65% Speed
2.00: Sprint at 70% Speed
3.00: Sprint at 75% Speed
4.00: Sprint at 80% Speed
5.00: Sprint at 85% Speed
6.00: Sprint at 90% Speed
7.00: Sprint at 95% Speed
8.00: Sprint at 95% Speed
9.00: Sprint at 85% Speed
Cool Down: Stretch and foam roll
You may notice there is no 100% sprint. People tend to hurt themselves when you ask them to run as fast as possible. They overestimate their abilities based on the speed of their younger selves and end up pulling something.
So don’t try to go all out. Instead, try to get to 95% of your top speed and know that you still could put in 5% more effort.
What results should you expect from sprinting daily?
Sprinting will help you lose weight and build muscle. The workout is high-intensity interval training, proven to be one of the most effective ways to lose fat.
If you are adding this sprint workout to your routine, remember not to add extra calories. The most important aspect of weight loss is diet, and no matter how fast you sprint, the adage is still true “you can’t outrun a bad diet.”
What you can do with a bad diet, assuming it has sufficient carbs and protein, is build muscle and get faster. If you sprint daily, you will see significant improvements in your speed, strength, and your recovery time between sprints.
If getting faster, stronger, or lighter is one of your goals, sprinting every day for a month will get you those results.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like:
How Many Push-Ups Should A Beginner Do To See Results?
How Many Single Leg Deadlifts Should A Beginner Do To See Results?