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How do you like to do your sprinting? Some people jog in between sprints, and I don't get this. I always believed that you want to go all out, therefore you should only be able to walk after each sprinting interval.
I typically do 30-35 seconds at a time at an incline of 8%, with about a minute of walking in between.
I do intervals on the treadmill, but not sprinting (I don't think most would consider 5 min/mi pace as sprinting anyway, but it is a fast pace). I do half-mile repeats at 10-11 mph (5.5-6 min/mile), followed by quarter mile jog at 6 mph. Warm up first with 1.5 mile slow jog, then 10 half mile repeats, then cool down with a 1 mile slog jog.
10 miles total running, and it takes about an hour. I think it's the most productive workout I do (and toughest).
As for incline, a lot of people will tell you that you should use 1-2% incline to compensate for the lack of wind resistance of treadmill running. On the treadmill you are staying in one spot, so you don't have to push air out of the way as you would on a track. I'm not convinced that incline simulates air resistance--I think incline simulates incline--but it is a common suggestion from coaches and running gurus.
I don't run at an incline for the purposes of mimicking wind resistance, but for the challenge I suppose. The purpose is do to the most amount of work in the least amount of time, so that's why I "sprint" at a fairly high incline. It's also supposed to be safer because your strides are shorter, tend to be more upright, and a reduced impact on the knees. I agree though, that these aren't real sprints, just fast running.
A real sprint couldn't be done for more than 15 seconds I suppose.
I think you're probably right about the reduced impact. It always seemed to me that the more incline, the more the work/impact ratio, which in theory should provide a way to crank up fitness level without as much risk of injury. I haven't seen any studies about this, or heard of elites using this principle.
There's a big-time coach in Oregon named Brad Hudson who has all his runners do short hill sprints and considers it a key part of training especially for injury prevention. Workout Of The Week: Steep Hill Sprints
I don't think 30 seconds for a sprint (on a treadmill) is really going to do that much good, even at an 8% incline. Speed work or interval training is general 220 yards minimum, which takes longer than 30 seconds (unless you're running a 4 minute mile!) Speed work is best done outside, IMO.
I always set the treadmill at 2.5-3% incline to compensate for wind resistance -- whether that's an old wives tail or legitimate fact, I don't know, but I've run on a treadmill this way for 25 years.
And Wutitiz -- your workout is incredible. Kudos to you!
I don't think 30 seconds for a sprint (on a treadmill) is really going to do that much good, even at an 8% incline. Speed work or interval training is general 220 yards minimum, which takes longer than 30 seconds (unless you're running a 4 minute mile!)
Well I generally judge things by how tired I am and whether I could do more, and for me approximately 30-35 seconds at 8% incline at a speed of 10.0 really does the job, and I couldn't go much longer than that. I'll jump off the treadmill belt onto the side, lower the speed then start walking for a minute, then do another interval.
The point is, it's fairly exhausting to me. Are you saying that I shouldn't be exhausted by 30 seconds of fast running? Are you saying I should sacrifice the speed for longer duration?
Well, in terms of your "rest-recovery" phase, it really depends on what the purpose of your training is. If you play a sport like soccer, or if you play football on an up-tempo offensive team (like Oregon), then jogging between sprints would be good, b/c it mimics the active recovery between all-out efforts. I personally train for speed and enter the occasional open track meet for old guys, so I prefer to walk down the hill after sprinting to get to close to full recovery. I do not like treadmills, so regardless of weather I sprint on a hill near my house and time myself to try to set personal bests (and to catch myself slacking off). I probably only sprint 80 yards or so, so each "rep" only takes 14-15 seconds, but it is a full-on, all-out explosive sprint. Every other week I try to go to the track and do 400's and 800's to get more distance sprinting under my belt.
Sprinting, to me, is the greatest exercise on the planet. I used to run long distance (getting down to 3:10 for the marathon, 18:30 5k) and finally stopped because it beat my body up too much and took way too much of my time. Now, with sprinting, I feel explosive, alive and have noted my body fat is way lower than with distance running. I still take one day a week to go for a 3.5 mile shake out run, mostly because I just enjoy it and find it relaxing.
I don't think 30 seconds for a sprint (on a treadmill) is really going to do that much good, even at an 8% incline. Speed work or interval training is general 220 yards minimum, which takes longer than 30 seconds (unless you're running a 4 minute mile!) Speed work is best done outside, IMO.
I always set the treadmill at 2.5-3% incline to compensate for wind resistance -- whether that's an old wives tail or legitimate fact, I don't know, but I've run on a treadmill this way for 25 years.
And Wutitiz -- your workout is incredible. Kudos to you!
Actually, 30 seconds is about the longest true sprint most normal people can do (would typically be a 200m), as anything longer than that would involve a "coasting" period (similar the first straight away in the 400m). I think you are thinking of interval training for distance running, versus true sprinting. Sprinting and distance running are two very different animals, however I would even argue that doing 15-30 sec hill sprints would benefit a distance runner, as it builds muscle and acts similarly as plyometrics for developing explosive push-off and over-exaggerated knee raise, which benefit form at longer distances or, say, in the kick phase at the end of a distance race. Sprinting also improves the heart's stroke volume and boosts the body's natural HGH levels, both of which you would not get from longer distance runs or intervals (as much).
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