What's up with sprinting?

[mccollins]

So I have been trying to research sprinting and it's effectiveness for weight loss but all the results are varied. I'll read one website that tells me that distance running is better for weight loss and one that tells me that sprinting will get you the same results but with half the time. So I want to know from people who have experience.

Does sprinting help for weight loss?

Is it just as effective as long distance?

How many times a week should you do it?

Will it make my legs bulky?

I'm really confused about the actual results of sprinting haha

[BobbyD]

Scientifically, I can't respond. You're researching for school? Oh well, I'm still going to post a semi-unrelated answer.

This is why I think researching does more harm than it does good:

Researching "best methods" or "most efficient" ways when starting out isn't always the best thing to do. Research in my opinion should come later, like when you hit your physical plateau or if you experience problems like pains. The act of researching itself is exhausting and in my experience the knowledge was just too overwhelming and actually drained me of any motivation for a year to get fit.

In my opinion, you should be focusing on finding that drive that basically is: "I want to be healthy" and start making decisions based on that new philosophy. You gotta find what motives you to put on those running shoes, you gotta find what makes you not eat that extra slice of cake(or any cake at all!), you gotta keep doing it.

Basically, work on the psychological aspect and getting in the mind set that you are now living healthy, and you'll start making decisions every hour that will impact your weight positively much more than any "routine" possibly can. For example, like mentioned earlier with not eating the cake or simply buying oats & apples for breakfast instead of that English muffin.

Overall, I see to many people get pumped up about getting fit and they create/find these extensive weight lost systems and a month in, sometimes even less, they quit because it's too much of a change from their current life style.

Like, lord knows how many people try to research books on diet and weight loss before actually taken their first f*cking literal step on that treadmill.

Anyways, if there's anything to take from this it's: Don't be so a research fanatic but rather just get in the mind set of "I want to be healthy". And the results from the decisions you make with that mindset will be exponentially greater than any routine can.

[Theguyoverthere]

Here's the deal on weight loss.

At the end of the day you need to have a good calorie deficit to lose weight. Cardio activity burns calories which can help you reach that deficit but some people choose just to diet. Others use cardio to burn off the extra calories to put them in that deficit. Then others have it backfire and do cardio then end up giving into their increased appetite and eat too much.

You can find a calorie calculator that you can put your statistics into that can tell you how many calories is recommended for you to lose weight. It'll ask you for things like age, etc.

I recommend cardio for people because it is good to get a good amount of physical activity but I don't usually recommend lots of it because I hear about marathon runners having heart problems.

[SpoiledJeano]

Sprinting helps to an extent but causes cramping and muscle gain.

It is not if you wish to lose weight. Distance is more effective.

At least 4 and have your rest days, they are just as important

No. It won't make your legs bulky.

I did track and cross country. Take my word for it you need to do distance and basic cardio workouts. Sprints don't do much except strengthen your legs and you use power NOT stamina which you Should be doing.

Don't forget always drink plenty of water, that also promotes weight loss

[confused415]

I lost a ton of weight by just running. I tend to do longer distances but when I started I just ran 1.5 miles a day and lost 40 lbs in 6 months.

[WeaponZero]

The main issue with distance running vs. sprinting is that sprinting helps to preserve lean body mass (muscle mass) while running does not.

AHHHH you said the "B" word. Okay, you need to understand this once and for all: Unless you are genetically predisposed to building muscle mass VERY easily (which is very uncommon in women as it usually is symptomatic of a hormone imbalance) you can _NOT_ build "bulky" muscle without going out of your way to do it and structuring a high intensity resistance training AND diet program SPECIFICALLY for that purpose. And even then it's a lot of hard work that takes YEARS.

[MyNameIsJonas]

I do both...

For weight loss, distance in my opinion.

Can sprinting be as effective for weight loss? Yes. You just need to be doing a lot of sprinting drills. Sprint 40 yards, sprinting up and down hills or any other type of sprinting drills. Some of them get pretty technical. You need to do them in sets like other exercises because a SPRINT is running as fast as you can for a certain amount of distance. link here is some info.

You could do either.

Your not going to get bulky out of nowhere that is going to take time as in years of sprinting.

[1ibiz]

Well walking speeds up your heart rate the same as you were jogging or sprinting. I say walk more. Walking will make your body go into ketosis (fat burning), and you wouldn't be damaging joints or bone tissue as you are doing much less effort on your bones. I would say sprint as fast as you can for a few minutes once a week to build up your muscles and perform better, but I recommend only once a week as doing to much exercise will make your hormonal output go haywire and you could gain weight in result of slowing down your metabolism. Most people don't know that too much exercise could lead to weight gain and this is a fact!

[1ibiz]

I'm sorry, let me rephrase as I need to make a correction I over sought, walking will indeed levitate your heart rate, but not at the same rate as jogging, running, sprinting. Doing too much can exhaust your heart and make you burn muscle, as is keeping it at a steady rate(walking) will convert your body from burning glucose to fat by ketosis! Don't want to sound like a dush, but don't listen to everybody else saying run and sprint everyday, I assure you they have no idea what they are really

[1ibiz]

talking about!

[loda1994]

yes

no

cant judge

depends

spriniting makes you burn more calories than normal running BUT you can't run much sprinting I used to sprint for 5 min to go to school but that's it I can't run one more minute after. on the other hand I can fast run for a whole hour that kills pretty much more calorie. if you can sprint the same distance you run you definitely burn more calorie. you could do it everyday but that's if you have the strength some people are just not built for sprinting.

you will gain muscles and lose weight but if you are skinny you will just get skinnier.

[HighSchoolBoy]

Ok first you can't just eat unhealthy food and then go sprint for a while and expect to loose weight. And yes sprinting will burn more calories faster and more than long distance running. I'm a wrestler and know this from numerous people and experiences.

[kalimavictor12]

Sprinting alone doesn't make you lose weight on its own. When you run, you burn calories and carbohydrates. You need to switch up your workout to get results. I'd say about 3-4 times a week. I agree with Spoiled Jeano. As for your legs, you'll gain muscle if that's what you mean. Sprinting is only made for a specific distance.

[6Paul11]

What matters is diet and regular exercise. There is no "magical move" that will suddenly burn off all of your calories. It is a lifestyle change.

[Anonymous]

Sprinting helps for weight loss since your body will "rearrange" your body proportions for maximum speed

[humanbeing]

skipping is best to lose weight and drink lots of lemon water.

[Anonymous]

I think you should do more than just that, go long distance too.