I am not a huge fan of steady cardio, such as running at a steady pace for a prolonged period of time. If you enjoy running 5 miles a day, then please do keep it up! However, for those like myself who hate to run, I have a better solution. One method of “cardio” I do enjoy is hill sprints. Hill sprints fall under the category of interval training.

Hill sprinting is by far one of the most fun and effective methods for improving overall speed and power. Hill sprinting is also highly beneficial for rapid body composition changes (overall fat loss). As an added bonus it provides a change of scenery from the typical gym setting. It is more enjoyable to train outside on a sunny day. Like most things in life, sprinting can have a disadvantage. That disadvantage can be muscle pulls and strains. I would imagine that many of you have pulled a hamstring or two whilst doing running sprints. Hill sprints are a much safer and effective variation of sprinting. Below are just a few benefits of hill sprints.

Safety

Running on an inclined surface means maximum limb speed can’t be reached. This is a safe guard for the hamstrings. Sprinting off a road surface is far less stressful on the joints and greatly decreases overuse injuries. Contrary to popular belief, running on a flat surface can cause much more injuries compared to running on a slight incline.

Burns More Calories

Hill sprints will burn more calories than flat surface cardio. I consider hill sprints to be the “top” form of interval training. Running up a hill at near full speed, walking back down the hill for the “rest period” and then sprinting back up the hill will increase your metabolism to an entirely different level. Your total caloric burn will be greater due to the demand of running up a hill. It even gets better. After the hill sprints, you will still be burning calories due to more EPOC (excess post exercise oxygen consumption). Double whammy! 

Simple to execute

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how to perform hill sprints. You simply find a hill (the incline of the hill should depend on your fitness level) and start at the bottom. Run up the hill at top speed and walk or lightly jog back down. Repeat for a certain time or reps. It’s that easy.

Challenging

Some people cringe at the thought of a challenge. However, for those who like to push yourself and stride to be the very best, this is for you. Hill sprints will not only challenge you physically, but will test your mental toughness. Once you start up the hill and gain some momentum, you won’t lose it, so you are compelled to maintain or increase your speed.

How To Do Hill Sprints

What sort of hill should you use? Practically any level of incline will work. The steeper the hill the harder the sprint will be. Start off conservatively with a hill that has a slight incline. The length of the hill may also vary. I prefer to run on a hill that allows me to run for 20-30 seconds. Any shorter time will not allow you to be out of breath. However, running up a hill longer than 30 seconds will prevent it from being an all out sprint.

It is crucial to have a proper warm-up before you start the hill sprints. Here are a few warm-up exercises I recommend before the sprints:

• Leg swings                                                                  
• Jumping Jacks
• Bodyweight squats
• Bodyweight Lunges
• High knees
• Butt kicks

 

Go through these exercises 2-3 times at 10-15 reps for each. Failure to warm-up prior to sprints can lead to muscles strains and pulls. If any of the above exercises are “new” to you, they can be easily viewed on YouTube.

Hill Sprint Workout

I find 4-8 sprints enough for a tough workout. This is subject to any other training or physical activities you engage in. Start at the bottom of the hill, sprint to the top of the hill, walk back down to the bottom of the hill and repeat. Your only rest should be when you are walking back down the hill. Have trouble running? You can still do hill walks. Instead of sprinting, walk up the hill at a fast walking pace and walk back down the hill at a much slower walking pace. You can still get great benefits from the hill walks. Starting out doing hill sprints 1-2 days a week will make you tougher physically and mentally. It is well worth the effort. Break out of your comfort zone and push your body to new limits. Once you get up the hill, a feeling of being on top of the world hovers over!