As a long-term exercise addict, i'm always searching for something to give me an extra edge, or at very least, add more variety to my workouts.

A few months ago I came across something called the "Sprint 8" workout.  Upon investigation I found that it was good old fashioned interval training, but with a twist.  Whereas interval training is usually performed once or twice a week before and during the racing season, this programme was proposing doing it three times a week year round, not for improvements in speed, but as a way to lose fat and build muscle.

The science behind it is really sound - intense workouts produce a rapid spike in your body's output of HGH - human growth hormone.  Why would you want that?  Well, HGH is vital for the body to burn fat and build muscle!  As we grow older, HGH output declines precipitously, which is one reason for middle-age spread.

There's loads more i could say, but if you're interested, check out the link:

http://40speed.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=4S&Affiliate=howtobefit

I've been using it for almost 4 months now, and am not only fitter, but have definitely seen a change in my body shape and composition.  One warning however - it's not easy!

Check it out!

 

 

Wow-- great comments, i'm goingt to try this as it sound s great for sports with turn of pace and speed, as i play football this sounds like a complimentary exercise.but i take on board its hard.

Hi:

Good luck - just be sure to start out easy, especially the first two or three weeks, as it's easy to get injured if you're not used to this level of intensity.

i've looked at that - it's really interval training by another name, isn't it?  i guess the difference is that it's being used by non racers on a year round basis - not sure what the effects of that intensity are long term - as long as you build up the intensity, can't see it would be a problem.  very interesting.

That sounds really interesting - I'll have to check it out.  Anyone else out there tried it?

I read an article about interval training the other day - i've never tried it, but might give it a go.  sounds like hard work though!

A friend of mine was talking about this the other day - sounds pretty hard core, but the results seem to be impressive.

OK, i started this a couple of weeks ago, see if it could get me through the winter with most of my conditioning intact.  I'm doing it once a week running, which i enjoy, and a couple of times a week on the bike in the gym.  That's hard!  Too soon to comment on the results.

My friends think I'm crazy, but I love intervals!

I was talking to some friends the other day who had started doing something similar on the bike and really liked it.  Said they felt a lot fitter even though their workouts were shorter.

I've now been doing it for around 6 months, with the odd week off.  Net result is that I'm staying down at racing weight (for triathlon) without doing anything close to racing mileage.

Lower mileage, higher intensity - it's not a bad trade-off is it?