Long runs or sprints?

[jBacca]

The question is in the title. Am I benefiting more from jogging a good few miles or by spending 20 minutes doing interval sprinting?

What are the pros and cons of both?

How does heart rate come into it? Should I have a target heart rate?

Cheers poofters.

[Dioufy]

Do both.

[cletomex]

i would incorporate both

[King Tubby]

Poncey, I can only do half hour on the treadmill, says I'm burning about 350 calories or an hour on the cross trainer, says I'm burning 550. Do you put any faith in those figures? Running's got to be better, hasn't it? Cross trainer doesn't really feel like I'm doing anything, gets up a good sweat though. What's best for losing the fat?

[Kilsby]

^^^
Stand back lads - i'll answer this one....

For losing lard (fat) you want to imcorporate jogging & sprinting into your jogging routine - if you just jog at a steady pace you generally just lose calories, where is all fine & dandy but.....

If you want to lose excess fat you already possess you will need to mix it up a bit..... say - jog half a mile then sprint 150-200 metres then go back to your steady paced jogging & repeat after the next half mile this helps your body burn fat - FACT!

[jBacca]

Cheers kiddo!

[Deserter]

Poncey, I can only do half hour on the treadmill, says I'm burning about 350 calories or an hour on the cross trainer, says I'm burning 550. Do you put any faith in those figures? Running's got to be better, hasn't it? Cross trainer doesn't really feel like I'm doing anything, gets up a good sweat though. What's best for losing the fat?

Those figures are borderline meaningless and agree running is better, but you also need to say more about what you're doing when you're running. I'd recommend a 20-minute interval routine that breaks down as follows:
2 mins slow jog e.g. 8km/h
1 minute sprint e.g. 18 km/h

You'll do six sets of that within the 20 mins and guarantee you you'll reap the benefits. Obviously it's scalable depending on your fitness e.g. my wife does 2 mins on 7 and a minute on 12km/h.
The other great thing about this routine is that it can act as a great 'benchmark in terms of fitness improvements as you'll be able to see how you develop e.g. starting on a split of 8/14 but within a few months being up to 8/17.

[Deserter]

Just posted this link on another thread but it's relevant here as well:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-inten ... l_training

[jBacca]

Deserter, I was doing my routine as 1min at 7km/h, then 1min at 15km/h.

Then I tried 1min at 5.5km/h (fast walk) which I thought was a lot more intense on my legs than a slow jog (after coming down from sprinting pace).

Can you confirm that it's better for me to be doing a fast walk rather than a slow jog?

Cheers

[jBacca]

Just reading the wiki page from the link you posted. Interesting stuff. Thanks.

[Deserter]

Deserter, I was doing my routine as 1min at 7km/h, then 1min at 15km/h.

Then I tried 1min at 5.5km/h (fast walk) which I thought was a lot more intense on my legs than a slow jog (after coming down from sprinting pace).

Can you confirm that it's better for me to be doing a fast walk rather than a slow jog?

Cheers

The honest answer is that it shouldn't make too much difference fella - the key is to ensure you've got a really high level of intensity during that minute sprint. The intervening period should be both recovery time and a corresponding significant drop in your bpm to ensure you're flicking the metabolic switch - for example some people won't even walk or jog, but will simply have a break between the sprints.

[Adamj1987]

i've read in a few magazines that if you want to fight doing short amounts of a medium amout is better than pushing for more and risk hurting yourself as it can take toll in recovery

[dberry]

Sprints are the key, I think, interval training. It is more specific to a fight and appears to get great results in all areas, aerobic, anaerobic and fat burning.

[boxbible]

Both...

But the key is to get an aerobic base first with longer runs. Then gradually add in more and more sprints until the whole run is back to back sprints for at least 20 minutes. That way, your run is still incorporating an aerobic affect.

[jonoevansla]

I took some inspiration from this thread tonight and did a 20 min run down the local lanes before my weights workout. I managed to include 5 short spints (75M or so each). I'll try and build on this in terms of distance and speed, and add more sprint intervals.

I learnt a) it's bloody hard work, and b) sprinting down-hill is not as easy as it sounds - I nearly went arse over tit as I couldn't stop! I'll be more selective over where I do the sprints next time.

[Deserter]

I took some inspiration from this thread tonight and did a 20 min run down the local lanes before my weights workout. I managed to include 5 short spints (75M or so each). I'll try and build on this in terms of distance and speed, and add more sprint intervals.

I learnt a) it's bloody hard work, and b) sprinting down-hill is not as easy as it sounds - I nearly went arse over tit as I couldn't stop! I'll be more selective over where I do the sprints next time.

To get the maximum benefit do them after weights fella, not before

[jonoevansla]

I took some inspiration from this thread tonight and did a 20 min run down the local lanes before my weights workout. I managed to include 5 short spints (75M or so each). I'll try and build on this in terms of distance and speed, and add more sprint intervals.

I learnt a) it's bloody hard work, and b) sprinting down-hill is not as easy as it sounds - I nearly went arse over tit as I couldn't stop! I'll be more selective over where I do the sprints next time.

To get the maximum benefit do them after weights fella, not before

Cheers for the advice What's the logic for doing it afterwards?
Thanks.

[Deserter]

I took some inspiration from this thread tonight and did a 20 min run down the local lanes before my weights workout. I managed to include 5 short spints (75M or so each). I'll try and build on this in terms of distance and speed, and add more sprint intervals.

I learnt a) it's bloody hard work, and b) sprinting down-hill is not as easy as it sounds - I nearly went arse over tit as I couldn't stop! I'll be more selective over where I do the sprints next time.

To get the maximum benefit do them after weights fella, not before

Cheers for the advice What's the logic for doing it afterwards?
Thanks.

No worries - taking the liberty of using various quotes here from different sources such as the crossfit discussion board as I couldn't find a single definitive answer and mine was based on both my own experience and things I've read over the years:

"DOing it first will limit your ability to maximally contract your muscles. Also, from Starting Strength, there is a noticable decrease in effectiveness from a strength aspect if you do cardio within 4 hours of lifting."

"The way I was always taught and understood was to do your lifting first then do any cardio afterwards. The reasoning behind it was that your body would utilise your carb intake for the day as fuel for your workouts, so it was deemed better to use this fuel store for the more intensive weightlifting. This then leaves the body to burn off the remaining carbs and some bodyfat during the cardio with minimal risk of the body breaking down the muscles to fuel the workout."

"I have recently been advised (by a reputable trainer) to do my HIIT/CV after Weights as it will preserve glycogen more efficiently and be used for more important tasks such as stimulating your muscles."

[jonoevansla]

Makes sense thanks; I'll give it a go and see how I get on.
My reasoning for doing it first was that it would mean I would be able to get my post workout drink as soon as I finnished my weights workout, and thus get the nutrients into my body at the time they are needed most. But I guess having them 20 mins later (after the CV) will still be soon enough.

I'll try doing my CV last over the next few weeks.

Cheers

[King Tubby]

What would be the most damaging on your joints if you're carrying a bit of pudding? Sprints or longer slower runs?

[dberry]

I reckon the relentless pounding and heal to toe running style of long distance running would be far worse on the body than a series of sprints, which will cover a shorter over all distance and use the balls of the feet and toes to run. I must point out that I'm not an expert on this, it just seems like common sense.

[Scrap]

The secret, if it is one with running, is Technique and Posture. Plus a good Stretch routine, that repairs the damage the eyes do 95% of injurys happen because of the Eyes, giving the body a dominant side which alters Gait. Gives bad Hip alinement.

[King Tubby]

Don't understand what you mean there Scrap. The eyes?

[Scrap]

Ok Tubby, we have a dominant eye, that and other things makes us either right or left side dominant. This over time alters walking or running Gait, everybodys is different,[ thats why in the army, the hardest thing is getting a platoon to march in line]. This has a bearing on Hips, over time becoming out of line, and everything compensating for it in the Body. Trying to keep the Oral Cavity, the Head in the position it has to be for balance, in line with the coxxys centre of gravity. If and when it moves through to much, shall we say different impact to either side, through stride pattern, the troubles start. usually with the top 5 vertabrea and the muscles round it trying to compensate with whats happening below. Then everything starts going wrong . Thats why its important to have a good stretch program. I see it a lot with Footballers, who are either left footed or right. They have a dominant side for do, while the other side stabalises the action. So because of that accidents are waiting to happen. Stretching helps plus working on Preproreception helps a lot. Doing it blindfolded helps even more

[King Tubby]

Thanks Scrap. Never knew that. I remember there was a player at Chelsea who had back and hip problems that were keeping him out, and Gullitt sent him to have his jaw clicked into position and it cured it. Also heard of players having wisdom teeth removed to cure similar problems. Be difficult for your average keep fitter to correct these problems though, wouldn't it?