When was the last time you made a speed race? I mean a fast race at full speed.
For many of us, it’s been a long time. Possibly since high school. In almost every city in the United States there are 5 and 10 kilometer races, half marathon or a full marathon. But you’re much less likely to find an athletics track organized for running 100, 200, or 400 meters (although there are some).
One of the reasons many adults avoid sprinting is that thinking about past injuries (or possible future injuries) can be scary. Another, of course, is that running very fast is hard, and often leaves us lying and panting.
But being hard is precisely the idea. Sprinting puts enormous stress on our physical systems which, when done safely, makes us stronger, more resilient and fitter.
Simply put, sprinting consists of run as fast as you can, or close to it. “It is one of the movements that offers the greatest performance,” said Matt Sanderson, director of the fitness brand. TORCH.
Sprinting helps Develop and maintain fast-twitch muscle fibers. Maintaining these fibers can help prevent slips and fallswhich are the main cause of injuries among older people.
Because sprinting engages so many muscles, “it’s going to be better at helping maintain your muscle mass and prevent muscle loss as you get older,” said Christopher Lundstrom, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Minnesota who studies the sport and exercise science.
Several small studies also suggest that sprinting is even better for maintaining and increasing bone density than the endurance race.
However, it should only running hard after a thorough warm-up, regardless of your physical condition, as it can cause muscle pulls and strains, as well as major injuries, such as Achilles tendon tears. If you are concerned about injuries or health problems, talk to your doctor first.
If you have a larger body and are concerned about stress on your joints or bones, Sanderson recommends start with lower impact exercisessuch as sled pushing, to gain strength and build fitness before attempting sprinting.
“Spend some time preparing your weaves. Jump rope, even skipping or bouncing in a pool,” she said.
Finally, remember that “top speed” is a relative term. If several decades ago you ran the 100-meter dash in 12 seconds, adjust your expectations. Every athlete is different, but here are some general tips for safely undertaking a sprint race.
Start slow
Even if the ultimate goal is to go fast, it is important to start slow. Running 100 meter dash right away is probably a bad idea.
“If you haven’t done sprinting recently, maybe you should run a little faster than you’re used to,” Lundstrom advised. Then “a little harder, and gradually get to a full sprint.”
Increase the intensity
Experts also suggest “progressive short races” during a normal jog to work on running at maximum speed. As you jog, pick a point to start increasing the intensity of your run every 10 meters or so until you reach an effort where speaking becomes difficult. From there, decrease every 10 meters until you return to your normal jogging pace.
If you don’t like jogging, you can do progressive short runs as a stand-alone workout, repeating each run a handful of times.
Set a reference point
Once you start sprinting, the first thing you should do is set a baseline time over a given distance. It’s not so much about showing off, but rather having a tool to structure subsequent training.
Start with a distance of between 40 and 60 meters. Simply do the sprint and record your best time.
Use your threshold
Once you have a baseline time, use it to plan your workouts. A simple routine, according to Sanderson, consists of doing repeated short runs at the chosen distance, trying to keep the effort within a certain margin with respect to the reference time. He calls that margin “percentage threshold.”
Thresholds vary for each athlete, but for someone with a high level of fitness, 5 percent is fine. Others may aim for 10 percent.
If it takes you seven seconds to do a 36-meter run, a 10 percent threshold is 7.4 seconds. So keep repeating that sprint (with a few minutes of easy walking in between) until you’re running slower than about eight seconds, then stop training.
At first, the number of runs you can do may be low. But as you gain strength and speed, you will find that your ability to maintain speed will increase.
Stay off the local high school slopes, at first
While you might be tempted to lace up your old track cleats and head to your local high school, Sanderson recommends not starting on a rubber surface, as the bounce of the track could increase your chances of injury.
“Your performance will probably increase,” he said of running on a track. “But it puts more demands on your Achilles and your calf.”
Sanderson recommends starting running on natural grass. From there, you can move on to pavement and finally the rubber track that you may remember from school.
©The New York Times 2024
