Not everyone can take the pounding of the pavement, but there are still plenty of ways to capitalize on the fat-burning, time-saving benefits of sprint training. “You can get the same physiological effect on a stationary bike or in the pool. Sprinting is essentially interval training — doing short bursts of intense activity followed by measured recovery periods between sets,” says Jaime Rodriguez, head strength and conditioning coach at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y. “For those with injuries that keep them from running, training on the bike or in the pool are also safe solutions.”
Your work-to-rest ratio is determined by your individual fitness level and goal. If you’re training for fat loss or conditioning, your rest periods will be double or triple your work time. If you’re training for speed or power, your rest periods will be up to five times as long as your work time. You want to feel fully recovered between reps. Start out with sprints of no more than 10 seconds, and work your way up.
Stationary-Bike Sprint Workouts
| Burst Repeats | Midrange Repeats | Speed-Endurance Repeats | Tabata | |
| Go Time | 10 seconds | 30 seconds | 60 to 90 seconds | 20 seconds |
| Rest Time | 2 to 5 times that | 2 to 5 times that | 2 to 5 times that | 10 seconds (this one is preset) |
| Rounds | 8 to 10 | 6 to 8 | 4 to 6 | 2 to 3; 8 sprints per round; fully recover between rounds |
| Effort Level | 100 percent | 85 percent | 70 percent | 110 percent |
Water-Based Sprint Workouts
Run in place in chest-high water for 10 to 90 seconds.
Rest two to five times that long before starting again.
Jump up and down in chest-high water for 10 to 90 seconds.
Rest two to five times that long before starting again.
Swim as fast as you can for 10 to 90 seconds
Rest two to five times that long before starting again.
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