5 benefits of hill sprints

Hill sprints are extremely advantageous for athletes and those looking to do body transformations. A few hard-fought sessions on a hill can quickly change you from chump to champion, mentally and physically. Here are some benefits of going to the hills, as well as an example of exercise you can try.

1. Burns more calories than flat surface cardio. Hill sprints are the latest form of interval training. Running uphill at full speed, walking back down to rest, and then quickly climbing back up will set your metabolism on fire. Your total calories burned during exercise will be higher due to the demand of running up an incline. After exercise, calories burned will also increase due to more EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). You can expect to have a high metabolism for 2-3 days compared to just a few hours with long duration steady state cardio. The fat will literally appear as if it is melting off your body.

two. Strength gains and hypertrophy. The increased workload of running uphill gives big gains in strength, especially in the hips and posterior chain. This leads to increased muscle size and density. Doing lunges and squats in the weight room won’t be a problem after you hit the hill. Those chicken feet you once had will look more like a well-fed work horse.

3. Safer than the flat sprint. Running uphill is less stressful on the joints and greatly decreases the chance of overuse injuries. The limbs are forced to move slower and more controlled due to resistance. Because you don’t move as fast, the impact on your joints is reduced with each step. This allows you to take the pressure off the bones and place it directly on the muscles.

Four. Easy to perform. Running up a hill is as simple as it sounds. You go from point A to B in the shortest possible time. Even technique is improved over flat running because the athlete is forced to drive and lift each leg in order to get up the hill. Weight room exercises can have a long learning curve, but the advantage of this exercise is that it can take someone who is relatively new to training and have them work a high-intensity hill right away.

5. They make you hard. Sweat will pour from every tassel on your body as you launch yourself uphill for the final reps. Your legs and lungs will burn like they’re barbecued, but you’ll keep going because you know you’re near the end. More than physically, you will become strong mentally when you conquer the hill.

Hit the Hills: A simple hill sprint workout

Heating
Jogging: Do a very light jog for 5-10 min. The purpose of this is to warm up your muscles and prepare your mind for the workout you are about to do.
Dynamic mobility exercises: bodyweight squats, straight-up lunges, leg swings, toe contact, arm circles (forward and backward)

The training
Exercise: 100m runs uphill with little incline.
Sets and reps: Perform 4 sets of 4-5 reps.
Intensity level: Try to run each sprint at about 80% of your maximum abilities. This will help you stay in control and prevent tiring early in the workout.
Rest: Recovery between repetitions is to walk downhill to the starting position. Take a 3-5 minute break between sets to catch your breath and drink water.

cool down
Static Stretch: Perform stretches for glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds.