5 benefits of hill sprints

Hill sprints are extremely advantageous for athletes and those looking to undergo body transformations. A few close sessions on a hill can quickly turn you from goofball to champion, mentally and physically. Outlined below are some benefits of going for the hills, as well as an example exercise you can try.

1. Burns more calories than flat surface cardio. Hill sprints are the ultimate form of interval training. Running uphill at full speed, walking down to rest, and then quickly back uphill will set your metabolism on fire. Your total calories burned during exercise will be higher due to the demand of running uphill. 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 from your body.

2. Strength and hypertrophy gains. The increased workload of running uphill brings 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 those of a well-fed work horse.

3. Safer than flat sprint. Running uphill is less stressful on your joints and greatly decreases the chance of overuse injuries. The limbs are forced to move slower and more controlled due to the 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.

4. Easy to perform. Running on a hill is as simple as it sounds. You go from point A to B in the shortest possible time. Even technique on the flat run is improved 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 you can take someone who is relatively new to training and have them hit a high intensity hill in no time.

5. They make you hard. Sweat will pour from every tassel on your body as you launch yourself up the hill for those final reps. Your legs and lungs will burn like they’re roasting on a barbecue, 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 Training

Heating
Jogging: Perform 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 undertake.
Dynamic mobility exercises: bodyweight squats, straight-up lunges, leg swings, standing to toe contact, arm circles (forward and backward)

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

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