Do you want to get faster?
Do you want speed?
It is a common thought that keeping things simple is the most efficient way to gain speed and quickness in your sprints. But is that true? Can adding complexity lead to even better results?
Let’s look at five ways you can add complexity to your sprinting workouts – and see how they can help you achieve even better results.
Are you ready to take your sprinting game up a notch? Let’s get started!
First, Why Sprints?
If you’re someone who relies on squats and leg extensions to develop your legs, think twice. Sprints are a great way to develop the lower body, as they are, a muscle, and strength-building exercise.
Not only do sprints help you build lean muscle mass, but they also improve your overall cardiovascular fitness, balance, and explosiveness. Sprints are a great way to bring your heart rate up and get your blood flowing. An additional bonus to sprints, they also help to tone your booty!
If you’re looking for a way to build muscular legs and a firm butt, or just diversify your leg training, start incorporating some sprints into your workout routine.
Now let’s have a look at 4 ways to add complexity to your sprint workout!
Run Longer
In sprinting, there’s one thing that’s universally understood: the longer the distance, the more challenging the workout. But what if we told you that progressively overloading during a sprint workout can be just as simple as running longer?
That’s right – it’s just like increasing reps in a normal weight-training workout. By gradually adding distance to your sprints, you’ll not only see an increase in your speed and endurance, but you’ll also be better able to handle the intensity of a race.
If you’ve done 5 strides of 50 meters until this point and you’re looking for a new challenge, take the first or final couple of strides to 80-100 meters!
Go Uphill
In case you don’t want a longer distance and you want to spice up your sprint workout, you can try going uphill. It may seem counterintuitive – after all, sprinting is about going as fast as you can – but running at full speed up a slight incline can actually help you improve your speed and endurance.
The key is to find a hill that isn’t too steep. You should be able to maintain most of your full sprinting speed without having to slow down too much. Not only will going uphill help to increase your speed and endurance, but it will also make your muscles work harder, and as a result, you get a more intense workout and, of course, a better stimulus.
Next time you are looking to mix things up, forget the treadmill and head for the hills.
Run On Sand
Another great way to add an extra challenge to your sprint workouts is to run on sand. It’s a unique way to build leg strength and improve your form. If you really want to spice things up, try sprinting on the public beach in town. The soft, uneven surface will really assess your balance and coordination.
Be sure to wear proper footwear to protect your feet from the hot sand. While you are at it, jump in the water afterward!
Add Some Weight
You’ve seen individuals at the gym who are always sprinting on the treadmill with a weighted vest on. You think to yourself, “Why would they do that?” Well, it turns out that there are some benefits to sprinting with extra weight.
First, it forces your muscles to work harder, which can lead to greater gains in strength and power. It can also help to improve your strength and endurance.
Last but not least, a great way of progressively overloading your sprints is to simply add some weight. You can do so with a weighted vest, ankle weights, or even better – pulling a sled.
If you’re looking for a new challenge, weighted sprints are a must-try!
Final Thoughts
Complexity breeds progress.
By adding complexity to your sprints, you’ll not only be able to create a better stimulus for progress, but you will also diversify your leg workouts a bit more!
So, wait no more, get started on your sprints today!
Let us know how these suggestions work for you.
It’s 8 am on a Monday morning, and you’re getting ready to head to work. You know that you should probably eat breakfast before working out, but what should you have?
Do you need carbs, protein, or fat?
Is there a suitable time to eat breakfast if you want to lose weight?
Here’s everything you need to know about breakfast and fitness.
The Traditional Breakfast
A traditional breakfast of coffee, juice and other sugar-rich foods is quite common but often leaves people unsatiated and looking for food. Why? Because it’s poor in protein and fats, which are the most satiating nutrients.
A sensible breakfast should include these essential nutrients to help you feel fuller longer and have sustained energy throughout the morning. There are many great options that will give you the energy you need to power through your morning routine (and the rest of the day.)
Why Satisfaction Is Important?
There’s more to satisfaction than simply feeling “full.” In fact, satiety is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight and preventing overeating. When we feel satisfied, our bodies are better able to regulate our appetite.
Additionally, satisfaction helps us to feel more complete after eating so we’re less likely to snack or overeat later on. Simply put, satisfaction is crucial for keeping our weight and energy in check.
Let’s have a look at the most filling or satisfying foods.
Protein & Fat-Containing Foods
If you’re looking for something to really fill you up, you can’t go wrong with foods that are high in protein and fat. These nutrients tend to be the most satiating, meaning they’ll keep you feeling fuller for longer.
These nutrients’ satisfying effects mainly manifest hormonally, as the amino acids (building blocks of protein) stimulate the release of hormones that activate satiety centers in the brain.
Here are the best protein & fat-rich foods to include in your breakfast:
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Avocados
- Meat
Fiber-Rich Foods
If you’re like most people, you probably think of satiation as something that happens when your stomach is full.
However, there’s more to it than that. Satisfaction is the process by which your body signals to your brain that it has had enough food. It turns out that fiber-rich foods are particularly good at promoting satiation.
This is because fiber slows down the rate at which food is digested, resulting in a gradual release of energy and a feeling of fullness that lasts longer.
Besides the protein & fat-rich foods, make sure to include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your nutrition plan, and especially for breakfast!
Here’s an interesting side note: The potato is the most satisfying food!
Final Thoughts
So, what should you include in your breakfast? The answer is simple – anything that will help you stay full until lunch.
Eggs, protein pancakes, oatmeal with nuts and seeds, yogurt with fruit and granola . . . the possibilities are endless. If you’re really struggling to come up with something new, there are plenty of recipes online to give you some ideas. The G5 Wellness Membership site adds recipes every week for you to use. Find more by clicking here.
Just be sure to avoid processed foods and sugary cereals. They may provide a quick burst of energy, but it won’t last long, and you’ll soon find yourself crashing again.
Breakfast is an important meal, so take the time to make something that will keep you going all morning long!
To your success,
Chris
Question: How many times have you started a new diet or fitness plan, vowing that this is the time you finally stick with it?
How many times has that failed after just a few weeks?
Yes, we get it, but you are not alone. There is a new trending workout or diet plan every other day. These instant, quick trends do not give many the sustainable progress they wish for.
So, what is the key to finding sustainable progress?
Allow us a few moments to share with you some valuable information to find and keep your progress moving forward each day.
First, let’s talk about the “Fad Culture.”
There has been, and always will be the latest workout trend or gadget to change your life in a miraculous moment. While we believe there is nothing wrong with desiring to be in great physical health, the constant changing of new fitness programs, following these fads can be overwhelming and costly.
It is hard to keep up with the latest Instagram or TikTok fitness craze and it is even harder to know if it is worth the investment. Some of these trends are redesigned, or re-marketed ideas with a unique spin or a new gimmick.
Before you purchase that new trending fitness plan, or sign-up for that new popular fitness class, begin asking yourself if it is worth the time and money as your investment. Reflect on your experiences and get a clear view.
The chances are you can get significant results without spending a lot of money on the latest trends. In this discussion, it is important to know that great fitness and great health is made through the process of cultivation.
When you want to get in the best shape, you will affect your health, energy level, and your overall physical and mental well-being. But many want to know where to start. And how do you start a program that you will complete to the end?
The key is to find sustainable habits you will stick with overall. Finding sustainable habits is not a “one-size-fits-all” platform. What works for one person might not work for another. Therefore, we believe in the fitness process of cultivation.
What is cultivation?
We are using cultivation as constructive habits you can stick with in the long term. The benefits of cultivation are that it grows to become stronger because it has developed a firm foundation. You will also be able to pass these sustainable habits to the next generation.
As you think about cultivating fitness, health, and wellness in your life, there are three BIG areas for you to remember. These three critical components are the things which will bring most of your results when they are remembered and optimized.
Here are your BIG three to remember and optimize:
#1 – Nutrition
First, remember that nutrition is a tricky business. There are many factors you should consider and it’s hard to know where to start.
Most people think of supplements when you talk about nutrition. Some believe supplements are a simple solution, but you should remember that no supplement regime can take the place of a good nutrition plan.
A healthy diet is the foundation for your good health and your supplement routine should only fill in the gaps. if you have any, you can use the foods listed below to create a great food plan, to focus on nutrition.
A few of our favorite foods in our nutrition plan are:
- Grass-Fed/Grass-Finished Beef (Meat and organs)
- Pasture-Raised Eggs
- Dairy Products
- Various fruits & vegetables
- Seafood
If you focus on the foods above, then add in a few “cheat foods”, and you can have a great nutrition plan that is sustainable and easy to follow.
#2 – Training
When was the last time you moved something heavy like furniture, or a large box filled with items? No matter the object, you had to use extra effort to move it from one place to another. What would happen if that object was a part of your everyday life?
Moving that object would cause you to become stronger each time. That is what resistance training does for your body. When you are regularly working out with resistance, whether weights, bands or even your own body weight, you will make progress in strength and endurance.
Not only does resistance training strengthen you and improve your endurance, there are other benefits as well. Resistance training helps to improve bone density, improve metabolism and improve overall health.
Resistance training is one of the best actions you can take for your health. There is no trend which will replace good resistance training. Practice resistance training and you will see a sustainable difference.
#3 – Recovery
It is no secret that when you feel better, you perform better. This is the case in fitness, health , work, and everywhere in life. Despite knowing this, many go throughout their life neglecting their own well-being.
We push ourselves to the limit, mentally and physically, without taking the time to refuel and recharge. We can stay so busy that we easily forget to take care of ourselves.
What if I told you that you can make significant progress without sacrificing yourself in the process?
While this might sound too good to be true, it is possible. This will start with understanding the importance of recovery. When you combine nutrition, training and a recovery plan, your well-being is on its way to success.
A recovery plan ensures you are getting the rest and relaxation you need to allow your body to repair itself. Your body needs a plan for recovery for your physical health, but also your mental and emotional health.
When you have a recovery plan, pay attention to these three areas which are important to your recovery:
- Sleep
- Stress management
- Sports massages
When you have these three areas as a part of your recovery plan, you will find yourself with more energy , more focus and more drive to get better.
If you take a recovery supplement, I would encourage you to make sure you have a nutrition plan in place as well as good hydration, good sleep and good stress management in place.
Concluding thoughts
Fitness, even your fitness, is ever-evolving. When you think you might have found your fitness groove, a new exercise may appear, a new diet trend begins, and these might leave you feeling out of touch with the current trends.
Maybe it is time to rethink our approach to fitness. Instead of chasing the latest fad, we should focus on the sustainable habits we can create for future progress. This will mean we should find activities we can fit into our routine.
It will be the small changes, like eating more protein, fruits and vegetables, and drinking more water, which create a sustainable plan.
By taking a long-term look at fitness, we can learn the sustainable ways to make it a part of our routine, and this is something worth working toward.
Stay well and make progress to better health and wellness.
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By the way, there are various workouts available on our G5 Wellness Membership at https://g5-wellness.mn.co/
You can join our membership site today and begin taking the workout classes and seeing our new recipes and join our growing community.
