Embrace Your Need For Speed With Our Sprint Lung-Buster

Break up your weights routine and strip away fat by hitting the park - by Chief Brabon

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For a lot of guys it can be tempting to do nothing but shift iron and call that your fitness program. Sorry, that won' t cut it where I come from.

Once a week at a minimum you need to move like you did as a kid, mixing all-out sprints with endurance to get your heart pumping like a Jamaican dance hall. Don't think of this as just hard, thankless work - though it is hard. It will complement your efforts in the gym, stripping fat to make your muscles appear more defined. It will also make you a nimbler, more challenging force in whatever sport you play.

Don your runners and head to your local park.

1. Winders

If you can find a 400m track, great. Otherwise, any big green space will suffice. Sprint the straights and walk or jog the corners for 10-15 minutes (depending on your fitness level). By sprint, I mean 90-100 per cent effort. Recover for 6-8 minutes.

2. 400s

No let-up, I'm afraid. Now run 400m and walk for 200m. Repeat this four times. Dig deep to keep your 400m times reasonably consistent, though expect some fall-off if you're pushing yourself. Recover for 6-8 minutes.

3. Pyramids

I know - there's not much left in your pins. So let's finish up. Sprint 100m; walk 50m. Sprint 200m; walk 100m. Run 400m; walk 200m. Then go back down in corresponding increments. Nice job. Now go home and rest. You've earned it.

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