Wind Sprints
High-intensity short-distance running sprints performed at maximum effort, providing cardiovascular conditioning and power development for the lower body.
Instructions
- Begin at a stationary position on a track, field, or suitable running surface.
- Adopt an athletic posture with your core engaged and ready to accelerate.
- Explosively accelerate forward, driving your legs as quickly as possible.
- Maintain an aggressive stride length and cadence throughout the sprint.
- Keep your upper body relatively upright and your arms driving to assist with forward momentum.
- Continue at maximum intensity for the prescribed distance (typically 30-100 meters).
- Decelerate gradually and walk to recover before repeating the sprint.
- Rest for the prescribed recovery time between repetitions.
Tips
- Wind sprints are anaerobic in nature; allow adequate recovery time between efforts.
- Proper warm-up is essential to prevent injury before maximum-intensity running.
- Focus on explosive power and acceleration throughout each sprint.
- Start with shorter distances and higher rest intervals if beginning a sprint program.
- This exercise improves cardiovascular fitness, power, and speed.
Recommended starting values
Sensible novice starting points for each goal, for a lifter aged 25–40. Scale down for smaller frames or older lifters. Treat the first set of any session as a discovery set.
| Goal | Sets | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Gain strength | 3 | 300 m |
| Build muscle | 3 | 700 m |
| Build endurance | 3 | 1.3 km |