

This holds especially true if you’re performing active rest such as walking as compared with passive rest such as sitting or standing still. SIT is considered vigorous physical activity.Īlthough the highest calorie burn comes from the sprint intervals, you’re also burning calories during the rest periods. How many calories do you burn with sprint interval training? SIT can improve athletic performance, cardiorespiratory fitness, and anaerobic fitness. In a 2018 study, 16 trained trail runners completed 4–7 bouts of 30 seconds of maximal intensity sprinting, interspersed with 4 minutes of recovery ( 4).Īfter doing this just 3 times a week for 2 weeks, they had improvements in running performance metrics like endurance, strength, and power ( 4). SIT also improves running performance in trained athletes. In a 2016 study in previously inactive participants, 14 people ages 40–50 and 14 people ages 20–30 performed 4–6 30-second all-out sprints with 4 minutes of active recovery in between ( 3).Īfter completing this workout 3 times per week for 4 weeks, both age groups had improved anaerobic and aerobic fitness ( 3).

Meanwhile, “aerobic fitness” refers to activities that raise your heart rate and breathing for a sustained period of time, such as walking and jogging. During this type of activity, your body breaks down glucose, or sugar, for energy without using oxygen. “Anaerobic fitness” refers to activities that are generally of short length and high intensity. It allows you to put in maximal effort in a minimum amount of time, and it’s a great way to improve athletic performance and aerobic and anaerobic fitness ( 2). SIT is an excellent workout to add to an advanced fitness routine. What are the benefits of sprint interval training?
