Well, after a six month hiatus during which I was abroad in moldy England, I have returned to Tufts, ready to continue doing what I love: dispelling those asinine fitness myths that have propagated themselves thanks to cheap infomercials and idiot personal trainers at local gym chains.
Thanks to the absurd exchange rate abroad this past year, I couldn't really afford to go out and drink my face off like so many of my classmates, so instead I spent most of my time reading and learning about fitness. So yes, I'm back and better than ever. Here's to another great year of Inside Fitness.
I hate doing cardio. Seriously, man, I hate it. Is there anything I can do that will give me the benefits of a good cardio session without having to spend a mind-numbing hour on the elliptical? - Ben "Hagopolopolicious" Hagopian
Yeah, long cardio sessions aren't fun. Sitting (or standing) on some stationary machine, legs pumping back and forth, you stare at the little red numbers as they count out your time, willing them to go faster. But try as you might, you just can't shorten the duration of a minute - it still lasts about an hour. Anyway, if you want to avoid the cardio doldrums, I suggest doing interval work.
Intervals incorporate doing short periods of intense activity followed by equally short periods of recovery. For example, on an elliptical trainer, an interval workout may consist of four minutes at a higher level of resistance, followed by four minutes at a level that seems comparatively easy. If you're jumping rope, jump as fast as you can for 15 seconds, rest a minute, then repeat.
Doing intervals keeps cardio from getting too boring and makes time seem to pass more quickly. After all, as soon as you're finished going intensely, you rest ... but the rest never seems quite long enough.
Lately, I've seen these crazy guys running sprints on the track. I'm pretty sure they aren't athletes. Are they trying to be Rocky Balboa, or is there some sort of method to the madness? - Creeped out Distance Runner from South Hall
Sprints, in my opinion, are one of the best exercises a person concerned with fitness can do. They are far more than simply a good source of cardio. They are a form of interval training, but are more intense than just upping the resistance level on a stationary bike. An easy way to run sprints is the way you saw those crazy (yet enlightened) guys on the track doing it. Simply walk the curves and sprint the straight parts.
Doing sprints in this way has a ton of benefits. You'll burn fat, increase nutrient partitioning - which means your body will be more likely to use protein for muscle and carbohydrates for energy, instead of storing them as fat - maintain lean muscle mass, and increase anaerobic capacity.
The torque generated by the sudden maximal exertion will increase strength and stability in your torso (read: it will cut up your abs). Yes, you'll even be able to run faster - and who doesn't want to be that guy who always runs a fly pattern and gets the long bombs during weekend warrior football games?
It must be noted, however, that sprinting in this fashion is very taxing on the muscular system (pretty much every muscle in your body is involved in some way when you go from stopped to sprinting), so I advise a thorough warm-up - jog a lap or two - followed by a good 10 to 15 minutes of stretching.
The safest way to run sprints is to keep the first three or four of them acceleration sprints, in which you don't start off trying to achieve top speed, but gradually work up to it, achieving it just before you finish the sprint. This will help prepare your body for the intense workload you are about to place on it.
When you're doing the sprints, make sure you rest sufficiently before sprinting again. The point here is not to build up a tolerance to sprinting, so that you can rest for shorter periods of time and still sprint effectively (although, if done correctly, that will inevitably happen). In essence, you are maxing out your system. If you were attempting to set a record squat, I doubt you'd attempt it until you felt good and ready. The same rule applies to sprints - rest until you feel up to running another one, instead of forcing your tired, depleted legs to dog it down the track at three-quarters effort.
Done correctly, sprints are a powerful tool in any fitness enthusiast's arsenal.
