Adding Sprints to Exercises

WesleyClay

How do people insert sprints into the exercise component? I can’t find it as a selection and also don’t know how to calculate it.

Thanks

NorthCascades

Sometimes when I'm riding I'll go as fast as I can for a short period? It just goes in as part of the cycling I did.

AnnPT77

Are you asking how to log sprints for calories?

Sprints are a pacing strategy, not an exercise type. Log it as the exercise type.

If it's running sprints, log it as running; if cycling, log as cycling; if rowing, log as rowing, etc.

Same general thing is true for other pacing strategies, like intervals, high intensity intervals, low/medium/high intensity steady state, etc.: Log it based on the type of exercise it is, not the pacing strategy.

Will the estimate be accurate? Assuming you're pulling an entry from the MFP exercise database, it'll be closer or further off in part based on how good or not-so-good the METS-based estimate for the activity is. Probably close enough to be useful: Since exercise estimating is pretty approximate for many exercises, estimating with a consistent method is usually more important than being exactly exact, as a practical matter, as long as it's not crazy far off.

Would a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker estimate be more accurate? Not necessarily. It depends on the type of activity, and the type of device.

If you say what activity type you're doing, you may get suggestions from folks here about how best to estimate that type of activity.

I2k4

Interesting question as I like running sprints now and then. As I read the Diary / Cardio "Running" alternatives you could manually fiddle time to get the right calories, but also use "Create an Exercise" to name and define the time & calories independently. Google turns up this and some other estimators (can't vouch):

http://www.fitclick.com/calories_burned?Sprint_Training&oc=749

Would be interested in anything better.

AnnPT77

I2k4 wrote: »

Interesting question as I like running sprints now and then. As I read the Diary / Cardio "Running" alternatives you could manually fiddle time to get the right calories, but also use "Create an Exercise" to name and define the time & calories independently. Google turns up this and some other estimators (can't vouch):

http://www.fitclick.com/calories_burned?Sprint_Training&oc=749

Would be interested in anything better.

I'm not a runner, but in theory I think formulas based on distance and bodyweight would be more reliable for running/walking (different multipliers for the two different modes, though).

Speaking more generally than just running now, RPE IMO can be useful for guiding training, but I'm skeptical about it (or HR %) as part of a calorie estimation. My RPE for a given rowing machine pace was higher at first when my fitness was really low, and as I got fitter that same pace had a lower RPE, or the same RPE was a faster pace. If I was at the same bodyweight, and generating the same watts (i.e., same pace), the calorie burn would be roughly the same, fit or unfit. It's just harder to achieve the pace (higher RPE) or makes my heart beat faster when unfit (and feels worse!).

sijomial

I use power (average watts or total KJ) for my indoor bike sprint intervals and log it under a custom ("create your own exercise") heading.

Which won't help you if your sprints aren't on a power meter equipped bike.

Lietchi

AnnPT77 wrote: »

I2k4 wrote: »

Interesting question as I like running sprints now and then. As I read the Diary / Cardio "Running" alternatives you could manually fiddle time to get the right calories, but also use "Create an Exercise" to name and define the time & calories independently. Google turns up this and some other estimators (can't vouch):

http://www.fitclick.com/calories_burned?Sprint_Training&oc=749

Would be interested in anything better.

I'm not a runner, but in theory I think formulas based on distance and bodyweight would be more reliable for running/walking (different multipliers for the two different modes, though).

I like using this calculator:
https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs
(Choose net calories instead of gross)

KayandBelle

Fartlek speed play runs. Run like 2 to 3 miles inserting short sprints of like 200meters. Or alternate light poles. Like run hard between 2 light poles then slow the next.