Why no sprinting?

elispiteri
elispiteri Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi. I'm relatively new to M.F.P.

I was wondering, however: in the 'log excercise' section, why there is no option of sprinting? Or HIIT even?

Unless I've missed it?

All I can find is 'Running- (jogging)'. And the fastest they have is 10mph. Obviously sprinting is much faster than that, albeit for a very short time.


To be honest, I can't really see why anyone would do long-distance, solid-state cardio if they were trying to lose weight (whilst minimising muscle loss), so why is high-intensity running not in the list?

Cheers. Eli.

Replies

  • SmangeDiggs
    SmangeDiggs Posts: 238 Member
    No idea why sprinting isn't on the list but you can add it to the data base.

    Not everyone does exercise based on how fast it's going to make the weight drop off, i enjoy long distance running regardless of whether sprinting maybe better for me or not.
  • elispiteri
    elispiteri Posts: 5
    Fair enough. I understand if people enjoy it- I didn't mean to sound judgemental. I'm just curious as to why people aren't more concerned about the long-term risks (bone density problems, joint malfunction, lack of muscle tone etc) of slow, long distance running.



    And yes, I just realised (after I had posted my rant) that you could add excercise to the database.
  • itsfruitcake
    itsfruitcake Posts: 146 Member
    Yep, it would be nice to have a sprint option. Having HIIT in there probably won't make a lot of sense, since intensity and interval times will differ a lot between people and workouts. But you can work out the calories elsewhere (jog total and sprint total) and add your own exercise, that's what I've done.
  • medavidcook
    medavidcook Posts: 129 Member
    Just wear a HRM and then just created your own exercise, its proberly because a lot of people dont go out looking to sprint but have a pacey jog instead.

    When i do sprinting albeit on a treadmill i wear a hrm and the just upload it as a new created exercise.

    Also with Hiit you cant really gauge due to different factors of the intervals. The formulas would be all other the place due to rest and work at different outputs in the hundreds. Thats why its better to wear a HRM and have total effect on Hiit sessions

    Hope this helps
  • inopinatus
    inopinatus Posts: 3 Member
    If you're serious about even vaguely estimates of exercise energy burn, you don't use ever their estimates, you make your own based on hard data. (I have it easy, I'm a competitive cyclist so I can get training energy consumption straight from my power meter.)
  • Rocky_ZG
    Rocky_ZG Posts: 70 Member
    To be honest, I can't really see why anyone would do long-distance, solid-state cardio if they were trying to lose weight (whilst minimising muscle loss), so why is high-intensity running not in the list?

    Cheers. Eli.


    I am planning to start practicing it this weekend and am in process of reading about various approaches. What is your running HIIT routine? How is it working for you?
  • elispiteri
    elispiteri Posts: 5
    My 'HIIT" is very simple. Coming from a track and field background (I ran for my state in 110m hurdles about 10 years ago, but was side-tracked due to a neck injury) I'm now just getting back into high-intensity running.


    All I do is this (on an athletics track):

    -Walk 400m.
    -Jog 800m to warm up.

    -1 100m sprint at 70% speed

    Then:

    -As many 80m sprints as I can do (at full speed), with roughly 30 seconds rest between sprints. Usually about 6 or 7.

    _ _ _

    Between my calorie deficit and the sprints I'm losing weight very very quickly.

    However, it's also pretty exhausting...

    But, basically I'm close to getting back my old sprinter-body. Which is my goal.
  • itsfruitcake
    itsfruitcake Posts: 146 Member
    I am planning to start practicing it this weekend and am in process of reading about various approaches. What is your running HIIT routine? How is it working for you?

    If you're not running on a treadmill, the Podrunner intervals are quite nice (if you can cope with the music :wink: ): http://www.djsteveboy.com/intervals.html
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member


    To be honest, I can't really see why anyone would do long-distance, solid-state cardio if they were trying to lose weight (whilst minimising muscle loss), so why is high-intensity running not in the list?

    Cheers. Eli.
    Because I enjoy running
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Fair enough. I understand if people enjoy it- I didn't mean to sound judgemental. I'm just curious as to why people aren't more concerned about the long-term risks (bone density problems, joint malfunction, lack of muscle tone etc) of slow, long distance running.
    I'm afraid you're just quoting the same old myths about running. There's plenty of quality research refuting those silly claims
  • elispiteri
    elispiteri Posts: 5
    Wow! Very defensive. As I said, if you enjoy running, that's fair enough.


    "There's plenty of quality research refuting those silly claims"

    Please feel free to provide these sources. I am willing to admit that I may be wrong.

    _


    I don't feel that I'm 'quoting [the same] old myths about running'. If anything, the notion that long-distance, solid-state cardio is an efficient and non-invasive form of exercise is very, very old. Our understanding of the mechanics of the human body and it's response to exercise is developing in sophistication every day; research (such as the 10 year study done by the University of NSW) into our physiology seems to suggest that we are more suited to high-intensity exercise such as sprinting.

    But on a far less sophisticated level, I would suggest to most people that they observe the physical reality of exercise-practitioners; ie, look at the body of a marathon runner vs that of an olympic sprinter. Which is more ideal, both medically and physically?
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    It's because sprinting, like weight training has variable oxygen uptake whilst being performed due to the nature of the activity and therefore it is not really possible to calculate the calorie burn from it with any certainty. This is even with a well set up HRM.

    I could assign a reasonable estimate to it and apply it consistently if you're into that kind of thing.

    Personally I don't understand the fascination with calculating calorie burn from exercise when it has a large number of more important benefits but that's just me...
  • elispiteri
    elispiteri Posts: 5
    "Personally I don't understand the fascination with calculating calorie burn from exercise when it has a large number of more important benefits but that's just me..."

    You make a good point.
  • littleknownblogger
    littleknownblogger Posts: 67 Member
    I don't feel that I'm 'quoting [the same] old myths about running'. If anything, the notion that long-distance, solid-state cardio is an efficient and non-invasive form of exercise is very, very old. Our understanding of the mechanics of the human body and it's response to exercise is developing in sophistication every day; research (such as the 10 year study done by the University of NSW) into our physiology seems to suggest that we are more suited to high-intensity exercise such as sprinting.

    But on a far less sophisticated level, I would suggest to most people that they observe the physical reality of exercise-practitioners; ie, look at the body of a marathon runner vs that of an olympic sprinter. Which is more ideal, both medically and physically?

    I made most of these statements in a thread a couple of weeks ago. They're not going to gain much traction with the Nathan Pritikin/Jim Fixx crowd which dominates MFP.
  • candiceh3
    candiceh3 Posts: 379 Member
    I run because I like it... therefore I do it.
    I do not sprint because I do not like it... therefore I do not do it.

    Problem?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    One of the most depressing things about MFP is the repeated knocking of different types of exercise based on personal preferences and goals.

    For info:
    Not all steady state cardio is marathon running.

    Your body is very relectant to burn active muscle unless your nutrition is way out and you have a huge calorie deficit.

    Marathon runners and sprinters come in all shapes and sizes - if you look at elite athletes this changes because to become elite you need to specialise your training and diet. Genetics also have a huge bearing on which sports any person has the capability to get to elite level.

    Both marathon runners and sprinters suffer injuries, typically different types of injuries but if you push yourself to excel then risk of injury is always there.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    One of the most depressing things about MFP is the repeated knocking of different types of exercise based on personal preferences and goals.

    For info:
    Not all steady state cardio is marathon running.

    Your body is very relectant to burn active muscle unless your nutrition is way out and you have a huge calorie deficit.

    Marathon runners and sprinters come in all shapes and sizes - if you look at elite athletes this changes because to become elite you need to specialise your training and diet. Genetics also have a huge bearing on which sports any person has the capability to get to elite level.

    Both marathon runners and sprinters suffer injuries, typically different types of injuries but if you push yourself to excel then risk of injury is always there.

    Can I get an Amen?!

    The trend of using elite level athletes to prove points is meaningless. People should just focus on their own training rather than worry about getting all up in other people's grills....
  • mitchyinge
    mitchyinge Posts: 196
    OP please tell me more about the risks associated with bone density and running
  • mitchyinge
    mitchyinge Posts: 196
    But on a far less sophisticated level, I would suggest to most people that they observe the physical reality of exercise-practitioners; ie, look at the body of a marathon runner vs that of an olympic sprinter. Which is more ideal, both medically and physically?

    what do you mean? how can something be more or less ideal - ideal is ideal, how can it be compared?
  • lady_in_weighting
    lady_in_weighting Posts: 196 Member
    Get a HRM. Solved :flowerforyou:
  • littleknownblogger
    littleknownblogger Posts: 67 Member
    OP please tell me more about the risks associated with bone density and running

    http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/news/20030127/long-distance-runners-risk-bone-loss
  • mitchyinge
    mitchyinge Posts: 196
    thanks

    that's for a very small group of young women, running very long distances and existing on a large calorie deficit over a period of time - the problem for them is not eating enough to support their running, it's not that running itself is making them osteoporotic!

    in general running (as with most weight bearing activities) improves bone density
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    If you're going for real accuracy, a HRM doesn't work for HIIT because you're getting your HR up but no sustaining it. You have high rates then a recovery with a low rate and repeat. It completely throws the math off. HRM's really only give a reasonable estimate for steady state cardio.
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  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    If you're going for real accuracy, a HRM doesn't work for HIIT because you're getting your HR up but no sustaining it. You have high rates then a recovery with a low rate and repeat. It completely throws the math off. HRM's really only give a reasonable estimate for steady state cardio.

    Exactly. I do lifting and HIIT mainly, so I ditched my HRM and stopped counting exercise calories totally. (I switched to the TDEE method.)
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
    To be honest, I can't really see why anyone would do long-distance, solid-state cardio if they were trying to lose weight (whilst minimising muscle loss), so why is high-intensity running not in the list?


    [/quote]

    You assume that all long distance runners do is hit "cruise control" and run at a solid pace for 10 miles. I, personally, have days where I incorporate plenty of hills...ups the heart rate....and I incorporate fartleks (look it up) also increases heart rate....and I like to throw in days with negative splits (meaning I get faster every mile) definitely ups the heart rate. So, it does wonders for me.

    My doctor says at 42 I'm healthy as can be. All my measurable measurements are fabulous. I don't run to lose weight. I run to get more competitive. I run, because I love it.

    As for your original concern about logging sprinting....best I can offer is suggest you part with some cash and get a HRM to get a ballpark estimate of what you burn during your workouts.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Yeah, I agree that too often here, there is too much exercise shaming. As long as people are getting physical and enjoying it, who cares?

    Keyboard warriors?

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