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Overcoming Challenges (with sample workout)

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I woke up on Sunday to snow falling. The light flakes were aesthetically inspiring, but set me to hemming and hawing. The Montana cold is uncomfortable to say the least, but more importantly, snow on the ground doesn’t provide much traction. Sprinting in this weather carried the risk of a slip and possible injury.

What to do when nature or something similar hands you a small obstacle? I feel most empowered when I make adjustments to my routine instead of opting out of the workout entirely.

I chose to perform a modified version of my sprints on the snow-covered pavement. Rather than going at full tilt as I normally do, I ran more carefully at 85% and baked in some moderate hills to compensate.

In worse weather, I run in place inside to simulate my sprints and not stray from my schedule.

The bottom line is, we derive great satisfaction and confidence from facing a less than optimal hand and playing it well.

Sample sprint workout with full recovery (a slower heart rate and not being short of breath) between sets below.

Warm up:

  • 400 yard jog
  • 20 yards of high knees
  • 20 yards of side shuffles facing in each direction
  • 20 yards of butt-kickers
  • 20 yards of skips

Sprint Workout:

  • 2 sets of 50 yard sprints at 75% intensity
  • 4 sets of 100 yard sprints at 100% intensity
  • 4 sets of 60 yard sprints at 100% intensity
  • 4 sets of 40 yard sprints at 100% intensity

Cool down:

  • 400 yard yard jog or brisk walk
  • Aaron Richards

    This is great advice, I recently read an article on how sprinting keeps the metabolism burning far after your workout and was looking for a good sprint workout. Thanks!

    • Gabe Kapler

      Awesome, Aaron. Thanks for the feedback.

  • Colt

    Great blog! I hope it continues all year . I would like to know how often you hit the weights and if you still use compound lifts. Lately I have been doing a lot of hill sprints and I have been seeing great results

    • Gabe Kapler

      Hey Colt. Thanks for the comment. I do the major compound lifts three times a week. I’ll post about this soon!

  • Stan

    I usually put sheet metal screws in my running shoes in this weather for better traction. Works great!

    • Gabe Kapler

      That’s crazy dedication, Stan!

  • Chris

    How much time between sprints? Thanks for the posts, great stuff! Always nice to have variation.

    • Gabe Kapler

      Chris, I recover fully between sprints. Meaning no heavy breathing, slower heart rate. I do this because I want a true, 100% sprint.

  • Brian Barela

    Great dedication for your health after your playing career . Thanks for the great blogs very inspiring.

  • David Brown

    Looking forward to more of your sample workouts!! Thank you for putting this blog together…..

  • Richie

    Would you recommend this to someone who has only been working out for a month???

    • Gabe Kapler

      Hi Richie, keep following and I’ll address this specifically in an upcoming post. For now, I’d suggest this workout cut down to about 50% effort level. In other words, just go through the motions of the sprint workout at a very moderate pace. Then check back in and let us know how it’s going!
      -GK

  • Colt

    I did this last night. Total workout took 20 minutes including warmup top speed was 16 mph according to garmin forerunner. Hamstrings are sore today

  • I’m curious. You said “2 sets of 100”, “4 sets of 60”, etc. Do you mean 2 x 100, or is there-and-back considered a set?

  • Kristen

    I just started incorporating sprints into my workouts this year. Running outside this time of year in Boston can be treacherous so love some ideas of how to mimic sprints indoors. When you simulate your sprints indoors do you dp them for time instead of distance? Thanks for sharing your workout!

  • Ryan

    Gabe. Great stuff. I doubt I’m alone in wondering how you have overcome any overuse or strain injuries in the past and what you do to avoid them now. I’d love to see a post about that if possible (and whether you see practitioners regularly or just self maintain and what that entails, etc.). Thanks!

  • Jen

    Gabe have you tried CrossFit? I’d love to hear your prospective on it if you have.

    • brady anderdon

      somebody asked Kap on twitter if he would do the Crossfit Games he said he never heard of crossfit. I think he would place pretty high if he signed up

  • Dan

    Another great post - I adopted 5X5 into my lifting routine a couple of weeks ago and really like it. Came to the blog today to ask about a sprints routine, and here it was. Combined with the dietary advice, this site is my new favorite. Great work, great blog. Thanks.

  • Mickey

    Hey Gabe,

    I started your 5×5 3 weeks ago and wanted to add the sprints in next week. How many days a week do you perform the sprints? Same days as the 5×5?

    Thanks

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