SIT: A quicker way to get fit
May 31, 2017
Karin Biskovich, MPT
Every day we help our patients lower their current pain levels so they can work, play, and live without pain. This work is for the present but how about increasing fitness down the road? High intensity interval training has been all the rage in fitness lately. New research recently came out showing that 10 minutes of sprint interval training or SIT as part of a run workout is as effective as 50 minutes of moderate continuous exercise. http://www.runnersworld.com/intervals/can-sprint-training-take-the-place-of-longer-more-moderate-exercise?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=Social&utm_term=895512800&utm_campaign=Runner%E2%80%99s+World
10 minutes versus 50 minutes... seems like cheating, doesn’t it? Well, you do have to work very hard for at least 3 repetitions of 20 second sprints during the 10 minutes of easy running. If you do it right, research has shown it will improve your fitness.
The challenge with initiating this type of training (or similar types of high intensity training) is the risk of injury. This is where the help of your local physical therapist comes into play. If your muscles are not used to accelerating up to high speed quickly then this could cause injury, especially as we age and our muscles become less pliable. The research study used subjects in their late 20s, an age group that is less prone to injury. Have you ever wondered if you are doing the proper stretches and warmups before after a run? This is something a sports PT can help with. Come in for 1 to 2 visits as a preventive measure. In the state of NH you can see a PT without a doctor referral, so you could have to give the office a call.
If you are interested in trying a SIT workout, we can make a few recommendations. First of all, try slightly longer but less intense intervals to start, maybe 60 seconds as mentioned in the article. You can work up to 20-30 second high intensity sprints. Second, make sure you start your run with a quality dynamic warm up routine. Here is one good example:
Nike Run Club Warm Up
In general, any time you start or change an exercise program there is risk for injury. If you feel a sprain or strain starting up, it is best to treat it early. We always tell your patients it is MUCH quicker and easier to treat an injury that is 2 weeks old versus 2 months old. Even better is to take a few minutes to do the dynamic warmup and avoid the strain from occurring.