Unlock the Power of Sprint Training: 5 Surprising Benefits for Fat Loss, Muscle Building, and Overall Health

Charles Poliquin (RIP), used to say, "Do sprints to lose fat, build muscle, improve your health, and live a more excellent life." Sprint training is a powerful tool that gives you back considerably more in terms of health benefits than the effort required.

Here are 5 surprising benefits of sprint training:

Bodyfat Reduction

Multiple scientific studies confirm sprints are superior to steady-state cardio for fat loss and are much more time efficient. Anecdotes close the case—skinny-fat distance runners don't look as good in their three-piece suits or birthday suits as sprinters! Some studies show sprint programs reducing the body fat of participants by 10-20 percent over 12 weeks.

Build Muscle & Target Fast Twitch Fibers

Studies show sprinting can enhance muscle protein synthesis by over 200% while building your fast-twitch muscle fibers, assuming nutrition is dialed. This means sprinting can help you build lean, dense muscle mass.

Hormonal Response

For men, repeated sprints will flood you naturally with a cascade of anabolic hormones (testosterone and growth hormone), you will be waking up stiff and we are not talking about decrepit, but pitch-a-tent stiff! Ladies, don't worry, you won't be matching your man's beard because you won't experience the same testosterone boost but the sprints will increase growth hormone levels, producing a sexy, strong feminine outcome.

Increased Work Capacity

Strength athletes and traditional athletes alike benefit from work capacity gained through sprinting. Repeated sprints require more efficient energy utilization by increasing the amount of glycogen that can be stored in a muscle in the neighborhood of 20 percent (giving your muscles that dense, full look). Repeated sprints train the body to become more effective at removing waste products during exercise, greatly increasing the muscles' buffering capacity. Because you are now faster from sprinting, your submaximal zone is higher; your 70 percent of max speed is higher than most untrained street peoples' 100 percent.

Increased Time Efficiency

Sprinting means all out, you cannot go all out for hours on end. This makes sprinting very time efficient; that is why the volume of the program, at first glance, seems low. Nasty, brutish and short.

So if you want to build muscle, lose body fat, and improve your overall health, don't overlook the power of sprint training. Incorporate it into your routine and watch the amazing results unfold.