Alternative to sprints?

[PASmith]

I'm lookng for an alternative to sprints.
I currently do a 5 mile run every few days (other activities allowing) as a base fitness session but want to incorporate more explosive type stuff like sprints/hill sprints.

Sadly where I live has no real places to do sprints. No hills, no quiet roads, mostly farm land.

I've started ending my bag-work sessions with some "punch sprints". Basically blasting out sets of ten straight punches, rest for a few seconds and repeat until knackered.
Would this be a viable alternative to hill sprints?
Similar benefits?

Is there any way of replicating hill sprint type fitness using gym machines?

[Sgt_Major]

maybe not hill sprints, but you can do 100m sprints in the middle of your 5mile run....

they better than nothing.

[Capt Ann]

I think the Sgt has the right idea. You can do wind sprints on the flat.

Also, you might Yahoo up anything you can find on Tabata Intervals or HIIT (high intensity interval training). There have been several good threads about these on this forum. Almost any exercise can be done in an interval routine (bagwork, burpees, crunches, pressups, etc). For a start, try interval squats - do as many ATG full-motion squats as fast as you can in 20 seconds (shoot for 15 to 18), breathe for 10 seconds, repeat. If you do 7 reps, this will prob. be the hardest 3 and a half minutes of your life ;)

[Capt Ann]

As a matter of fact, here (http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57601) is a current thread on the topic!

[slipthejab]

Sadly where I live has no real places to do sprints. No hills, no quiet roads, mostly farm land.



I'd think that farm land would offer ample opportunities to do all sorts of sprinting type exercises. Just make sure you clear it with farmer Smith before you go sprinting through his freshly plowed field. :D

Seriously - sprinting a freshly plowed field would be about as easy as sprinting a in soft beach sand. Which is to say... one hell of a workout. Besides that you'd provide some chuckles for the farmers. :p

Better yet... get a harness and do some plowing yourself. No kiddin'.
There are places in the world where people actually plow the fields without animals - I've been to steep hillside rice paddies in the Phillipines that were so narrow that they couldn't plow them with a waterbuffalo so they did it with humans... you talk about an insane workout. :eek:

Just some thoughts. :D

I could go on forever... famer walks... BWHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!! :D :eek: