Switch to Sprints

Written by Paleo Forever

If you’re like most people, your current workout regimen probably involves a healthy dose of cardio. Maybe you run a couple of miles at a time or you may even be one of those people who runs marathons regularly. Whether you’re seeing results or not, though, it may be better for you to switch to sprints over those long jogs instead. Here’s why.

For one thing, there’s a lot of evidence that suggests long runs aren’t actually something humans were ever supposed to do. Most of our ancestors had no use for long runs like that. When they hunted, they generally shifted between stalking and sprinting. Only a couple tribes have been known to chase their pretty into fatigue.

As a result, our bodies aren’t sufficiently prepared for the trauma that comes from lengthy runs. That means they can easily become overtaxed and stressed by all the demands this cardio places on the body.

This isn’t just running, of course. The same could be said for those who bike long distances or swim, rollerblade, etc.

Anyway, sprinting is far more natural. Running as fast as you can for 10 seconds at a time and then resting for another 10 has shown to have all kinds of health benefits, especially where your overall metabolism is concerned.

One of the best parts about sprinting, aside from its advantages over jogging, is that it will save you so much time. You could do the above routine 10 times and still be done in a fraction of the time it used to take you to get a good run in.

Paleo Forever is a paleo lifestyle website and blog, with posts, articles and recipe covering everything from paleo desserts to paleo snacks.