Integrated Animal Flow Drills with Sprint Training

Do you know what is proven to work time and time again to get all those people that are in great shape; its the old school way. Put in the work, commit to your training, your clean lifestyle and I guarantee you will get in the best shape of your life.

Dynamic Mobility Warm-up
Then:
5x Hill Sprints with high knee lift (approx. 70m) @50% of Maximum output +
Jog back down to recover
Then:
5x Hill Sprints with heels kicking the butt (approx. 70m) @50% of Maximum output +
Jog back down to recover
Then:
5x Hills Sprints @90/100% Maximum output +
Walk down to recover plus 1 minute total rest at the start position
Then:
Integrated Animal drills with Sprint Work
Choose from the following Animal Drills moving in all directions: Gorilla – Bear – Crab
Example 1:
Hills Sprints 10m
Gorilla 10m
Jog down to recover 10m
Downhill Bear Crawls 10m
Hill Sprints 40m
Uphill Crab walk 40m

Example 2:
Hills Sprints 70m
Forward downhill Crab walks 10m
Uphill Backward Bear Crawls 10m
Jog down to start position
Gorilla Walk to the top 70m
Jog down to start position

Complete 3×5 minutes rounds with 1 minutes total rest. Mix the drills up.
Then:
Cool down, Recover and Stretch

Why Hill Sprints Are Superior To Almost Anything You Can Do.
By: Charles Staley & Keats Snideman

There is a whole host of compelling reasons for incorporating this powerful training method into your overall program. They include:

1. Safety:

Due to the inclined surface, maximum limb speed cannot be attained and thus serves as a safety barrier for your precious hammies! However, in the process, your posterior-chain muscles (low-back, glutes, hamstrings and gastrocs) get an incredible strengthening effect!

2. Technique:

Because of the inclined surface, you are forced to lean forward as you sprint, which teaches you the proper acceleration mechanics that you would want when sprinting on a flat surface. Hill sprints actually become your sprint coach because you almost can’t help but do it right!

Hills sprints also teach aggressive arm and shoulder action, which is so critical for maximal acceleration. You simply cannot sprint fast up a hill without deliberate arm action. This helps teach the coordination and little-appreciated upper-body drive needed to sprint effectively on a flat surface.

3. Efficiency:

Hill sprints offer great multitasking potential! You can train, catch a tan, and listen to your favorite tunes (or books on tape if you’re learning junkies like we are) while you train.

4. Optimization Of The Force-Velocity Curve:

Powerlifting guru Louie Simmons often uses the following analogy to explain the force-velocity curve: if you try to throw a bowling ball as far as possible, it won’t go very far because the mass (read: force) is so great.

If you try to throw a whiffle ball as far as possible, you’ll also end up with a short throw because the whiffle ball offers minimal mass to push against. A baseball, on the other hand, can be thrown far because it’s a perfect blend of force and velocity.

Keeping this analogy in mind, hill sprints offer similar advantages… in essence; they’re basically a “sweet spot” between lifting and sprinting. The best of both worlds.

5. Vanity:

Hill sprints are a great way to dramatically increase the caloric expenditure of an activity that already burns a boatload of calories when performed on flat ground. Again, think of hill sprints as a cross between sprinting and weightlifting. This has amazing benefits on body composition!

The next time you see a major track meet on TV, pay close attention to the short sprinters: they have arguably the greatest physiques on the planet… bodybuilders included.

6. Self-Discipline:

Unlike almost any other form of training, that hill has a way of making you work hard… once you’ve got your momentum up, you won’t want to lose it, so you’re actually compelled to maintain or even increase your speed. Again, the hill becomes your coach… you’re compelled to work hard and you’re compelled to have awesome technique… what other exercise can offer this?!?

7. Endorphin Rush:

At the risk of getting all misty-eyed on you, we gotta say, completing a hill has a Rocky-esque feeling of victory (honest!) Many of our clients have reported this experience after performing hills.

8. Functionality:

Lastly, sprinting is, well, functional. A lot of “functional training” guru’s constantly push exercise balls and Bosu boards, but we’ll place our money in a good program of hill sprints any day of the week.

To read the full article go to Bodybuilding.com