I lvoe sprint HIITS. I feel like my body responds well to them. Unfortunately, after about two weeks of morning hiits and evening mid-intensity jogging, my calves and shins arent responding so well. So I have been searching for an altervative. I have tried swimming, rowing, and the elliptical walker (going fast). Im not sure which will provide the best results for the HIIT. Anyone have some insight?
Personally, I like to hit the gym and do a circuit of 60 second jump ropes, burpees, box drills, and jumping jack-push up complex.
I’ve been doing 60 seconds on, 60 off, for 20 minutes.
Jumping rope is something I do often for it. Easy to control heart rate, and stopping starting is easy. Also can do it most anywhere.
Sounds like you having shin splints, fun fun fun.
Only machine i’ve found that works the heart rate up enough for me is the machine i hate more than anything, the stair climber. Big black thing, usually sitting there empty cause nobody like it (we have 5 of them at the club). Im talking the escalator like deal, like 5 steps that go down. Did I mention i hate that machine?
Hard part about it is the downcycle time. Yes you can slow it down a ton, but it’s just not fun and I really would prefer to just get off it and pull out a sledgehammer instead and tear it apart… Or maybe a big blowtorch…
did i mention i hate that thing?
What kind of shoes are you wearing?
I used to wear cross training shoes that did not absorb the shock at all and had shin problems too. I think this is probably the biggest problem with people. They have the wrong type of shoes when they go running or sprinting. I suggest if you run at a track get a pair of track shoes. Not only will they feel a lot better, they are only about 4-6 ounces and will drastically increase your track speed.
Do you sprint on a track or on hard concrete or in a gym?
If you do HIIT on a treadmill that has to be the most painful running ever. I couldnt even imagine trying sprints on that.
Hopefully some of this help, if not try stretching some more. There are stretches you should do before you run and there are different stretches for when you are cooling down. Look these up, I’m sure you can find some article on T-mag.
-Junior
I had the problem with my shins earlier in the year, when I tried to incorperate the Running Man. I was wearing old ass running shoes, and running on cement, and not really stretching out all that well.
I gave them a couple months to rest. It took that damn long.
so, I got new shoes (Nike Air Pegasus), run on either asphalt or track surface, and stretch like a mofo. for shins, I do the stretches where you sit on your heels, static for like twenty seconds. Do it before the warm up and after the warm up , pre sprint.
Alas, the shin splints.
So. . . it just sucks because I was getting adjusted to the sprints. I had that warm fuzzy depleted feeling after having completed them and showing vast improvement from session to session.
And now switching over to something else really blows.
I like the circuit idea. Does that get the same intensity level of sprint HIITs?
Because I too hate the stair climber machine. This girl always does it for like forty minutes with a heavily weighted backpack. . .makes me want to cry.
On the shin splints, I remember gym I went to a few years ago had this little ghetto rig, that was weighted and performed a motion like a reverse calf raise, the weight pulled on your toes. I was having issues with my shins then, but after two or three times of using it, away they went. i havent seen anything like it since.
when I’m injured, I like to do intervals on the Stairmaster. it’s pretty low impact. when I’m doing an interval, I don’t hold on and put the level as high as it will go. ends up being a test of balance as well. seems to get my hr up a bit more, than if I was using the rails for balance.