Hierarchy of Sprints

[pkafka]

I usually live by the mantra - the harder it is, the more it is working... However, I often find myself quite winded with all types of sprints - running, rowing, swimming, biking (but not as much), jumping rope, (please introduce me to any others)...

Do you think that there is a hierarchy of sprints? Are some more beneficial than others? If I were to rank them, this is how my list would look:
1. Swimming
2. Running
3. Rowing
4. Jumping Rope
5. Biking

In fact, I even sprint on bench press, and pullups from time to time.. just go all out for like 30 seconds. Does anyone else lift like this? I call them "Tabata Lifts," what do you al think of this strategy?

Thanks. Looking forward to some feedback... cuz it all comes back to the sprints!

-pk

[Tarlach]

Tabata intervals should be 20 seconds full effort and 10 seconds rest, for four minutes:

http://www.rosstraining.com/articles/tabataintervals.html

As you say, you can do them with anything. If you go full blast, four minutes of almost anything will smash you.

I do tabata sprinting in sand and can't manage much of a pace near the end...

[tribecalledfit]

Interesting question, and I haven't tried the sprint approach to jump rope or swimming but will have to try. I do like to play around with sprinting workouts for running and rowing. I find both to be exhausting immediately after I'm done, followed by a sense of exhiliration soon thereafter.

[iluvthors]

tribecalledfit - ive seen some of posts... you seem fun! anyway, swimming sprints are my personal favorite. let me know if you try them out.

[tribecalledfit]

Thanks, iluvthors. Question, though: how do swimming sprints work in the open water? I can see how you could structure it pretty easily in an Olympic-sized pool, where you can stand and rest at pre-determined lengths, but what would you do in the ocean or a lake? Do you just swim like mad and then tread water for a while before swimming like mad again? (I would assume so.) Anyway, sounds like fun & live near the beach, so I'll give it a whirl and report back...

[livinghealthy]

Thanks, iluvthors. Question, though: how do swimming sprints work in the open water? I can see how you could structure it pretty easily in an Olympic-sized pool, where you can stand and rest at pre-determined lengths, but what would you do in the ocean or a lake? Do you just swim like mad and then tread water for a while before swimming like mad again? (I would assume so.) Anyway, sounds like fun & live near the beach, so I'll give it a whirl and report back...

Hey tribecalledfit... Ill jump in here. I love to swim in the ocean, but I rarely sprint in it. I might do sprints in water where I can always stand, and when the tide isn't too strong, otherwise getting winded could be dangerous! haha.

Some of my best swims have occured in open water... but like I said, I rarely sprint. I'm in LA, btw... Wats up!?

[tribecalledfit]

Hey there, livinghealthy! You hit at the essence of what I was asking, and I appreciate the advice. Treading water can be relatively taxing in certain open water conditions, and obviously it's not worth the risk of drowning. I will look for some good beach spots where I can sprint in shallower water, if I'm going to try this.