3 running sessions that will burn serious cals

Running is a great way to build your endurance, and lots of us incorporate running in to our fitness routines, often opting for a long steady run either out in the park or on a treadmill. However, if you’re looking to burn calories slow and steady isn’t your best bet. Instead try mixing things up by using these calorie burning training drills that’ll get you to your fitness goals in no time! Plus, as you get fitter you’ll also get faster, so you’ll have the added bonus of smashing your PB!

All of these sessions are built around intervals, and while some are a bit more advanced than others, ‘they’ll all push you to your limit, increase your aerobic threshold, burn calories more efficiently and get you to your fitness goals in no time. Fitter, faster and stronger’. At least that’s what Will Longhurst, Fitness Manager and Personal Trainer at Reebok Sports Club, Canary Wharf, tells us! Here are Will’s top sessions to burn some serious calories. 

Beginner – intervals

‘This is probably the simplest but most effective way of increasing the intensity of your workout’ says Will. If you’re just starting out with intervals Will’s advice is to things simple, ‘run as fast as you can for 15 seconds, then walk or jog for 60 seconds to rest. Perform this for 10 repetitions’. If you’re looking to push yourself a little harder try Tabata training for a more intense workout. Will suggests ‘sprint for 20 seconds, then rest for 10. Perform this for four minutes or 8 reparations’. According to Will ‘this will dramatically improve your cardio conditions and touch fat’ plus ‘with interval training you’ll burn more calories than you would at a steady pace run, but in less time.’

Intermediate – hill runs

Hill runs can spark fear in even the most experienced runners, and while these sessions can be brutal they are a really effective form of interval training that can do wonders for your fitness. ‘All you need is a hill’ explains Will, ‘find the biggest hill that you can run up, running to the top in one go should feel like a 7/10 in terms of intensity’. Once you’ve got your hill it’s simply a matter of ‘running up as fast as you can, and once at the top turning around and walk or jog back down to the bottom. To start with repeat this 3-5 times’ suggests Will, and ‘when this becomes easy, find a bigger hill!’. Simple!

There’s no doubting hill sessions are tough but, as Will points out, this ‘simple yet brutally effective form of interval training’ is a great value workout. As well as pushing your lactate threshold this high intensity cardio workout Will explains it’ll also help you ‘gain strength and conditioning similar to a strength training workout in the gym’.

Advanced – sled/typer drags with drop sets

This is a serious workout that, according to Will, will get you some serious results. To get started you’re going to need some kit and lots of will power, ‘if you train in a well-equipped gym that has a sled and a harness, great – load up the sled with 1-2 times your body weight on your harness then sprint to the end of the track. Quickly unload some of the weight then turn and sprint back the other way, repeat this five times’ and feel that burn suggests Will. As Will explains ‘this really is where the cardio workout meets resistance training, heavy weights combined with maximum heart rate – calories will be burnt, strength will be gained and your VO2 Max will increase’, as we said, this is one for serious results.