The Sprint 8® Program
Sprint 8 is so much more than a basic HIIT workout. When you use the Sprint 8 training program, people of all shapes and sizes can hit the ground running from the start. Pre-programmed for beginner, intermediate, advanced or elite athletes, the short sprint-intensity workout allows you to enter your age, weight and desired level of intensity, and the equipment will automatically change speed and elevation or resistance during the workout as it moves through your sprint and recovery intervals. You can even choose if you’d like to work out with helpful audio and video tips from Coach Phil Campbell, or do it alone. *Sprint 8 is designed for healthy adults at all levels of fitness. It is highly recommended that individuals get an examination by a physician before attempting any fitness training program, including Sprint 8.
What type of athlete are you?
New to exercise or getting back into working out.
If you haven’t been exercising regularly, have never really sprinted before or are over 60 years of age, begin slowly. Sprint 8 is effective for adult exercisers of any age, but going too hard, too soon can leave you susceptible to injury, which will sideline your efforts and delay your goals. Ramping up allows your body to become accustomed to your new exercise routine. This may mean staying at four sprints (instead of eight) for a few weeks. Listen to your body and keep pushing ahead at your own pace to finally hit eight sprints.
Warming Up
Before Training
- Avoid high-fat meals for one hour prior to beginning your workout. Instead, consume easy-to-digest carbohydrates, such as bananas, to help fuel workout intensity.
- Gradually increase heart rate by performing the pre-programmed 3-minute warm-up.
Sprints
- Each sprint is 30 seconds long and must be performed at an all-out intensity. If you could go longer than 30 seconds, you are not working hard enough. Keep in mind that, for some people, “all-out intensity” may be a fast walking pace.
- Signs that you are performing at the appropriate intensity include being out of breath, sweating and feeling muscle burn.
- Incline and/or speed will adjust on treadmills, while resistance adjusts on bikes and elliptical trainers to increase intensity. Ascent Trainers® also adjust incline.
- Initially you may start with just a few sprints but, over a period of time, you can work up to the full eight sprints necessary for maximum results.
- Sprinting is an anaerobic exercise, which forces the heart muscle to pump fast and hard to pay back the oxygen debt caused by this form of exercise. See your physician before attempting anaerobic training. Even young athletes need to build up anaerobic capacity.
Active Recovery
- Following each sprint is a 90-second period of active recovery.
- Keep moving, allowing your intensity and heart rate level to come down.
- If you feel recovered in less than 90 seconds, work harder in the next sprint to realize the full impact of the Sprint 8 program
- Drink water during your training to stay hydrated.
Cooling Down
- Just as your body needs a warm-up period, it also needs a cool-down period.
- The 2.5-minute, pre-programmed cool-down allows your heart rate to gradually come down from its high.
- A cool-down period is a much safer way to end a workout than simply stopping.
Post-Workout
- The 2-hour post-workout window is when the body most rapidly absorbs nutrients to rebuild itself from the tearing-down effect of the workout. Limit sugar during this time.
- Consume 20–25 grams of high-quality protein, such as lean meat, nuts and cottage cheese, and drink a lot of water to rehydrate.
Able to bounce back quickly after workouts. Working on technique.
Sprint 8 is more than just a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout — it’s a sprint-intensity workout. It has been researched and is medically proven to be the optimal amount of intensity and recovery to optimize HGH production naturally. If you feel like you can bounce back quickly after a workout, you are ready to perform the full eight sprints and also push the pace. As always, listen to your body. If you could sprint longer than 30 seconds, you’re not working hard enough. Ease into all-out sprints by moving up the intensity slightly every workout until you are reaching full speed.
Warming Up
Before Training
- Avoid high-fat meals for one hour prior to beginning workout. Instead, consume easy-to-digest carbohydrates to help fuel workout intensity.
- Gradually increase heart rate by performing the pre-programmed 3-minute warm-up.
Sprints
- Each sprint is 30 seconds long and must be performed at an all-out intensity. If you could go longer than 30 seconds, you are not working hard enough and should manually increase the speed on your next sprint.
- Signs that you are performing at the appropriate intensity include being out of breath, sweating and feeling muscle burn.
- Incline and/or speed will adjust on treadmills, while resistance adjusts on bikes and elliptical trainers to increase intensity. Ascent Trainers® also adjust incline.
- At the end of your workout, note your fastest sprint pace. Next time, select the pre-programmed Sprint 8 level that corresponds.
Active Recovery
- Following each sprint is a 90-second period of active recovery.
- Keep moving, allowing your intensity and heart rate level to come down.
- If you feel recovered in less than 90 seconds, work harder in the next sprint to realize the full impact of the Sprint 8 program.
- Drink water during your training to stay hydrated.
Cooling Down
- Just as your body needs a warm-up period, it also needs a cool-down period.
- The 2.5-minute, pre-programmed cool-down allows your heart rate to gradually come down from its high.
- A cool-down period is a much safer way to end a workout than simply stopping.
Post-Workout
- The 2-hour post-workout window is when the body most rapidly absorbs nutrients to rebuild itself from the tearing-down effect of the workout. Limit sugar during this time.
- Consume 20–25 grams of high-quality protein, such as lean meat, nuts and cottage cheese, and drink a lot of water to rehydrate.
Consistently working out. Able to push your body further.
Reaching the advanced level of Sprint 8 means continuing to push yourself and your efforts during the sprints – but also monitoring your recovery periods. A good check-in is if you feel recovered in less than 90 seconds, you did not work hard enough during the sprint and you will not realize the full impact of the Sprint 8 program. The balance of 30 seconds of intensity and 90 seconds of recovery is the ideal ratio and delivers the best weight-loss and performance results. If you are interested in the research behind HGH and how you can maximize it, reach out directly to our Sprint 8 creator, Phil Campbell, or review one of our podcasts on the Research Page.
Warming Up
Before Training
- Avoid high-fat meals for one hour prior to beginning workout. Instead, consume easy-to-digest carbohydrates to help fuel workout intensity.
- Prior to your warm-up, take 2 grams of L-glutamine to stimulate growth hormone release.
- Gradually increase heart rate by performing the pre-programmed 3-minute warm-up.
Sprints
- Each sprint is 30 seconds long and must be performed at an all-out intensity. If you could go longer than 30 seconds, you are not working hard enough.
- Incline and/or speed will adjust on treadmills, while resistance adjusts on bikes and elliptical trainers to increase intensity. Ascent Trainers® also adjust incline.
Active Recovery
- Following each sprint is a 90-second period of active recovery.
- Keep moving, allowing your intensity and heart rate level to come down.
- If you feel recovered in less than 90 seconds, work harder in the next sprint to realize the full impact of the Sprint 8 program.
- Drink water during your training to stay hydrated.
Cooling Down
- Just as your body needs a warm-up period, it also needs a cool-down period.
- The 2.5-minute, pre-programmed cool-down allows your heart rate to gradually come down from its high.
- A cool-down period is a much safer way to end a workout than simply stopping.
Post Workout
- The 2-hour post-workout window is when the body most rapidly absorbs nutrients to rebuild itself from the tearing-down effect of the workout. Limit sugar during this time.
- Consume 20–25 grams of high-quality protein and drink a lot of water to rehydrate.
- HIIT-type workouts increase the need for protein. A balanced diet with adequate protein is essential for getting quality sleep at night, which is integral to HGH release.
Training at the highest levels. Experienced and seeking improved performance.
Achieving the highest level of intensity for 30 seconds or less provides the training edge that transforms the body to its highest potential and in much less time. Sprint 8 improves performance at a cellular level and can double endurance capacity in as little as two weeks. If you’re looking for something even more intense, select the “Custom” setting to build your own workout based on your unique training goals. Customizing your workout allows you to stick to your training, no matter the intensity.
Warming Up
Before Training
- Avoid high-fat meals for one hour prior to beginning workout. Instead, consume easy-to-digest carbohydrates to help fuel workout intensity.
- Prior to your warm-up, take 2 grams of L-glutamine to stimulate growth hormone release.
- Gradually increase heart rate by performing the pre-programmed 3-minute warm-up.
Sprints
- Each sprint is 30 seconds long and must be performed at an all-out intensity. If you could go longer than 30 seconds, you are not working hard enough.
- Incline and/or speed will adjust on treadmills, while resistance adjusts on bikes and elliptical trainers to increase intensity. Ascent Trainers® also adjust incline.
- You can use Custom instead of the Elite settings to build a workout based on your needs or based on your coach or trainer’s instructions.
Active Recovery
- Following each sprint is a 90-second period of active recovery. Do not try to shorten your recovery periods.
- Keep moving, allowing your intensity and heart rate level to come down. You will be walking or jogging at an incline during recovery on Matrix treadmills.
- If you feel recovered in less than 90 seconds, work harder in the next sprint to realize the full impact of the Sprint 8 program.
- Drink water during your training to stay hydrated.
Cooling Down
- Just as your body needs a warm-up period, it also needs a cool-down period.
- The 2.5-minute, pre-programmed cool-down allows your heart rate to gradually come down from its high.
- A cool-down period is a much safer way to end a workout than simply stopping.
Post-Workout
- The 2-hour post-workout window is when the body most rapidly absorbs nutrients to rebuild itself from the tearing-down effect of the workout. Limit sugar during this time.
- Consume 20–25 grams of high-quality protein and drink a lot of water to rehydrate.
- HIIT type workouts increase the need for protein. A balanced diet with adequate protein is essential for getting quality sleep at night, which is integral to HGH release and better performance.
Look for the signs
To know if you are achieving the maximum benefit from each sprint and reaching HGH release benchmarks, look for the following signs:
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Out of breath
When it comes to anaerobic interval training, this is one of those conditions where “you’ll know it when you’ve arrived.” During the recovery from this state, the body pays back the oxygen debt by increasing heart rate and supplying oxygen to the blood with hard, rapid breathing. The oxygen debt generated during exercise triggers HGH release.
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Muscle burn
The sensation that you feel in your muscles during high-intensity cardio exercises is caused by lactic acid. What’s more, reaching the “muscle burn” stage corresponds with release of HGH into your body. In fact, researchers show that HGH is released 16 minutes after reaching the “lactic acid threshold.”
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Increase in body temp
Research shows that increasing body temperature is an important benchmark — a good warm-up should raise your body temperature by approximately one degree.
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Adrenal response
Your 20-minute sprint-intensity workout must achieve the out-of-breath, slightly painful level of intensity that produces an epinephrine response before HGH is released.
Maximize your Results
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Nutrition
Avoid high-fat meals for one hour prior to exercise, instead opting for easy-to-digest carbohydrates like bananas, old fashioned oats or low-fat plain yogurt. Eat 20-25 grams of high-quality protein and limit high-glycemic sugars during the 2-hour window post-workout to maximize results.
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Reset and recovery
Rest and recovery are just as critical to your success as your workouts. Without them your progress may plateau. Ideally, you should train with Sprint 8 every other day. Three hard-core sessions per week is really all you need.
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Hydration
Staying hydrated before, during and after your workout is important. Failure to do so can hamper your body’s attempt to recover and, therefore, limit the effectiveness of the workout.
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Sleep
In addition to allowing time off in between workouts, sleep plays a key role in building up between Sprint 8 workouts. It is smart to sleep more on the nights after a workout, helping enhance the effects of the work you put in.
I’VE BEEN DOING SPRINT 8 THREE TIMES PER WEEK FOR TWO MONTHS. I’VE NEVER BEFORE BEEN AS IMPRESSED WITH AN EXERCISE PROGRAM AS I AM WITH SPRINT 8. IT IS NEVER EASY, BUT WITH RESULTS LIKE THIS, IT’S WORTH IT. — ROB H.
Get Started
To start your Sprint 8 journey, all you need is the right equipment. Find Sprint 8 cardio equipment, or buy Phil Campell’s book, “The Sprint 8 Protocol,” on Amazon (US Customers Only).