"Ready Set Go Fitness" is a great book by Phil Cambell that I read many years ago. It focuses on the "Sprint 8" protocol. This is where a person does a 30-second sprint (running, biking, elliptical, etc.) and then moves at a low-intensity pace for 90 seconds. This is one round, and the idea is to build up to 8 rounds, hence, Sprint 8.
A new study has been released testing the Sprint 8 protocol. The study has not been published yet, to my knowledge, but it can be found here. The study involved 11 middle-aged adults, so granted it is a small sample.
Overall, the results are just staggering. In only 8 weeks, subjects had amazing results across many indicators. Average weight "only" dropped by 9.6 pounds, but there was a massive shift between body fat and muscle. Based on the body fat measures, the average subject lost 23.8 pounds of fat. They also gained 14.2 pounds of muscle. If these results are replicated in future studies, this would represent one of the most effective diet/exercise interventions ever.
Compare this result to the recent two-year study that contrasted a low-fat diet to a low-carbohydrate diet. On average, participants from either group lost 9 pounds of fat but also 5 pounds of lean mass over this two-year period.
Of course, the Sprint 8 study was only 8 weeks, and not two years, but if you look at other studies you see that weight loss from exercise is often better maintained than weight loss from diet alone.
Near the end of the below video, Phil Campbell discusses how they are extending the 8-week study to 6 months, and that the results appear to be even better.
Hi Matt,
I listened to the whole interview — it was great stuff. I’m not sure about a couple of things, though.
1) From the study, it seems that one gains muscle and loses fat just by doing Sprint 8. However Phil and Joe talked about doing strength training also. What’s the added benefit?
2) It wasn’t clear to me what nutrients should be taken after the the exercise session. On one hand, Phil and Joe said that carbs kill the HGH effect, and yet I thought Phil said to take nutrients in the ratio of 4 carbs to 1 protein after the exercise session.
Would you help clarify those points for me?
Thank you,
Robert
“Based on the body fat measures, the average subject lost 23.8 pounds of fat. They also gained 14.2 pounds of muscle. If these results are replicated in future studies, this would represent one of the most effective diet/exercise interventions ever.”
Are we reading the same study?
From here: http://www.kdmc.org/obesity_research_1.html
“On average, each subject lost 4.4 kg (9.6 lbs.) of fatty tissue.”
Matt
I’ve always gotten the best results from this protocol.
Second , I believe that’s why Craig Ballentynes programs
Sold so well as people got great results from it.
His MO is basically some weights followed by sprint 8
Per the great interview… It’s got to be true full out effort for 30 seconds.
I was able to just bust out 3 out of the 8 this morning. Felt great.
Ben,
That is a actually a typo on their part. Subjects lost on average 9.6 lbs of WEIGHT, as it shows in the table at the bottom of the paper. But it’s good you caught this, and they should fix it.
If you take the weight averages and the body fat percentages from the table, then you get the numbers I presented.
I will email the author of the paper about this typo if no one else does.
1) Sure, strength training helps to potentially add more muscle. But I think the biggest thing they showed is that just the sprinting by itself causes gain in lean mass. But all else being equal sprinting + strength training would lead to more muscle gain than just sprinting alone.
Phil also mentions that doing strength training after sprinting may have additional benefits as far as decreasing body fat.
2) If your goal is fat loss, then no carbs for 2 hours after, but protein within the first half hour after.
If your goal is performance (you need to recover as fast as possible to perform again soon), then 4 to 1 carbs to protein right after to maximize this recovery.
I missed that part, sorry..
You are right, if this gets replicated.. it’s insane.
The protocol sounds intense enough though. I have recently started sprinting again and have worked up to 6x30s all-out sprints with 4 minutes recovery between bouts, and thats intense already.. “Can’t walk home”-intense. Dunno what I’d do after 8 sprints with less rest. Throw up, most likely.
Thanks for sharing that study!
No way they gained 14.2 pounds of muscle. Adults who lift weights can only gain on average 1.25 pounds of muscle per month.
Seemed high to me as well, but that is what they reported. Also, the sample was mostly middle-aged women, probably deconditioned, so it might have been a lot of lean mass regain.
As a coach I am concerned over the possibility of a false positive for growth hormone. How can I ensure my athletes won’t be found guilty of that kind of doping if we use Sprint 8? Please confirm how long the huge increase in growth hormone remains in the system, and how to deal with this problem. Thanks for your kind considerations.
From the video, I believe for two hours afterwards it is very high. However, I wouldn’t think it’s dramatically higher than say, after playing in a football game.
Hi, do you know if anything was mentioned about doing it in a fasted state versus not?
Thanks, great blog
I think he recommends not eating for an hour before. But the more important thing is no carbs for 2 hours after the workout.
Matt – will I do any damage by using the Sprint 8 protocol MORE than 3 times per week? Believe me, my intensity isn’t really terrific, because I’m 73 years old, but it’s pretty good, and getting better even time I do this (elliptical).
I wouldn’t say damage, but you might burn out after a while. Depends on your constitution I guess.
*snort* My constitution is that of a 73 year old… I’ll stick with 3/week for now, increasing the intensity. I really love this program!
Donna, just read your body…forget the number of times per week…go out and warm up and see how you feel, if you feel ready, do the workout. If you want to try and do it every day, then go out every day and warm up and see how you feel. Your intensity is what it is…At 60, I try to live more and move like this everyday. Somedays are no more than active recovery…but that is ok.
Thank you, Gman!
Hi Donna -
I’ve been doing research on Sprint 8 protocol and in many of the documents and interviews I’ve found Phil Campbell explains that you shouldn’t do it more than 3 times a week otherwise you are reducing the benefits of the growth hormone you get from this protocol. Rest days are just as important. You would be better on developing/increasing your intensity the 3 times per week you complete Sprint 8.
I do Sprint 8 Tue-Thur-Sat. I love weight training as well. I was wondering what type of weight training would compliment Sprint 8 Protocal. Fast reps? Super slow reps? On the same day? In between days? I prefer to work out 6 days a week.