For this type of workout on an eliptical runner or an airdyne......
Phase 1:
Weeks 1 & 2: 4 X 90 seconds work + 90 seconds recovery.
Weeks 3 & 4: 5 X 60 seconds work + 60 seconds recovery.
Phase 2:
Weeks 1 & 2: 6 X 45 seconds work + 30 seconds recovery.
Weeks 3 & 4: 7 X 30 Seconds work + 20 seconds recovery.
Phase 3:
Weeks 1 & 2: 8 X 20 seconds work + 10 seconds recovery.
Weeks 3 & 4: 10 X 20 seconds work + 10 seconds recove
....do i only go through the set once, or do i do the set and then repeat?
also, how many days of the week should i do this workout if i lift hard three days a week?
"....do i only go through the set once, or do i do the set and then repeat?"
you can do either, although Taku recommends repeating but upping difficulty, I beleive.
there's a phase 4 of Taku's that should be reposted shortly on my crazy sprint thread... add that in.
whether you want to repeat or stick with phase 4, you can do several things to make it harder.
step up the resistance during the sprint portion.... if you're sprinting on a field, wear a weight jacket or something similar. If you're using an elliptical, Airdyne, or rower, it should be easy to add more resistance.
try to do more sprints during each cycle in each section.. for instance, when you get back down to Phase 3 3&4, you can do 12 or 14 20 sec on x 10 sec off sprints instead of 10, do that with each part of the cycles.
try to cover more distance/make your sprint more intense.. record your distance covered right before you start doing the sprint, then try and cover more distance on your next visit to the gym.
Decrease recovery period for all phases, and increase sprint time on the lower portions... for instance, you can try doing Phase 3 3&4 with 23 sec sprints and 8 sec rests, and keep moving rest time downward and sprint time upward.
add sprints into the 5 minute to 10 minute period where you're supposed to be going faster and getting regular cardio benefits... I add in two 60 sec sprints to that while maintaining the 6-7 perceived exertion scale output on the 3 minutes I don't sprint.
you'll reach a point of diminishing returns with increasing the sprint time on Phase 1, for instance, though. You want to keep the sprint intense, and it's hard to really sprint for 120 seconds with 45-60 seconds rest time.
"also, how many days of the week should i do this workout if i lift hard three days a week?"
I do it 3 days out of the week in addition to SCRAPPER's Mod 1 stuff which includes jump rope sprints along with bodyweight exercises 2 days out of the week.
I lift 3 days out of the week.
if you're trying to burn lots of calories/fat, Right Now, you can probably do it up to 5 times a week. Try to stagger in some rest periods though. It would be REALLY tough initially though, trying to start off doing that much, you should work up to it.
I recommend you don't do the sprints on your martial arts days either. I tried doing that.. BIG mistake.
with your workout do you find yourself overtrained at all?
also, im not fat at all but im trying to get ripped up for a vacaiton in a month. so you think this is a good fat burning workout?
im lifting 3 times a week was planning on doing this workout in some form like 4-5 times a week. but i did it all last week and i feel like its taxing me pretty heavy. i cant tell if its just good tired and feeling beat down or if its counterproductive overtraining.
thanks for all the info.