16,726
That’s the number of yards the greatest running back in NFL history ran in his career.
Walter Payton aka “Sweetness” was one of the most explosive and astonishing players to ever play the game of football.
Over his career, he was selected to nine different Pro Bowls, held numerous NFL records including most rushing yards in history until Emmitt Smith surpassed him in 2002, and over his thirteen-year career only missed one game.
When it came to training, Walter Payton was one of the most hardcore athletes of all time. He pushed himself to his limits each and every day because he knew that to be a champion, he must push himself beyond his own mental and physical limits.
Mind of a Champion
It was well known that Walter started every single day doing hill sprints.
Hill sprints will not only help you burn more fat and build stronger and more powerful legs, but it will push your mental limits to the extreme.
Mental toughness is exactly what a record-setting NFL running back like Walter Payton needed to be a champion.
There is a hill in Arlington Heights, Illinois known as “Payton’s Hill”. It was this hill where every morning Walter Payton would show up and push himself to the brink.
When it came to the off season, Walter pushed himself even harder by returning home to Mississippi.
Near where Walter grew up, he built an obstacle course on the banks of the Pearl River. In the middle of Summer, Walter could be found running sprints on the beach during the hottest part of the day. Think about that the next time you complain when you have to do a single burpee in an air conditioned gym away from the elements.
You may not be going out for any NFL teams this year, but if you’re looking to get shredded for summer, there is no better way to torch your body fat than by running hill sprints.
Get Shredded with Hill Sprints
All you need for hill sprints are your legs and a hill. So I don’t want to hear any excuses about not having the proper “equipment.”
The hill you choose doesn’t need to be the size of Everest either. If simply walking up a steep hill gets you a little out of breath and is a challenge for you—you’ve found the perfect specimen.
If you happen to live somewhere flat, you can always follow in Walter’s footsteps and look for a landfill to run hill sprints. Trust me, those mounds of trash will challenge you.
Like any exercise, make sure you warm-up before you run hill sprints. Warm-up by performing some basic bodyweight exercises and dynamic stretches.
- Bodyweight Squat
- Lunges
- High Kicks
- Jumping Jacks
- Burpees
Spend about 10 minutes getting warmed up, run 20-25 yards up the hill at 50% capacity, then walk back down the hill. From here you’ll be warmed and ready to go.
Be a smart bro, not a dumb bro. Don’t go crazy on your first day of hill sprints.
The first couple of times you sprint uphill, only perform 3-5 sets at 75% of your full capacity. After a week or two, you can slowly add in additional sets or move your intensity up. Continue to add 1-2 sets until you’re able to perform 18-20 hill sprints per workout.
For a cool down, which bro, trust me you’re gonna want to do, find a flat area of land to walk for 10-15 minutes and then add a couple minutes of static stretching.
Sprint to Succeed
You’re not gonna be Walter Payton on day one. Take your time and get better with each session.
In the beginning, only do one session a week. As you progress you can add an additional day or two.
Save hill sprints for your active recovery day(s) or you can test your own mental toughness, like Walter Payton, and do these after your main strength training session.
Take your fat loss to a new level this Spring and add in a day or two of hill sprints. The pump in your legs will be sweet, and you’ll feel it the next day as well, but you’ll melt body fat like never before.