Sprinting is one of most simple sports in history, it doesn’t require a team, you can do it anywhere, and you don’t really need any expensive equipment. It’s just you against at least one other competitor. That is why it’s one of the oldest sports in the world.
Will just lifting weights and getting strong make you a better sprinter?
Of course not! But, there are many lessons you can learn from the weight room that you can transfer on the track that will help you develop into a better sprinter.
When it comes to sprinting performance,
what factors come into play?
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A sprinter must have sufficient unrestricted range of motion at the ankle, knee & hip.
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A strong core is always an advantage to maintain a running posture.
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One of the most important parts of your body when it comes to running speed are your hip extensors (glutes, hamstrings, and adductor magnus).
How can you improve?
One of the best types of weight training that will improve your mobility range, core strength and hip extensors is Olympic Weightlifting. Olympic Weightlifting movements can be paramount for an athlete to enhance acceleration and power!
Mobility – Movements including full snatch or overhead squats are great moves to increase flexibility in the ankles, knees, hips and shoulders.
Core Strength – Usually in sprinting this is referred to as bracing strength. Training programmes to develop this usually includes axial loaded movements such as back squat or front squat and overhead movements like push presses, jerks, and snatch variations.
Hip Extensors- Although lifts like deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, and good mornings help improve hip extension power, these exercises lack the velocity specifically necessary for optimal transfer in order to improve running speed. The second pull of the clean or snatch, or jerk drive are hip extension movements that occur at much higher velocities that transfer better to improved sprinting performance.
How can I apply this?
If getting a faster sprint speed if your goal, then you must always remember sprint training should be the cornerstone of your training programmes. Olympic Weightlifting can be the top secondary training programme to enhance and adjust your sprinting performance!
Here at SYNERGI we offer Olympic Weightlifting classes coached by fully qualified and licensed coaches. So if you want to improve your speed on the track and want to learn a new way to train, come see us!
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