At the time of this writing, the 2016 Olympics have just ended. Some of the most publicized competitions revolve around the sprinting events. Sprinting may be the most basic skill that exists in athletic competitions, but it draws huge amounts of attention. How do the top runners get so fast? Of course they practice sprinting, but most of the best sprinters include a variety of conditioning activities; one of which includes weight training.
Sprinters and Weight Training Workouts
Strength and speed often complement each other and there are great sprinters who take advantage of this concept. Sprinters usually utilize both heavy lifting and explosive lifting with lighter weights. If you want to increase your speed, it’s to your advantage to increase both explosive power (which some coaches refer to as speed strength) and maximum strength. By taking the time to watch the following videos, you will see that some top sprinters rely upon weight training workouts and they are surprisingly strong.
Sprinters Working Out
One of the greatest things about weight training is that it is highly adaptable to achieve the conditioning effect desired. It can be done with light weights, medium weights, heavy weights, in a multitude range of reps that can qualities such as endurance, cardiovascular fitness, speed, explosiveness power and strength. Different exercises can also be done with varying amounts of resistance to simulate movements that are used for different sport skills. While there was a time in the past where weight training was often vilified as an endeavor that would hinder athletic performance, it has now become one of the standard conditioning tools for many sports. If you are in sports, learn how to use weight training to your advantage. Best of training to you.
Resources on weight training for sprinters