LIFTING FOR FASTER SPRINTS?

Emily R Pappas, M.S.

Female athletes that want to sprint faster need to stop running extra sprints, and grab a barbell instead.

Why?  Because sprinting is a HIGH SPEED and HIGH FORCE movement.  This means as you sprint, you force YOUR BODY (high force) to move pretty damn FAST (speed).

If you want to get better at sprinting, you have to train to move move heavy things at fast speeds (with efficient body control and coordination).

HOW does lifting help you do that?

(1) LIFTING GETS YOU STRONG

Strength is the building block of power.  Sprinting is all about POWER.

Getting stronger means you can move HEAVY THINGS (high force) with more muscles acting in coordination.  

For example: when we squat, we not only strengthen the muscles needed for acceleration, but we also strengthen our core.  Stabilization at the core is necessary when you are trying to maximize forward motion in a sprint! 

(2) WEIGHTLIFTING GETS YOU TO MOVE HEAVY THINGS FAST!

Once you develop a foundation of strength, it’s time to train your body how to move heavy things FAST!

Weightlifting (snatch and clean & jerk) is a tool for female athletes to do just that enhance speed with heavier loads.  

BONUS POINTS:

Through these lifts you not only get strong and fast, but you improve your body awareness and full body coordination

Sounds like a pretty fast sprinter to us….

(3) Improved Weightlifting Mechanics allows for improved SPRINTING MECHANICS

Not to get too technical, but weightlifting teaches you how to EXTEND YOUR HIPS

Sprinting is the result of HIP EXTENSION

In both movements, hip extension is achieved by aggressively pushing into the ground to open up your hips and produce power

IN SUMMARY, weightlifting helps sprinters:  

(1) GET STRONGER

(2) MOVE HEAVY THINGS FASTER

(3) MOVE those things with mechanics that are similar to sprinting

You can be a faster sprinter?

Sounds a whole lot better than running a couple extra 40m sprints after practice and not seeing results……

(sorry track coaches:))

#scienceispower