Speed work is what makes sprinters sprint faster.
But many coaches and athletes try less straightforward ways to sprint faster. And these methods actually keep the athletes slow.
Be Specific
One of the least understood concepts in athletics is how to get better at a specific move.
I’ll hear things like, “Well, in order for me to sprint faster, I’m going to focus on lifting.” I’ve also heard, “Well, in order for me to sprint faster, I’m going to go run cross-country.”
Are those truly the ways to get faster? Let’s break them down.
Lifting weights has allowed sprinters to get stronger and build more muscle. I’m a big proponent of lifting for sprinters. Since the 1980s, sprinters have improved their physiques by lifting weights.
The truth is that lifting weights is the best thing you can do when it comes to developing a strong, lean physique. But lifting weights is not the best way to get faster. Weight room workouts will make you stronger and less prone to injury. But the strongest athlete is not necessarily the fastest.
I have been the strongest sprinter at multiple different track meets. That strength did not equate to me running the fastest times at those meets. How many powerlifters, strongmen, and bodybuilders have you recently seen in a 100-meter dash? I’m still looking.
Despite their great strength, track speed work is not part of their training. At that point in my career, it was not a big part of mine either. Now, on the other side of the coin, most sprinters cannot return 315lbs from a full Olympic squat. But sprinters are still blazing fast because their training focuses on speed.
One might ask, “If strongmen and powerlifters did speed work, would they be faster than the sprinters?” The answer is a definite no.
Genetics determines our natural talents. Powerlifters and strongmen don’t have similar physiques to sprinters and vice versa. Neither athlete can excel in the other’s sport.
Popularity Does Not Equate To Results
Running is the most popular form of exercise in the history of the world.
Most of my track workouts in high school and college were high-volume running workouts. High-volume running workouts defined the culture of track workouts at the time.
While I did get into great shape with these workouts, I did not get faster. Tempo runs, at done 65-75% of your max speed, are very good. They boost fitness and aid fat loss. But they do not give you the speed you need to compete in sprinting.
How To Use Speed Work For Sprinters
The most effective way to get faster is to do true speed work.
Doing speed work, with 48-72 hours of recovery between workouts, will make you faster over time. True speed work is sprinting done at 90-97 percent of your maximum speed. For distances under 60 meters, I like to aim for 95-97 percent of your maximum speed.
For example, if I am doing 4 x 40 yards for my speed workout, this would be a great session:
Best 40-yard dash time: 4.97
Rep 1: 5.23 (95 percent)
Rep 2: 5.19 (96 percent)
Rep 3: 5.12 (97 percent)
Rep 4: 5.15 (96 percent)
After each sprint, I will take a full recovery of 4-6 minutes. I calculated my max speed by dividing my best time by my training times (4.97 ÷ training time).
Accuracy
The best way to measure your speed is to use an electronic timer, like the Freelap.
Freelap is a large investment, but it delivers excellent returns. It was one of the two major items I invested in (along with the Vertec) when I opened my gym.
But if you can’t invest now, you will need someone to use a stopwatch to time your speed workouts.
Human error will make the stopwatch times inaccurate. But something is better than nothing.
Conclusion
To get good at the thing, you have to do the dang thing.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman
