Crank It Up - Sprinting.docx

7/27/2019 Crank It Up - Sprinting.docx

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Crank It Up: Sprinting Towards Single Digit Body Fat

Percentages With High Intensity Training

The relationship between sprinting and a rock-solid physique is why strength coach Erick Minor put

together the program in this article. He thinks it’s such a damn shame that so few bodybuilders

actually sprint anymore. It’s one of the few fat burning activities that can actually build muscle

tissue instead of catabolizing it, and it’s easy to do; just find a track and run! Well, and maybe

read this first…

Look around a track and field event sometime and you’ll notice the relationship

between sprinters and bodybuilders actually goes both ways, meaning a lot of full-

time sprinters also have damn impressive bodies!

Not surprisingly, their training off the track is remarkably similar to that of a hard-

lifting bodybuilder.

Okay, quiz time….

What’s the most foolproof way to increase an athlete’s performance?

“Increase his VO2 max?”

Nope.

“Uh, improve one-arm Kettlebell snatch on a Bosu ball performance?”

Hell no.

Well…



The most reliable way to increase any athlete’s performance is to improve his or

her strength-to-weight ratio, which is a fancy way of saying minimizing the

amount of bodyfat the athlete carries while maintaining or adding lean body mass.

Typically, any athlete with a favorable muscle to fat ratio is likely to have higher

relative strength.

High levels of relative strength are necessary in many sports for world-class success. The same

rules apply for recreational athletes or guys who just want to look good naked. With the exception

of a handful of pure strength sports, a leaner body will perform better and faster, not to mention

look better when the clothes come off. So when an athlete or weekend warrior rolls into my

facility, how do I go about improving anaerobic performance, maintaining and/or increasing

maximal strength, and reducing body fat?Well, the first thing you have to understand is what I don’t do. Some of you may

know that I don’t recommend steady-state “aerobic” exercise for the conditioning

of any athlete.



Let me be blunt here:

The only athletes that should perform low intensity cardio such as jogging are distance runners,

tri-athletes, or someone needing to lose muscle tissue. Yes, you read right, unless your goal is to

have LESS lean muscle mass, the hamster wheel approach to energy system work is not for you.

For maximum body composition and anaerobic performance improvements, the modality of choice

is sprinting.

A well-designed sprint program will create significant losses of body fat and at the

same time increase your anaerobic work capacity and posterior chain

development. So less fat, better lungs, and a dead-sexy butt that will make the

nymphets and cougars come crawling. What more could you ask for?



The Sprinter’s Body – Nature vs. Nurture

Pound for pound, sprinters are some of the leanest and strongest athletes on the planet. They

possess the perfect storm of fast-twitch dominance, exceptional reaction time, great work

capacity, and a favorable endocrine profile. Physically, they look pretty damn good too. Now youmay suspect that a sprinter’s physical characteristics are all a product of awesome genetics, but

that’s only one aspect of the resultant physical outcome. Yes, a certain body type is preferential for

success in sprinting, but training, lifestyle, and diet all have a big impact on the expression of

physical qualities. To understand my point, just attend a collegiate level track meet and you’ll note

that certain track events develop specific physical characteristics in their participants.

For example, even the guy or girl who places dead last in the 200 or 400m sprint

will still typically have well developed glutes, hamstrings, and fairly low body fat

levels. Even though they may not have what it takes to win even a Junior College

track meet, their body resembles that of a world-class athlete. I attribute this to

the training.



I Wanna Look Like That!

As a strength coach of some world-class sprinters, I’m often asked if their training regimens would

only be of benefit to full time athletes or if the average Joe might reap similar rewards as well.

That’s a good question, as it also plays into the Nature vs. Nurture genetics debate mentioned

earlier.

So for those who think it’s all genetics and that pro sprinters were born to look

and perform the way that they do, check out this training program for one of the

top sprinters I train:

The Sprinter’s Body

The following program outlines the typical pre-season training schedule of Darvis “Doc” Patton, #5

ranked 100-meter sprinter of 2009.

(Track workout designed by Monte Stratton, coach of multiple Olympic sprinters.)

Monday (10am): Track work: speed-endurance (300m, 200m, 100m)

Monday (2pm): Upper body strength training

Tuesday (10am): Track work: block starts (2 x 10m, 2 x 20m, 2 x 30m, 1 x 50m) or speed

work

Tuesday (2pm): Lower body quad dominant strength training (squats, knee flexors, hip

flexors)

Wednesday: Soft Tissue therapy/ Massage

Thursday (10am): Track work: speed day (5 x 60m) or (4 x 90m) or (3 x 120m) w/ 10 minute

rest interval

Thursday (2pm): Upper body strength training



Friday (10am): Track work: speed endurance (3 x 150m) or (4 x 120m) or (180m, 150m,

120m)

Friday (2pm): Lower body hip dominant strength training (deadlifts, split squats, hip flexors)

Twice a day workouts, off day restorative sessions, and nary a moment wasted on those minor

irritants in life like a JOB? Almost makes you want to be a pro athlete, doesn’t it? (Maybe keep this

schedule in mind the next time your know-it-all buddy looks at a chiseled Olympian and snorts,

“Genetics” between his endless sets of seated 12 ounce Heineken curls.)

But you’ll be pleased to know that while Olympic hopefuls require a life devoted to

training, time-challenged regular folks can experience very significant results with

a much more modest training schedule.

…. And the Joes

Now that you’ve seen a glimpse of how a world-class sprinter trains, here’s an abbreviated version

that will work for the typical Joe with normal work and family commitments. It may not have you

nipping at Doc Patton’s heels in six weeks, but you should expect serious reductions in body fat,

increased anaerobic performance, and the beginning development of a smooth gluteal fold that

even your long-suffering wife won’t resist slapping.

Training Schedule:

You’ll sprint twice a week, and weight-train three days a week. You’ll perform a heavy

maintenance session for legs once per week for the six-week cycle.

Monday: Upper body: Horizontal push/pull

Tuesday: Sprints

Wednesday: Rest



Thursday: Legs (alternate quad and ham dominant days)

Friday: Upper Body: Vertical push/pull

Saturday: Sprints

Sunday: Rest







Raise kness and pump arms, and dorsiflex foot (lift toe).

Drive ball of landing foot into the ground.

Active-Assisted Hamstring Stretch

Lie supine (on your back) with a small rolled-up towel under your low back.

Actively initiate hip flexion; once you reach the limit of your active range of motion use a strap

to deepen the stretch by pulling the leg a few inches farther.

Hold for 2 seconds; repeat until 6 reps are complete.

You will feel mild pain in the hamstring on each rep.

Your non-working leg should be in contact with the floor and completely straight with toe

pointing towards ceiling.

Sets: 3/leg

Reps: 6 reps (Photos at right)

Notes on sprinting workouts

You may notice I don’t recommend any distance over 200 meters. This is because I want you to

focus on working within the short term and intermediate energy system (anaerobic alactic and

anaerobic lactic system). All sprints should take less than 30 seconds to complete. If you have less

than 10% body fat and can’t run 200 meters in less than 30 seconds, you’re in sorry shape, my

friend.

Intensity definitions

When running at 80% you should not feel strained. Running at 90% intensity is running at full speed under control. You’re running as fast as you

can while maintaining good body position (no arm flailing, neck and face are relaxed).

Running at 100% requires you to focus on applying as much force to the ground as possible.

Arm position: arms at 90 degrees, and your hands should pass your pants pockets during

each stride.



Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I follow a sprint-based training program?Here are just a few reasons:

Increased work capacity

Increased hamstring and glute development

Increased maximal strength on all lower body exercises

Loss of body fat

Many life & death situations that you might one day find yourself in will require you to sprint.

God forbid, if your toddler suddenly starts pedaling his tricycle towards a busy intersection,

you won’t be wishing you spent more time on a recumbent bike.

Where I live it’s winter eight months out of the year. Can I

replicate this program on my treadmill?

Doubtful. Most treadmills, even the higher end commercial ones found at your neighborhood big

box fitness center, won’t cut it — unless you’re dreadfully out of shape. One notable exception

would be high-speed Woodway treadmills. But if your facility doesn’t have these, you need access

to an indoor facility with a track- or move!

Q: I haven’t sprinted since back when I played high school

football. So what do I do? Just, uh, run?



Perfecting sprint form sprinting is much more in depth than many would think and requires years

of practice and precise coaching. While most of this is irrelevant to the average guy just trying to

sprint his way back into shape, here are a few key points to focus on when sprinting:

1. Keep shoulders down and relaxed, with eyes down the track and chin slightly tucked in. Keep

your torso erect; don’t lean forward like you’re trying to break Usain Bolt’s record.

2. Keep hands relaxed and open, like holding an egg.

3. Arms should not cross in front of body; arm motion should be front to back, front to back with

hands passing pants pockets on each stride.

Q: The last time I tried sprinting without stretching first I pulled a hamstring. Why do you only have hamstring stretches

after the sprint sessions?

Passive stretching doesn’t prevent hamstring pulls. Increasing active range-of-motion andincreasing eccentric hamstring strength prevents hamstring pulls.

Q: Should I focus on running faster each workout? Do I try to beat my best time or best distance?

Neither. You will get faster just because you haven’t sprinted in the past. Trainees

sprinting for cosmetic purposes (fat loss, glute hamstring hypertrophy) should

focus on effort more so than time. A program designed to improve sprint

time/performance would be significantly different, including longer rest intervals

and start work.



Off to the Track

Getting off the stationary bike and onto the track may seem a little scary to some

bodybuilders. Don’t be afraid. Some of the finest built bodies of yesterday and

today consider sprinting to be an essential part of their training toolbox.

Remember, you have only stubborn body fat to lose and rock-hard quads,

hamstrings, and glutes to gain.

Author: Erick MinorWebsite: www.erickminor.com

Erick Minor is a freelance writer and the owner of Strength Studio a sports

performance and personal training studio located in Fort Worth, Texas.

http://www.erickminor.com/




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Crank It Up - Sprinting.docx