Author Topic: Sprinter Training  (Read 21884 times)

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speedstik1028

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Sprinter Training
« on: June 17, 2011, 08:30:25 am »
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Upper Body: How to develop the perfect sprinter's upper body, thanks to Linford Christie.
Upper body? But you sprint with your legs, surely? True enough, but a sprinter neglects strength in the upper body at his or her peril. Dynamic arms and torso add an additional explosive weapon to the sprinting armoury. As an indicator of upper-body strength, many top male sprinters can bench well over100 kg. And both male and female athletes will also include in their weights workouts upright rows, press in front and behind the neck, dumbbell flies and so on - as well as literally tens of thousands of bodyweight circuit exercises.

The emphasis on the upper body in sprinting can mainly be traced back to Alan Wells (1980 Olympic 200m champion). He developed an extensive dynamic upper-body routine using a boxer's speed ball as a central feature. To this he added extensive blocks of circuit work involving such exercises as 'chinnies' and press-ups. More recently, of course, Linford Christie has taken the art of upper-body conditioning to new levels. Not surprisingly, because of his immense international success, many other athletes around the world have begun to emulate his awesome upper-body development.

Now that Britain's most successful athlete is coaching, you can readily see his trademark arm and torso emphasis being reflected in the developing physiques of the athletes he coaches - for instance, Jamie Baulch (400m) and Darren Braithwaite (100 and 200m). I recently watched Braithwaite undertake one of Christie's upper-body sessions, and in doing so gained a real insight into the hard work that goes into conditioning for an event that lasts a bare 10 seconds.

First I asked Braithwaite why there was a need for a powerful upper body. A dynamic arm drive is essential, he said, at the start, middle and end of a sprint race.

The start and pick-up
As Braithwaite explained, the rearward drive of the arms behind the body as it accelerates from the blocks will add to the exaggerated drive of the legs and will also help keep the athlete low - all required for a quick getaway. Great power is needed by the sprinter to accelerate rapidly and a vigorous arm drive will contribute to this and prime the athlete for the pick-up, mid and end phases of the race.

Mid-race, the sprinter will most probably be on top of his or her form and should feel in total control. Braithwaite emphasized that at this point the arms and legs should be working in perfect harmony. 200m and 400m runners may actually concentrate on arm movement mid-race in order to stay relaxed - hunched shoulders will cramp their ability to do this.

The finish
When form begins to fade (particularly over 400m), a concentration on a purposeful and long arm drive can help prevent the inevitable shortening of stride length that often ensues. Only a well-conditioned one-lapper will be able to drive the arms purposefully at this stage. Power and endurance are required - lactic acid can build up in the arms as much as in the legs.

The torso - abs and back
Throughout the sprint, abs and back muscles will be working as a kind of strait-jacket to allow for maximum power transference between upper body, legs and track.If the torso is weak, then lateral movement can occur and waste valuable effort. The sprinter needs all the powerful available to go straight down the track. No wonder, then, that sprinters complete punishing circuit routines which involve repeated dynamic exercises. Look at Christie himself as he drives for the line, a balanced and rigid upper body, arms punching forward and back, and you'll see the supreme result of such specific conditioning.

Non-sprinters can find out what the torso goes through when sprinting by completing a 30-second burst of stationary arm sprinting. You'll find your body wants to rotate laterally with each arm movement unless you brace yourself mid-region.

Braithwaite's workouts
Athletes like Braithwaite will work on the various muscles in the shoulder, chest, abdominal and back regions by employing weights and circuit routines, sometimes in combination. Some sessions will be heavy, others will be more endurance-based, depending on the time of the training year.

All the exercises that follow form part of Christie's upper-body workouts, used specifically during the conditioning phase, ie, pre-Christmas/indoor season.

Bench press (chest development)
The bench press forms a key part of the sprinter's upper-body workouts - although it must be said that the exercise can be over-done, especially if athletes becomes too concerned with what they can 'bench' rather than with why they are training: for speed. The bench primarily develops the pectorals and triceps but in a plane of movement that is not specific to the sprinting action. Don't regard the bench as the equivalent of the squat for the upper body; although there are positive strength gains, these are less specific to the sprinting action than squatting itself.

Sample part session:
Bench - 25 reps x 50kg, immediately followed by 25 press-ups. Two minutes recovery, then repeat 4-5 times. Two mins recovery, then same again, but with 40kg on the bar.

Shoulder press, upright rowing, bent-over rowing
Developing the deltoids, rhomboids and traps, these exercises, like the bench, will generally strengthen the muscles used in the sprinting action. Performing front and rear shoulder press variants will provide the greatest dividend since the deltoids and traps work to pull the arms both back and forwards, as in sprinting. Christie's athletes perform seated shoulder press, which prevents the legs giving any assistance to the exercise.

Sample part session:
Seated shoulder press - 15 x 40kg, immediately followed by 15 x upright rowing, immediately followed by 15 x bent-over rowing (all with the same bar loaded at 40kg). Two mins rest, and repeat as above up to 5 times

Dumbbell work
Dumbbells allow for a more symmetrical body development, since a weaker left arm cannot be overridden by a stronger right one, as can be the case when using barbells. For this part of the session, Braithwaite used various weight dumbbells - 15, 10 and 7.5kg. The combination of exercises involved sprint arm drives, alternate shoulder press and curls, all done in succession with about 20-30 reps of each exercise. Once again, 4-5 sets would be carried out.

All the examples given here actually formed a part of only ONE strength endurance session as performed by Braithwaite! I would like to thank him for his invaluable help in preparing this article.



speedstik1028

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2011, 08:34:12 am »
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If anyone has anything more to show that'd be great. I love watching how sprinters train.

BMully

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2011, 03:26:03 pm »
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I was looking for a Usain Bolt Lifting video forever!!! thanks man

it seemed like he got that pretty easy on the Hang clean. Finding his max squat is something I have tried and failed before.

Tyson Gay does a ton of upper body lifting for some reason, I find him benching 185 on a few vids.

BMully

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2011, 02:00:05 am »
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Hopefully everything you see & hear about the world's 2 fastest men you will take with a BIG pinch of salt.

Quote
Finding his max squat is something I have tried and failed before.

Bolt has probably never got under a squat rack in his life.

The spine hates sustained compression but loves storing & releasing rotary torque. Not enough attention paid to the spinal engine from what I gather.

Benching 185 doesn't make you a sub 10 runner.

Will be interesting to see what times the top Brit's produce in the future.


Quote
You'll find your body wants to rotate laterally with each arm movement unless you brace yourself mid-region.

Did you see Bolt's lateral movement in Beijing & in Berlin that he got criticized for?.

Seems like he was taking advantage of the lateral spring system.

Can brute force compete with spring/elasticity (stride rate remains constant)?.

Nah.

Much stronger guys than Bolt even in first round races get demolished.

Carl Lewis didn't lift until the back end of his career, when he ran his slowest times -- Linford 700lb+ squat.

It was Carl who came out on top. Hence things need to put in perspective.

yea I was just pointing out that I have seen tyson lift before..I know tyson works hard, and I would say he works harder than bolt..Tyson lifts, 3x8 routine i think...Bolt probably does some olympic lifts and such

here is Jared Connaughton..he runs a 10.0x and he is a top sprinter for Canada

He has shown his clips of lifting..go to his channel, shows some workouts he had done

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7eSlecx58Y" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7eSlecx58Y</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u31A6SVScz0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u31A6SVScz0</a>

he is 5'8 and 180lbs..those are the two lifting vids on his channel, his channel give s great view to a sprinters life



adarqui

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2011, 03:02:46 am »
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very nice vids in this thread.. havn't seen any of these..

nice thread  :headbang:

BMully

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2011, 03:25:22 am »
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeDywIq8XBY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeDywIq8XBY</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOC7O9JOY3Y" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOC7O9JOY3Y</a>

hit the youtube button at the top..it is easier than going to youtube

yea, look at Usain's protruding belly..he has  an arch in his back

I do not think he squats much..and those Hang cleans do not look that good, his elbows do not really go far enough out from what I know about the lift

Clearly he is a pure genetic freak who trains more with track than with weights
« Last Edit: June 25, 2011, 03:27:58 am by BMully »

BMully

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2011, 11:02:05 pm »
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I will give you good money Bolt is bluffing, but by all means knock yourselves out. Just like with the link below, I'm certain he's trying to throw people.

Give away?. POOR FORM.

The whole vid just looks wrong.

Most interesting, he's flex's his muscles (did the same in Ostrava). I see him more towards a tendon/elastic runner myself (just like we see in the animal kingdom), but there is no way I'm not going to get into that & how he 'may' go about developing it.

Again, another bluff?. Not sure. Yeah, he's got some muscle, (Manchester 2009, 150m race, super blazin' & skinny).

hmmmmm...




Original Link: http://magazine.stack.com/TheIssue/Article/6717/In_the_Weight_Room_With_Usain_Bolt.aspx


Machine squats?, leg extensions?....

lol.

Bolt wants to remain on top of the world (so follow the link).

Like I said, take EVERYTHING with a pinch of salt, everything you see & hear.


What has surprised me is, Tyson Gay now trains with Steve Mullings (Jamaica). You don't do that. David Weck gave Tyson some inside secrets on pushing human performance further (we see that with Tyson's times). It goes MUCH further than spiralling his arms too. Now Mullings will take that knowledge for himself & now we could see Mullings easily topple Tyson & America's biggest hope.

We'll see.















who is Mullings? I have seen a race where he and tyson where told to be working together...but my point is that tyson clearly works harder than bolt..Bolt is a freak, He just sprints and messes around in the weight room..You can see it in alot of track athletes that are genetically gifted..they screw around in weight room but still fast

bolt probably does not lift much..compare him to jared in the videos i posted and you can clearly see that a normal sprinter actually works and lifts..bolt just runs

mattyg35

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2011, 02:22:34 am »
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Bolt is successful b/c of his anthropometrics and coordination, not b/c he cleans 60kg 10 times with shit form.

BMully

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2011, 02:55:55 am »
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Bolt is successful b/c of his anthropometrics and coordination, not b/c he cleans 60kg 10 times with shit form.

we said that

mattyg35

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2011, 02:58:26 pm »
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Sports and the Spring Systems.



Interesting Link: http://www.massagetoday.com/print_friendly.php?pr_file_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.massagetoday.com%2Fmpacms%2Fmt%2Farticle.php%3Fid%3D13852%26no_paginate%3Dtrue


"Driven by the hip's abductors, this elegant myofascial gait-enhancer "cocks' the ipsilateral innominate and, just prior to push-off, right-sidebends the rotating pelvis so the other three spring systems can smoothly swing the left leg through".




^ Gluteus Medius.




Perform the exercise barefoot, (4-5 sets/20-30 secs both sides) then walk around. Can you feel it?.



Important: Does anyone happen to know if you develop the gluteus maximus to a greater extent, it may in someway over-power the gluteus medius/minimus & that whole 'on your toes' phenomenon?. And I mean for ABSOLUTE certain, anatomy class?. I have worked up-to almost a 4min side star plank (no break down in form) with great results.

Interesting Bolt doesn't have a well developed maximus compared to someone like Tyson.














If you download the documentary: Usain Bolt, the fastest man who has ever lived they detail Bolt's lateral movement. Forward to 37:31.

38:03 is vital to Bolt's start. Coiling the spring.



Link: http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5698184/Usain.Bolt.The.Fastest.Man.Who.Has.Ever.Lived.WS.PDTV.XviD-C4TV


People say Bolt is ahead genetically, he's also (along with Glen Mills streets ahead in knowledge).



"His lateral movement is horrible" - Michael Johnson -.



Interesting stuff, thanks.

BMully

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #12 on: June 29, 2011, 09:24:54 am »
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great post..I just do not understand something though...why don't me take more advantage of torrents on adarq.org? THEY ARE GREAT!!!

EDIT: NOT WHEN THERE ARE NO SEEDERS THOUGH!! THIS SAYS 1 week as estimated end time...not enough seeders for the usain bolt documentary
« Last Edit: June 29, 2011, 10:07:05 am by BMully »

Zetz

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Re: Sprinter Training
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2011, 07:45:37 pm »
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great post..I just do not understand something though...why don't me take more advantage of torrents on adarq.org? THEY ARE GREAT!!!

EDIT: NOT WHEN THERE ARE NO SEEDERS THOUGH!! THIS SAYS 1 week as estimated end time...not enough seeders for the usain bolt documentary

Because torrents are illegal, and even if we all used them, Andrew wouldn't publicly support them or provide them on the site, it's a stupid thing to do. Think before writing next time, dumbass.

LBSS

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