Body types, lifts .. random thoughts

[acidhell]

I was thinking about some things Charlie was talking about in other threads …
We all agree that strength (which depends on both neural and muscular factors) plays a crucial role in sprints (60m,100m,200m).
First of all the whole general organism strength concept is a very interesting one, and i think a very valid one… and the more i am thinking about it, the more sense it makes to me.
Sprinters use general exercises (big money lifts for training economy) to strengthen the whole organism ( we can see this more like a complex neural phenomenon). Anyway, so is there a predtermined amount of strength that one needs to run a particular time?? Do you have to squat X amount of weight to run 10.00?? Well as far as i can see, no… there is absolutely no way to tell…there are too many factors, and often you can make up for one that seems to be lacking.

Take for example diffrent bodytypes… , limb lengths, tendon attachments, and general anthropometry. For example lets take a look at Pyrros Dimas in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TevnVfs8b0E

As you can clearly see in this video, this guy is absolutely a squatting machine and a very strong athlete overall. Look at his specific anthropometry when he receives the bar from the clean and pause in the parallel (front) squat position. Notice the length of his femurs, and his unusually long spine relative to his leg length… Thats one of the reasons he would NEVER miss a recovery from a clean (if he could pull it just above the navel) he would most certainly squat it. Dimas could always front squat about ~ 50-60kg more than his clean, which is unusual

So an athlete with not such advantageous body structure for squatting (shorter spine, longer femurs), even if he squatted less weight (even much less) than a properly selected weightlifter, what would the ACTUAL TORQUE(t= F *d) -which is what counts basically - be in his hip joint in a parallel squat position?? Maybe the same, or even greater, strangely enough, imo.
Greater TORQUE producing locomotor muscles is what track athletes need. So force expression varies greatly with different bodytypes. Same goes with other lifts too…

But we as track athletes should not be getting too caught up with lower body lifting only, but we must balance it with upper body work too, for MANY reasons, not only because it advances the organism strength, for taper reasons, potential injuries periods etc .(and yes all these should be integreated into a properly designed program that should eventually advance your speed and SE).

Those were my thoughts i know my english sucks and i make no sense:p (im from greece)

[fnlights]

What guidlines are there when attempting to strengthen the WHOLE organism?

[Chupacabras]

@acidhell

I was thinking about some things Charlie was talking about in other threads …
We all agree that strength (which depends on both neural and muscular factors) plays a crucial role in sprints (60m,100m,200m).
First of all the whole general organism strength concept is a very interesting one, and i think a very valid one… and the more i am thinking about it, the more sense it makes to me.
Sprinters use general exercises (big money lifts for training economy) to strengthen the whole organism ( we can see this more like a complex neural phenomenon). Anyway, so is there a predtermined amount of strength that one needs to run a particular time?? Do you have to squat X amount of weight to run 10.00?? Well as far as i can see, no… there is absolutely no way to tell…there are too many factors, and often you can make up for one that seems to be lacking.

Take for example diffrent bodytypes… , limb lengths, tendon attachments, and general anthropometry. For example lets take a look at Pyrros Dimas in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TevnVfs8b0E

As you can clearly see in this video, this guy is absolutely a squatting machine and a very strong athlete overall. Look at his specific anthropometry when he receives the bar from the clean and pause in the parallel (front) squat position. Notice the length of his femurs, and his unusually long spine relative to his leg length… Thats one of the reasons he would NEVER miss a recovery from a clean (if he could pull it just above the navel) he would most certainly squat it. Dimas could always front squat about ~ 50-60kg more than his clean, which is unusual

So an athlete with not such advantageous body structure for squatting (shorter spine, longer femurs), even if he squatted less weight (even much less) than a properly selected weightlifter, what would the ACTUAL TORQUE(t= F *d) -which is what counts basically - be in his hip joint in a parallel squat position?? Maybe the same, or even greater, strangely enough, imo.
Greater TORQUE producing locomotor muscles is what track athletes need. So force expression varies greatly with different bodytypes. Same goes with other lifts too…

But we as track athletes should not be getting too caught up with lower body lifting only, but we must balance it with upper body work too, for MANY reasons, not only because it advances the organism strength, for taper reasons, potential injuries periods etc .(and yes all these should be integreated into a properly designed program that should eventually advance your speed and SE).

Those were my thoughts i know my english sucks and i make no sense:p (im from greece)

There’s nothing wrong with your English.

What you’re saying makes sense to me. Personally, my body type is not very well suited to displaying strength in squats. Despite the fact that I can probably barely squat 1 xbodyweight at the moment, my (head measured) vert is currently 30 inches.

While my vert is far from impressive, it is much higher than you would expect from someone else who squats the same amount relative to bodyweight, but has short femurs and a long torso.