I’ve heard a lot about these from Westside Barbell and a coach I know highly reccomended them. He didn’t really know of a good workout to try though, I was wondering if anyone on here has tried them and gotten good gaines?
Are they effective? Where can I find a good dynamic squat workout? Thanks.
Are they effective? relative to what?
They have effects that can be beneficial in certain areas, and certain individuals at certain times, in certain sports.
Be more specific with your question.
Building strength for speed. I don’t want to gain mass like a body builder. A friend of mine squats like mad and grew these massive thighs.
I read somewhere that the size of a powerlifters legs aren’t nearly as big as a bodybuilder. So I guess my question is, can I develop Max strength without putting on a bunch of leg mass? To do so- are dynamic squats the way to go?
Wouldn’t muscle “density” be the goal for a sprinter opposed to muscle size? (If there is a direct relationship between muslce size and strength) Because I think we all know you don’t need big strong legs to run fast.
-Strength can be developed without putting on a bunch of leg mass
-Dynamic effort method can help, however, its relation to sprinting is minimal. This has been covered many times here on this site. Perhaps the only way it would have a direct transfer to faster sprinting is in a beginner. After that it is better to focus on general strength in the weight room. The speeds reached in a dynamic squat are nowhere near the speeds reached in sprinting.
-Mass is necassary for any sprinter, however there is an optimal range that will vary according to the individual.
-Muscle density can be trained on the track and the weight room, without dynamic squats.
If your goal is for speed, perhaps you should stick to a more basic approach and leave dynamic squats for the powerlifters. If you post some info about yourself I am sure others would be willing to help.
Thanks for the info speedster. I am not a powerlifter, just focused on speed. I always have squatted to parallel and went with reps less than 5. I was never very strong, only maxing at 315- but I am 6’5.
About 3 months ago I stopped squatting. It was a difficult decison, but Im at a point in my career where I chose to stop squatting heavy because of constant back pain. I couldn’t take it any longer.
When I read about dynamic squats, I tried them and they didn’t hurt my back as much, (light weight also). I thought I’d ask for your guys’ opinion. Can I get faster if I omit weight room training? Staying with sprints and plyos?
I guess Im riding the fence here. Im not sure if Im “all in” with my weight room training. I’d be willing to do whatever it takes to get faster, but I don’t want to be doing all kinds of heavy squatting and killing my back if I don’t Need to be. Hopefully that makes sense.
I also read a thread on here with a guy posting his thoughts on the lower back being the weakness of squatting. I have gone to a few doctors regarding my back, and one told me I had very large and strong back muscles, so I don’t think that is the problem. I do straight leg deadlifts without a problem, I have done cleans w/o problems, but roman deadlifts killed my back.
I don’t want this thread to be about my back, but rather what little amount of leg max strength I can do to improve my speed. Or what i can do to develop speed without heavy lifting. --What are those skinny weak guys on my track team doing that make them fast? lol
First off is it would be a good idea to get some type of x-ray/MRI done to make sure no herniation exists.
Regarding improvements in speed without developing max strength in the weight room is possible and in many cases might be the best way for people jsut starting out on the path of speed development.
Using a combination of sprinting, hills, jumps, and medicine ball work is very effective in increasing power and speed. The key is to organize the best way to promote your gains while ensuring recovery from the work.
There have been many people to not use weights and still become fast.
Look into GPP essentails from the site, CFTS, and really just about any product that interests you. they are all great to give an understanding of what types of training can take place.
How bout you give a little more info like age, training history, are you training for a 40 yard dash , 200 m…etc?
excellent advice speedster
19 years old. Freshman in college. Play football. In middle school I was very slow. Even my coaches laughed at me! lol I hated it. I wanted to be a great quarterback and my speed was hurting my chances. My dad and I have put a lot of time into my training. I have tried all sorts of speed gimmicks I have found online… and Im obviously still learning. I feel like my time is limited, and I have always really been my own coach… Reading information online and trying different programs.
I went from slower than half of the offensive linemen on my football team to close to the fastest by the time I graduated high school. I run between 4.7s and mid 4.8s in the 40.
I am actually quite quick. I have devoted a lot of time to strength training, 315 squat- 265 bench - 245 clean… but my speed endurance has always hurt me.
I have read into plyometrics a lot lately, and plan on working them a lot this spring/summer. I run anything between 10s and 40s and ocassionally 100-400s. (My endurance has lacked because I have neglected to run the longer sprints lol) I like your reccomendation of hill running- I will do what I can as long as i can find a hill!
I know I have made progress in the past, but some of the training gimmicks I have tried probably set me back. I once thought that squatting would turn me into a great sprinter, but was discouraged by a teammate of mine who was faster (same height) but could literally only squat about 100 pounds.
The key with training lies not so much in what you do, but in HOW you do it, how much do you do when do it, how often you do it, etc. There are many means of training to improve your speed, the planning is what will make you improve. This is the hardest factor for people to understand.
I urge you to use caution with what you read on the internet, and rethink your statement regarding plyometrics. Not they they are bad but you said that you “plan on working them a lot this spring/summer”
Plyos are only good when used at the right time for that right individual,
There is NOT a linear relationship between volume and improvement in anything related to training.
What position are you?
you say your speed endurance is poor, but does your position require speed endurance?
Furthermore, endurance is broad subject. Running 100-400s may not be the best case as endurance in the 400 is only specific to endurance in the 400.
Remember that just because something is good for running faster does not mean you have to add everything in at once.
I highly suggest you look into GPP essentials, CFTS, and Key Concepts to further your understanding.
Also check out some training logs here
Thanks;) or should I be thanking Charlie and others…
I play quarterback, so speed endurance is most likely not limiting me. However, I guess I was indirectly referring back to my days on the track. I was quick for 20-30 yards/meters, but then would gradually taper off.
Last summer in preperation for my football season, I ran a lot of 40s, 30s, 20s, and 10s… I also did some bounding, horizontal and vertical jumping, speed hops etc. I felt like not including any overtraining I never got in very good shape.
When the time came for me to run my 40 at camp, I was actually tired from the warm up our coach had us do, and I under performed. I ran 4.87, I was shooting for the 4.7s which I had run a few times that summer.
My '09 track season in a nutshell went like this: Preseason: worked speed- was getting faster. Season started- torn groin muscle… limited work for a month. I continued to squat heavy because the groin gave me no problems. Once I was healthy, I continued squatting- but my times were suffering. My times slowly got better as I got back into shape, but then they remained the same. So… I stopped squatting… and my times dropped dramatically. I was running much faster than I ever have. So, I automatically assume that I should stop squatting when race day approaches + back pain = I don’t squat the rest of the summer. Just speed work.
Now, post football season: I squatted from november until feb. My back hurts again. I didn’t have any problems when I wasn’t squatting. I have stopped squatting, but haven’t gotten back into much speed work, just been playing a lot of basketball 
Now I am excited to get back on the track. Squatting again if I must. I have not placed any emphasis on endurance training in the past and only a little on plyometric. I basically have just gone out to the track and ran 20 or so short sprints.
I think I will look to purchase CFTS. Sounds like its worth it-- make sure I am doing everything I need to be to be getting faster!
Thanks again