Sprinter's Weightlifting Routine

Expert Discussion Strength Training
1

Since some of you asked I’ve decided to post my simple squat routine to increase strength and speed.
I only do 3 gym exercises (the squat, bench press and situps).
The only way to get faster in my humble opinion is to do heavy squats for minimal reps. This will limit lactic acid buildup and make you stronger without packing on muscle (or weight).
My squat routine looks like this:

Warmup for 15 min, doing 135 lbs X 10reps X 10sets

Go straight to a reverse pyramid:
500 lbs X 1rep X 1set
490 lbs X 2reps X 2sets
480 lbs X 3reps X 2sets
470 lbs X 4reps X 2set
460 lbs X 5reps X 1set

And I’m done.
Its smart to wait 3 to 4 minutes between sets.

I’m usually in and out of the gym in 40 minutes

2

no love for the hamstrings, or back for that matter.

3

why the need for 100reps at 135??

4

“The only way to get faster in my humble opinion is to do heavy squats for minimal reps” are you serious?

5

Dead serious

Thats just for warming up.

6

Way too many sets for “warm-up”. If you can squat 500lbs below parallel, I would focus on other qualities unless you are running 10.4 or better.

7

so by your reasoning if i was 165 lbs and squated say 800 lbs i would be the fastest person in the world, simply because i can squat 800 lbs.

8

I never said that and obviously thats not true, what I’m saying is you can drastically increase your speed by making your legs stronger.

I could squat 1,000 lbs and I probably still wouldnt break 10 seconds

9

stronger or more powerful. say i increase my squat 400 lbs but i can only express that strength slowly what benefit would it have to my sprint.

10

Stronger legs = faster sprint times.
Why else do you think most sprinters spend so much time squatting in the weight room???

I dont understand what you’re trying to say “expressing strength slowly” :confused:

11

o boy im not sure where to start on this one. “stronger legs = faster sprint times” what kind of strength? is their a limit? why dont the strongest 165 lbs squater in the world sprint? by your logic it should be a simple transition for one of these individuals to make it to elite level status.

elite level sprinters squat becasue its a tool and excercise like any other. your statement would have me believe that thats all they do is squat. find me an elite sprinter that only squats or even believes this theory of yours.

this tells me you dont have that big a background in sprts science. force can be expressed at different rates, different speeds, different accelerations. so if you can only express strength slowly there is no transfer to sprinting inwhich velocity is key.

i figure you havent been traiing that long or atleast you havent been in sport science that long. you started squating and your time went down and you dont realize that that is only one component of becomeing a fast individual. let me say it very simply, your not going to continue to advance simply by squating. is it important to a program. yes. is it the only thing .NO!

12

I dont have a PHD is sports science, thats for sure.
And I’m not arrogant enough to admit I dont know it all.

But since you seem to know so much James, why dont you write down your complete training program (like I did in my post above).
That ought to be interesting

13

thats a COMPLETE training program?

14

As far as weight lifting is concerned, yes.
I also do bench press and situps but I doubt they figure much into my sprint times.

So lets hear it JC, your training program please.
And I want to hear exact sets, reps, time spent on each training component…etc

15

ok first ill need to know your training history, can you get into a biomechanically effecient postion? do you even know what that means? do you require more speed strenght , or perhaps strength speed. ideally i would like to see you perform video of various excercises so i can do a kinesiology analysis of your weakness. but since you wont do that. and i could copy and paste any old program which would prove actuall nothing i wont. if you think that training to be fast is just aobu tlifting heavy weights then you have a long way to go. ur stubborn you believe that the way you train is the best way. i gauruntee you if you keep on reading and training within a year you will have learned better. until then good luck. hope you dont blow out a hamstring.

16

damn unreal volume…

17

The influence of maximal isometric strength on dynamic force and velocity is greater in havily resisted, slow movements, although there is no correlation between maximal velocity and maximal strength (Zatsiorsky, 1995).

supertraining.

18

sit-ups and bench are two extremely important factors in sprinting. well, not so much sit-ups, but a variety of core work.

as well, “stronger legs = faster sprint times” is pretty out there? its so general? why not “faster sprint times = an increase in weightlifting?”

you should read cfts and watch the gpp training vid:)

19

I never said its the only thing but I do think its probably one of the most importan things.

I certainly hope so

That makes two of us

20

Why are we always going around in circles? Listen, if you could squat 800lbs WITH PROPER FORM NOT THESE 1/10th-1/4 SQUATS THAT PEOPLE DELUDE THEMSELVES WITH; AND you was doing properly worked out sprint training AND making sure that you recovered in time from such sessions then why not?. You WILL run fast period, stop knocking this guy and get to work. Most truelly strong athletes with regeneration techniques in place who are fit and well trained DO run fast BECAUSE of their greater strength. You will become powerful everything goes up.