Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

Some comments from an Australian web site on strength development for sprinting
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quads - I know this is not directly related to your topic but if you are an experienced lifter then I would advise to leave standard squats out unless you can go extremely deep and lift 200kg+. Unfortunately they add unnecessary stress on the lower back. the other problem is most people do not go deep enough i.e. below 90 degrees and hence bairly hit the glutes. remember the quads are used for stabilisation in sprinting. Big quads do not make you run fast it is the glutes and hamys that need strength and size. do single leg squats instead in a smith machine with the non-working foot near the other. do not put the resting foot behind you on a bench as this only futher isolates the quads. Just try these with bar and you will see what it means to hit those glutes. And please stay away from front squats you are not an ice skater or cyclist and you do not need hamstring problems

The whole point of weight training is to work the required muscle groups in your chosen activity. If you choose to do this in a more specific nature or general will probably depend on your own training theories.

If you are using your quads to accelerate then maybe you need to videotape your start and acceleration phase. If you are pushing (driving) correctly then you should feel your glutes working if you run (rather than push) out of the blocks then you may feel those quads. Further if you do squat work that predominately (I realise that any squatting does hit the quads to some extent) hits the quads (i.e. above 90 degrees / front squats etc) then it is more than likely the quads that you will recruit when sprinting (accelerating). However, if you want to maximise your acceleration potential then then you need to train those glutes (key to hip extension). Remember quads are used for stabilisation at ground contact it is the glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors that will and should dominate during acceleration.

To suggest that one should not try to mimic movements in the gym specific to sprinting may be a little short sighted, the jury is still out on this one! However, I agree that trying to perform end movements prior to establishing a strength base (ie in beginners) is a waste of time. You can't ice that cake if there is no cake.

Again why would you do calf raises I have worked with athletes from all sport whose calves decrease in size as they learn to run with a more rigid (dorsi-flexed ankle). Note due to the fibre composition of the gastrocs they are subject to increases in cross-sectional area just through incorrect sprinting (toes pointed) itself.

Again I would question why you would want to do front squats. Unless you are a cyclist, a speed skater or compete in vertical jump competitions over emphasising development of the quadriceps and quadriceps that are proportionally larger than the glute + hamstring complex will effect preferential recruitment and or lead to increased chances of hamstring injuries.

Try a set of single leg 'deep' squats in a smith machine and compare them to your squats. If your glutes are not screaming then you aren't going deep enough. If you do not feel them as you snap out of the blocks (similar to the 2nd pull in the clean) and while you are accelerating then maybe some specific glute med excercises to retrain your neural recruitment may be required. One of teh main benefits of single leg squats is that one the unilateral movement requires less weight then what you may have to lift in the bilateral squat to get the same effect. it is safer and far more effective.

If you read my other posts I did say that the quads will invariably be used in any squat. You can not avoid it and yes I agree that they do contribute to the block acceleration. However this occurs more so if you run out like most sprinetrs rather than drive!

If used and recruited correctly the gluteus will ena
ble much greater pushing forces to be produced. If you take a better look at the elite guys their quads may look big but compare them to the hamstring and glutes. Now look at your average track guy down the track running 11s just how much bigger are the quads when compared to the glutes and hamstrings!

I agree with much of that article as far as exercise selection. One of the main thing I liked about it was its point about squating deep. Something I might disagree with is that I believe the quads have more than just a stabilizing role during sprinting.  I think at the very least they are the primary muscle that is responsible for the degree of amortization at ground contact time (maybe this is what the author considers stabilizing?). Also, I think front squats can have a place in a training program as long as it's balanced by posterior chain work. For example, a full competitive style clean and jerk develops primarily the posterior chain on the clean pull; and then the quad complex on the front squat. It's a great exercise for time efficiency, power development, rate of force development, max strength and starting strength.

I think at the very least they are the primary muscle that is responsible for the degree of amortization at ground contact time (maybe this is what the author considers stabilizing?)

Mike, yes it is what the author regards as stabilisation.
Thoughts anyone on the single leg squat in the smith machine… I have seen some athletes look a lot better on the track after including this exercise.

I love single leg squats and with most squating movements I emphasize depth of movement for the reasons the author above mentioned. I've done and have had athetes do them standing on the ground with the the non-support leg elevated and going either back or forard without touching the ground. For those who lack the strength, balance or flexibility to go really deep while standing on the floor, standing on a box or other elevated surface makes this a little easier. I'm not sure if I've done them in the manner the author is referring to though. I have done them on a Smith machine where the non-support leg is placed elevated and behind the body while bearing little to no weight. I have done them like this in the past but am hesitant to use Smith machines too much now because they seem to force such an unnatural movement pattern. I think if this were the exercise he's referring to, it's a great one but I think I'd prefer to do it with free weights.