Sprint Training For Conditioning
By Brian Biagioli MS
A big concern for many athletes, bodybuilders and weight lifters is gaining muscle mass without gaining body fat. Attempting to eat enough calories to support increases in muscle mass often leads to weight gain but with increased adipose tissue. To rid the body of excess fat tissue requires greater caloric expenditure, commonly fixed with aerobic exercise. Concurrent strength and aerobic training leads to decreases in muscle mass. This seemingly endless catch 22 has lead many people to take unnecessary, unhealthy steps to keep the fat off, while putting the muscle on.
There is a better way. The answer lies in sports conditioning. Take a look around the wide world of sports. Athletes are muscular, powerful and carry very low amounts of fat. For sports like football, basketball, and baseball the basis for the sports is speed and power. Athletes must be able to move explosively, have excellent speed, and deliver power on call. In sports the athlete must be able to repetitively perform at peak output so conditioning is vital. The way they attain lean muscular physiques is through specialized conditioning and resistance training. These practices lead to increased muscle mass and low body fat compositions. The answer to adding on lean mass.
It all comes down to energy systems. Once you develop a better understanding of how human physiology works you will be able to use that knowledge to your advantage. The body runs its machinery using four sources of energy. Immediate energy is supplied by ATP (adenosine triphosphate). It is the only form of energy that the body can use for work. Much like a car can only run on gasoline. Even though gas comes from oil, you wouldn’t put oil in your gas tank. The body works the same way all food must be broken down to ATP before it can be used for energy. The body has minimal amounts of ATP in the muscle. It gets used very quickly – less than 3 seconds. For this reason the body must get more ATP to perform physical tasks.
Once the stored ATP is used the body calls upon Creatine Phosphate also called phosphocreatine. Yes this is where the supplement creatine monohydrate helps. The body has creatine phosphate in the muscle. It supplies energy for up to 10 seconds. The ATP-Phosphocreatine energy is the most powerful. That’s why we can lift maximum weights between 1-5reps. After that the body must get its energy from carbohydrates. It breaks muscle glycogen (chains of sugar) into ATP and lactic acid. The ATP supplies the muscle with energy, the lactic acid provides you with the contractile burn. This energy lasts up to three minutes. These three energy systems all create ATP without oxygen. Hence the term anaerobic metabolism. Anaerobic metabolism provides the energy for strength and power.
1. ATP ADP + Pi 2. ADP + CP = ATP 3. Glycolysis ATP + Lactic Acid
After the initial three minutes of exercise the body switches to aerobic metabolism. Energy derived from fuel combined with oxygen. This system is far more efficient. The body can generate far more ATP from aerobic metabolism than it can from anaerobic metabolism. The only problem is when the body becomes more efficient in aerobic metabolism it negatively affects strength and power. This is why it is so difficult to combine weight training for increases in muscle mass while trying to burn excess fat and calories with aerobic training. Realize the more muscle a body has the more work it takes the body to keep it. It is much happier getting rid of excess muscle so it doesn’t have to work so hard.
For this reason it makes far more sense to stay in anaerobic metabolism when training for muscle size and strength. We know that high volume resistance training increases muscle mass. We also know that it takes 2500 kcal (calories) to add a pound of lean muscle. This is why it is important to consume plenty of calories and ample protein to supply the tissue with the right materials to increase mass. This, though puts us back to the starting point of avoiding fat mass with increased caloric intakes. To solve this problem we can go back to the athletes. Anyone who has watched the Olympics has surely marveled at the muscle size and condition of the sprinters. The speed athletes all have great muscle development and very low amounts of fat. They are powerful yet lean, and they all train anaerobically.
Taking some of the pages from the book on speed athlete we can see that their training consists of weight training, plyometrics and sprinting. So it only makes sense that we steal from their training programs to enhance our own. By training mainly in the anaerobic energy system we can reduce muscle loss due to catabolism and enzymatic changes. We can utilize higher intensity training to lose fat without losing muscle mass gained from resistance training. It gives us the best of both worlds.
Once you have established that you are up for the challenge you must analyze your current status. Many weight training enthusiasts have developed muscle imbalances due to training favoritism and poor program construction. This type of training also requires adequate flexibility and proper technique. So before we hit the track and start sprinting and bounding we must consider some important factors first.
Training acclimation describes a progressive development of the specific adaptations that must occur before the body is ready to undergo advanced stress. If, for instance, the quadricep to hamstring balance is off a pulled hamstring is sure to follow. Likewise poor trunk stabilization, weak joints, and poor flexibility can all lead to injury. So preparing oneself for this new training regimen is not only wise it is vital.
A minimum three week period should be used for training preparation. During this time the focus will be on balanced muscularity, increased range of motion, and joint stability. Several functional exercises can be very useful during this time period. The following list of exercises and stretches are excellent for the preparation of sprint and plyometric training.
Lifts Stretches
Power Clean Wide leg forward reach
Snatch Wide leg ankle reach
Pulls Supine cross body
Jerks Elevated leg ankle reach
Deadlift Standing floor touch
Romanian Deadlift Supine ab roll
Squat Butterfly groin stretch
Lunges Side quad stretch
Reverse Leg Raise Bent knee torso stretch
Goodmorning Standing calf stretch
These lifts and stretches can be blended into your current training program. These lifts must be done correctly if they are to positively contribute to your training. Attempting new training modalities without proper technique will cause injury. So before attempting these lifts consult a training professional for assistance. Other movements such as seated and standing calf raises and leg flexion and extension can be very beneficial as well.
The next step once you have your preparation considered is practicing functional movements that will aid in your development. Using plyometric training can lend itself to excellent power development. To begin pick some easy plyometric exercises and progress as your body allows. Moving too quickly will, again, cause injury. Using the model below begin your functional activities.
Warm-up before each and every workout!
Week Drill Set/Reps Rest x/Week
1-2 3 L 2-3 x 8-10 2 min 2
3-4 2L 2M 2 x 10 2 min 2
5-6 4 M 2-3 x 8-10 3 min 2
7-8 2M 2H 2-3 x 8-10 3 min 2
L= Low intensity M= Medium intensity H= High intensity
(adapted from W.B. Allerheiligen, 1994, Speed Development and Plyometric Training)
Low Intensity Medium Intensity High Intensity
Squat jumps Box jumps Lateral Bounds
Split squat jumps Lateral Box jumps Depth Jumps to Long Jump
Long Jump Knee Tucks Single leg bounds
Single leg hops Multiple forward Bounds Single leg box jumps
Once you have your concurrent training in place we can now look at adding sprints. The first step is making sure that you understand how to actually run properly. It sounds funny but most people have very bad running gait. The term form running is used to describe training for better running efficiency. The goal is to generate all your power to collectively move you horizontally as fast as possible. Form running focuses on three primary areas, your arms your torso and your legs. Using proper running mechanics will help you to safely and more effectively condition your body.
To run in correct posture the body must be relaxed in a naturally upright position. When your foot actual strikes the ground it should be directly under your center of gravity. If your foot is out too far in front of you overstriding will occur. During the normal running cycle the leg moves through three distinct phases: the drive phase, foot to ground contact, the recovery phase, leg swings back from the hip, and the support phase, when the runners weight is directly on the entire foot.
The drive phase is characterized by the pushing action off the ball of the foot. It contributes to overall speed. The recovery phase occurs when the knee joint closes and the foot cycles through moving upwards and forwards. The leg then extends as it comes in proximity with another ground strike. At this point the ball of the foot strikes the ground supporting the entire weight of the body. The farther back the ground strike is on the foot the slower the sped the body will move. The goal of the stride cycle is to maximize stride length and frequency for greater speeds.
The arms play a pivotal role in maximizing stride length. Often this important contributor does not get enough attention so speed is lost to poor economics. The arms work in opposite of the legs. The shoulders should always be relaxed since the swing is generated from the shoulder joint. The shoulders should always be square pointing in the direction of the run. On the forward swing the arms should remain at about 90 degrees with the upswing hand staying inside the shoulder and moving up to just in front of the chin. As the arm moves through the downward swing the elbow will extend slightly. At the bottom phase the hand is in line with the hip. It then moves back and the joint angle closes to match the angle of the upward swing.
The mechanics of running dictates that for better efficiency more fluid relaxed movements is attained.
Hopefully you now have a better understanding of proper running gait and can practice the form run with excellent technique. It is time to implement the sprint conditioning into your program. Just like any activity or performance practice a proper warm-up should be included. Other components should include flexibility exercises, form running drills, the conditioning phase, and a cool down. Each component should get equal attention so the whole workout is a success.
Phase Sets Time in Phase
Warm-up 10-12 minutes
Jog 440 – 880 yards with gradual increase in speed x1
120 yards – gradual acceleration, maintain speed, coast x8
40 yards of functional movements (backward, lateral) x2 each direction
40 yards skips x5
Stretch
Sprint Training 15 minutes
220 yards x4
110 yards x6
Speed Endurance 12-15 minutes
80 yards x3
60 yards x3
40 yards x3
Cooldown 7-10 minutes
Light jogging and stretching
This model is a basic program day. It is based on the assumption that the participant already has a base condition suitable to handle this training regimen. The Rest Intervals are goal and condition dependent. If a greater emphasis on cardiovascular conditioning is needed rest intervals can be shortened. The caloric expenditures is still the same but the training duration will change. The program can be modified to meet the specific needs of the participant but should still follow a frequency of 3 times per week for a 40-60 minute duration.
About the Author
Brian Biagioli
Brian holds a Masters in Exercise Physiology and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Sports Medicine. Mr. Biagioli is Director of Education for the National Council of Strength & Fitness and is recognized nationally for contributions and excellence in the field of Strength and Fitness. Brian is also a certified Olympic Weight Lifting Coach.
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