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Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:30 am

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Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:16 am
Posts: 28
Location: Salt Lake City

Hello All:
This thread is not an attempt to start a debate on the merits of strength training for sprinting. Rather, I would just like to hear comments from those of you who do engage in strength training as a part of your training for 100 and 200m.
In my case, I am currently 53 and have been out of the sport for a long time. I have been cycling for most of the last 30 years and so I am generally fit but my body has morphed to a shape that is not optimal for sprinting (e.g. skinny butt cyclist with no gluts). As part of my long term project to get back to fast running I have been in the gym with a focus on squats to build hip extension strength. Based on my current weights and reps and the 1RM calculator here http://www.muscletech.com/resources/tools/calculators/rep.shtml I am on track to squat twice body weight by Feb. I have always consider 2xBW to be the cover charge for elite power sports. Once I get to that standard, I will switch to more plyo based training and of course I will be mixing in running all along.
Anyway, back to my question: Those of you who do squats as part of your sprint training, what is your 1 RM as a % of body weight? At what point in the year do you transition from a strength emphasis to a power/speed emphasis? Do have any tips to offer on moving from the gym to the track?
Thanks in advance,
Jim



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Sun Nov 14, 2010 11:22 pm

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Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:26 pm
Posts: 26
Location: Upstate NY

Your message is old, but I know I was not doing 2X when I was sprinting well. At 55, I ran a 12.80 FAT 100 meter at 220 lbs and was squatting 390. I am pretty sure I could have squatted more, but this seemed to be as much as I could handle safely. I do think it's important to work on hamstring curl: quad extension strength. Football players tend to be about 60% but sprinters need to be much higher. I was doing sets of 15-20 curling 140 and extending 190 at 55.



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Sun Nov 14, 2010 11:29 pm

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Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:26 pm
Posts: 26
Location: Upstate NY

I misspoke, Jimbo. I just used your calculator. My 3 x 390 converts to a 440s 1RM which was, indeed, 2X my weight.



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Mon Nov 15, 2010 8:15 am

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Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:16 am
Posts: 28
Location: Salt Lake City

Hi Mike:
Thanks for your response. Yes I agree hamstring curl is an important lift and I had been doing single leg curls with up to 130 lbs on the machine at my gym. Lately I have switched to single leg hyperextensions because the whole lift is done with a more elongated hamstring. I have not been doing extensions so I don't know my extension/flexion ratio. I'll have a go at extension and go back to the curl machine to get a sense for my ratio.
Best wishes for good speed and no injuries,
Jim

Mike Fortunato wrote:
I do think it's important to work on hamstring curl: quad extension strength. Football players tend to be about 60% but sprinters need to be much higher. I was doing sets of 15-20 curling 140 and extending 190 at 55.



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Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:17 am

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:27 pm
Posts: 105

Some of you must also be strength coaches at colleges.

Just scares me to hear about knee curls and leg extensions in 2010.

I'd be doing tons of RDLs (romanian deadlifts for the hammies.

Big squats might be OK, but you'd be surprised how many older elite throwers are avoiding them. Try the Wendler 5-3-1 for good basic strength. I substituted box squats for the squat. Jim set this program up for guys who have lifted big weights and now want to stay strong, yet not beat up.



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Mon Nov 15, 2010 11:46 am

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Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:16 am
Posts: 28
Location: Salt Lake City

rev gj wrote:
Some of you must also be strength coaches at colleges.
Just scares me to hear about knee curls and leg extensions in 2010.

Hi GJ: Can you elaborate on this please? Why is this scary? Also, I don't understand the bit about college coaches. Please clarify.
rev gj wrote:
I'd be doing tons of RDLs (romanian deadlifts for the hammies.

I spent some time with these but felt like I was having trouble keeping a lordotic curve in my back. So I switched to hyperextensions. Seems to hit my hamstrings pretty hard but with no back issues (knock wood).
rev gj wrote:
Big squats might be OK, but you'd be surprised how many older elite throwers are avoiding them. Try the Wendler 5-3-1 for good basic strength. I substituted box squats for the squat. Jim set this program up for guys who have lifted big weights and now want to stay strong, yet not beat up.

I can certainly see the merit of this approach for those "have lifted big weights and now want to stay strong". In my case I need to do quite a bit of morphing to increase glute mass. For that reason I am going with the most basic approach: Lots of squats at 10 reps with progressive increases in weight. So far so good.
Cheers,
Jim



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Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:48 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:27 pm
Posts: 105

Just figured that many masters athletes are also strength coaches. Was trying to get some to speak up what they think works.

Sets of 10 with the back squat will work. You can go lighter.

I find using a trap bar works both the hammies and quads, with less stress on the back.
Also trap bar farmers walks and lots of doubles. A double on the 30 second mark for 20-30 reps. Not too heavy, 315#, just enough to work.

At our ages, still not crazy about GHRs.



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Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:09 pm

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Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:00 pm
Posts: 1

It has been my experience to avoid leg curls and leg extention bench lifting. I never pulled a hamstring in my life until I started doing leg curls, never again. I use resistance bands tied around the shoe, squats, dead lifts, cleans, squat jumps, plyometrics, hill sprints, starts dragging a 40lb weight ...but not leg curls. Seems to put a lot of pressure on the knees. I've increased my indoor 55m time .31 sec this season.



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Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:36 pm

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Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:34 pm
Posts: 1

Thanks for the Strength training for sprints at M50. The running faster method is a speed training program as proven to increase athletic speed and performance. As Speed Training in Middletown, New Jersey helping in getting proper training.



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Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:37 pm

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Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:34 am
Posts: 3
Location: Utah

I am from South ogden Utah, age 49.

I do a lot of strength training in the winter months. When I get to track season i drop the leg lifting but still lift upper body.

I do a lot of stiff legged dead lifts and trap bar dead lifts. I also do regular dead lifts. If your are trying to get your glutes stonger I woulkd also squat on a smith cage with your foot position out in front of you. When you go down the first push up will be mostly glute.

I also do glute bridge and glute raises. My other go to glute exercise is steep hill sprints of 50M or less. I have huge glutes for any age. I will turn 50 in three months.

My max squat is in excess of two times body weight. I weigh 230 pounds my max squat is about 575.



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