Okay, quiz time. What's the most foolproof way to increase an athlete's performance?
"Increase his VO2 max?"
Nope.
"Uh, improve one-arm Kettlebell snatch on a Bosu ball performance?"
Hell no.
Okay, quiz time. What's the most foolproof way to increase an athlete's performance?
The most reliable way to increase any athlete's performance is to improve his or her strength-to-weight ratio, which is a fancy way of saying minimizing the amount of bodyfat the athlete carries while maintaining or adding lean body mass.
Typically, any athlete with a favorable muscle to fat ratio is likely to have higher relative strength. High levels of relative strength are necessary in many sports for world-class success.
The same rules apply for recreational athletes or guys who just want to look good naked. With the exception of a handful of pure strength sports, a leaner body will perform better and faster, not to mention look better when the clothes come off.
So when an athlete or weekend warrior rolls into my facility, how do I go about improving anaerobic performance, maintaining and/or increasing maximal strength, and reducing body fat? Well, the first thing you have to understand is what I don't do.
Some of you may know that I don't recommend steady-state "aerobic" exercise for the conditioning of any athlete. Let me blunt here: the only athletes that should perform low intensity cardio such as jogging are distance runners, tri-athletes, or someone needing to lose muscle tissue.
Yes, you read right, unless your goal is to have LESS lean muscle mass, the hamster wheel approach to energy system work is not for you.
For maximum body composition and anaerobic performance improvements, the modality of choice is sprinting. A well-designed sprint program will create significant losses of body fat and at the same time increase your anaerobic work capacity and posterior chain development. So less fat, better lungs, and a dead-sexy butt that will make the nymphets and cougars come crawling. What more could you ask for?
Pound for pound, sprinters are some of the leanest and strongest athletes on the planet. They possess the perfect storm of fast-twitch dominance, exceptional reaction time, great work capacity, and a favorable endocrine profile. Physically, they look pretty damn good too.
Now you may suspect that a sprinter's physical characteristics are all a product of awesome genetics, but that's only one aspect of the resultant physical outcome. Yes, a certain body type is preferential for success in sprinting, but training, lifestyle, and diet all have a big impact on the expression of physical qualities.
To understand my point, just attend a collegiate level track meet and you'll note that certain track events develop specific physical characteristics in their participants. For example, even the guy or girl who places dead last in the 200 or 400m sprint will still typically have well developed glutes, hamstrings, and fairly low body fat levels. Even though they may not have what it takes to win even a Junior College track meet, their body resembles that of a world-class athlete. I attribute this to the training.
As a strength coach of some world-class sprinters, I'm often asked if their training regimens would only be of benefit to full time athletes or if the average Joe might reap similar rewards as well.
That's a good question, as it also plays into the Nature vs. Nurture genetics debate mentioned earlier. So for those who think it's all genetics and that pro sprinters were born to look and perform the way that they do, check out this training program for one of the top sprinters I train:
The following program outlines the typical pre-season training schedule of Darvis "Doc" Patton, #5 ranked 100-meter sprinter of 2009.
(Track workout designed by Monte Stratton, coach of multiple Olympic sprinters.)
Twice a day workouts, off day restorative sessions, and nary a moment wasted on those minor irritants in life like a JOB? Almost makes you want to be a pro athlete, doesn't it? (Maybe keep this schedule in mind the next time your know-it-all buddy looks at a chiseled Olympian and snorts, "Genetics" between his endless sets of seated 12 ounce Heineken curls.)
But you'll be pleased to know that while Olympic hopefuls require a life devoted to training, time-challenged regular folks can experience very significant results with a much more modest training schedule.
Now that you've seen a glimpse of how a world-class sprinter trains, here's an abbreviated version that will work for the typical Joe with normal work and family commitments. It may not have you nipping at Doc Patton's heels in six weeks, but you should expect serious reductions in body fat, increased anaerobic performance, and the beginning development of a smooth gluteal fold that even your long-suffering wife won't resist slapping.
You'll sprint twice a week, and weight-train three days a week. You'll perform a heavy maintenance session for legs once per week for the six-week cycle.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Bench Press, contrast method | 6 | (5,1,4,1,3,1) | 21X1 | 2 min |
| A2 | One-Arm DB Row | 6 | 4-6 | 31X0 | 2 min |
| B | Low Decline DB Press | 3 | 6-8 | 3010 | 90 sec |
| C | Farmers Walk | 4 | 60 feet | 2 min |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Podium Deadlift | 6 | 3-5 | 31X1 | 3 min |
| B | Split Squat, front foot elevated | 3-4 | 4-6 | 3010 | 2 min |
| C1 | Reverse Hip extension | 3 | 8-10 | 3010 | 90 sec |
| C2 | Static Side Deadlift | 3 | 20 sec | 90 sec |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Squat, back, heels elevated | 3-4 | 3-5 | 31X1 | 3 min |
| A2 | Glute-Ham Raise w/ eccentric overload | 3-4 | 6-8 | 30X1 | 2 min |
| B | Side Bridge | 3 | 8-10 | 1015 | 60 sec |
| C | Reverse Hip Extension | 3 | 10-12 | 2010 | 60 sec |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Log Press or Barbell Push Press | 5 | 3-5 | 21X1 | 90 sec |
| A2 | Chin-up, medium grip, neutral | 5 | 4-6 | 31X0 | 90 sec |
| B1 | Pullovers with DB | 3 | 6-8 | 3010 | 90 sec |
| B2 | Prowler Push * | 4 | 60 feet | 90 sec |
* If you don't have access to a Prowler, perform burpees for 20-second sets. Wear a weight vest to increase difficulty
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Jog (warm-up) | 400 m | 1 | 3 min |
| High Knee March | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| Butt Kicks | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| Lateral Shuffle | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| Cariocas | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| A-Skips | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| Strides, run at half speed | 50 m | 2 | 2 min |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint, focus on knee lift | 100m | 4-5 | 80 % | 4 min |
| Walk, cool-down | 400m | 1 | Brisk pace | |
| Active assisted hamstring stretch |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 80 m | 1 | 80% | 3 min |
| Sprint, high effort | 50 m | 2 | 90% | 5 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 30 m | 2-3 | 100% | 5 min |
| Walk, cool down | 400 m | 1 | Brisk pace |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint, high effort | 200 m | 2 | 90% | 5 min |
| Sprint, high effort | 100 m | 2-3 | 90% | 5 min |
| Walk, cool-down | 400m | 1 | Brisk pace | |
| Active assisted hamstring stretch |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 100 m | 1 | 80% | 3 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 60 m | 3 | 100% | 5 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 40 m | 2-3 | 100% | 5 min |
| Walk, cool down | 400 m | 1 | Brisk pace |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 200 m | 2 | 90% | 4 min |
| Sprint | 150 m | 2 | 90% | 4 min |
| Sprint | 100 m | 3-4 | 90% | 4 min |
| Walk, cool-down | 400m | 1 | Brisk pace | |
| Active assisted hamstring stretch |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 90 m | 1 | 90% | 3 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 60 m | 3-4 | 100% | 6 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 40 m | 2-3 | 100% | 6 min |
| Walk, cool down | 400 m | 1 | Brisk pace |
You may notice I don't recommend any distance over 200 meters. This is because I want you to focus on working within the short term and intermediate energy system (anaerobic alactic and anaerobic lactic system). All sprints should take less than 30 seconds to complete. If you have less than 10% body fat and can't run 200 meters in less than 30 seconds, you're in sorry shape, my friend.
Here are just a few reasons:
Doubtful. Most treadmills, even the higher end commercial ones found at your neighborhood big box fitness center, won't cut it – unless you're dreadfully out of shape. One notable exception would be high-speed Woodway treadmills. But if your facility doesn't have these, you need access to an indoor facility with a track- or move!
Neither. You will get faster just because you haven't sprinted in the past. Trainees sprinting for cosmetic purposes (fat loss, glute hamstring hypertrophy) should focus on effort more so than time. A program designed to improve sprint time/performance would be significantly different, including longer rest intervals and start work.
Perfecting sprint form sprinting is much more in depth than many would think and requires years of practice and precise coaching. While most of this is irrelevant to the average guy just trying to sprint his way back into shape, here are a few key points to focus on when sprinting:
Passive stretching doesn't prevent hamstring pulls. Increasing active range-of-motion and increasing eccentric hamstring strength prevents hamstring pulls.
Getting off the stationary bike and onto the track may seem a little scary to some bodybuilders. Don't be afraid. Some of the finest built bodies of yesterday and today consider sprinting to be an essential part of their training toolbox. Remember, you have only stubborn body fat to lose and rock-hard quads, hamstrings, and glutes to gain.
The most reliable way to increase any athlete's performance is to improve his or her strength-to-weight ratio, which is a fancy way of saying minimizing the amount of bodyfat the athlete carries while maintaining or adding lean body mass.
Typically, any athlete with a favorable muscle to fat ratio is likely to have higher relative strength. High levels of relative strength are necessary in many sports for world-class success.
The same rules apply for recreational athletes or guys who just want to look good naked. With the exception of a handful of pure strength sports, a leaner body will perform better and faster, not to mention look better when the clothes come off.
So when an athlete or weekend warrior rolls into my facility, how do I go about improving anaerobic performance, maintaining and/or increasing maximal strength, and reducing body fat? Well, the first thing you have to understand is what I don't do.
Some of you may know that I don't recommend steady-state "aerobic" exercise for the conditioning of any athlete. Let me blunt here: the only athletes that should perform low intensity cardio such as jogging are distance runners, tri-athletes, or someone needing to lose muscle tissue.
Yes, you read right, unless your goal is to have LESS lean muscle mass, the hamster wheel approach to energy system work is not for you.
For maximum body composition and anaerobic performance improvements, the modality of choice is sprinting. A well-designed sprint program will create significant losses of body fat and at the same time increase your anaerobic work capacity and posterior chain development. So less fat, better lungs, and a dead-sexy butt that will make the nymphets and cougars come crawling. What more could you ask for?
Pound for pound, sprinters are some of the leanest and strongest athletes on the planet. They possess the perfect storm of fast-twitch dominance, exceptional reaction time, great work capacity, and a favorable endocrine profile. Physically, they look pretty damn good too.
Now you may suspect that a sprinter's physical characteristics are all a product of awesome genetics, but that's only one aspect of the resultant physical outcome. Yes, a certain body type is preferential for success in sprinting, but training, lifestyle, and diet all have a big impact on the expression of physical qualities.
To understand my point, just attend a collegiate level track meet and you'll note that certain track events develop specific physical characteristics in their participants. For example, even the guy or girl who places dead last in the 200 or 400m sprint will still typically have well developed glutes, hamstrings, and fairly low body fat levels. Even though they may not have what it takes to win even a Junior College track meet, their body resembles that of a world-class athlete. I attribute this to the training.
As a strength coach of some world-class sprinters, I'm often asked if their training regimens would only be of benefit to full time athletes or if the average Joe might reap similar rewards as well.
That's a good question, as it also plays into the Nature vs. Nurture genetics debate mentioned earlier. So for those who think it's all genetics and that pro sprinters were born to look and perform the way that they do, check out this training program for one of the top sprinters I train:
The following program outlines the typical pre-season training schedule of Darvis "Doc" Patton, #5 ranked 100-meter sprinter of 2009.
(Track workout designed by Monte Stratton, coach of multiple Olympic sprinters.)
Twice a day workouts, off day restorative sessions, and nary a moment wasted on those minor irritants in life like a JOB? Almost makes you want to be a pro athlete, doesn't it? (Maybe keep this schedule in mind the next time your know-it-all buddy looks at a chiseled Olympian and snorts, "Genetics" between his endless sets of seated 12 ounce Heineken curls.)
But you'll be pleased to know that while Olympic hopefuls require a life devoted to training, time-challenged regular folks can experience very significant results with a much more modest training schedule.
Now that you've seen a glimpse of how a world-class sprinter trains, here's an abbreviated version that will work for the typical Joe with normal work and family commitments. It may not have you nipping at Doc Patton's heels in six weeks, but you should expect serious reductions in body fat, increased anaerobic performance, and the beginning development of a smooth gluteal fold that even your long-suffering wife won't resist slapping.
You'll sprint twice a week, and weight-train three days a week. You'll perform a heavy maintenance session for legs once per week for the six-week cycle.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Bench Press, contrast method | 6 | (5,1,4,1,3,1) | 21X1 | 2 min |
| A2 | One-Arm DB Row | 6 | 4-6 | 31X0 | 2 min |
| B | Low Decline DB Press | 3 | 6-8 | 3010 | 90 sec |
| C | Farmers Walk | 4 | 60 feet | 2 min |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Podium Deadlift | 6 | 3-5 | 31X1 | 3 min |
| B | Split Squat, front foot elevated | 3-4 | 4-6 | 3010 | 2 min |
| C1 | Reverse Hip extension | 3 | 8-10 | 3010 | 90 sec |
| C2 | Static Side Deadlift | 3 | 20 sec | 90 sec |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Squat, back, heels elevated | 3-4 | 3-5 | 31X1 | 3 min |
| A2 | Glute-Ham Raise w/ eccentric overload | 3-4 | 6-8 | 30X1 | 2 min |
| B | Side Bridge | 3 | 8-10 | 1015 | 60 sec |
| C | Reverse Hip Extension | 3 | 10-12 | 2010 | 60 sec |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Log Press or Barbell Push Press | 5 | 3-5 | 21X1 | 90 sec |
| A2 | Chin-up, medium grip, neutral | 5 | 4-6 | 31X0 | 90 sec |
| B1 | Pullovers with DB | 3 | 6-8 | 3010 | 90 sec |
| B2 | Prowler Push * | 4 | 60 feet | 90 sec |
* If you don't have access to a Prowler, perform burpees for 20-second sets. Wear a weight vest to increase difficulty
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Jog (warm-up) | 400 m | 1 | 3 min |
| High Knee March | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| Butt Kicks | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| Lateral Shuffle | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| Cariocas | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| A-Skips | 20 m | 2 | 1 min |
| Strides, run at half speed | 50 m | 2 | 2 min |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint, focus on knee lift | 100m | 4-5 | 80 % | 4 min |
| Walk, cool-down | 400m | 1 | Brisk pace | |
| Active assisted hamstring stretch |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 80 m | 1 | 80% | 3 min |
| Sprint, high effort | 50 m | 2 | 90% | 5 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 30 m | 2-3 | 100% | 5 min |
| Walk, cool down | 400 m | 1 | Brisk pace |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint, high effort | 200 m | 2 | 90% | 5 min |
| Sprint, high effort | 100 m | 2-3 | 90% | 5 min |
| Walk, cool-down | 400m | 1 | Brisk pace | |
| Active assisted hamstring stretch |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 100 m | 1 | 80% | 3 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 60 m | 3 | 100% | 5 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 40 m | 2-3 | 100% | 5 min |
| Walk, cool down | 400 m | 1 | Brisk pace |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 200 m | 2 | 90% | 4 min |
| Sprint | 150 m | 2 | 90% | 4 min |
| Sprint | 100 m | 3-4 | 90% | 4 min |
| Walk, cool-down | 400m | 1 | Brisk pace | |
| Active assisted hamstring stretch |
| Exercise | Distance | Set | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 90 m | 1 | 90% | 3 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 60 m | 3-4 | 100% | 6 min |
| Sprint, max effort | 40 m | 2-3 | 100% | 6 min |
| Walk, cool down | 400 m | 1 | Brisk pace |
You may notice I don't recommend any distance over 200 meters. This is because I want you to focus on working within the short term and intermediate energy system (anaerobic alactic and anaerobic lactic system). All sprints should take less than 30 seconds to complete. If you have less than 10% body fat and can't run 200 meters in less than 30 seconds, you're in sorry shape, my friend.
Q: Why should I follow a sprint-based training program?
A: Here are just a few reasons:
Q: Where I live it's winter eight months out of the year. Can I replicate this program on my treadmill?
A: Doubtful. Most treadmills, even the higher end commercial ones found at your neighborhood big box fitness center, won't cut it – unless you're dreadfully out of shape. One notable exception would be high-speed Woodway treadmills. But if your facility doesn't have these, you need access to an indoor facility with a track- or move!
Q: Should I focus on running faster each workout? Do I try to beat my best time or best distance?
A: Neither. You will get faster just because you haven't sprinted in the past. Trainees sprinting for cosmetic purposes (fat loss, glute hamstring hypertrophy) should focus on effort more so than time. A program designed to improve sprint time/performance would be significantly different, including longer rest intervals and start work.
Q: I haven't sprinted since back when I played high school football. So what do I do? Just, uh, run?
A: Perfecting sprint form sprinting is much more in depth than many would think and requires years of practice and precise coaching. While most of this is irrelevant to the average guy just trying to sprint his way back into shape, here are a few key points to focus on when sprinting:
Q: The last time I tried sprinting without stretching first I pulled a hamstring. Why do you only have hamstring stretches after the sprint sessions?
A: Passive stretching doesn't prevent hamstring pulls. Increasing active range-of-motion and increasing eccentric hamstring strength prevents hamstring pulls.
Getting off the stationary bike and onto the track may seem a little scary to some bodybuilders. Don't be afraid. Some of the finest built bodies of yesterday and today consider sprinting to be an essential part of their training toolbox. Remember, you have only stubborn body fat to lose and rock-hard quads, hamstrings, and glutes to gain.
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