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Crank It Up: Sprinting Towards Single Digit Body Fat
Percentages With High Intensity Training
The relationship between sprinting and a rock-solid physique is why strength coach Erick Minor put
together the program in this article. He thinks it’s such a damn shame that so few bodybuilders
actually sprint anymore. It’s one of the few fat burning activities that can actually build muscle
tissue instead of catabolizing it, and it’s easy to do; just find a track and run! Well, and maybe
read this first…
Look around a track and field event sometime and you’ll notice the relationship
between sprinters and bodybuilders actually goes both ways, meaning a lot of full-
time sprinters also have damn impressive bodies!
Not surprisingly, their training off the track is remarkably similar to that of a hard-
lifting bodybuilder.
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.
Well…
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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.
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Let me be 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?
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The Sprinter’s Body – Nature vs. Nurture
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 youmay 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.
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I Wanna Look Like That!
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 Sprinter’s Body
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.)
Monday (10am): Track work: speed-endurance (300m, 200m, 100m)
Monday (2pm): Upper body strength training
Tuesday (10am): Track work: block starts (2 x 10m, 2 x 20m, 2 x 30m, 1 x 50m) or speed
work
Tuesday (2pm): Lower body quad dominant strength training (squats, knee flexors, hip
flexors)
Wednesday: Soft Tissue therapy/ Massage
Thursday (10am): Track work: speed day (5 x 60m) or (4 x 90m) or (3 x 120m) w/ 10 minute
rest interval
Thursday (2pm): Upper body strength training
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Friday (10am): Track work: speed endurance (3 x 150m) or (4 x 120m) or (180m, 150m,
120m)
Friday (2pm): Lower body hip dominant strength training (deadlifts, split squats, hip flexors)
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.
…. And the Joes
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.
Training Schedule:
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.
Monday: Upper body: Horizontal push/pull
Tuesday: Sprints
Wednesday: Rest
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Thursday: Legs (alternate quad and ham dominant days)
Friday: Upper Body: Vertical push/pull
Saturday: Sprints
Sunday: Rest
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Raise kness and pump arms, and dorsiflex foot (lift toe).
Drive ball of landing foot into the ground.
Active-Assisted Hamstring Stretch
Lie supine (on your back) with a small rolled-up towel under your low back.
Actively initiate hip flexion; once you reach the limit of your active range of motion use a strap
to deepen the stretch by pulling the leg a few inches farther.
Hold for 2 seconds; repeat until 6 reps are complete.
You will feel mild pain in the hamstring on each rep.
Your non-working leg should be in contact with the floor and completely straight with toe
pointing towards ceiling.
Sets: 3/leg
Reps: 6 reps (Photos at right)
Notes on sprinting workouts
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.
Intensity definitions
When running at 80% you should not feel strained. Running at 90% intensity is running at full speed under control. You’re running as fast as you
can while maintaining good body position (no arm flailing, neck and face are relaxed).
Running at 100% requires you to focus on applying as much force to the ground as possible.
Arm position: arms at 90 degrees, and your hands should pass your pants pockets during
each stride.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I follow a sprint-based training program?Here are just a few reasons:
Increased work capacity
Increased hamstring and glute development
Increased maximal strength on all lower body exercises
Loss of body fat
Many life & death situations that you might one day find yourself in will require you to sprint.
God forbid, if your toddler suddenly starts pedaling his tricycle towards a busy intersection,
you won’t be wishing you spent more time on a recumbent bike.
Where I live it’s winter eight months out of the year. Can I
replicate this program on my treadmill?
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: I haven’t sprinted since back when I played high school
football. So what do I do? Just, uh, run?
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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:
1. Keep shoulders down and relaxed, with eyes down the track and chin slightly tucked in. Keep
your torso erect; don’t lean forward like you’re trying to break Usain Bolt’s record.
2. Keep hands relaxed and open, like holding an egg.
3. Arms should not cross in front of body; arm motion should be front to back, front to back with
hands passing pants pockets on each stride.
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?
Passive stretching doesn’t prevent hamstring pulls. Increasing active range-of-motion andincreasing eccentric hamstring strength prevents hamstring pulls.
Q: Should I focus on running faster each workout? Do I try to beat my best time or best distance?
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.
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Off to the Track
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.
Author: Erick MinorWebsite: www.erickminor.com
Erick Minor is a freelance writer and the owner of Strength Studio a sports
performance and personal training studio located in Fort Worth, Texas.