If I want to run faster should I squat heavy low reps or light high reps?

[Merc009]

?????

[xRibs]

Faster meaning what? 100m sprint? 5k? Really depends what you mean by "faster." For short distances you need burst and acceleration, so definitively work on power and overall strength, so lower reps, higher weights. If you are talking longer distances, then higher reps for sure.

Also work in accessory work along with the squats like weighted lunges, leg curls, and leg extensions.

[Merc009]

Faster meaning what? 100m sprint? 5k? Really depends what you mean by "faster." For short distances you need burst and acceleration, so definitively work on power and overall strength, so lower reps, higher weights. If you are talking longer distances, then higher reps for sure.

Also work in accessory work along with the squats like weighted lunges, leg curls, and leg extensions.

short distance

[MrNg]

short distance

The posterior chain is what you want to strengthen in order to build your speed for sprinting. In terms of squats, you will want to do them low rep and heavy weights. Focus on sitting back to hit the glutes and hamstrings. Deadlifts will also help.

[jdizzy21]

Heavy squats, deadlifts, power cleans are good for explosiveness, sled push/pull if you have access. There are some great exercises with resistance bands you could also do. Any core strength is important as well so work abs. Plyo is awesome for speed and power too, so try some box jumps and stuff like that. keep reps under 6-8 if you want short bursts of speed like a 100m sprint or 40 yd dash. Hope this helps man.

[ThundaHorz]

plyometrics of peace

[cumminapart]

Get one of those cd's that have the beeps which have a shorter spread with each beep. You'll start with a beep and sprint maybe 10 yrds and back before it beeps again. Each time it gets faster and eventually you won't be able to keep up. Judge improvement by how many times you can make it back and forth. It is an amazing work out and will do wonders for exploding off the start because that's all that it is!

[IDrinkBloodLOL]

Squats will not help you run.

Holy dick, the way people are about squats... smh

[GeneralSerpant]

Whatever kind of exercises you do, focus on heavy concentric. For endurance running, lift slower, and for shorter interval running do faster. Do a rep range that will give you a burn.

[acrawlingchaos]

If you want to run faster. Run, and then run more. As mentioned above, the best lifting crossover for sprinting would be plyometrics.

[CountChocula92]

Squats will not help you run.

Holy dick, the way people are about squats... smh

Amen brother.

[acrawlingchaos]

Squats will not help you run.

Holy dick, the way people are about squats... smh

Amen brother.

Fwiw, my girlfriend was a collegiate sprinter. Their lifting routine consisted of plyometric and single leg squats. Plyo squats have a strong crossover to sprinting.

[darrenash]

Squats will not help you run.

Holy dick, the way people are about squats... smh

I agree. As a former sprinter, the best exercise I found to improve my times were... wait for it..... running! Who'd have thought?

[adamdavidson47]

Do sprints with a weighted jacket.

[LlamaWithARifle]

Do all the compound lifts with low reps, plyometrics, weighted abdominal exercises and sprinting against resistance such as a parachute or resistance bands or both.

[Jimbo48]

Squats will not help you run.

Holy dick, the way people are about squats... smh

Seriously!! All the Olympic Sprinters do squats but I guess you know more than them.

[adamdavidson47]

Seriously!! All the Olympic Sprinters do squats but I guess you know more than them.

That doesn't mean it makes them faster. Stronger, yes. Faster, hell no. If it made them faster, everyone in the NFL would be running 4.4 40 yard dashes.

[Jimbo48]

That doesn't mean it makes them faster. Stronger, yes. Faster, hell no. If it made them faster, everyone in the NFL would be running 4.4 40 yard dashes.

You need to be strong to run fast. Speed is determined by stride length and stride frequency. To maximize your stride length, you need to increase your strength and minimize body fat. (That is why heavier NFL players do not run 4.4 40s because of excess weight.) Plyometrics will help increase your stride frequency.

What I stated is common knowledge in the sprinting world so please don't dispute it without citing references. I am not interested in your opinion.

[adamdavidson47]

You need to be strong to run fast. Speed is determined by stride length and stride frequency. To maximize your stride length, you need to increase your strength and minimize body fat. (That is why heavier NFL players do not run 4.4 40s because of excess weight.) Plyometrics will help increase your stride frequency.

What I stated is common knowledge in the sprinting world so please don't dispute it without citing references. I am not interested in your opinion.

So squatting is plyometrics?

[adamdavidson47]

You need to be strong to run fast.

No, you need to be fast to run fast.

[Jimbo48]

So squatting is plyometrics?

How did you get that from what I said! Squatting is for strength which will increase one's stride length. Plyometrics is for increasing stride frequency.

[adamdavidson47]

How did you get that from what I said! Squatting is for strength which will increase one's stride length. Plyometrics is for increasing stride frequency.

How is squatting going to increase your stride length? Does it make your legs longer?

[Jimbo48]

How is squatting going to increase your stride length? Does it make your legs longer?

It allows one to push off the ground with more force which will obviously increase one's stride length. This is one of the reason's that make Usain Bolt fast. He takes 41 strides in the 100m where most other runners take 43.

I suggest you watch a 100m sprint to see what I am talking about. Also, take a look at the size of the runners posterior chain. They get that way from squatting.

[adamdavidson47]

It allows one to push off the ground with more force which will obviously increase one's stride length. This is one of the reason's that make Usain Bolt fast. He takes 41 strides in the 100m where most other runners take 43.

I suggest you watch a 100m sprint to see what I am talking about. Also, take a look at the size of the runners posterior chain. They get that way from squatting.

The reason Bolt takes 41 strides is that he's a foot taller than everyone, hence his legs are longer.

[Jimbo48]

The reason Bolt takes 41 strides is that he's a foot taller than everyone, hence his legs are longer.

Asafa Powell is 6' 3" which is only 2" less than Bolt and he takes 45 strides. Judging from your signature, you would know little about sprinting. So why do you give advice?

[CookAndrewB]

Do sprints with a weighted jacket.

No. These methods have been completely debunked (parachutes, weighted vests, sleds). What they have found is that variations in weight alter your natural gait, which then trains a different set of motor patterns and ultimately isn't of much use to someone interested in speed. These MAY have some use in terms of football players as they do run encumbered by pads and against resistance in the form of potential tacklers. Still, the best practice there would seem to be A) running in pads and B) playing the game to become used to tackling situations.

Seriously!! All the Olympic Sprinters do squats but I guess you know more than them.

All Olympic sprinters (college, high school, etc) ALSO spend a sh!t ton of time working on the mechanics of sprinting. Starting block work, acceleration in 5-15 yard runs, etc all play a MUCH more important role in racing than squats. Proof? Well, take two kids out and time them in a 100. Doesn't matter what their times are initially. Then, work on squats with one, and sprint the other. Who do you think will make a greater improvement? If squats were as important (or a major contributing factor), then you would see improvement in sprint times. I'll wager you will see no significant improvement in someone that squats. At a high level, there may be compelling reasons to squat a sprinter for general health and fitness reasons. Even in those situations, you aren't going to squat them the same way as a a powerlifter or a bodybuilder. The outcomes of those methods don't support sprinting.

You need to be strong to run fast. Speed is determined by stride length and stride frequency. To maximize your stride length, you need to increase your strength and minimize body fat. (That is why heavier NFL players do not run 4.4 40s because of excess weight.) Plyometrics will help increase your stride frequency.

What I stated is common knowledge in the sprinting world so please don't dispute it without citing references. I am not interested in your opinion.

I agree that you need to be strong to be fast. Your power generation must accelerate and move your body... but most people are adequately strong to accomplish this without heavy squats. While body mass plays a role, the determining factor is power production to weight ratios. So long as the ratio is equal, two individuals with varying body mass will still accelerate and sprint at the same speed. Just dropping mass isn't the issue. Obviously large amounts of bodyfat don't contribute to power production and drive down the ratio, but don't assume that a big man can't move. Most college/NFL linemen post very impressive times in the 40. Not wide receiver levels of speed, but a good bit better than 99% of the population with far less body mass. Again, the key is power production to mass ratios, not mass alone.

While I agree that stride length and foot turnover are key factors in sprinting, neither of these issues are determined or effected by strength. Stride will specifically be a factor of leg length. Foot turnover will be determined by the ability of the athlete to efficiently move in terms of how quickly they can apply force and then inhibit that force production (relax). This same issue plays out in any sport where quick movement is key, such as boxing, MMA, Oly lifting, etc. The items I'm mentioning are common knowledge in the world of sports performance.

[CookAndrewB]

It allows one to push off the ground with more force which will obviously increase one's stride length. This is one of the reason's that make Usain Bolt fast. He takes 41 strides in the 100m where most other runners take 43.

I suggest you watch a 100m sprint to see what I am talking about. Also, take a look at the size of the runners posterior chain. They get that way from squatting.

Pushing off with max force production means nothing if you can't quickly recover and do it again. Strength isn't determining stride length. If this argument were valid, then A) Usain bolt would be the strongest sprinter, and B) great sprinters would look like they were taking off for a triple jump because length of stride would matter.

Bolt v Powell comparisons in height would be irrelevant if leg length was what you needed to figure out. Find measurements on bolt's inseam compared to the rest of the field. That would be a metric worth evaluating.

[adamdavidson47]

Asafa Powell is 6' 3" which is only 2" less than Bolt and he takes 45 strides. Judging from your signature, you would know little about sprinting. So why do you give advice?

You do realize that Bolt's coach, Glen Mills, had Bolt shorten his strides TO RUN FASTER, don't you?

Stride length is all variable to your height. You aren't going to run faster if you are 5'9 and you take 40 strides to get to the end.

[Jimbo48]

Certainly agree with you about mechanics but the OP was asking about squats so my responses were in that direction.

I disagree about stride length because 2 people of equal height and weight will have different stride lengths.

Here is link to an article by Kelly Baggett. He is well respected in the vertical jump and sprinting world.
http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/speedtraining.html

[CookAndrewB]

First off, this is a completely retarded conversation. In about 15 seconds worth of Google searching, I found the following information regarding stride length...

"Stride Length
Stride length must be proportional to the leg's length (not that the bigger is good). It's an inaccurate idea recommending male sprinters to run the 100m in 45 strides. Take a look at relevancy and check out on Tim Montgomery 9.78 sec / 48 strides, Walter Dix (9.92s / 48s), Kim Collin (9.98s / 48s), Michael Frater (9.97s / 48s), Trindon Holliday (relatively short sprinter, 5'4", 10.00s / 50s) and many more. Usain Bolt took 41 strides in Berlin (9.58s) but he is 6"5 and has longer legs.

Best example Trindon Holliday & Walter Dix won the 2007 World Championship slots with 50-51 and 49-50 total strides respectively: Trindon Holliday 10.00s / 50.5 strides (2009 NCAA Championship - Gold) here (video not included)

Topic of stride length VS frequency is HOT in sprinting! Research have shown that optimal stride length for maximal speed in sprinting is usually between 2.3 – 2.5 times of the athlete’s leg length. So athletes who have 1.0 m leg length may take a maximum 2.50 m stride length at maximal speed, and you don't really need to match Usain Bolt's 2.8 m average stride's length!.

When athletes trying to take longer stride results in reduced in turnover or leg speed. Remember, overstriding creates a decelerative force and slows movement. Improvements in stride length and frequency must happen by making adjustments in overall mechanics and force production.


I would recommend those athletes (with 1.0 m leg's length) NOT to take the maximal stride length that suggested in scientific researches. Why? to sprint faster. The best example would be Ben Johnson (1.78m tall) who added his total's stride frequency from 45 in 1987 World Champs to 46 during the 1988 Olympics, which then enabled him to run 9.79s (despite of slowing down at 95m). Even Tim Montgomery (same height 1.78m) took shorter stride length (48) when he broke Maurice Greene's World record with a time of 9.78s in 2002.

It's clear that world class male sprinters (sub 10.10s) took 41 to 50 strides (not necessarily 45) to cover the whole 100m distances, which is basically dependent on a sprinter's leg length. It's all about to make sure that you running with a proper sprinting mechanics and thus an efficient and faster running can be achieved." http://www.adriansprints.com/2011/03...e-charlie.html

There... I'm not an expert on sprinting, but I understand movement and this all makes perfect sense to me. Now, Jimbo, please stop talking about things you know nothing about... much as you have accused others of doing.