No Lifting

[Arrow]

I'm kind of new to sprinter and I don't lift weights. Am I at a serious disadvantage here? What can I do at home if I don't have easy access to a weight training room? We were supposed to incorporate some weights into our school practices but things didn't work out. what to do?

[Brumund-Smith]

I'm kind of new to sprinter and I don't lift weights. Am I at a serious disadvantage here? What can I do at home if I don't have easy access to a weight training room? We were supposed to incorporate some weights into our school practices but things didn't work out. what to do?

How old are you? If you are just starting out with the sport, it might actually be beneficial for you not to lift weights right away. Give your body time to adjust to the running before you add a new stimulus.

[Arrow]

I'm a Junior. I have been in and out of the track team during freshman and sophmore year, but I have decided to takes things more seriously now

[JumpinSkiing]

Plenty of good sprinters never lifted weights, but plenty did, too. It is just another way to improve power. If you use medicine balls and plyos, you can still be successful.


Name me one.


Lifting is the BEST thing you can do to improve your sprinting.

[fourjz]

Name me one.


Lifting is the BEST thing you can do to improve your sprinting.

Depends on what kind of lifting though. All lifting is not good lifting. ;)

[JumpinSkiing]

Depends on what kind of lifting though. All lifting is not good lifting. ;)

Well obviously!

A sprinter wouldn't heavily benefit from say....i dunno, heavy arm stuff or very heavy chest and shoulder stuff.

[lyons_xc9]

Try the Nike Free. They'll whip your calfs into shape.

[Speed-driven]

Some people forget in some races, the bulk slows you down. Crawford isnt such a big guy. but has a lot of definition. Also you see women runners none of them bulky, but yet run fast with their definition. 400m guys tend to be less bulky cuhz of the distance. But 100m guys are huge to obtain and produce the amount of speed they need in a smaller distance. I guess weights really are determined by your event. Becuhz u can virtually do no weight lifting from a 800m+ and still see good results by running for your particular race.

[JSC.Rnr]

Keep in mind that the female body isn't designed to be bulky, and the female hormones keep it from getting so. The obvious flaw with this argument is female bodybuilders, but they're also heavily aided by synthetic male hormones.

Anyway, someone brought up Ben Johnson. Is it really fair to use a convicted doper to prove a point about strength?

[Speed-driven]

I thought crawford was a big guy..until i saw him in a 100m race..where he looked to me very small body built wise..to the other competitors. As well as the 200m..he didnt look as big as say..Powell or Gatlin..or even Greene..Mayb it was the camera angle..?

[Arrow]

So what type of lifts do I need to do? Do I need access to a gym for them?

[bloom_in_KC]

I've met greene and taken pictures with him. In my opinion he would be the smallest of them all

[JumpinSkiing]

Maurice Greene, Ben Johnson, Michael Johnson, and quite a few others would disagree with you. This of course depends on how you intend to use it. Those three all benched over 300 with BJ benching over 400. Linford was a heavily touted lifter as well.


What i meant was that bulking up the chest is awful for sprinters. Bulk=bad.

My mistake.

[holydiver]

if you are just starting to lift. do core excercises. a strong core will make you faster.

[Arrow]

So push-ups are bad because it bulks up the chest?

[ZackCampbell]

Push ups and sit ups help build your core, but most likely aren't enough to make a difference in a short sprint.

[Sprints07]

If you want to be a good sprinter lifting is an essential, because unless your a phenom you have to.

[Speed-driven]

u dont get built from push ups..like bulk wise..Paul Hamm was on some talk show ( he is SUPPOSED GOLD medalist...) and he says the reason he is so strong is becuhz he has to be strong enough to lift himself in his dif gymnastic events. He also said he has never weight lifted before..so yeah..im just addin to a earleir post

[Kostyu]

Try the Nike Free. They'll whip your calfs into shape.
The heel on the nike free is to high to reall benefit your calfs like a normal flat would.

[boon322]

The heel on the nike free is to high to reall benefit your calfs like a normal flat would.


i train in the h-streets, im a 110h/400h guy, and even tho alotta distance runners use them and stuff i think theyre pretty awesome for sprints as well...

[JSC.Rnr]

My thoughts on this are posted on the MG thread in the elite section. The topic has been overdone and anyone bringing this up is ignorant of the situation.

No, your blatant neglect of the issue is the ignorance here. Ben Johnson was on roids, period. Steroid use has been proven to increase hypertrophy and strength greatly when combined with weight training. Let's apply some syllogistic thought here: Ben Johnson was on roids; roids make their users bigger and stronger than they should be; Ben Johnson was bigger and stronger than he should've been.

That negates your posts using him as an example of anything...especially the ones discussing his physique. His speed was a product of chemical abuse, not genetics or training, so those points go out the window.

Was he fast? Hell yeah. Was he big? Freakin' huge. But was he legit in either? **** no.

[JSC.Rnr]

Maurice Greene (180lbs) weighed more at his peak than Ben Johnson (173lbs at Seoul, but was 178 during his injury period) ever did in sprinting shape, even though Ben Johnson was taller, so there goes that part of your argument. Not genetics or training? He made the Grand Prix finals of Zurich (some considered more competitive than the world championships at that point) and the other big meets when he was 19, well before he ever started taking steroids and ran 10.2x. He also won the Canadian highschool nationals the year before that in 10.5x. Not training? You are a moron, as his training probably did more for him than his drugs ever did. That shows you knowledge of the situation. Most people will tell you that CF is one of the smartest (and probably the smartest) coaches to ever get into the sprint events. If you would realize what he accomplished you could understand that fact.

You miss the point that BJ was never an Olympic champion prior to his steroid use. He was a scrawny punk compared to his '88 form.

Whether or not he was heavier or taller than Greene is another ignorant "point" you try to make. Whether or not he was larger in any way than Greene has nothing to do with his own body's dimensions. So no, there doesn't go (intentional terrible grammar) that part of my argument. He was bigger after than before. The juice pumped him up to a massive size, end of story.

I also don't think you fully understand the concept of an anabolic steroid. It doesn't just make you big by injecting it; you have to do the workouts to reap the benefits. When you state that it was his workouts that helped him more than the drugs, you only further prove you don't understand anything about this sport.

I sense an attack on my cycling training again in response to this post. It doesn't matter, as I'm confident I'm stronger and faster than you anyway.

[Brumund-Smith]

When you state that it was his workouts that helped him more than the drugs, you only further prove you don't understand anything about this sport.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[Speed-driven]

I dont even think u can even consider BJ a elite athlete..do to his roids usage.. and plus..who knows how long he used them before the olympics..if u use drugs..u lose ur credit..period..its not like he holds a record anyways..even with his drug usage

[Speed-driven]

If you're going to talk it back it up or shut up. I provided the numbers I had my first 2 months of lifting, let's see what you have. If you are equal to those numbers (I won't even bother with current, since I know the answer to that one), I'll have some respect, otherwise, don't bother even replying to the thread.

I kno this doesnt apply to me..but it does matter how much u lift compared to someone else..yeah you need a efficent amount of strength and stamina..for races..and to rid urself of the dreadful lactic acid..but some guys have natrual talent..and can be lifting 20lbs less than wut u do..and still be able to smoke u at the end of the race..high school is a great example..some guys who are 5'9 and benchin around 130..but are able to run a 51..compared to a 5'9 runner who runs a 58...and benching 210...so everyone knows its not the same as elite athletes ..but u get the idea,,>

[Brumund-Smith]

Speed-driven, what you wrote is true, but for each individual athlete, it helps to maximize strength. I could barely bench 135 when I was competing in college. There were guys out there benching twice as much who I could smoke. But would I have been better (all else even) if I had a higher bench? I don't see how it would have hurt me, as long as I maintained my flexibility and weight.

[Speed-driven]

He is the one who mentioned him being stronger than me, which is why I am pressing the point.

Benching 210 is not strong (elite female sprinters have benched more), so I wouldn't consider it. How about 315? That is the region a LOT of elite sprinters are in (high 200's to low/mid 300's). The 200m/400m WR holder could bench well over 300 and of the sub 9.8 guys, two could fairly easily (one of them was well over 400lbs) and another was in the high 200's.

The point is that increasing strength as a whole will benefit you assuming all things are equal (including weight, muscle tonus, etc.).

it was just and example..dont take it all seriously..anyways yeah u could replace my numbers with anything..a guy lifting 320..being faster than a guy who is lifting 360..doesnt matter..its your strength that counts..not your opponents

[Speed-driven]

I agree, but 135 and 210lbs are a lot different than anything in the 300's. There is a significant difference in level of performance. IMO, once you get past a certain level (different for most, but I am going to guess generally high 200's/300lb level in bench and over 500lb max in squat), the benefits will become less from increasing your strength. Until then though, they will probably be pretty significant!


Correct..but that post was generally related to high school..but when your an elite athlete in any event of course your strength will be higher. ANd yes there is a limit of strength that you need, and too much of it will slow you down.. which is why when u peak to a certain point..you do definition work outs and dont increase the weight of which you are lifting

[Speed-driven]

Well obviously too much strength would cause lack of speed, flexiblity..due to the bulkness of your muscles..there wouldnt really be any explanation..its like taking a elite thrower..and expecting him to beat a elite 100m racer..a thrower has all the strength he needs..but lacks to flexibility and speed due to his weight and mass..

[Speed-driven]

Since when did getting stronger automatically mean more muscle? Strength to weight ratio man...

I don't think anyone will argue how flexible Linford Christie and Ben Johnson were and they were 2 of the strongest (and fastest) ever. The reasons for the loss in flexibility are different than what you are describing (or else bodybuilders wouldn't be able to do splits of all sorts), but it does happen without a good mobility and regeneration program.
'

Ok, so i wasnt specific enough..assuming that people would just keep increasing weight..obviously to decrease bulk and to gain just general strength means you do less weight more reps. But i cant even see how you can give credit to BJ..due to his Roids useage..If you credit someone who has cheated, then perhaps you feel it was ok..? BJ isnt anything anyways, he may of been strong..and been in seoul olympics..but when u compare him to other elite athletes in the event he did, he wasn't anthing spectacular in my point of view.

[Speed-driven]

Well first of all..i never said BJ..or Mo's ect..weights were low..and when you talk about weight lifting..and i talk about weight lifting..they arent proven facts..scientifc studies dont have a 100% truth all the time. Everyones body is different obviously, that would mean less weight more reps..could just be as effective as more weight and less reps. Strength cant always be judged on how much weight u lift..I'm sure Gymnastic people cant bench nearly as much as someone like BJ, Mo Greene, Warnier, Mj, Crawford, Rock, ect..but they can perform moves that have to support their body weight..if u asked BJ to do a hand stand for 10mins..i hardly think he could do it for even 1..( that was an example of a different strength )

Still u give BJ credit..even though u kno he used roids..WHEN he started U dont kno..so everyone could possibly assume he started when his races became more serious. If u call 9.79 favorable..with the fact he used roids..u must probably say U use roids..and u are able to run a 10.2..<---( EXample )

I would call elite runners that run the 100m 10.2 and under. Reason the time would be so high..is becuhz ive watched meets..where guys who are capable of running a 9.8..have a bad race and run 10.19

Yeah, its true that people in sports use drugs.. But your crediting one of them..which doesnt make any sense..If you want 2nd place..knowing that the guy who beat u was taking an enhancement drug..thats good for you, but i kno i wouldnt.

American Football is a pathetic sport by the way..1 being it isnt a legit name..being that in every other country futbol..IS SOCCER..and SOCCER is futbol...futbol actually uses their feet too..u use your feet in american football..o i dunno..mayb 10 times..? in NFL..? but this is off subject..

Basically..after this entire debate..I've learned..from DAVAN..that if you use a drug, its ok..and cheating is fine..

[remiks]

he wasn't anthing spectacular in my point of view.

The guy shattered the world record twice, 7 sub 10s in a 3 year span. The man ran the world record on two occasions (9.83 in 1987 and 9.79 in 1988.) No one ran faster/as fast as either time until Maurice Greene twelve years later in 1999 when he ran 9.79... Please explain how that isn't in any way shape or form (drugs or no drugs) specatcular?

[Speed-driven]

lol 10.2 as impressive as a 9.8?!?!?! Unless it's into -12, nope!
You do know when he started because his coach admitted to when (which was after he was elite). There have been 4 guys to ever run under 9.8, yet all of these guys can simply because you thought they could? You're a moron. If they ran 9.82 or something like that, I may agree. If they run 10.2, they obviously are not capable of sub 9.8, maybe not even 9.99.

Doing a handstand for 10 minutes is balance and skill in doing handstands and not strength. When I could do handstands for a while, I was weak. I could probably do it for 5-10 seconds at the most now, even though I am much stronger in proportion to my bodyweight. I simply haven't practice it for a while. Most gymnastics guys ARE strong with lifting weights (read some articles from the US gymnastics sites), so that's a moot point. Less weight more reps is never going to give you the adaptations for strength low reps and more weight will give you. It simply won't.

Oh wow, soccer. A game where the best player ever was a coke head and liked coke more than the game. Good press.

The fact is you want to say a guy is bad for doing drugs, but don't bash the rest. Throw out the other sub 9.8's and sub 9.9's for the matter then we'll start speaking.


I never said someone who runs a 10.2 can run 9.8..but im sure ud agree that if u use roids..u would be able to..beside that.. a person who runs 9.8 doesnt ALWAYS RUN 9.8..and thats a fact.

You dont even know anything about soccer anyways..let alone who the best player is..soccer is irrelavent..i only brought it up becuz u brought up football.. soccer related to track to me..is like comparing milk with soda..there to different things anyways..

Doing handstands is strength..by the way..u cant tell me someone who cant bench the bar.. ( 45 lbs... ) is able to do a handstand for even 30secs in high school ..let alone in college..and if u think someone can..u must believe in miracles. becuhz kno 1 in high school or college weights 45 lbs..so basically they cant support their weight..which would mean..that doing a handstand is virtually impossible for them..and if u call a 5-10 sec handstand creditable.then u must have some low standards..


Also..i never said i knew when BJ used roids..if u acutally read wut i said..i said " who knows when he started using drugs ".. Yet you obviously think i did say i knew.

How can u call 4 people in the history of track elite..so thats saying people from 9.90 and higher are just out there..professionals..? but arent considered the best..? anything under 10.2 is good to me in the 100m. and ive watched meets where the elite athletes u have mentioned have ran a 10.1..that probably being at their worst..but it still is on record

Mayb u should try to prove a point in these posts

[Speed-driven]

The guy shattered the world record twice, 7 sub 10s in a 3 year span. The man ran the world record on two occasions (9.83 in 1987 and 9.79 in 1988.) No one ran faster/as fast as either time until Maurice Greene twelve years later in 1999 when he ran 9.79... Please explain how that isn't in any way shape or form (drugs or no drugs) specatcular?

To me no matter how much he's done..the fact of drug useage ..i cant even consider him to be elite..yeah he ran those times..but if anyone else used roids the prolly could too..His history is superior in track..But how can u compare a roids user..to a non roids user..?

[SUPERSPEED]

To me no matter how much he's done..the fact of drug useage ..i cant even consider him to be elite..yeah he ran those times..but if anyone else used roids the prolly could too..His history is superior in track..But how can u compare a roids user..to a non roids user..?

If anyone else used it they prob could run 9.79? i would have to dissagree with that, just because you use steroids does not mean you are going to run a world class time, u have to be very talented which Ben Johnson was. Now Steroids will improve a athlete greatly, but no every sprinter who uses it will run 9.79, or even 9.83. Yes Ben took drugs, but so did so many of his competitiors, the 1988 Seoul 100 probably had more drugs users then just Ben. I would be that dozens and dozens of sprinters are on roids at this point.

[remiks]

Mayb u should try to prove a point in these posts

Maybe you should, too.

To me no matter how much he's done..the fact of drug useage ..i cant even consider him to be elite..yeah he ran those times..but if anyone else used roids the prolly could too..His history is superior in track..But how can u compare a roids user..to a non roids user..?

Personally, I don't care how many steroids Ben Johnson was on, the performances were still outstanding. Of course, that doesn't mean they should count. But for comparison purposes his times are useful.

How can u call 4 people in the history of track elite..so thats saying people from 9.90 and higher are just out there..professionals..? but arent considered the best..? anything under 10.2 is good to me in the 100m. and ive watched meets where the elite athletes u have mentioned have ran a 10.1..that probably being at their worst..but it still is on record

To me, there are 3 grades of elite 100m runners: 9.8x and below are the higher elites, 9.90s are the mid elites, and 10.00-10.20 are the lower elites.

Doing handstands is strength..by the way..u cant tell me someone who cant bench the bar.. ( 45 lbs... ) is able to do a handstand for even 30secs in high school ..let alone in college..and if u think someone can..u must believe in miracles. becuhz kno 1 in high school or college weights 45 lbs..so basically they cant support their weight..which would mean..that doing a handstand is virtually impossible for them..and if u call a 5-10 sec handstand creditable.then u must have some low standards..

There are 7 year olds who can do handstands for that long, doesn't mean they can put up the bar. I'd put money on Justin Gatlin not being able to do a 30 second handstand if he has never done one before, and he can bench a lot more than just the bar.

[Speed-driven]

lol 10.2 as impressive as a 9.8?!?!?! Unless it's into -12, nope!
You do know when he started because his coach admitted to when (which was after he was elite). There have been 4 guys to ever run under 9.8, yet all of these guys can simply because you thought they could? You're a moron. If they ran 9.82 or something like that, I may agree. If they run 10.2, they obviously are not capable of sub 9.8, maybe not even 9.99.

Doing a handstand for 10 minutes is balance and skill in doing handstands and not strength. When I could do handstands for a while, I was weak. I could probably do it for 5-10 seconds at the most now, even though I am much stronger in proportion to my bodyweight. I simply haven't practice it for a while. Most gymnastics guys ARE strong with lifting weights (read some articles from the US gymnastics sites), so that's a moot point. Less weight more reps is never going to give you the adaptations for strength low reps and more weight will give you. It simply won't.

Oh wow, soccer. A game where the best player ever was a coke head and liked coke more than the game. Good press.

The fact is you want to say a guy is bad for doing drugs, but don't bash the rest. Throw out the other sub 9.8's and sub 9.9's for the matter then we'll start speaking.

MAn there's nothing more to debate about with you, you just like to put words in my mouth..so its really pointless..anyways this whole thing was stupid..sense i didnt learn anything from wut u said. so u wasted ur time as well..anyways have fun arguing with other people..since that is wut u like to do

[Speed-driven]

Dava MAn there's nothing more to debate about with you, you just like to put words in my mouth..so its really pointless..anyways this whole thing was stupid..sense i didnt learn anything from wut u said. so u wasted ur time as well..anyways have fun arguing with other people..since that is wut u like to do

[bantazmo]

Listen you a annoying. A kid gets on here to hear about what he can do to become a better athlete and we get in to Ben Johnson the roid boy. Anyway its just stupied. I know for a fact that I did not take any roids and I lifted gained 25 lbs. got way way faster. I am the same demensions as Mo Green. Who by the way is considered fat by the US health commison. MO never had the sculpted muscles that Ben did some people look bigger and do not wiegh as much. Oh and since we are braggin I benched 365 last summer and placed in the Mizzou all comers meet last winter in the 60meter vs college dudes. So mass used correctly can be very benifical.

[bantazmo]

The only reason why I take issue is the fact that this kid wants to know about work outs to become better not about if every sprinter takes roids. I personally believe MO green never took roids. I also believe the pix you gave us only proves that. Yes he is in shap but he does not look freakishly big. Another thing we all have to remember is that Ben Johnson looked way different from most sprinters of that area. Size, wieght, and other items do not matter to what the guy looked like in comparison to before drugs. In the last 18 years we have learn alot about legal substance that improve performance and most sports now lift as a major part of their wieght program. Previously just 18 years ago people in sports and in most sports were not lifting wieghts on a regular basis. In fact some old school guys like the founder of the Santa Monica track club is in a prep Lifting Magazine called stack still claiming that lifting wieghts does nothing for track and field. I diegress, my sprinting career was always cut short because I could not stay healthy. I worked really hard. However, I did not do the right things to prepare my body to sprint super fast. Since I lacked a proper warm up I pulled my hamsting and eventually pulled it enough to develop a calcification. However, I did have some highlights I was all conference in college 4 times. I was a member of a school record indoor 4x200. my PRs are 10.74 100 22.5 200 and long jumped over 20 feet after college. I am Italian (Northern) by heritage.

[Sprints07]

In the 00' or 04' olympics I do remember there being a guy that according to the announcer never lifted a weight in his life and had a PR of 9.95 with no wind. I dont remember his name unfortunately. It depends on the person if they need to lift or not. I ran an 10.9 handheld as a sophomore in HS never lifting a weight in my life. But I This year I hit the weights hard, and my max at the begining of the year right when I started was 300 lbs on squat. That was off of natural development, I could also do 200 lbs bench also never lifting before. And Iam not even too big big, 6'2" 160-165. I put on 17 lbs myself in 3 months, while my body fat % has not changed but like by 1%. Lifting has really helped me tremendousely.

Yeah w/e BJ used roids, but he still had to do the work for them to do anygood. I dont agree with any of that illegal bull****, hell, I dont even think people should be able to use creatine.

Some people need to lift a lot/heavy, others can get by with med ball, plyos' and some free weights. Some people are naturally bigger and stronger, others aren't and need to work for what they want, and MO is a prime example of that. The man worked his ass off, and it paid off for him. People like that have more determination than the naturally stronger ones and a better drive for sports like track.

[remiks]

In fact some old school guys like the founder of the Santa Monica track club is in a prep Lifting Magazine called stack still claiming that lifting wieghts does nothing for track and field.

That's just one example of people not believing in lifting weights. There are an ABUNDANCE of reasons why sprinters should lift weights.

[bantazmo]

STOP LOOKING at quoted posts then making assumptions. I LIFT wieghts LOTS. I used the old school coach AS an Example of the top coach at the TIME and he coached CARL LEWIS!! He was saying wieght training now is a waste. I am trying to prove a point that we have changed a lot since then in our interest and development of periodized wieght training! I lift my I coach lift and we are faster because of it. Even at the school I coach its funny looking back at old year books then seeing kids looking way different because the way we train! I am not the only one who sees this. Enough about the BEN Johnson stuff. You have killed your point, eaten it, crapped it out, used it as fertilizer, grown some beans eaten them and stunk up the place. We all know its great to lift weights now lets get the kids some work outs if he is still out there.