My Top 5 Weight Exercises for Sprinters, and Why I’m Obsessed with Getting Stronger

The full title should read: My top 5 Weight Exercises for sprinters & Why I’m Obsessed with Getting Stronger But Not at the Expense of Flexibility.

So in no particular order:

My Top 5 Weight Training Exercises

1. Squats
2. Deadlifts
3. Power Cleans
4. One of the following:
   a. Reverse hypers
   b. Hyper-extension (feet locked, body bent fwd 90 degrees, then rise) w/machine or apparatus
   c. Glute Hamstring raise.. or fall! Also called “Glute ham raise” or GHR for short (feet locked, start at 90 degrees, then fall to ground with a person holding your feet)
   d. Hamstring curls
5. Bench (honourable mention)

DISCLOSURE – these 5 exercises work for me, but may not work for you. Also, I have not done free weights during the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020-2021. I am hoping to resume when restrictions are lifted, and when I’m fully vaccinated!

Here is a video of Darya Klishina doing the Glute Ham raise (posted on her personal Facebook page)… because everyone loves Darya Klishina!

Why I’m Obsessed with Getting Stronger

Back in 2016, Dr Tim Suchomel posted this on his Twitter feed:

Theoretical relationship between relative back squat strength & performance https://t.co/bfgawTchDd @DocSoph pic.twitter.com/54mXNndBqO

— Tim Suchomel (@DrTSuchomel) June 8, 2016

Get Stronger, but Practice your Sport!

My good friend Peter Ingleton based in Toronto posts a lot of interesting strength & power workouts, so follow him on Facebook.

Below is taken from one of his Facebook posts:

The graph by Dr. Tim Suchomel (below*) illustrates the significant performance benefits of additional squatting strength up to at least two times bodyweight.

If you cannot squat 1.75 times your bodyweight with good form you definitely need to get stronger. If you can squat 2.25 times your bodyweight with good form you should probably just maintain that and focus more on other elements.

Note that this equates to a 350 lb to 450 lb squat for a 200 lb athlete, and a 437.5 lb to 562.5 lb squat for a 250 lb athlete. “Strong enough” is quite strong!

I would add that due to potentially significant differences in back squat technique, I believe the front squat is a superior test for the intended purpose for those who can do them, with a roughly equivalent range of 1.4 to 1.8 times body weight.

The bottom line is, practice your sport, but do not discount the benefits of getting stronger.

*Here is the image in case the Twitter link goes dead.

Final Thoughts

My only feedback is WHEN would you do these strength training workouts? Before or after a track workout?

Certainly not at 9am or 10am before a 11am Track session, like some Elite & Professional track clubs I know.

You would need to have a dedicated weight session, or have it immediately after your track workout. And expect some smaller numbers if you left some energy at the track! You’ll need to change your T-shirt, of course!

Just don’t lose focus of the end goal.. and that is your sport (assume it’s a track & field event if you’re reading this!)

NOTE: there are over 140 articles with the category Weight Training on SpeedEndurance.com. Plenty of free workouts, programs and ideas!