Speed. Where can I get some? (2)
In the first of this series on speed I looked at one of the basic requirements: how much force you apply to the ground. Now it’s time to expand a little on how to get stronger without getting heavier, and how weight loss can play a part in improving your distance running.
In a nutshell, heavy weights lifted for a small number of repetitions will produce strength gains without bulk. And since we’re talking about strength for running, then the range of exercises required is small too. So we’re thinking about doing a small number of exercises - let’s think about two, the deadlift and the squat - for a small number of reps and sets - let’s say 2 x 3-5, with a pretty heavy weight - what would be defined as around 85% of 1RM, or 85% of the most you can lift at one attempt. There, that might be all you need to know. Simple, and effective.
Here’s a peek at how Allyson Felix worked on her strength, extracted from an article by her coach:
- Dynamic stretch before each session, static stretch after each session
- Deadlift every session, 2-3 sets of 2-3 reps @ 85-95% 1RM, TIMED
- Plyometrics at the end of each set, within 1 minute of set completion
- Usually depth jumps from varying heights but occasionally used stand triple jump or long jump, generally 6 jumps or less. The focus is on delivering maximum strength in minimum time.
- Plyometrics at the end of each set, within 1 minute of set completion
- One of the following at each session, 2-3 sets of 2-3 reps, TIMED
- Push Press
- Bench Press
- Push-ups or Box Push-ups
- One of the following at each session, 2-3 sets of 2-3 reps, TIMED
- Power Clean
- Clean and Jerk (this would replace #3 above for the session)
- Abdominal exercises each session, 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps.
- Always isometric and always timed
- No Lifts To Failure!!
As you can see the deadlift is the core of what is anyway a very simple - and hugely efficient - strength programme, and as we have pointed out, she went up to about a 300lb deadlift while adding a paltry 2lb to her weeny bodyweight of 121lb, and increased her 200m times. Point 6 above is crucial, and explains why reps are kept low. Success breeds success, and this is true for strength improvements: lifting to failure may produce larger muscle fibres over the long term, but it doesn’t produce greater neuromuscular gains. If you lift a heavy weight three times and you know you could have lifted it once or twice more, then that’s perfect.
1.5 - 2 x your bodyweight on the deadlift as a maximum is good to aim for, and while Allyson is a sprinter, as we are all well aware, the deadlift programme has been shown to work on 5k runners, helping them to run faster without changing other parameters of their run training.
Why the deadlift? From a running point of view it hits the ‘posterior chain’ - low back, glutes, hams, calves, all of which are key movers in your running stride. And when you go heavy, it calls on the abs, traps, biceps and shoulder muscles too. From a strength training point of view, you can create a lot of muscular tension - recruit more muscle fibres - since the nature of the lift allows you to heave more absolute weight.
Getting rid of flab is also an important part of the speed equation. One of the determiners of run speed is VO2 max, and although this has a genetic ceiling, it is dependent on bodyweight. Consider also that our VO2 max declines with age. So if we want to keep running at high proportions of VO 2 max through the years, we can’t afford to let the pounds creep on, otherwise we suffer the double whammy of lower top end, due to aging, and lower top end due to weight gain. Fortunately, increasing strength helps increase lean muscle mass, which is another good reason to find a heavy bar and deadlift it a few times.
So the recipe of high-strength, low bodyfat and as little bulk as possible is what will bring most speed, when we are considering how strength gains can make us faster. Higher VO2 max, coupled with the capacity to exert more force on the ground and spend less time on the ground. And let’s not forget that greater whole-body strength usually improves posture - less slouch, better running form.
Next time we’ll look at specific run training approaches to getting faster. Does it help to improve run technique? Should you run intervals, or tempo runs…?
Happy running!