A quick start is not only important for sprinters. In all team sports such as football, ice hockey, basketball or rugby, the team whose player gets to the ball/puck first has the advantage. A quick start is also crucial in duel situations or when breaking away from an opponent. The same applies to almost all Olympic disciplines and martial arts. The athlete who gets from A to B faster is more successful.
A strong lower back
In order to be faster in this famous stride, an athlete must improve their 0-5m sprint time, which is directly related to maximum strength, particularly posterior chain strength (erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, and calves).
In other words, if you want to be fast and jump high, you need a strong lower back. You won't get this from bodyweight stability exercises or 40-pound squats on a bosu ball or wobble board. Exercises that train these muscles optimally are the LH squat - with each repetition the hamstrings cover the calves completely in the lowest position - as well as variants of deadlifts and leg curls.
Maximum power vs. explosive power
In order to increase maximum strength, training with high weights in the repetition range of 1-5 reps is crucial. The greater his maximum strength, the more explosive the athlete and player can be. A weak athlete is always a slow athlete.
In sports, however, maximum strength alone – except for powerlifting – is irrelevant. Maximum power times time equals explosive power. Explosive power determines how fast you can get from A to B. The difference is the time it takes to muster the force. Greater explosive power can be achieved by increasing maximum strength, sport-specific training and explosive exercises such as weightlifting exercises or box jumps.
You would like to learn more about the training for a faster start then register for the YPSI Sprint Seminar with Sven Knipphals .
You will learn more about sport-specific strength training, sport-specific exercises and their optimal execution, as well as training of power & explosive power and implementation of weightlifting exercises and their variants in competitive sports, in module 6 of the YPSI Trainer A license - the YPSI Sport-Specific Training & Business Seminar .
Picture: 100m sprinter and YPSI athlete Sven Knipphals was the second fastest German last year. He is currently preparing for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Increasing his maximum strength on movements like the squat and Olympic lifts are an important part of his training.