Research
Mixed
Sprint performance is a multidimensional skill comprising distinct acceleration, transition, and maximum speed phases, each requiring specific muscle activation patterns and strength training adaptations.
Do not train like a bodybuilder. Focus on explosive power, speed-strength, and plyometrics. Heavy lifting should be limited and combined with sprint-specific exercises to avoid slowing down your contraction speed.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Sprint performance will be viewed multidimensionally as an initial acceleration phase (0 to 10m), a phase of maximum running speed (36 to 100m) and a transition phase in between.
Why this rating
Review article summarizing multiple studies and simulation models; not a single primary clinical trial.
Source
Influence of strength training on sprint running performance. Current findings and implications for training.
Christophe Delecluse · PubMed · 1997
DOI 10.2165/00007256-199724030-00001
narrative_reviewCited 311×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Strength training for sprinters must be specific to the phase of the sprint: knee and ankle extensors are critical for acceleration, while hamstrings are critical for maximum speed.Moderate
- Effective sprint strength training requires a combination of hypertrophy, neuronal activation, and speed-strength (plyometric) methods to prevent fiber type conversion and maintain contraction speed.Moderate
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →