Ad copy

Coaches have under appreciated how demanding it is to coordinate high speed movement, especially maximal velocity. The preferred method of raising performance levels has, for some reason, been contrast training rather than simply sprinting in as fresh a condition as humanly possible and saving the resisted sprint training for after. Am I saying you can’t get faster using contrasted resisted sprints? No. What I am saying is that if there is any likelihood that resisted sprints could potentially hinder performance within unresisted sprints, I would like to avoid any and all possible contributing factors. We do have literature that shows heightened creatine kinase levels and DOMS after certain RST prescriptions which should mean something to us. Resisted sprinting is a form of mechanical work. If performed out to too great a distance, at too great a load, and with insufficient rest (which varies, by the way, between athletes), we run the risk of causing central and peripheral fatigue that can dampen fiber shortening velocity and motor unit recruitment. Mind you, this is a recent revelation of mine that I arrived at after running some of the best acceleration times of my life with zero contrasted work, and also looking into some physiological mechanisms regarding how fatigue is created. This is also why I hate contrast work in the gym as well. The heavy strength exercise hurts output in the subsequent jump or plyometric, and the eccentric demand from the jump or plyometric then hurts output in the strength exercise which creates this constant loop of suboptimal outputs and, as a result, lesser adaptation than that which you’re truly capable of. Thanks to @theathleticpt for some recent conversations that have helped me truly grasp these concepts. If you have purchased any of my programs, and the program includes contrasted resisted sprints, do yourself a favor and unpair them😂