Fast twitch or slow twitch

Try running fast or jumping vertically.

Of course you will have some dreamers tell you that you can become whatever you want just by practicing. You will notice that they never do.

I once ran a 100m all out in 14.4 secs

And my PBs for 5k and 10k are 18:08,36:59 respectively.

Am I more of a slow-twitcher?

yes, run an all-out 600. If you find that you are faster thru 400-500 with a speed decrement in the final 100-200, then you are primarily FT. If your effort is strong in the final 200 m then you are likely ST.

basic tests wrote:

Of course you will have some dreamers tell you that you can become whatever you want just by practicing. You will notice that they never do.

I did.

But it has little or nothing to do with so-called "fast twitch," and everything to do with modifying all the old movement patterns that make you go slow instead of fast. The muscles do only what the nervous system tells them to do, and the nervous system tends to do what it's been doing your whole life so far. Master the skill and your muscles will adapt and follow suit.

So, what are some good ways to find out the fast-and-slow-twitch things?

Bad Wigins wrote:

basic tests wrote:

Of course you will have some dreamers tell you that you can become whatever you want just by practicing. You will notice that they never do.

I did.

But it has little or nothing to do with so-called "fast twitch," and everything to do with modifying all the old movement patterns that make you go slow instead of fast. The muscles do only what the nervous system tells them to do, and the nervous system tends to do what it's been doing your whole life so far. Master the skill and your muscles will adapt and follow suit.

I meant actually good at it. Not a participant.

I'm wondering wrote:

So, what are some good ways to find out the fast-and-slow-twitch things?

Run 100m and time yourself.

Try to dunk.

But what time does it indicate that you are more of a slow-twitcher or a fast-twitcher? Provided no former training.

Sub 15 100m means u r fast twitch

Sub 15 5k means u r slow twitch

Neither means u suck

I'm wondering wrote:

So, what are some good ways to find out the fast-and-slow-twitch things?

Dunk a basketball, and run a 35 miler.

So that means pretty much everyone is fast twitch...

Bad Wigins wrote:

basic tests wrote:

Of course you will have some dreamers tell you that you can become whatever you want just by practicing. You will notice that they never do.

I did.

But it has little or nothing to do with so-called "fast twitch," and everything to do with modifying all the old movement patterns that make you go slow instead of fast. The muscles do only what the nervous system tells them to do, and the nervous system tends to do what it's been doing your whole life so far. Master the skill and your muscles will adapt and follow suit.

ROFL!

yeppers wrote:

So that means pretty much everyone is fast twitch...

No, most people are 50/50 with a genetically terrible cardiovascular system, as well as poor running economy and mechanics.

fred wrote:

I'm wondering wrote:

So, what are some good ways to find out the fast-and-slow-twitch things?

Dunk a basketball, and run a 35 miler.

Dunking a basketball is not an indication of a high fast twitch percentage.

If you really want to know, you have to get medical testing. These days they can do it using MRI technology.

People have come up with all kinds of funny "tests" for fast/slow twitch; all of them essentially worthless.

What is your standing long jump distance? If it's not greater than 9 feet you're not a fast twitch athlete

You want to make sure you don't replace a test for muscle fiber with a test for skills--which SLJ, HJ, or dunking are. I remember when Ato Boldon posted in his online journal that no one in HSI could dunk, which should not be used to imply that people like Ato and Mo Greene were not fast twitch. They simply could not dunk or jump high.

There's a pretty simple test that is quite frequently used in football weight programs and the gym generally:

Bench at 80% of 1RM to failure.

If you bench less than 7 reps, you are fast twitch

If you bench 7-9 reps, you are balanced

If you bench more than 9 reps, you are slow twitch.

How much you bench is not part of the test. Your weight program should emphasize your strengths. People who are slow twitch will find somewhat lighter weights/more reps (more hypertrophy) more beneficial than sets of 1-4 with more weight, and vice versa for people who are fast twitch..

Mediocrity wrote:

yeppers wrote:

So that means pretty much everyone is fast twitch...

No, most people are 50/50 with a genetically terrible cardiovascular system, as well as poor running economy and mechanics.

Fast-twitch vs slow-twitch is primitive bro science rooted in obsolete lab-coat bullshit. It's like talking about "lactic acid." Nobody who thinks in such terms will ever get anywhere, though they will have plenty of ready excuses for their failure, e.g. "guess I'm slow twitch."

Mechanics is nearly everything.

coach wrote:

What is your standing long jump distance? If it's not greater than 9 feet you're not a fast twitch athlete

Your ignorance is showing. A short athlete with high fast twitch will not be able to do a standing long jump of 9 feet. I seriously doubt Dentarius Locke can do a 9 foot standing long jump; you think he doesn't have a high fast twitch percentage? Locke has the fastest stride frequency on the circuit. His 100m PB is 9.96. He is 5'5" - 5'6" in height.

Watch this 100m race with Locke in the field. Beautiful overhead video replay allows you to very clearly see the sprinters turnover:

Don't bet on Locke doing a 9 foot standing long jump. 7 feet yes, 9 feet no.

Usain Bolt often turns over at no more than 4.2 strides/second, but with an 8.0 - 8.2 foot stride length he makes up for it. Locke is way quicker than Bolt, but will never match Bolt's stride length.

Next.

Bad Wigins wrote:

Mechanics is nearly everything.

Correct. My good mechanics would keep me the race for 9700m, at which point I often got my ass handed to me.