I’m a high school sophomore running distance. Is it possible to become a sprinter? What kinds of things do I have to do different? Also if this helps I took a 23 and me test and apparently I have more fast twitch fibers
I’m a high school sophomore running distance. Is it possible to become a sprinter? What kinds of things do I have to do different? Also if this helps I took a 23 and me test and apparently I have more fast twitch fibers
I did it when I was much older, almost 40. And after many years of being a distance runner I was shocked to find out that I was actually a better sprinter, looking at my performances.
Give it a shot, it might work out.
Ask your coach for the opportunity to run in some sprint events in some low-key races. Or ask to be timed at practice in some sprint time trials. A good HS coach should encourage you to learn about and try different events. You might be tall and decent at the hurdles, or you might be a decent jumper. At the least you should try to get in a 4x400 relay as a "B" team. After seeing you run, your coach should be able to give you some guidance/encouragement on training for different events.
patrickc wrote:
I’m a high school sophomore running distance. Is it possible to become a sprinter?
No, it's not possible.
patrickc wrote:
I’m a high school sophomore running distance. Is it possible to become a sprinter?
Yes, you can become a sprinter. The question is whether you can become a good one or not. Need more info on your current PRs, height, weight, type of training you're doing now, etc.
patrickc wrote:
Also if this helps I took a 23 and me test and apparently I have more fast twitch fibers
And I care about this why?
Bombarc wrote:
patrickc wrote:
Also if this helps I took a 23 and me test and apparently I have more fast twitch fibers
And I care about this why?
Because fast twitch fibers focus on power and explosiveness which is more suited towards sprinters. The other, slow twitch fibers, focus on endurance.
patrickc wrote:
I’m a high school sophomore running distance. Is it possible to become a sprinter? What kinds of things do I have to do different? Also if this helps I took a 23 and me test and apparently I have more fast twitch fibers
Can you be more specific about the test and what prompted you to have it done? I didn't really understand the way you have phrased it here.
So there are two main types of fast twitch fibers. Any idea in what you have? I say "main" types because there are several others but generally they fall into the two major classifications.
What has been your experience with distance running as far as performances?
patrickc wrote:
Because fast twitch fibers focus on power and explosiveness which is more suited towards sprinters. The other, slow twitch fibers, focus on endurance.
Biggest myth in sports. Human muscle twitch ratio nonsense. Homo sapiens are slow muscle switch creatures. Humans have three possible muscle twitches: 1) slow, 2) slower and 3) slowest. Are your muscles unable to use liver fat as a fuel? No. Compared to other mammals, humans are slow, including Usain Bolt. Humans are poor jumpers compared to other mammals, including Mutaz Barshim. Would it shake your belief in muscle twitch ratio as rigorous biology if you test out to have a greater percentage of fast twitch muscles than a person whom test out to have a greater portion of slow twitch muscles than you and still out sprints you? What if you test out to have greater percentage of fast twitch muscles than Eliud Kipchoge but you cannot even beat Kipchoge in a 60m sprint?
Rather inelegantly put, but more or less to the point. There is an awful lot more to sprinter versus distance runner than muscle fiber predisposition. If you are better at the sprints, do those. If you are better at distance, do that.
Better yet, do the one you enjoy more. Generally winning is a piece, but not all of determining what you enjoy.
I agree. Do what you enjoy. You wouldn’t be asking if you were running 9 flat for the 3200. You will most likely not compete collegiately so you should have fun during high school.
ironside wrote:
Biggest myth in sports. Human muscle twitch ratio nonsense. Homo sapiens are slow muscle switch creatures. Humans have three possible muscle twitches: 1) slow, 2) slower and 3) slowest. Are your muscles unable to use liver fat as a fuel? No. Compared to other mammals, humans are slow, including Usain Bolt. Humans are poor jumpers compared to other mammals, including Mutaz Barshim.
Biggest myth in sports? What I find really strange on these boards and even amongst experienced (not necessarily accomplished) coaches there is an extreme lack of knowledge of the energy systems and how the use of them is heavily dependent on muscle fiber types. Almost every facet of training depends on your understanding of how these systems adapt to training.
Yes, humans are slow compared to other mammals. That's not relevant her since we are not racing horses or cheetahs.
It's also extremely irrelevant as to whether anyone running a 3k or less can burn fat as fuel unless they are running 12 minute pace!
Bombarc wrote:
patrickc wrote:
Also if this helps I took a 23 and me test and apparently I have more fast twitch fibers
And I care about this why?
If you truly are disinterested, wouldn't it be easier to not post than to respond to the thread?
You are about as annoying as those who simply post an opinion without substantiating it. Such behavior doesn't advance anyone's understanding much.
There is no substance in your observation.
If you look at athletes who are aerobically strong, compared to athletes who are anaerobically strong, they is huge difference in muscle build. Endurance athletes are slim, and muscles are toned, but not big and powerful. Sprint athletes are more powerful, and are extremely muscular from top to bottom.
Sprint and track cyclists are huge with powerful leg muscles, which allows them to generate great speeds within in a matter of seconds. Mountain cyclists or your climbers, the ones who always win the Tour De France, are very slim, with great aerobic ability. They out climb all the sprint cyclists because they depend less on fast twitch muscles and have great strength in their slow twitch muscle fibers. They have the superior endurance.
That is the difference between an athlete with great speed and an athlete with great endurance. However, those bodies can be developed through training. If you want to be more of an endurance athlete, then the focus should be placed on building slow twitch ability, and vice versa if a person wants to be a sprint athlete.
When you let me know you didn't like my first sentence, "Biggest myth in sports," I thought you were going to confront me with science or quotes from biologists, physiologists, chemists, veterinarians or MD's. I was looking for you to hit me with facts or quotes from knowledgeable professionals. Usain Bolt ten or so years ago, if he felt like changing his training and abandoning 100/200 training, he could have easily raced sub-1:52 for 800m and also with proper training could have raced sub-4:30 for a mile. Muscle twitch ratios is real science. Look at raw chickens versus raw duck. Big differences in humans regarding muscle fibers? No!
Elite sprinters are faster than the average man due to strength per body weight and coordination. Do we believe those who can throw a football 80 yards are all simply born with a superior percentage of fast twitch muscles? Some can run sub-4.4 for 40 yard dash, others never were able to break 4.8 for 40 yard dash. Sprinting fast and throwing a football 80 yards are both functions of strength and coordination, not genetic muscle twitch ratio.