How much will lifting improve my times this indoor season?

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trust your coach.

believe with all your mind that it will help you.

know when you're 200meters out, you've done the work to have the speed to finish the race.

believe then, yes, it will help you.

I'm not a miler (400m guy)so I can't comment specifically for your event, but lifting is crucial for speed. You want to keep the muscle bulk down but increase your strength so do very low reps (around 8 max) of a weight that you struggle to finish on your last rep. Don't lift 3x15 reps at a "mid weight" because that will encourage hypertrophy, which you don't want. Concentrate on weighted squats (I like split squats),weighted lunges, and deadlifts for your lower body. I consider the glute press the one machine that's essential for development of a stronger "push off" from the track. Work that machine especially hard. I would think body weight exercises for your upper body (pushups, pullups, planks, crunches) would be adequate for your needs. Good luck!

First, the initial increases in strength are purely neurological as you're retraining your body to recruit more muscle fibers. That effect will plateau rather quickly, so don't be deceived.

Next, upper body lifting will be largely useless for you as a mid/long distance runner. You'll need core strength and good form, but you don't need to build mass.

Lower body lifting is excellent in that it helps prevent injury. If you're serious about improving your top end speed, you'll want to do a lot of sprint drills and hill repeats. I won't say that you're screwed by your 400m time, but it's unlikely that you'll be able to win in a slow race.

You might want to reevaluate your racing tactics. Why would you wait until the last 100-200m when racing people with more speed than you? How close to 53.X seconds are you coming in the last 400m? If you're running a fast pace and these guys blow by you in a 27-28s 200m, I hate to say it but it's not speed, it's endurance.

Nevertheless, good luck.

Strength gains will be rapid and continue for probably around 6 months for a novice lifter. Don't act like he's done improving after two weeks.

Why do you assume upper body lifting means increased mass?

You do understand increased strength helps increase speed, right?

He never said he waits until the last 100m to make his move. He said he gets outsprinted. The faster your top-end speed the faster one is going to be able to kick home off of all paces (slow or fast) all else being equal.

gym halpert wrote:

trust your coach.

believe with all your mind that it will help you.

know when you're 200meters out, you've done the work to have the speed to finish the race.

believe then, yes, it will help you.

You aren't really this stupid are you? Do you really think Bolt runs as fast as he does just because he believes? Nothing else? geez.

ruserious wrote:

gym halpert wrote:

trust your coach.

believe with all your mind that it will help you.

know when you're 200meters out, you've done the work to have the speed to finish the race.

believe then, yes, it will help you.

You aren't really this stupid are you? Do you really think Bolt runs as fast as he does just because he believes? Nothing else? geez.

i bet tim tebow would suck if he didn't believe, and look at how good he is now

Comm, I apologize for confusing you with my posts as it appears you made a number of incorrect assumptions that I will clarify:1. I didn't say he'd be done improving after 2 weeks. That's your assumption. Also, it's 6-10 weeks according to the national strength and conditioning association, not 6 months. Check your facts. http://www.nsca-lift.org/HotTopic/download/Strength%20Training%20for%20Muscle%20Building.pdf2. Because many people will incorrectly assume that they need to see bigger muscles in order to get the benefits, so it needs to be said. I was trying to stress that upper body lifting is LARGELY useless, not completely. Building some core strength and basic arm strength is good, but there's no need to do bench press, bicep curls, etc.3. Nowhere did I say that increased strength did not increase speed. I did not say that lower-body lifting is ONLY good for preventing injury, only that it's probably the greatest benefit of it. The other things (drills and hills) are also proven ways to hold your form and increase top-end speed.4. You make far too many assumptions. "All else being equal?" Yeah right. Show me two runners that have equal 1500m/5000m/10000m times, but one is 2s faster over 400m and always wins in a 100m "sprint." NOBODY has a kick when the pace is at or above the limit of your ability. The only time that your sprinting speed matters in a kick is if you have a LOT left. If you're struggling just to hold pace you're not going to close in 25-26 unless you're a headcase.Anyway, if the OP is closing slower than 57s for the final 400m in a kickers race, I'd say he's limited by endurance, not by sprinting speed.Next time try to contribute the discussion instead of just being wrong all the time. G'day.

comm wrote:

Strength gains will be rapid and continue for probably around 6 months for a novice lifter. Don't act like he's done improving after two weeks.

Why do you assume upper body lifting means increased mass?

You do understand increased strength helps increase speed, right?

He never said he waits until the last 100m to make his move. He said he gets outsprinted. The faster your top-end speed the faster one is going to be able to kick home off of all paces (slow or fast) all else being equal.

Med School Runner wrote:

4. You make far too many assumptions. "All else being equal?" Yeah right. Show me two runners that have equal 1500m/5000m/10000m times, but one is 2s faster over 400m and always wins in a 100m "sprint." NOBODY has a kick when the pace is at or above the limit of your ability. The only time that your sprinting speed matters in a kick is if you have a LOT left. If you're struggling just to hold pace you're not going to close in 25-26 unless you're a headcase.

Anyway, if the OP is closing slower than 57s for the final 400m in a kickers race, I'd say he's limited by endurance, not by sprinting speed.

Geb vs Tergat

Bekele vs everyone (Bekele has run the last 100m of a 10000m in 11.x)

Lagat vs everyone (almost always wins in the kick, no matter the race, pace, or runners he's facing)

Need I go on?

You apparently don't know anything about racing or how speed contributes to finishing speed. You're also painfully ignorant if you think someone cannot gain from improving their sprint speed if it's their lacking variable.

It should help a bit