I am a distance runner without much knowledge about sprinter's training. I was just wondering what kind of stuff sprinters, 100-400, do in the off season. I would assume they do a lot of weight training but is that it?
I am a distance runner without much knowledge about sprinter's training. I was just wondering what kind of stuff sprinters, 100-400, do in the off season. I would assume they do a lot of weight training but is that it?
No, there's more. Put blood doping on your list.
Laze around even more
A variety of activity is best for most sprinters. Speed (duh), power, and explosiveness are "basic" to most sprinters' bodies, so that should be what most of them mostly focus on during the offseason. For most of them, this definitely can--and probably should--include ball games.
Sure, strength training should also be a part of most sprinters' offseason, as should brief (5-10sec) hill sprints, accelerations that touch (or approach) top speed, and so on; but a variety of activities--beyond straight-ahead running--is important, both for preventing injury and to lay a foundation for higher performance levels in the coming season.
About the only thing I *wouldn't* recommend for the sprinter's offseason would be a lot of distance running/jogging.
First of all, for professionals and NCAA schools, this is not offseason. Some of us are getting ready to compete indoors soon. Bolt, Powell, Gay and such are already into general prep, as are most NCAA D1 programs at least.
I think you'll find that people like Bolt, Gay, Felix don't do anything for several weeks, just like Lagat spends 5 weeks on the couch. Bolt just started training a week ago I beleive, and Gay just started light jogging after taking many weeks off. In high school, some 400 people run cross country and some 100 people play football. Some NCAA 100m people also play football.
Pure sprinting is very stressful on the body, particularly with respect to muscles and nervous systems. Offseason activities need to be general in nature to allow for recovery and not heavy weights or max speed sprints for a while
Weights, easy running w/ strides, hills &/or stadium steps, biking, swimming