Can a slow person become fast (basic sprint speed) later in life?

you'll only know if you try

You mean like a distance runner turning into a sprinter? Nope.

hope4turtlez wrote:

In terms of purely anaerobic speed (0-80m) where does the timeframe end for potential: At birth based on genetic endowment? Post-puberty? Or is there hope later in life?

a slow sprinter will never become a fast sprinter - sprinting is mostly genetic. Epstein writes about it in The Sports Gene.

So age doesn't mater in this discussion.

but someone of any age can become fastER if that is what you mean.

True story:

As a 15 year old mediocre basketball player, with no sprint specific training, 12.0 FAT.

As a 21 year old, underweight, mediocre distance runner, 14.9 Hand-timed from standing.

Could I get fast again?

Bump

Sure you can. You're talking about anaerobic speed and that can be trained, same as anything else. The other posters are referring to Epstein's contention that the fast twitch and tendon length is genetic. Although even his logic is flawed scientifically.

Yes you could. A lot can change during puberty, but you should be able to get down to 12.0 again easily enough.

The complex answer is that there are many factors that affect sprint performance. Genetics is one of them, but Epstein also says we know only a miniscule amount about genetics and nowhere near enough to rule anything in or out at this stage (most people ignore that part of the book so they can wave around the genetic excuse for things).

Development during puberty is definitely a factor. So is skill acquistion which is most viable during the 9-11 year age group.

Obviously, there is a limited timeframe but current knowledge suggests that it developmentally it starts later than people might think. Proper specialisation has been found to be more beneficial later rather than sooner. For sprinting, that would mean starting to specialise around the 15-16 years old as an event group and then as a single event around 17-18. Peak would occur around 22-24 so after that, it will probably be too late.

Genetics is overwhelmingly the dominant factor in sprinting. Little else matters.

Little else?

No training, coaching, nutrition, development etc. just genetics. That will explain why people who are genetically disposed to sprinting just turn up and win Olympic !medals without any prior experience.

Oh which genetics exactly. It's kind of like saying physics is overwhelmingly the dominant factor in sprinting. It is true but doesn't tell you anything meaningful.

mad as ufck wrote:

Genetics is overwhelmingly the dominant factor in sprinting. Little else matters.

So you think Usain Bolt doesn't train extremely hard?

hope4turtlez wrote:

In terms of purely anaerobic speed (0-80m) where does the timeframe end for potential: At birth based on genetic endowment? Post-puberty? Or is there hope later in life?

We all have a genetic limit for maximum velocity, but how long you can hold that speed will determine how well you do in a sprint race or a sprint at the end of a race.

I'm 51 year old distance runner and I do plenty speed work and I still have most of my basic speed that I had when I was young.

It's definitely possible with specific training.

guy who was Cal St mile champ - 40+ yrs ago - became a sprinter afterward (college) running under 10.0y as well as 4:01 mile , 1:48 880. exception not rule

I think the point he is making is that genetics is the most important factor; not that someone like Usain Bolt doesn't train hard to become the best in the world.For example, if Bolt didn't run a step for the next 3 years, and all I did was train specifically for the 100, I guarantee he'd still beat me. That's genetics. But if Bolt doesn't train 'extremely hard' in that same time period he won't be able to beat the world's best that do.

ssdfasdlfjasj wrote:

mad as ufck wrote:

Genetics is overwhelmingly the dominant factor in sprinting. Little else matters.

So you think Usain Bolt doesn't train extremely hard?

Lee_Ness wrote:

That will explain why people who are genetically disposed to sprinting just turn up and win Olympic !medals without any prior experience.

Name an Olympic medalist with no experience of sprinting?

Can someone explain how one would do this? In my own case, I can't hardly believe I became so slow at 21 after being reasonably fast as a middle schooler and HS freshman.

What can I do to regain "the magic"? I have been trying to work on speed for some time, but largely to no avail. It just "feels wrong", like I've "forgotten" how to sprint. It just doesn't "feel" like it used to.

ssdfasdlfjasj wrote:

mad as ufck wrote:

Genetics is overwhelmingly the dominant factor in sprinting. Little else matters.

So you think Usain Bolt doesn't train extremely hard?

That's not the point. He didn't go from being slow to really fast.

He went from blazing fast to out of this world fast.

bigjohngreentights wrote:

Can someone explain how one would do this? In my own case, I can't hardly believe I became so slow at 21 after being reasonably fast as a middle schooler and HS freshman.

What can I do to regain "the magic"? I have been trying to work on speed for some time, but largely to no avail. It just "feels wrong", like I've "forgotten" how to sprint. It just doesn't "feel" like it used to.

Are you also slower with distance times?

If not, then don't worry about it.