THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SPRINTING

WHO DOESN’T WANT TO RUN (AND LOOK!) LIKE AN OLYMPIC SPRINTER? THIS EXPERT-DESIGNED PROGRAM WILL HELP YOU CROSS THAT FINISH LINE — FAST.

- JOE WUEBBEN

COMPETITIVE SPRINTERS HAVE some of the most incredible physiques in the world. Genetics aside, countless hours spent on the track mean well-developed glutes, quads, legs, shoulders, arms and core. Add to that their cross-training protocols and you’ve got the makings of a superhuman.

This guide sets you on the road to physique nirvana while also making you an excellent athlete. Once you’ve learned proper sprinting form and the ins and outs of gym training, use the three-month Sprint-FromScratch program, designed by Lindsey Grasmick, USTFCCCA, head track and field coach at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado, and get in the starting blocks.

On your mark, get set … sprint!

The Sprinting Advantage

Sprinting is entirely different than running for distance and/ or endurance when it comes to intensity and muscle-fiber activation, and the all-out intensity of a sprint is similar to that of a heavy lifting set — short in duration but potent in outcome.

“Sprinting requires the use of the quick phosphocreatine energy system, which supplies energy for short, intense bursts of less than 20 seconds,” says Julia Anto, CSCS, a strength and conditioning coach for sport athletes and powerlifters. “The body expends a lot of energy to utilize and replenish this system, making it excellent for calorie burning both during the activity and afterward via excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.”