If you had one resisted strength exercise to get people running faster, what would it be? Well I would use wearable resistance (WR) especially if running speed needed to be multi-directional as is the case in most sports. That is, one way you get people to run faster is to get them running fast with added resistance – activity specific strength training.
Typically, gym-based strength gains from exercises like the squat do not transfer well to speed, and when you have a close look at the exercises (see figure), you understand why.
Squatting develops bilateral, vertical force capability, using slow velocity acyclic movement patterns.
WR sprinting develops unilateral, vertical and horizontal force capability, using high velocity cyclic movement patterns.
The range of motion, metabolic cost, sequencing of contractions, storage and utilisation of elastic energy, tendinous and fascial contribution, contraction durations, etc. are very different.
Don’t get me wrong, the squat has its place in the tool kit but if you want to strength train for speed then WR offers a far better training option. It overloads big and small muscles alike, whilst not interfering with the subtleties of sprint technique.
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