The Sprinter’s Powerhouse – The Glute-Hamstring Combination!

Can you run fast? Do you want to run faster? I want to explain the importance of glute and hamstring development as it pertains to SPEED!

When you think about the muscles that are involved in running we obviously think about the legs, but which specific muscles in the legs really have to “fire” to get us up to a blazing pace? The answer to this question is the muscles in the butt (glutes) and hamstrings (back of the legs b/w the knees and glutes).

These muscles are a powerful combination when it comes to driving and propelling the body forward in a series of quick plyometric bounds we call sprinting. These muscles are literally pulling the body forward during a sprint just like a race horse powering down the track at the Kentucky Derby. The quads (thighs) extend the leg forward for the foot to make immediate contact to the ground while the glutes and hamstrings power the pull-back or pawing-type motion to execute every stride. These muscles are developed most effectively through strength training exercises in the “pulling phase” of what I describe in my push/pull methodology of training. The development of these muscles are important for everyone whether or not you are a competitive athlete or just a serious workout junky. Most lifts that have to be executed for the development of these particular muscles generate tremendous leg power and total-back strength.

Go and work on developing your powerhouse. Competitive sprinter or not keep your edge. If you do you’ll live longer and look better as you get older!