How Does The Fastest Man Alive Train?

So, through a few research articles I came across a small sample of what Usain Bolt does in his training sessions.

Lately, I have been uneasy on the topic of those who believe runners don't need strength training. And if ANY of you who do think that want to sit and talk to me about it....I'd be glad to talk!

Anyways, back to the fastest man alive. Many strength coaches and trainers don't like making their programs public because either they feel others will criticize them(knowing the nature of our country) or because they feel like others will take their ideas.

So there is not much out there, but you can surely see Usain trains with weights. Whether his strength coach is American or not we don't know, but in the picture below, he is performing on a reverse hyper.....

One of the first pieces I got when settling into my facility!

Why are these so great Mike??

Essentially, the theory is that axial hip extension exercises strengthen hip extension power in flexed-ranges due to their torque-angle curves, whereas anteroposterior hip extension exercises strengthen hip extension power in extended-ranges due to their torque-angle curves.

You can also just think of it like this: squats and good mornings are hardest down low when the hips are bent but easy at the top ROM when the hips are straightened, whereas hip thrusts and back extensions are easier at the bottom ROM but hardest up top when the hips are straightened. Both ranges; flexed and extended, are needed for optimal sprinting performance, especially considering that the ground contact phase is characterized by more neutral hip ranges of motion

This all means that the placement of your hips while strengthening will boost glute recruitment and speed will go through the roof!! :)

Now, I'm not saying Usain's program is perfect, but that is not my point of this post. Here you see a Barbell Incline Press....which is fine if used properly in his programming.

But for those of you who think weight lifting is BS for runners and sprinters....Shame on you. You can't voice your opinion on theories that are backed by research and RESULTS. You can't turn the table on what's great for an athlete just because you can't do 10 push-ups yourself.

Last night, I had 3 solid runners performing band resisted RDL's along with push-ups, and let me tell you...they are pretty darn strong.....and fast!

Here is Usain doing Hang-Cleans....a Staple of my programming for endurance athletes.

 So overall, yes Usain can have some glitches in his workouts that we may never know about...but my point is so show you that he just doesn't go out and run. He trains as a well-rounded athlete. Just as you should.

Until Next Time,

Keep Reaching For Your Dreams.

Mike Over
CPT/PES
Strength & Conditioning Specialist
www.mjofitness.com