Sprinting for Size

I read an article a while back that used a series of sprints to increase your hamstring size.

anyone know what its called?

it had you doing a certain amount of yardage that you would increase each week with 60 seconds rest in between.

There have been a couple, but this one sounds like what you’re talking about:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459646

One thing I’d recommend is doing some form running (power skips, high knees, butt kicks, karioka, etc.) before starting the atual sprints. This works a great warmup and will loosen your hips allowing you to sprint better. I’d maybe do a couple of 20m “sets” of each.

I would also suggest looking into downhill running. As T-Mag Mod hinted at in the recent article Mod With a Bod. Running down hill puts a huge strain on your hams.

Give it a try,
Phill

I am curious as to how sprinting (HIIT) would affect recovery.

Should I not train(lift) legs on the day before and after Sprinting to allow for adequate recovery?

I think the artical you’re looking for was called “The Running Man” but I can’t find it yet. If I find it i’ll post the link.

La’
Redsol1

Found it!!

Running man By Thib

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459414

la’
Redsol1

[quote]Phill wrote:
I would also suggest looking into downhill running. As T-Mag Mod hinted at in the recent article Mod With a Bod. Running down hill puts a huge strain on your hams.

Give it a try,
Phill[/quote]

Not that I totally disagree that downhill runs hit the hams, but rather I believe it hits the quad even harder. From my experiences training for track nationals, up-hill running was the ham killer. Since the body would have quite the degree of forward lean, as the athlete sprinted up the hill, the ham would stretch under loading to the equivalent of the bottom position of the DL. Then, it would be used to explode in a hip-extension manner, again similar to the DL.

The down-hill angle being just opposite, where the quad would get that stretch and quick contraction upon extension during the sprint. I could also see the hams being stressed hard down-hill in an eccentric manner because they are called to decelerate the lower leg near full knee extension. Since the quad is generally more powerful than the hams, the hams would be working OT to keep up. Thus, why down-hill is thought to be so effective. Yet, I still felt the hams more on explosive up-hill runs, where the quads acted mostly in deceleration and the hams mostly in acceleration.

TopSirloin

Your hams are forced to slow you down on a steep down hill run. Keeping you from falling over and out running your own feet. This give a great NEGATIVE work out and can help build size.

That is just my take and I know the tuimes I have done them you vcan feel it the followuing day in the hams

Just my take though everyone is individual. Just giving an option,

[quote]Phill wrote:
I would also suggest looking into downhill running. As T-Mag Mod hinted at in the recent article Mod With a Bod. Running down hill puts a huge strain on your hams.

Give it a try,
Phill[/quote]

I believe sprinting downhill puts a greater strain on the quads and knee. Be very careful with these. 7 degrees is about maximum slope for safety.

Sprinting up-hill puts a HUGE strain on the hammies. Even just walking up-hill with added resistance is brutal on the hammies.

TNT

I hunt, and my quads are usually burning after going up a high hill. It is like starting in the lower position of a lunge and pushing your leg straight.

Going down, I agree with Phill, the hammies do the break work like a leg curl.

Of course, it can affect people in different ways. That is why I like doing both uphill and downhill work.

[quote]Arioch wrote:
I hunt, and my quads are usually burning after going up a high hill. It is like starting in the lower position of a lunge and pushing your leg straight.

Going down, I agree with Phill, the hammies do the break work like a leg curl.

Of course, it can affect people in different ways. That is why I like doing both uphill and downhill work.[/quote]

Good idea to hit the up and down hill angles. However, walking vs. sprinting will give different training effects. Sprinting eccentuates the loading more than simiply walking.

As for execution, if you stay on your toes on an incline walk/sprint I don’t think the hams would work as hard. Therefore, the incline must not be too great that the heel is not allowed to reach the surface. You probably stayed mostly on your toes while hunting which is why you only felt the quads. Therefore, the uphill sprint angle should probably not exceed 10 degrees.

TS