You may have heard that running is detrimental to muscle development.
And it’s true, runners are skinny.
But they’re skinny only if they’re long-distance runners who run five, ten, or more miles in a single training.
On the other hand, sprinters are jacked with a low body fat percentage.
They are also explosive and athletic.
How is this possible?
You see, even though sprinting and long-distance running are seemingly very similar movements, they have a huge difference.
They use different kinds of muscle fibers.
Long-distance running uses slow twitch muscle fiber also known as type 1 muscle fiber.
While sprinting uses type 2b, or fast twitch muscle fiber.
If your slow twitch muscle fiber gets more efficient, you will develop endurance.
And if your fast twitch muscle fiber becomes more efficient, you will become explosive.
As you become more explosive as a sprinter, you will also lean out.
Finally, there’s one more thing that makes sprinting different than long-distance running when it comes to muscle development.
The fast twitch, or type 2b muscle fibers, are larger than the slow twitch fibers.
This is why sprinters look as they usually do.
In other words, you can get very muscular even if you include running in your workout routine.
Just make sure you run short distances (less than 100 yards) at maximum speed.
In the beginning, you don’t have to overdo it.
You can start with ten 40-yard dashes once a week.
Over time, you can increase distance and reps as your muscles get adapted to this kind of stimulus.
This adaptation happens when fibers learn how to interact more efficiently.
Also, sprinting will improve your neuromuscular coordination which means the brain will send signals to your muscles faster.
All of this will enable you to run faster.
You’ll also notice your glutes, quads, and calves grow in size when type 2 muscle fibers adapt to sprinting.
So if you’re lifting weights to get bigger and stronger, don’t throw your running shoes away.
Because sprinting can multiply your gains in every aspect.
Even if you do it once a week, you’ll get bigger, stronger, and more explosive.
Stay fit my friend,
Michael
Founder & CEO