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Throwing velocity has become a gatekeeper to the higher levels of baseball. Improving this quality is a complex endeavor, and one that I’m intimately familiar with as both a player and coach.

When I graduated college I wasn’t ready to give up on my dream of playing professional baseball, but with my velocity being what it was (up to 88mph), I didn’t have any opportunities. I knew I needed to throw harder, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to go about doing that. So, I buckled down and began researching, talking to coaches who had a track record of success with improving throwing velocity, and then experimenting on myself. Out of this process, I learned what did and did not work on my way to improving my own velocity to 94mph. Fast forward a few years, and I’ve helped many high school, college, and professional pitchers improve their velocities as well.

Throwing velocity has become a gatekeeper to the higher levels of baseball, says @tyler_anzmann. Share on X

This article will be about not only what works, but about why it works and how to apply it.

Program Design and Adaptations

Well-designed programs for velocity enhancement should involve some amount of high intensity throwing. This makes sense, as most people are intuitively familiar with the SAID principle (specific adaptations to imposed demands)—in other words, you need to train the thing you’re trying to get better at.

If you want to throw harder, you need to throw hard somewhat frequently. But beyond this obvious point, what’s going on as far as adaptations to this stimulus and how does it help increase throwing velocity? There are two basic types of adaptations that are important to understand when dissecting training methodology:

• Neurological adaptations
• Physiological adaptations

Both of these play a role in determining the output capability of a human being. If we use the analogy of a racecar driver, neurological adaptations would be akin to becoming a better driver, whereas physiological adaptations would be ways to increase the horsepower of the car. In order to throw at our highest possible velocity, both of these types of adaptations are important.

Neurological Adaptations

Neurological adaptations involve changes to the body’s software. If the software is too slow or out of date, even the best hardware will perform poorly.

1. Coordination

The first neurological adaptation that’s important to understand is coordination. Basically, this means that muscle force is applied at the right time, in the right direction, in the right sequence, etc. In research on specific adaptations to weight lifting, one of the key determinants of velocity-specific adaptations (how good did the participants get at lifting light weights fast vs. heavy loads slowly?) was coordination.

The groups that lifted lighter weights got better at lifting weights fast, while the other group got better at lifting heavier weights and not quite as good at lifting light weights fast (Almasbakk and Hoff, 1985). This points to the coordination gained from specific types of training being important for the specific adaptations. This same process occurs with high velocity throwing and is one of the reasons pitchers who focus only on throwing strikes at low intensity don’t continue to gain velocity after puberty (when physical maturation alone can account for improvements in velocity).

2. Motor Unit Recruitment

The second neurological adaptation is motor unit recruitment. A motor unit is composed of the motor neuron (a nerve cell which passes impulses from the brain or spinal cord to muscle fibers causing it to contract) and the muscle fibers it innervates. Motor units can be divided into low- and high-threshold varieties.

• Low threshold motor units are recruited first due to the size principle. These are composed mainly of type 1 (or slow twitch) muscle fibers, which are resistant to fatigue but are not capable of very high outputs.
• High threshold motor units are composed mainly of type 2 (or fast twitch) muscle fibers. These are only called upon when the central nervous system determines that their assistance is required. This could be when heavy loads are being lifted, when light loads are being lifted in close proximity to failure, or when maximal velocity is intended.

Repeated exposure to maximal effort activities can help make more high threshold motor units available. Therefore, throwing at maximal effort somewhat frequently can be a helpful stimulus for increasing the ability to recruit high threshold motor units (more on this later).

Repeated exposure to maximal effort activities can help make more high threshold motor units available, says @tyler_anzmann. Share on X

For example, an early off-season high intensity throwing session will typically include:

• A warm-up involving a potentiating component
• Specific constraints drills tailored to that athlete’s needs in low volume

Video 1. Figure 8 Drill, example of specific constraints.

• Long toss, or catch play as needed to finish warming up
• Maximal effort throws with additional momentum (run-up, shuffle, walk-up, etc.)
  • Over/underload balls may or may not be used depending on athlete development level, needs, etc.
  • Every throw is measured
  • A velocity drop-off is used (generally around 2%) to stop the session early if necessary
  • Complete rest between throws to keep fatigue low

Video 2.  Shuffle Throw.

3. Rate Coding

The third neurological adaptation is rate coding. Rate coding is the frequency at which motor units discharge action potentials to activate. Increasing the rate at which motor units are activated increases the potential for overall force output in shorter time frames.

High velocity movements have been shown to increase rate coding to a greater degree than heavy loading (Van Cutsem et al., 1998), which makes sense as this plays a larger role in high velocity force production than low velocity force production.

Heavy loading and high velocity movements both compete for significant recovery resources and therefore must both be carefully planned around and accounted for. This is just one reason why the assessment process is so critical. Depending on an athlete’s force velocity profile, training experience, and the time of year, more or less heavy loading may benefit that athlete. But, in a more advanced population, heavy loading plays a relatively small role in improving performance. This means a higher volume of sport-specific training (throwing in this case). More intensive ballistic and plyometric variations are used with contact times, velocities, and weights determined by the athlete’s profile.

4. Activation Level of Antagonist Muscles

The fourth neurological adaptation is related to the level of activation of antagonist muscles. Think of antagonists as the muscles that oppose the motion you’re trying to create (e.g., the triceps are the antagonist to the biceps as they extend the elbow while the biceps create elbow flexion).

Antagonist coactivation is important for joint stability, but if antagonist activation is too great it will limit the net torque produced by the opposite muscle. This coactivation has been shown to decrease as a result of high velocity training (Janusevicius et al., 2017).

Physiological Adaptations

Along with neurological adaptations, physiological adaptations to high velocity throwing are also critically important. Think about this as the hardware to the neurological software. Low quality hardware won’t be able to take advantage of all of the amazing features of even the best software.

1. Fascicle Length

The first physiological adaptation is a change in muscle fascicle length. Increased fascicle length is important as it is associated with faster contraction velocities. Longer fascicles mean a greater number of sarcomeres (the smallest functional unit of muscle tissue) in series and all of these sarcomeres shorten at the same time. If a greater number of sarcomeres in series shorten at the same velocity, a greater distance has been covered in the same amount of time. This equates to higher shortening velocity.

It has been shown that faster 100m sprinters have longer fascicles than their slower counterparts (Kumagai et al., 2000). This can be applied to throwers as well. The way sprinters train generally involves relatively frequent high effort sprinting, plyometrics, and gym sessions tailored to their specific needs. Throwers should be trained similarly. Throw at high intensity one or two times per week, use intensive and extensive ballistic and plyometric variations, and tailor gym sessions to the athlete’s needs.

2. Fiber Type Shifts

Muscle fiber types are something that everyone is familiar with. There are two broad categories: fast twitch and slow twitch. Beyond this basic level of familiarity, there is more that can be gleaned from understanding some important differences between the fiber types and subtypes.

Within the fast twitch (type 2) muscle fibers there are two important subcategories: type 2a and type 2x. Type 2x fibers have the fastest shortening velocities (~5-6 fiber lengths/second), while type 2a are still very fast (~3-4 fiber lengths/second) but are a bit slower than type 2x (Beardsley, 2021), and both types are significantly faster than type 1 fibers (0.5-1.0 fiber lengths/second) (Beardsley, 2021).

Depending on the type of training performed, fibers can shift their type from 2a to 2x, and vice versa. The more fatigue that is present in a training program, the more likely a shift is to occur from type 2x to type 2a. This may or may not be a problem depending on the force-velocity profile of the athlete, but as strength standards and basic body composition requirements are met, this is worth keeping in mind when programming. Type 2a can shift to 2x provided that the velocity is high enough and volume is relatively low.

Type 2a can shift to 2x provided that the velocity is high enough and volume is relatively low, says @tyler_anzmann. Share on X

This is just one reason why distance running and high volume, low to moderate intensity training programs tend to be incompatible with a goal of maximizing throwing velocity. If you want to maximize throwing velocity, high intent and low fatigue during training sessions are musts.

3. Stiffness and Connective Tissue Adaptations

Muscles and adaptations related to them are incredibly important when it comes to maximizing throwing velocity, but there are limitations to a purely muscle-focused approach. Concentric muscle actions are limited in that as the shortening velocity increases, force decreases—so at very high shortening velocities, very little force is produced. At the highest movement velocities, it may not even be possible for muscles to shorten fast enough to help in a meaningful way. This is why elastic energy storage and release is so important in high velocity movements, including throwing. Tendons play a large role here. They can be thought of as amplifiers to our muscle power. When tendons are stretched, they store elastic energy to be released later, producing output much greater than muscles alone are capable of.

In order to increase the amount of force that is transferred from a muscular contraction and increase the amount of elastic energy that can be stored and released, tendon stiffness often must be improved. Stiffer tendons require more force to be stretched, but they return more elastic energy. Compliant tendons, on the other hand, change length without requiring as much force to be exerted on them. Think about trying to pull a heavy stone using a very stretchy rubber band; this would be like a very compliant tendon in that force transfer (greatly inhibited). Next, think about pulling that same heavy stone with a chain; this would be like a stiffer tendon in that force transmission (better and more immediate).

Research has shown that elite 100m sprinters have stiffer Achilles tendons and stronger calves to go along with those stiffer tendons (Arampatzis et al., 2006). Stiffer tendons require stronger muscles in order to stretch them, so this makes sense. Similar adaptations occur at the shoulder and arm in overhead throwers. These adaptations occur as a result of high velocity training (sprinting) and also help to increase their sprinting proficiency. Throwing at high velocities has a similar training effect and these adaptations have similar performance implications for improving throwing velocity as well.

Research has shown that elite 100m sprinters have stiffer Achilles tendons and stronger calves, says @tyler_anzmann. Share on X

4. Muscle Pennation Angle

The final physiological adaptation involves the pennation angle of muscles. This is the angle of the muscle fibers relative to the longitudinal axis of the entire muscle. The greater the pennation angle, the fewer sarcomeres in series, but the greater the number in parallel. This means that a greater, or more obtuse, pennation angle means that the muscle is capable of generating higher forces, but lower velocities. Due to the shortening velocity being slower, more cross bridges can form, generating higher force. When higher velocity training is used, the pennation angle of a muscle tends to be reduced or more acute.

When it comes to throwing and other complex movement patterns involving proximal to distal sequencing, the more proximal muscles will generally have a greater pennation angle and the more distal muscles will have a reduced pennation angle. This makes sense, as the demands on those structures are different. Proximal muscles tend to be used more for force production and have more time to do so, while distal muscles tend to be exposed to much higher velocities and be involved in energy transfer.

Conclusion

In order to maximize an athlete’s opportunities to play at the highest level, throwing velocity must be maximized as it offers a powerful advantage on the field. However, maximum intensity throwing can provide benefits as a powerful means of training as well as an arrow in the quiver of a pitcher when used appropriately. The neurological and physiological adaptations that occur as a result of this stimulus help raise the ceiling for a thrower’s velocity potential. Once coaches understand the adaptations that can be created through a program involving high velocity throwing, a thoughtful program can be implemented based on their existing understanding of program design and periodization.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

We may not realize it, but all good coaches subconsciously assess an athlete’s readiness in some capacity. This doesn’t necessarily involve the use of sophisticated technology—sometimes it’s simply talking with the athletes about how they’re feeling or how practice was and then making the appropriate adjustments to the training plan.

Coaches may not think that they have the ability to initiate an athlete readiness program on a larger scale due to a lack of resources, from knowledge to equipment to manpower. While having access to more resources can lead to better monitoring of our athletes, there are also several lower-cost and time-effective readiness protocols that can help coaches monitor their athletes’ readiness on a budget.

There are several lower-cost and time-effective readiness protocols that can help coaches monitor their athletes’ readiness on a budget. Share on X

This article will dive deeper into four affordable yet effective tools to monitor athlete readiness and help lay out real strategies to utilize them.

Athlete Readiness

Readiness monitoring is assessing an athlete’s physical and mental preparedness for that particular day. You can accomplish this through various methods, some easy to implement immediately and some requiring more work up front. The benefits of monitoring an athlete’s readiness are having the ability to keep your athletes from overtraining and making more appropriate adjustments to a training plan if necessary.

When monitoring athletes, you want to ensure that the information will provide value and help drive training decisions. Not every affordable measure will fit every environment and be appropriate—it is the coach’s responsibility to figure out if the juice is worth the squeeze when it comes to committing to a readiness tool.

Coach to Athlete Communication

The most affordable monitoring tool available to coaches is their own coach’s eye and their ability to care and communicate with the athletes—this is free, provides insight, and helps get athlete buy-in. Trust is a two-way street, and we should see this as working with the athlete and not being above them.

Stress does not discriminate, whether it’s from an intense training session, academics, or arguing with a boyfriend/girlfriend—knowing this information allows coaches to better monitor the athletes and their training program.

This assessment begins the second they walk through the door. Are they talking and laughing? How does their body language appear? How are their actions consistent with what they’ve shown in the past?

This assessment begins the second they walk through the door. Are they talking and laughing? How does their body language appear? How are their actions consistent with what they’ve shown in the past? Share on X

If any of these raise a red flag, communication can begin with a simple how are you? That can go a long way in a trusting relationship. More follow-up questions include:

• What did you do last night?
• When did you go to sleep?
• How did you sleep?
• Did you eat breakfast?

And so on, including any questions that may be specific to the athlete or team.

I worked with a collegiate team that went out late on Thursday nights for their team bonding night. I knew coming in early Friday morning what we were getting into, and it was never good. Asking the right questions on Friday gave me the tools to better prepare that training session. This was a better idea and more of a reality than thinking I could prevent a team of college students from going out with their friends and teammates the night before.

Being a successful communicator is a requirement for a coach, and it also comes into play when implementing a more strategic monitoring strategy. The following four strategies and assessment tools can help coaches cover their entire team and pursue a more organized and holistic program:

1. Subjective questionnaires.
2. Grip strength.
3. Countermovement jump assessment.
4. 10-yard sprint assessment.

1. Questionnaires

Subjective questionnaires work to provide similar data as wearables, but from the athlete’s perspective. Everyone perceives stress and what is good hydration and nutrition differently, so it is important to educate athletes the best you can and try to create standards. Know your audience here and use your best judgment to create questions that will benefit the program.

I have used questionnaires for some teams and found success—not necessarily because it showed a magical number, but rather because it helped open the door for a conversation. If I see that an athlete has put a low number on morale or overall readiness for multiple days in a row, then I will have the type of productive conversation with that individual that has helped drive more success than anything else.

Obtaining a questionnaire is relatively easy and affordable. Training software such as Bridge Athletic and TeamBuildr have their own questionnaires available that teams can easily do from their phones. Or, if you’re on a tighter budget, you can create one yourself using Google Office or several other survey apps.

2. Grip Strength

Using grip strength to help regulate and assess an athlete’s readiness is one of my favorite methods. It’s quick, only taking about 10 seconds to test each hand. It’s also affordable: a quick Amazon search shows a grip dynamometer costs $28.99. And it requires no skill to operate—just grab it and squeeze it as hard as possible to get an accurate read.

Using grip strength to help regulate and assess an athlete’s readiness is one of my favorite methods. Share on X

Video 1. I’ve used grip strength as a readiness assessment method when working with private clients or small teams of 10-15. I first used this method when preparing a few athletes for pro days at their colleges and began to implement the grip test before and after training sessions.

Though I started with limited expectations, I’ve found with my athletes that grip strength is reliable for monitoring their fatigue and stress. You can see from the short range of data below that many of the days with lower results were surrounded by stressful periods for this athlete. These include testing in one of his pro day events, such as the 40-yard dash or 225-pound bench press test, during stressful times in his personal life such as a breakup and moving apartments, and the gradual stress of training multiple times and days throughout the week. The higher days often corresponded with positive training days and hitting personal records.

Getting a baseline or “max” was the first objective, and then monitoring anything larger than a 10% drop-off as a red flag that would potentially influence training. Every time there was a dip in grip strength, we didn’t automatically decrease training or assume the sky was falling. But consistently, each time there was a significant drop, it was around a time of chaotic stress or injury.

The only downside to this method is that there is high variability at first—it takes some time before you can create a reliable average and begin to see patterns. Since it is so accessible to test, though, the numbers will accumulate quickly.

For me, it’s just too easy of an option not to implement it, with low risk and a potentially high reward.

3. Countermovement Jump

Performing a countermovement jump is another assessment that can help monitor training readiness. It meets the same required criteria of being quick, semi-affordable, and relatively reliable for recognizing athlete fatigue.

Step one is to find a testing tool that you can use consistently. I personally like using a jump mat, as I find that it’s quicker and flows better in a group setting than jumping with a Vertec. Either is fine, and most facilities are equipped with one or the other (or at least can find room in the budget to purchase a reliable vertical jump testing tool).

Video 2. Performing a countermovement jump on a Just Jump mat as a readiness monitoring tool.

Next, it is important to test often and under the same testing standards—for example, I test my teams every session after warm-ups and before the first lifting block, every training day.

Keeping the testing procedures consistent is not only important for creating more data and making numbers more reliable, but it also helps with the flow of the training session. Share on X

Keeping the testing procedures consistent is not only important for creating more data and making the numbers more reliable, but it also helps with the flow of the training session. Eventually, the athletes just knew that we perform a countermovement jump to conclude our warm-up.

When examining the jumps, I stick to the rule of 10% drop-off being a red flag. If an athlete jumps under the 10%, I allow another rep to ensure it wasn’t just a poor rep; if the jump is similar or even worse, then we can look to adjust the training plan.

4. 10-Yard Sprint

The 10-yard sprint is another great tool to monitor an athlete’s readiness for training. When recording the numbers for the exercise, it is important to keep the testing procedures similar, much like with the countermovement jump. The timing of the 10 isn’t done to necessarily get an accurate 10-yard sprint, but rather to compare the numbers to themselves and decide where the athlete’s training ability is for that day.

A stopwatch can easily record an athlete’s sprint time to compare to over the course of time. As long as the testing procedures are similar, performed at the same time, with the same setup, and by the same individual, then you should feel confident with comparing and relying on the numbers.

When training large groups, I’ve given the responsibility of one line to interns, or even sport coaches who watch the team lift. Then I always keep them with that group throughout the testing.

Video 3. When performing the assessment, I run three sprints and use the best timed sprint as the number to compare to their best recorded time. Ensure that the athletes get full rest—one minute at the minimum; this should be easy to do if you are working with a large group.

Using a sprint drop-off chart (which you can find for free at xlathlete.com), you can determine if the sprint has a 2-5% drop-off change. I have always used 5% or higher as my marker, as I find 2% to be too low for the level of athletes I train. Five percent or more gives them more wiggle room for errors.

On the Right Path

All coaches want to know that they’re making the right decisions to drive their athletes in the correct direction. Much like the value of a map on a long road trip, readiness tools can offer coaches insight that they are on the correct path and doing what is right for the athletes.

Implementing these methods to determine athlete readiness is a low-risk/high-reward option coaches can do without altering their current training program or environment. Share on X

Monitoring athlete readiness does not have to be an expensive or complicated process. Implementing these methods is a low-risk/high-reward option coaches can do without altering their current training program or environment. The previously listed methods are all also cost- and time-effective, allowing coaches to make better training decisions.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

By Mike Over and Alex Chrysovergis

If you’re training for strength, power, and overall athleticism—or even if you’re just a fan of reading fitness literature—chances are you’ve heard of post-activation potentiation (PAP). This is the phenomenon by which “the contractile history of a muscle influences the mechanical performance of subsequent muscle contractions.”¹ In layman’s terms, this means that by exposing a muscle to heavy loads prior to an explosive movement, we can elicit greater fast-twitch fiber recruitment and a higher degree of nervous system stimulation.

Simply put, we harness more power.

There are a few training methods that take advantage of this principle, the most common being the complex and contrast methods. Complex training involves performing a few heavy repetitions in the strength range, immediately followed by some reps of a lighter load power exercise of the same movement pattern. For example, back squats and plyometric jumps. The contrast method, on the other hand, involves switching between strength and power exercises from set to set.

French Contrast is two ‘waves’ of potentiation-based training all rolled into one big complex set. Generally, you’ll take 20 seconds between exercises and 2-5 minutes between sets. Share on X

All of this sounds great, but can we possibly do even better? Yes, we can. Enter the French Contrast Method (FCT), an advanced training protocol that combines both complex and contrast training. Research and personal experience suggest that it produces amazing results. The concept was first and foremost grasped by French track & field coach Gilles Cometti, and then it was widely popularized by Cal Dietz, the Head Olympic Strength & Conditioning Coach for numerous sports at the University of Minnesota.

Here’s a general overview of how it works. Each set involves:

1. A heavy compound lift: This is a big strength movement whose purpose is to recruit as many relevant motor units as possible.
2. A force-oriented plyometric movement: This typically involves a relatively longer ground contact/stretch reflex time. At this point, you should just try to produce the maximum amount of force possible on each repetition.
3. A speed-strength movement: Speed-strength is all about moving at high speed with the maximum load possible.
4. A speed-oriented plyometric movement: An accelerated/overspeed exercise is performed here, usually by utilizing a band to provide that extra speed boost.

All four exercises belong in the same set and represent a similar movement pattern like pushing, pulling, squatting, hinging, and so on. They should be performed in this exact order, taking only a few seconds of rest between each one.

The totality of these movements is designed to involve the whole strength-speed/speed-strength spectrum.

Programming Parameters

Now let’s elaborate on specific programming parameters.

1. Load and Reps

• For the compound lift, the load should fluctuate around 80% of your 1RM. Perform 2-3 reps. Resist the temptation to go too heavy. The purpose is to potentiate the muscles, not get gassed out. More on common mistakes later.
• In the force-oriented plyometric, simply focus on producing as much power as possible on each rep. Do 3-5 reps.
• For the speed-strength movement, use around 60% of your 1RM as a general rule, especially if you’re going to use Olympic lift variations. Keep in mind that this percentage can vary depending on the nature of the exercise. For example, other ballistic exercises like the barbell jump squat are best performed around the 30% point. The load you choose should feel heavy yet comfortable enough to be explosive. Again, do 3-5 reps.
• In the speed-oriented plyometric, focus on minimizing contact time with the ground or switching between concentric (lifting the weight) and eccentric (lowering the weight) contractions as fast as possible. Perform 4-6 reps.

2. Sets and Timing

All four of the above exercises constitute one giant set. Once more, remember that your goal is to attack every rep with full intent and aggression, not under fatigue. Therefore, perform your French Contrast sets first thing after a good, dynamic warm-up while you’re still fresh. Do not exceed 3-4 sets of any given complex in the same training session. You can program two complexes for different body parts though, such as lower and upper body.

3. Rest and Frequency

Rest around 20-30 seconds between each exercise during the set but take 2-5 minutes off between sets. The French Contrast Method is notorious for draining the lifter’s nervous system resources and causing systemic fatigue.

The French Contrast Method is notorious for draining the lifter’s nervous system resources and causing systemic fatigue… Use it in your last periodization block to peak, for no more than 3 weeks. Share on X

For this reason, you should use it in your last periodization block (realization phase) to peak, two to three times per week, and for no more than three weeks. Make sure to follow with a deload period, especially if you’re competing.

Examples

Let’s look at some examples so that the method’s modus operandi becomes crystal clear. It goes without saying that what follows is a simple demonstration of the logic behind the method. The movements can be substituted with others, sport-specific or not, to suit your needs accordingly, as long as the above conditions and principles are satisfied.

Complex 1: Hinge/Lower Body Pull

Let’s first take a look at FCT as applied to lower body pulling. This series, in particular, can help athletes with building linear acceleration and aerobic work capacity/power. The exercises are:

1A. Trap bar deadlift or RDL – 3 reps @ 80%
1B. Broad jump (high-force speed) – 3 reps

1C. Elastic resisted row – 5 reps

1D. Assisted sprint – 15-20 meters

Insert Video 1. Hinge series.

Complex 2: Squat/Lower Body Push

Here’s an example of how to apply FCT to squatting. It will help athletes immensely with vertical jumping speed and power. Here are the lifts:

1A. Safety bar box squat – 3 reps @ 80%
1B. Hurdle hops – 3 reps

1C. Sled push resisted x 20m

1D. Assisted squat jumps – 5 reps

Insert Video 2. Squat series.

Complex 3: Upper Body Push

This is an example of FCT applied to upper body pushing. It will tremendously help athletes required to throw/push/punch in their sport. Here’s what it includes: 

1A. Close grip barbell bench press – 3 reps @ 80%
1B. Med ball chest pass – 5 reps

1C. Dumbbell push press – 5 reps @ 60%

1D. Band-assisted plyo push-up – 5 reps

Insert Video 3. Upper body push series.

Complex 4: Upper Body Pull

As far as functional movements are concerned, this list would not be complete without a pulling-focused complex. Athletes who drag/pull/grapple in their sport will find this extremely useful. The exercises are:

1A. Weighted pull-up – 3 reps @ 80%
1B. Plyo inverted row – 5 reps

1C. Ball slam – 5 reps

1C. Band-assisted pull-up – 5 reps

Video 4. Upper body pull series.

Common Mistakes

By now you should have a good idea of how to program FCT. Now let’s look at some common mistakes you’d best avoid.

1. Not Choosing the Correct Weight

A lot of times, people do French Contrast wrong because they see it as an opportunity to load up the weight and create high degrees of stress and tension and even go to near failure for 8+ reps.

This is counterproductive for an athlete trying to get stronger and faster. The context of their sport and the athlete’s goals help identify the loading schemes and range of motion. If you are a sprinter trying to boost acceleration, why in the world would you feel the need to squat ass to grass with 1-3 rep maxes? You want to maximize the potentiation effects of your big strength lift, so you don’t want aggressive fatigue coming from the main lift. The same applies for deadlifts from the floor or raised. You must use the correct scenario for each particular athlete and their goals.

Additionally, acceleration doesn’t happen with perpendicular shin angles, so take that note into account when doing your movements.

2. You Rest Like a CrossFit Lifter or a Bodybuilder

You are training for performance, but you are not trying to drive so much lactate to your muscles you can’t move the next day!

On the flip side, you will be out of breath. That’s normal. However, we’re here to get strong and fast, so sucking wind for 2-3 minutes between exercises would be a sign you need to go back to base one and touch up your conditioning work.

French Contrast is two “waves” of potentiation-based training all rolled into one big complex set. Generally, you’ll take 20 seconds between exercises and 2-5 minutes between sets.

3. Poor Exercise Selection

Most people will just turn to the standard box jump for the choice to contrast the main lift. While it can help, you need to think more outside the box (no pun intended) and utilize more exercises that relate to the athlete’s needs. Other options can include hurdles, bounds, even depth jumps and band-assisted/-resisted jumps.

Are they in a frontal plane sport? Have lateral-based movements. Additionally, the key is to not gas yourself on the big lift so your plyometric is not at a high work rate.

4. Trying It with a Low Training Age

While seeing this on YouTube and Instagram might be exciting for the young athlete, it can be a waste of time. Doing the French Contrast Method without developing basic levels of strength and power would be like trying to add a spoiler and turbo to your ’95 Toyota in the hope of kickstarting the engine’s speed.

Doing French Contrast without developing basic levels of strength and power would be like traying to add a spoiler and turbo to your ’95 Toyota in the hope of kickstarting the engine’s speed. Share on X

It’s just not ready for it.

Rate of force development (RFD) within a muscle requires various levels of motor unit contractions. They can be either isometric or ballistic contractions. However, the point of RFD is understanding that high initial motor unit release plays a critical role to reach a high rate of force development. This means that if an athlete cannot recruit the most motor units, their RFD will be impacted, making it a poor choice for low-skill newbies.

5. Using for 3+ Weeks

While this strategy is highly advantageous to use even closer to competition, it is not something you want to continue to do for extended periods of time. It is perfect for building to peak week.

The best way to use French Contrast training is as a form of periodized block training and cycle it in 3-4 weeks prior to your event or competition. The goal of FCT is not muscular growth, so if your goal is to add slabs of muscle, I wouldn’t count on this to get you there.

French Contrast Takeaways

For FCT, potentiation is the underlying physiological mechanism that theoretically makes this set structure effective. This is when a conditioning exercise—commonly a heavy loaded compound movement—serves to increase the performance of a subsequent exercise, commonly a lower-load, higher-velocity exercise. French Contrast is a great way to take potentiation and alternate between high force and high speed.

While this method tends to work much more efficiently with higher-skill lifters, it has been tested with lower-skill beginners, and there is some suggestion that if they are above novice, a slight drop in intensity (think RPE 6-7) and a slight increase in the reps performed can have some merit. This is ultimately up to the discretion of the coach. Beginners need to be focused on motor learning, recruitment, and proprioception before working such high training variations.

One big thing to remember that is often underappreciated is that in sports and training, many scenarios involve performing while fatigued. That is one area where the French Contrast can help and give a proper synergy to real-life situations.

Adding French Contrast training can fire up metabolic capacity and enhance the overall work capacity of your training session by getting more work done in less time. Share on X

Above all, FCT is a solid way to stay young and agile if you’re over 40. In particular, most men after this age begin losing motor units and growth hormone. Adding FCT can fire up metabolic capacity and enhance the overall work capacity of your training session by getting more work done in less time.

If you find yourself needing to show up your old high school buddies in a summer basketball league this year, give this method a try 3-4 weeks leading up to your season.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

References

1. Lorenz, D. “Postactivation Potentiation: An Introduction.” International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2011;6(3):234–240.

Alex Chrysovergis is a self-defense instructor and strength and conditioning coach. He’s the owner of Streetwise Krav Maga, a leading reality-based self-defense and fitness school in Greece.

In 1998, Michael Owen became the youngest England player ever to play at a World Cup when he was brought on as a substitute in England’s first group game, a 2-0 win against Tunisia. Owen was also a substitute in the next game, before starting the final group match, a 2-0 victory over Colombia. In the quarterfinals, the 18-year-old Owen was again chosen to start the match—this time against Argentina. In the 16^th minute, with the score tied 1-1, Owen received the ball just inside the Argentina half, dribbled past two of their most experienced defenders, and coolly finished from just outside the penalty box.

It was an amazing goal, and one that led to him being voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The assumption was that, being this good at 18, Owen would go on to become a world-beater: the best player on the planet. Things didn’t quite work out as planned. Although he had a couple of successful seasons following his breakthrough, Owen eventually moved to Newcastle—where the team was relegated—and Manchester United (where he was largely a bit-part player), before ending his career, aged 33, at Stoke City.

At least Owen got to play on the biggest stage. At age 12, Sonny Pike had the world at his feet. The British player had a trial at Ajax, the Dutch club renowned for developing successful world class players; later, he had trials at Chelsea. At 14, he was part of a McDonald’s advertising campaign, and had his legs insured for £1 million. Much was made of Pike’s talent—he was compared to Pele and Maradona—but he retired from football in 2001, aged just 18, having never played a professional game.

Key Predictors for Success

The stories of Pike and Owen highlight the sporting world’s obsession with youngsters, with the implicit—and sometimes explicit—notion that being good at a young age transfers to senior success. We see this in track and field all the time: athletes who are successful at the under-18 and under-20 levels being promoted as those that will soon become world-beaters.

To an extent, I experienced this in my own career; having come 3^rd at the World Under-18 Championships and 1^st at the European Under-20 Championships over 100m, and with the London 2012 Olympics just seven years away, I was heralded as a potential gold medal winner at those Games.

That, of course, didn’t happen.

Despite these cautionary tales, many people believe that what makes a good junior athlete also makes a successful senior athlete, and point to factors such as conversion from World Under-20 to senior squads as evidence of effective (or ineffective) systems. However, a recent study published in Sports Medicine suggests that the predictors of junior and senior elite performance are in fact, in many cases, opposite.

Despite these cautionary tales, many people believe that what makes a good junior athlete also makes a successful senior athlete, says @craig100m. Share on X

To reach their conclusion, the study authors conducted an extensive literature search, finding 71 studies comprising 9,241 athletes (both male and female) from across the globe. Two-thirds of the athletes combined into the meta-analysis were from team sports, 24% from centimeter-gram-second (CGS) sports (such as athletics, rowing, and weightlifting), with the rest from combat, artistic, and other sports.

Athletes were designated junior status based on the definition of the international federation. For athletics, this would be under-20 athletes (defined as competing up to and including the year of their 19^th birthday). Overall, 5,690 of the athletes comprising the meta-analysis were juniors, and 3,551 were seniors. Finally, the authors split the athletes into four groups:

• World Class—athletes who placed in the top-10 at major international senior or junior world or continental championships (1,003 in total).
• National Class—athletes who were part of a national squad, and/or achieved a top-10 finish at the national championships, and/or played in the highest national league (4,818 in total).
• Regional Class—athletes competing at below national standard (2,541 in total).
• Below—everyone else (879 in total).

When analyzing their data, the authors looked at some key predictor variables within the athletes, including the age at which they reached key performance milestones, the age at which they started taking part in their main sport, the amount of accumulated practice in their sport, the amount of accumulated play in their sport, and the amount of accumulated practice and play in other sports.

The results make for interesting reading.

For junior success, the predictor variables suggested that these athletes achieved key milestones earlier, started their main sport earlier, undertook more practice in their main sport, and took part in fewer other sports.

For senior success, the predictor variables suggested athletes achieved key milestones later, started the sport later, and took part in other sports to a greater extent. In senior athletes, the amount of main sport practice was less of a predictor of success than in the junior age groups (in part because at the senior level everyone has high levels of practice), and the amount of early main-sport practice was not related to senior success.

When comparing senior World Class with National Class athletes, the researchers also noted something interesting: senior world class athletes tended to start their main sport later, and accumulated significantly less main-sport practice, but significantly more practice in other sports.

Senior world class athletes tended to start their main sport later, says @craig100m. Share on X

What Does All This Mean?

Firstly, if you want to be a successful junior, you should start your sport as early as possible, accumulate as much practice as possible, and focus your efforts on your main sport. If you want to have senior success, you should be a bit more circumspect: practice multiple other sports during your youth, and then focus on a key sport in your late teens.

Secondly, this is another nail in the coffin of the much popularized “10,000 hours” rule; accumulating as much training time as possible in one sport (“deliberate practice”) early on is negatively associated with senior success. Interestingly, senior World Class athletes appeared to accumulate less overall practice time than senior National Class athletes, suggesting that “giftedness”—whatever we might think that consists of—may be a driving factor of senior success.

Furthermore, and highlighting difficulties in talent identification, senior National Class athletes tended to be better at the junior level than senior World Class athletes, but the World Class athletes had a rapid improvement over a short-time period during late adolescence and/or early adulthood which took them to the highest level.

The authors came up with an interesting potential explanation for at least some of these differences: depleted potential. They suggest that athletes may have a similar level of potential, but when they attempt to maximize this potential may be important. Future national class athletes appear to deplete their potential earlier, in part by undertaking more sport-specific practice during their mid-teen years.

Athletes may have a similar level of potential, but when they attempt to maximize this potential may be important, says @craig100m. Share on X

This clashes with other stressors—school, sleep, homework, socializing, etc.—all of which may blunt the scope for future positive adaptations, potentially through overuse injuries or burnout. Less sport-specific practice during this age bracket, however, decreases the risk of overuse injuries and burnout, and so maintains adaptive potential for later on, when the athlete is physiologically able to harness it.

Pulling It All Together

It’s clear to see that what makes a good junior athlete is different from what makes a senior athlete. This doesn’t mean that being a good junior athlete is negative; instead, the main telling factor is how the junior athlete became “good.” If it’s based on minimal training and a high level of sport sampling, then this is potentially a marker of talent; if it’s based off lots of training and potentially early maturation, then it’s potentially a marker of a lower chance of senior success.

What makes a good junior athlete is different from what makes a senior athlete, says @craig100m. Share on X

As such, focusing on enhancing junior performance through accumulating high levels of sport-specific training is potentially damaging to senior success, but positive for junior success. This means that we might, to some extent, be forced to choose—and that expecting successful junior athletes to become successful senior athletes may be a false prophecy.

Lead Photo by Kieran McManus/BPI/Icon Sportswire

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

By Gabriel Mvumvure and Kim Goss

For more than a half-century, the back squat has been the go-to exercise for building bigger and stronger athletes. It’s become so popular, many strength coaches stand by the motto: “If you don’t have the back squat in your program, you don’t have a program!” However, many strength coaches have also ditched the back squat in favor of front squats in recent years. So, let’s take a deep dive into the benefits of this squat variation and particularly how it applies to sprinters.

Whereas there’s no question that discus throwers and shot putters have benefited from all forms of squats, some sprint coaches see little value in these exercises. These outliers believe that strength developed in the weight room will not transfer to the power needed to sprint faster and it will slow athletes down by adding bulky muscles. These opinions are based on misinformation. Just as strength coaches don’t prescribe 5-mile jogs for their athletes, sprint coaches shouldn’t have their athletes lift like Arnold Schwarzenegger!

(Lead photo by Viviana Podhaiski, LiftingLife.com.)

Next question: “Why full squats for sprinters?” If the legs do not bend past 90 degrees in sprints, why perform any leg exercise through a full range of motion? Two reasons:

• There are three ways to go in the squat: above parallel, parallel, and below parallel (i.e., quarter squats, parallel squats, and full squats). One problem with quarter squats is that athletes can use considerably more weight than with the other two squat depths, placing excessive stress on the spine. Such stress, and the subsequent lower back pain it produced, motivated Russian sports scientist Yuri Verkhoshansky to develop classical plyometric exercises such as depth jumps.

Parallel squats use less weight than quarter squats but place the highest levels of shear forces on the knees (see reason #4 below). Consider that knee injuries are rare in weightlifting, and you would be hard-pressed to find examples of athletes tearing an ACL from a full squat. Additionally, limiting the range of motion of squats poses the risk of reducing flexibility and inhibiting the protective functions of the fascia (as discussed in our article on fast eccentric squats).

Consider that knee injuries are rare in weightlifting, and you would be hard-pressed to find examples of athletes tearing an ACL from a full squat.… Squatting enables sprinters to keep sprinting. Share on X

• Squatting enables sprinters to keep sprinting and jumpers to keep jumping. To achieve the highest levels of performance, some high school track and field coaches believe it’s best for their athletes to compete in indoor track, outdoor track, and even joint summer sprint programs. Maybe that’s not such a good idea?

A 2017 study on high school athletes found that those who focused on just one sport had an 85% higher incidence of lower-extremity injury. As it relates to track and field, a 1987 study tracked 17 high school track teams (174 males, 83 females) over 77 days. The authors concluded: “A total of 41 injuries was observed over this period of time. One injury occurred for every 5.8 males and every 7.5 females. On the average, an injury resulted in 8.1 days of missed practice, 8.7 days for males and 6.6 days for females. Sprinting events were responsible for 46% of all injuries.” Ouch!

Yes, we understand sprinters “feel the need…the need for speed,” but injuries are a red light to finish-line glory. Resistance training is a green light.

In a meta-analysis of 25 research studies involving 3,464 athletes, researchers found that strength training cut overuse injuries in half and all injuries by one-third! Further, approximately 70% of ankle and knee injuries are non-contact—the athletes were not touched! One explanation for the high rate of non-contact injuries is that sports-specific training may compromise the elastic qualities of connective tissues, making these tissues act like frayed rubber bands, ready to snap.

Now that we have your attention, let’s explore how sprinters can benefit from front squats.

Front Squats: A Question of Balance

In weightlifting, many coaches of Olympic champions and world record holders favor the front squat over the back squat. During their “high impact” weeks, elite weightlifters from Kazakhstan trained six days a week and performed eight training sessions a day (yes, eight sessions a day!). They squatted twice a day, with 10 of those workouts being front squats and two being back squats. Bulgarian weightlifting coach Ivan Abadjiev shared a similar mindset.

Abadjiev’s athletes won a dozen Olympic gold medals and shocked the world in 1972 when their team beat the mighty Russians. Abadjiev “changed the game” by focusing on only a few lifts, in contrast to the Russians, who performed a large variety of exercises.

In his early years as the national coach, Abadjiev often had his lifters squat twice a day for a total of 12 training sessions in a week; nine of those workouts were front squats and only three were back squats. Eventually, Abadjiev determined that the only supplemental leg exercise needed for his elite athletes was the front squat. But that’s weightlifting—what do elite strength coaches think of the front squat?

According to legendary strength coach Charles Poliquin, European coaches were asked if their athletes could only perform three exercises, what would they choose? The consensus was the power snatch, the incline bench press, and the front squat. With that background, here are a dozen reasons why front squats hold an edge over back squats for all athletes, particularly sprinters:

Here are a dozen reasons why front squats hold an edge over back squats for all athletes, particularly sprinters. Share on X

1. Emphasizes the Lower Portion of the Hamstrings

Some strength coaches contend that low-bar, wide-stance powerlifting back squats work the hamstrings more effectively than conventional back squats. Yes and no…and it’s a big NO for sprinters, according to Canadian strength coach and posturologist Paul Gagné.

“The powerlifting back squat focuses on the proximal section of the hamstrings, closer to the glutes,” says Gagné. “I’ve seen many NFL players with big glutes and large upper thighs but little development in the muscles around the knee—they are basically built like horses. Such unbalanced development may be one reason the NFL has such a high risk of hamstring injuries.”

Gagné says balance during the front squat is influenced by the relationship between the center of gravity of the bar and the center of gravity of the body, a concept presented by Russian sports scientist Robert Roman in 1986. “With the back squat, the bar stays over the body’s center of gravity. With the front squat, the bar is forward of the body’s center of gravity. For an athlete to maintain their balance during the lift, the distal portion of the hamstrings, closer to the knee, will be more active than during the back squat. I believe that such development is one reason weightlifters seldom get hamstring injuries.”

2. Transfers Better to Sprint Starts

Explosive strength is the ability to overcome inertia, such as during the start of a 100-meter sprint. In our article about fast eccentric squats, we discussed how relatively weak hamstrings (in relation to the quadriceps) could affect explosive strength.

It can be argued that weightlifters perform back squats, but they also perform front squats, and the catch position and recovery from the clean resembles a front squat. Research on college football players found that weightlifters exceeded powerlifters in short sprint speed, suggesting that front squats more effectively train the start. One extreme example is the mock race between Mark Cameron and Renaldo Nehemiah.

Research on college football players found that weightlifters exceeded powerlifters in short sprint speed, suggesting that front squats more effectively train the start. Share on X

Cameron was the second American to clean and jerk 500 pounds, which he did at 240 pounds body weight in 1980. Renaldo Nehemiah ran the 100-meter hurdles in under 13 seconds, the first to do so, and played wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. In a mock race at the University of Maryland, Cameron was ahead of Nehemiah for the first 10 yards, at which point Nehemiah rocketed ahead.

Another point is that the start of a sprint is highly influenced by the strength of the calves. A 2007 study concluded that the gastrocnemius medialis “is one of the most important muscles generating the start and block acceleration.” In squats, a narrower foot placement and full range of motion increases the activity of these muscles. Athletes tend to front squat with a narrower stance than when they back squat, especially if they perform the wider-stance low-bar squats promoted by many prominent powerlifters and strength coaches. This calf-strengthening effect may help prevent hamstring injuries. In a study spanning 17 years, researchers found that one of the greatest risk factors for a hamstring injury was a previous ankle injury to that same leg.

3. More Specific to Upright Sprinting Mechanics

Sprinters don’t run on their heels. Because the barbell is forward of the body’s center of gravity during the front squat, the resistance is felt more on the forefoot. Also, the upright sprint position more resembles a front squat than a back squat.

Another characteristic of the front squat is that it requires more dorsiflexion than a back squat. One of the issues we’ve found with incoming sprinters is they often lack ankle mobility and the strength to maintain dorsiflexion when they sprint. As such, we have these athletes perform remedial strength exercises and special sprint drills to achieve and maintain optimal sprint mechanics during a race. 

4. Superior to Back Squats for Improving Knee Stability

Although the word “quad” is in quadriceps, there are six quadriceps muscles. Research has shown the vastus medialis muscles, located on the medial (inside) portion of the knee, are more active with front squats than back squats. This is because the trunk is more upright, and the knees travel more forward than the back squat.

Gagné says that training the vastus medialis muscles is critical for maintaining optimal knee stability while sprinting, especially the lower portion called the vastus medialis oblique. As such, it’s important to emphasize exercises that strongly solicit the vastus medialis muscles, such as the front squat. And, according to Poliquin, the key to strengthening the vastus medialis muscles is performing full “knees in front of the toes” squats.

In his work with elite athletes, Poliquin found that getting athletes to perform full-range squats enabled them to reduce their risk of injury. For example, when he was hired to work with Canada’s national ski team, he said every athlete who had been with the team for the previous five years needed knee surgery. For the following five years under this legendary strength coach’s watch, no skiers went under the knife. Likewise, when he took over the training of the Canadian national women’s volleyball team, all but one athlete had jumper’s knee (a form of tendinitis). Within two months, only one athlete had knee issues.

As for the stress on the knees with both squat variations, there are two types of forces to be concerned about with squats: compressive and shear. Compressive forces act vertically on the knee, trying to compress the knee. Shear forces act horizontally on the knee, trying to pry the knee joint apart.

Front squats and back squats place equal amounts of shear force on the knee, but front squats place less compressive force….it makes sense that sprinters should focus more on the front squat. Share on X

According to Dr. Aaron Horschig, founder of Squat University, there is an inverse relationship between compressive force and shear force during squats. Thus, the deeper the athlete squats, the higher the compressive force and the lower the shear force. Front squats and back squats place equal amounts of shear force on the knee, but front squats place less compressive force. Sprinting is stressful enough on the knees (as suggested by the study previously mentioned), so it makes sense that sprinters should focus more on the front squat.

5. Works the Glutes More Effectively Than Wide-Stance Back Squats

If a sprinter’s glutes are relatively weak, their hamstrings must work harder, potentially increasing the risk of hamstring injuries. Some powerlifting coaches say that a low-bar, wide-stance back squat more effectively works the glutes, but there is a positive relationship between squat depth and the work of the largest glute muscle, the gluteus maximus. The range of motion is restricted with the modern powerlifting squat as the wider stance transfers much of the work to the adductors.

6. Accesses and Improves Flexibility

If you’re looking for a quick test to determine an athlete’s flexibility, the front squat is hard to beat, and not just for the lower body. For example, athletes who have tightness in their forearms and the muscles that externally rotate the shoulders will have difficulty supporting the bar on their clavicles. This doesn’t mean they will never be able to front squat.

Those athletes who cannot comfortably perform the front squat can attach lifting straps to the bar to reduce the stress on their wrists and forearms, and athletes can hold the bar on their fingertips with a thumbless grip. As athletes perform these variations, they should eventually be able to switch to the conventional front squat technique. Yes, there is a front squat variation where the arms are crossed in front, but this does little to improve flexibility, especially in the upper body.

Many YouTube videos show how to improve flexibility to perform front squats properly. Most of these ideas are effective, but one of the fastest ways to improve flexibility for the front squat is to perform front squats!

7. May Access Strength Imbalances

The hamstring/quad strength ratio has been extensively studied in athletes and the general population. Sports scientist Bud Charniga has some strong opinions about using seated exercise machines to test this ratio:

“All too often, athletes are tested and even trained seated on machines to measure, as well as to train hamstring to quadriceps strength, i.e., balance between thigh flexion to extension strength. This practice persists, utilizing in many cases expensive machinery; even though athletes in dynamic sport, with few exceptions; perform standing. Furthermore, it is unclear how training hamstring muscles lying face down or seated will have some prophylaxis effect for athletes running about on a field or court; where flexing and straightening of lower extremities entails far more complexity. After all, how often does one see an athlete sustain a hamstring injury lying face-down; or for that matter, seated?”

As an alternative, one interesting idea presented by Poliquin was that strength imbalances between the quadriceps and hamstrings could be determined by comparing the 1-repetition maxes of the front and back squat. According to Poliquin, if your front squat max does not equal 85% of your back squat, your hamstrings are relatively weak. Although this is just Coach Poliquin’s observations (and his formula may not be accurate), he does have a remarkable track record of reducing the risk of knee injuries in elite skiers and other athletes.

8. Improves Posture

According to Gagné, the front squat involves more body awareness than the back squat. “If you were to try squatting with a blindfold, it would be much more challenging to maintain your balance with a front squat rather than a back squat.”

Relating back to Roman’s drawing, Gagné believes that the reduced stability of the front squat may provide an advantage in sprinting. He says the base of support, the forefoot, is relatively small in sprinting. Because the foot strike is performed at high speeds, and the athlete has to deal with the disruptive forces of turns (and in the case of hurdles, jumps), the front squat may enable the athlete to more easily sprint with optimal technique and apply more force into the ground.

9. Strengthens the Upper Back Muscles Used in Sprinting

To keep the bar on the chest during the front squat, Gagné says many upper body muscles (and the abdominals) must be strongly engaged, especially the rhomboids and infraspinatus. The rhomboids help pull the shoulders back, which is important since sprinters with weakness in these muscles can develop a round-shouldered posture that affects sprinting mechanics. These muscles, which help athletes maintain optimal posture in the upright sprint position, are less active during a back squat.

The rhomboids, which help athletes maintain optimal posture in the upright sprint position, are less active during a back squat than during the front squat. Share on X

It’s been said that acceleration begins with the upper body, so upper body strength is important. Look at many of the best short sprinters, and you’ll find that they often have exceptional upper body development. Likewise with good running backs in football.

10. A Spotter May Not Be Required

For an athlete to safely back squat, they should lift in a power rack with the safety supports set at the appropriate height to catch the bar. Back and side spotters should also be recruited. Unfortunately, such guidelines are seldom followed in the real world. And if spotters are available, they are often inattentive or stand too far away from the athlete to save failed lifts.

With a front squat, experienced lifters can squat outside the rack. If the weight is too heavy or they get out of position, they can easily dump the bar forward. However, with this approach, bumper plates should be used (to protect the bar and the floor), and the lift should be performed on a platform (to avoid damaging the floor).

Video 1. The safest way to perform squats is inside a power rack. However, experienced lifters can perform front squats outside a rack, as the athlete can easily dump the bar forward. Shown is senior sprinter Maddie Frey, who in four months improved her vertical jump (no step) from 26.6 inches to 29.4, and freshman sprinter Andrew Li, who improved his vertical jump (no step) from 37.3 to 39.9 in one month. (Frey action photo by Leslie Whiting-Poitras; Li action photo courtesy David Silverman, Brown University Athletic Communications)

11. More Specific to the Start of the Clean

Because the trunk is more upright than in the back squat, the starting position of a front squat more closely approximates the start position of a clean or power clean. According to some Russian researchers, the back squat would be considered more specific to the snatch, as the wider grip forces the athlete to start with a back angle more parallel to the floor. Again, many elite weightlifting coaches believe the front squat is more important than the back squat for improving weightlifting ability.

12. Discourages Cheating

With back squats, athletes are more likely to cheat themselves by performing a partial lift. With front squats, according to Poliquin, athletes are more likely to squat lower. If athletes get out of position, such as by shooting their hips up or rounding their upper back, they will often drop the bar.

Big Benefits for Sprinters

Countless track and field athletes have benefited from performing back squats at the exclusion of front squats, and there is no question that back squats are valuable, especially when performed through a full range of motion. That said, we believe we’ve made a strong case as to why the front squat might be better than the back squat for sprinters, especially when compared to wide-stance powerlifting squats.

Is the back squat still “the king” of exercises? Absolutely, but for sprinters, the front squat should be a primary exercise in their weight training toolbox.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

Kim Goss has a master’s degree in human movement and is a volunteer assistant track coach at Brown University. He is a former strength coach for the U.S. Air Force Academy and was an editor at Runner’s World Publications. Along with Paul Gagné, Goss is the co-author of Get Stronger, Not Bigger! This book examines the use of relative and elastic strength training methods to develop physical superiority for women. It is available through Amazon.com.

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Horschig, A., Sonthana, K., and Neff, T. The Squat Bible, pp. 97–100. Squat University LLC, 2017

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Rojas, I. and Sisto, G.. Kazakhstan Weightlifting System for Elite Athletes. BookCrafters. 2015.

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Watson, M.D. and DiMartino, P.P. “Incidence of injuries in high school track and field athletes and its relation to performance ability.” American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1987;15(3):251–254.

Yavuz H.U., Erdag, D., Amca, A.M., and Aritan, S. “Kinematic and EMG activities during front and back squat variations in maximum loads.” Journal of Sports Sciences. 2015;33(10):1058–1066.