Weighted crunches

[October]

Alright guys...so during track season, I've been looking for ways to get faster, and my friend recommended trying weighted crunches. Are these better than the normal ones? I've noticed that I can do less and get the same, or maybe better definition

But...

-Is the added strain bad for your back?
-Does it work different muscles than doing normal crunches till failure, like strength vs. endurance muscles?

 

[Heizen]

Abs are good for core, but to get faster there are a number of things you can do. Plyometric, leg workouts, and actual sprinting workouts come to my mind.

I run track also, and took 4 seconds off my 300M time with ATG squats, calf raises and leg press, on top of running hard workouts. Abs wouldn't do that.

 

[Bling]

Since your topic about abs doesn't work, I figured I'd help you with this exercise.
One of the better exercises if you want to be more explosive. It works your glutes, hams, and gastro....those muscles dictate your explosiveness the most. The stronger those are, the more explosive you are.

 

[October]

Hey, thanks for the advice. I've been looking into plyometrics and all of that stuff, I plan to do some of that over the summer to change from a 800m runner to a 400m, 200m, or even 100m.

But I guess my focus was more on the crunches. Someone told me that weighted crunches were bad for your back, but is that really true?

 

[MindOverMatter]

no, sit ups are bad for your back, crunches don't really affect it.

 

[Heizen]

Originally posted by October
Hey, thanks for the advice. I've been looking into plyometrics and all of that stuff, I plan to do some of that over the summer to change from a 800m runner to a 400m, 200m, or even 100m.

But I guess my focus was more on the crunches. Someone told me that weighted crunches were bad for your back, but is that really true?

Keep some of your 800M runner in you before you convert all the way to a short distance sprinter.

You find very few 400M runners who are good at the 200M and 100M. Although if you get fast enough in the 4 you WILL be fast in the 2, the majority of the 400M runners I have seen that are disgustingly fast are 800M runners also.

 

[coolguy676767]

Originally posted by Heizen
Keep some of your 800M runner in you before you convert all the way to a short distance sprinter.

You find very few 400M runners who are good at the 200M and 100M. Although if you get fast enough in the 4 you WILL be fast in the 2, the majority of the 400M runners I have seen that are disgustingly fast are 800M runners also.

I dont run track but this is definiately true, just think about if, if you can run the 800 at a very fast pace, the 400 will seem short and very easy, and you since your used to the 800, you will be able to full sprint, or almost full sprint the 400.

 

[Alpine]

The top guys find Nandrolone very effective

 

[check_mate_kid_uk]

you want to get faster, here is a secret i learnt from my experince in cycling. Long distance cyclists practice a lot of short distance cycling because intense work out help build stamina and fitness, and sprinters also do long distance cycling because part of the speed comes from endurance.

The same applies for running , i am asuming by track you mena short distances like 100 meters, 200 meters 8000 meters that kind of thing, so now try some long jogs like 15-20km aswell as your normal running and you will be suprised how much faster you get.