Introduction
One common dilemma faced by sprinters, track athletes, and general athletes alike is determining how to balance the various forms of training required of them.
One version of this is whether it is advisable to perform sprint workouts the day after an intense leg day and weight training session.
Overall, I’m on the side of not sprinting after weight training or leg day, unless the weights session was very light. Whilst there are some benefits of sprinting after weight training, more often than not it will lead to injury or sub-optimal training.
Throughout this article I will try to provide a nuanced discussion of the topic, first briefly covering the science of recovery before considering the positives and negatives of sprinting after a gym session.
I advise sprinters and athletes alike to sprint before their gym session if possible. However, ultimately there is no general answer, and suggestions will vary person-to-person.
Hopefully by considering the information presented in this article, you will be able to come to the best conclusion for yourself.
Weight training in some form or another is almost required by serious sprinters and track athletes. However, the question arise – how to balance this with other forms of training?
The Science of Muscle Recovery
A crucial aspect of athletic training is understanding the process of muscle recovery, especially after an intense leg day workout. Knowing how to optimize recovery can lead to improved performance and reduced risk of injury.
The process of muscle recovery after leg day
The role of protein synthesis: After a strenuous weight training session, your muscles experience micro-tears. Protein synthesis, the process by which your body repairs these micro-tears, is essential for muscle growth and recovery. It is during this phase that your muscles become stronger and more resilient.
The importance of rest and sleep: Adequate rest and sleep are crucial for optimal muscle recovery. Sleep is when your body produces the most growth hormones, which aid in repairing muscle tissue and supporting muscle growth.
The effect of sprinting on muscle recovery
How sprinting can interfere with recovery: Sprinting, particularly at high intensities, places additional stress on the muscles, potentially hindering the recovery process. This can lead to a longer recovery time and may impact subsequent weight training sessions.
How sprinting can potentially enhance recovery: On the other hand, sprinting at a lower intensity may promote blood flow to the muscles, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen that aid in recovery. This increased circulation can help flush out waste products, such as lactic acid, and reduce muscle soreness.
Protein synthesis is a well-studied process that allows our muscles to recover following an intense period of exercise, in particular resistance-based training.
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Potential Benefits of Sprinting After Leg Day
To make this a well-rounded discussion, I’ll include some potential benefits of sprinting after leg day before moving on to the drawbacks.
Here are some potential advantages of sprinting after leg day:
Increased calorie burn and fat loss
Sprinting is a high-intensity exercise that can elevate your metabolism and promote calorie burn, even after the workout has ended. By adding a sprint session after leg day, you can increase your overall calorie expenditure and potentially boost fat loss.
Enhanced mental toughness and discipline
Sprinting after a demanding leg day workout can help build mental resilience and discipline, as it requires pushing through fatigue and discomfort. Developing mental toughness is essential for athletes, as it allows them to remain focused and maintain peak performance during challenging events or competitions.
That being said, this mindset can also be quite insidious, leading athletes into thinking that more is always better and ultimately resulting in injury (which we will touch on in the next section….).
Activating different muscle fibers
Weight training and sprinting engage different muscle fibres within your legs. While weight training primarily targets slow-twitch fibres (although this depends on the exact workout) responsible for strength and endurance, sprinting activates fast-twitch fibres that generate power and speed.
By incorporating sprinting after leg day, you are ensuring a comprehensive approach to training that stimulates all muscle fibre types, promoting overall muscle development and performance.
This point isn’t exactly specific to sprinting after weight training, rather it is more directed at athletes not incorporating sprinting in their training at all. As we will discuss later (in the ‘Sprinting Before Weight Training vs. Sprinting After Weight Training‘ section), you can enjoy this benefit whilst also not running a large risk of injury.
Potential Drawbacks of Sprinting After Leg Day
Although there are potential benefits to sprinting after leg day and weight training, it is essential to consider the possible drawbacks and risks associated with this approach. Here are some potential disadvantages of sprinting after leg day:
I think it is pretty obvious that the biggest risk of sprinting after leg day is the risk of injury.
Increased risk of injury
Engaging in high-intensity sprint workouts after a demanding leg day session can increase the risk of injury, as your muscles may already be fatigued and more susceptible to strains, pulls, or other injuries.
This is especially true if your leg day/weights session included several high-intensity exercises including plyometrics.
Hindered muscle recovery and growth
As mentioned earlier, sprinting places additional stress on the muscles and may interfere with the recovery process. This could potentially slow down muscle growth and repair, leading to suboptimal gains and performance in the long run.
Decreased sprinting performance
Performing sprint workouts when your legs are already fatigued from weight training can result in a decrease in sprinting performance. This may lead to reduced workout quality and diminished improvements in speed and power over time.
This is especially important as when it comes to sprint and speed training in general, quality always comes before quantity. Ensuring that every sprint session is performed in an optimal state will allow you to train your neuromuscular system to perform at its best, whereas sprinting whilst your body is exhausted does the opposite.
Overtraining and burnout
Constantly pushing your body to its limits without allowing adequate time for recovery can lead to overtraining, which is characterized by a decline in performance, increased risk of injury, and a weakened immune system.
Overtraining can also result in burnout, making it difficult to stay motivated and maintain a consistent training regimen.
This is the image I found representing athlete overtraining and burnout….lets just use it as comedic relief in the middle of this article.
Balancing Sprinting and Leg Day Workouts
To maximize the benefits of sprinting after leg day while minimizing potential drawbacks, athletes must find the right balance in their training schedule. Here are some strategies to help strike that balance (note that these apply for balancing most kinds of training):
Proper warm-up and cool-down techniques
Ensuring a thorough warm-up before sprinting can help reduce the risk of injury and improve workout quality. Similarly, incorporating a proper cool-down routine after each workout can aid in recovery and prevent muscle tightness.
Adequate rest and nutrition for optimal recovery
Prioritize rest days and adequate sleep to allow your muscles to recover fully between workouts. Additionally, focus on proper nutrition, including a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, to provide your body with the necessary nutrients for muscle repair and growth.
If you don’t have your recovery in-order, then you shouldn’t even be thinking about sprinting after leg day/weights session.
If you’re interested in nutrition and supplementation for sprinters and athletes, then please check out my articles on the topics here, including articles on caffeine, taurine, citrulline malate, carbohydrates, l-theanine etc…
Remember, progress doesn’t happen during exercise. Rather, it happens afterwards, in a window where adaptations are made. To take full advantage of this, we must prioritize nutrition and sleep. I don’t even think of it as ‘recovery’, rather as ‘adaptation’.
Sprinting Before Weight Training vs. Sprinting After Weight Training
Another important consideration for athletes is the timing of sprinting and weight training sessions. In this section, we will discuss the pros and cons of sprinting after weight training compared to sprinting before weight training, with a focus on the latter being the more preferable option.
The benefits of sprinting before weight training
1. Reduced risk of injury: Sprinting is a far more intense exercise than most forms (all forms?) of weight training. Therefore, it is preferable to do our sprint training while in our optimal state (little to no fatigue) rather than our weight training. By doing so we greatly reduce the chance of injury.
2. Improved sprint performance: Engaging in sprint workouts before weight training allows athletes to perform at their peak, leading to better workout quality and greater improvements in speed and power. As I mentioned earlier, when it comes to speed training, quality is a top priority.
The preferred order for the majority of sprinters and athletes
Most sprinters and athletes prefer to perform sprint workouts before weight training sessions – and I recommend that you do the same.
This approach allows them to prioritize their sprint performance and minimize the risk of injury, ensuring that both aspects of their training program are effective and productive.
Conclusion
For the majority of sprinters and athletes, performing sprint workouts before weight training or leg day is the more preferable option.
This approach allows athletes to prioritize sprint performance, minimize the risk of injury, and maintain high energy levels and focus throughout their sprint workouts.
Understanding the science of muscle recovery and considering individual fitness levels, goals, and recovery abilities are crucial for making informed decisions about training schedules.
Ultimately, the key to success lies in listening to one’s body and adjusting workouts accordingly. As athletes become more in tune with their physical and mental needs, they can better navigate the challenges of combining sprinting and leg day workouts, pushing their limits while remaining healthy and strong. And remember, sometimes less equals more.
