Training

Workouts For Explosive Running Power

Sportsshoes.com has teamed up with international track athlete and Nike and SportsShoes ambassador Risqat Fabunmi-Alade and NIKE Global master trainer Joslyn Thompson-Rule to share their top workouts for building explosive power and discuss how it will help you on the track:

What drives the speed of a sprinter from the fire of the start-gun, to crossing the finish line? Explosive power. The same explosive power that is built in the gym during training, is transferred onto the track at go-time. Ironically nailing the explosive Olympic lifts (Clean & Jerk and Snatch) takes time and patience. If you are new to these lifts, prepare to feel a little frustrated with initial progress - consistency is key as they are pretty technical despite being executed in the blink of an eye. What’s great about these lifts is that strength is not necessarily a deciding factor - your ability to move your body around the bar quickly will determine the success of the lift. Enjoy, but remember to be patient!

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As these lifts are very technical, the warm up should be a methodical breakdown of each element of the lift. Practicing your positioning at each point in the lift will teach your body exactly where it needs to be as you work through each part. Even in the warm up, when it’s just the barbell, act as if there is a heavy weight on the bar; your focus and attention to good form should be the same with just the barbell as it is when you have added load. Not only is correct form essential, but you should also be wearing footwear specifically designed for this type of exercise. My go-to are the Nike Romaleos. The following workout is inspired by sprinter Fabby Fabunmi’s Olympic lifting sessions that prepare her for the explosiveness of her sport.

When you’re properly equipped and have mastered the correct form, try out my go-to work out for building explosive strength:

WORKOUT

WARM UP:

Power clean warm up 3 repetitions of each movement

ACTIVATION:

Counter movement jumps 2 sets x 5 repetitions

Rest as much as needed in between sets

MAIN LIFTING SET:

*A Power clean 3 sets x 3 repetitions

Rest 2-3 minutes in between each set

*B Pause squat 3 sets x 6 repetitions

Rest 2-3 minutes in between each set

*C Squat jumps 4 sets x 5 repetitions

Rest 1-2 minutes in between each set

ACCESSORY:

*Stiff legged deadlift 3 sets x 8 repetitions

CORE:

Dead bugs 3 sets x 6 repetitions each side

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS

POWER CLEAN WARM UP

1. MUSCLE CLEAN

1. Stand tall with feet underneath the hips; bend the knees keeping back straight; then push the hips back so that barbell is above knee
2. Powering through your hips, lift the bar to the front rack position
3. Return to start position
4. Do a total of three repetitions

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2. HIGH HANG POWER CLEAN

1. Stand tall with feet underneath the hips; bend the knees keeping back straight; lean slightly over the bar
2. Drive through the hips into full extension; feet jump into squat stance as you pull yourself under the bar into the front rack position
3. Stand the bar up; reset feet to back underneath the hips, and lower bar down to start position
4. Do a total of three repetitions

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3. LOW HANG POWER CLEAN

1. Stand tall with feet underneath the hips; bend the knees keeping back straight; then push the hips back so that barbell is above knee
2. Stay over the bar for as long as possible as you start to extend through the hips
3. Drive through the hips into full extension; feet jump into squat stance as you pull yourself under the bar into the front rack position
4. Stand the bar up; reset feet to back underneath the hips, and lower bar down to start position
5. Do a total of three repetitions

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4. POWER CLEAN (SET 1)

1. Stand tall with feet underneath the hips; bend the knees keeping back straight; then push the hips back; as soon as barbell is over the knee, sit the hips down
2. Start to stand the up by pushing the floor away with your feet; as soon as the bar passes your knee, stay over the bar for as long as possible as you start to extend through the hips
3. Drive through the hips into full extension; feet jump into squat stance as you pull yourself under the bar into the front rack position
4. Stand the bar up; reset feet to back underneath the hips, and lower bar down to start position
5. Do a total of three repetitions

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COUNTER MOVEMENT JUMPS

1. Stand tall with your feet underneath your hips
2. Squat down taking your arms behind you, then jump up as high as you can before landing back in a stable squat position
3. Stand up to finish
4. Do two total sets of five repetitions

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POWER CLEAN (SET 2)

1. Stand tall with feet underneath the hips; bend the knees keeping back straight; then push the hips back; as soon as barbell is over the knee, sit the hips down
2. Start to stand the up by pushing the floor away with your feet; as soon as the bar passes your knee, stay over the bar for as long as possible as you start to extend through the hips
3. Drive through the hips into full extension; feet jump into squat stance as you pull yourself under the bar into the front rack position
4. Stand the bar up; reset feet to back underneath the hips, and lower bar down to start position
5. Do three total sets of three repetitions

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PAUSE SQUAT

1. Set up a barbell in a squat rack
2. Step centrally under the bar, placing hands comfortably outside the shoulders, take a deep breath in through the belly and brace before standing the bar up
3. Take a step back away from the squat rack, then take your feet out into a squat stance
4. Take another deep breath in through the belly then squat down pausing at the bottom
5. Stand the bar back up (take a deep intra-abdominal pressure breath in with each rep)
6. Do three total sets of six repetitions

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SQUAT JUMPS

1. Set up a barbell in a squat rack
2. Step centrally under the bar, placing hands comfortably outside the shoulders, take a deep breath in through the belly and brace before standing the bar up
3. Take a step back away from the squat rack, then take your feet out into a squat stance
4. Squat down and drive up quickly to land back in a squat position
5. Do four total sets of five repetitions

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STIFF LEGGED DEADLIFT

1. Start with feet hip width apart so that you can see half of your foot on the other side of the barbell
2. Approach the bar by hinging the hips back and placing your hands thumbs-width away from the smooth part of the bar.
3. Before you lift, engage the bar by leaning back a little and take a deep breath in through your belly before bracing
4. Lift the bar to the hips - this is your start position
5. With a soft bend in the knee, push the hips back until the barbell passes the knee; then stand it back up, squeezing the glutes at the top
6. Do three total sets of eight repetitions

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DEAD BUGS

1. Lie on your back with arms perpendicular to the floor and legs bent at 90 degrees
2. Slowly extend right arm behind you and straighten left leg, maintaining control through your midline
3. The extend left arm behind you and straighten right leg, maintaining control through your midline
4. Do three total sets of six repetitions on each side

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Joslyn Thompson Rule is a BA Economics graduate from Trinity College Dublin. After her degree she took a diploma in Personal Training and Sports Therapy and has been in the fitness industry for the last 15 years.

Joslyn started working with Nike as one of their Global Master Trainers in 2009. This role has enabled her to: travel the world educating and recruiting trainers; consult on new products; and spend time both behind and in front of the camera on numerous Global ad campaigns.

Her smart, simple methodology has resulted in her consulting for professional sports teams, GB track and field athletes; and being the go-to expert for numerous fitness and lifestyle titles including Net-a-Porter, The Gentlewoman magazine, and Women’s Health.

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