A Body only Sprinting Can Give You

Mr_Knight

Here's possibly the fastest white dude in history. No, seriously, he was the first caucasion to ever officially crack the 10 second mark for the 100m.

Only intervals and Tabata and power training can give you musculature like this!

HelloDan

London 2012 - 100m final

1 7 Usain Bolt Jamaica 9.63 1.95m 94kg
2 5 Yohan Blake Jamaica 9.75 1.80m 76kg
3 6 Justin Gatlin United States 9.79 1.85m 83kg
4 4 Tyson Gay United States 9.80 1.78m 80kg
5 8 Ryan Bailey United States 9.88 1.93m 98kg
6 9 Churandy Martina Netherlands 9.94 1.78m 74kg
7 2 Richard Thompson Trinidad and Tobago 9.98 1.88m 80kg
8 3 Asafa Powell Jamaica 11.99 1.90m 88kg

and

Christophe Lemaitre France 1.90m 74kg


Fair range of body types there, although with the exception of LeMaitre, most are of a heavier build than average.

That said, what's interesting (at least to me) is why people mix the correlation and causation of physiques in sport.

If I take up basketball, I won't grow to be 7' tall, just as if I become a jockey, I won't shrink to 4' tall.

Most athletes in a common sport (or at least position within that sport) have a certain body type, which very often is the reason they are in a certain sport, they don't have a certain body type because they participate in a certain sport. Of course there will always be the odd exception, and weight is the one variable which can be changed, but muscle insertion points, elasticity, fibre make up, height, limb length and body proportion are all determined by genetics, and won't change depending on the sport I take up.

haroon_awan

That's pretty insightful actually. I posted a similar topic about body types in sport but no one was interested in it! I find it quite remarkable that he can run so fast with that body. It's really cool actually.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1143241-the-extremely-wide-variety-of-body-types-among

HelloDan

That's pretty insightful actually. I posted a similar topic about body types in sport but no one was interested in it! I find it quite remarkable that he can run so fast with that body. It's really cool actually.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1143241-the-extremely-wide-variety-of-body-types-among

Is it really that surprising about LeMaitre?

The guy is tall 1.90m (6'3") and has long legs, you can visually see this in the above photos, he obviously has a lot of type I fibres, what more does he need to be a potentially fast sprinter?

EvgeniZyntx

He weight trains

http://youtu.be/PjL1xMyt6NI

A study on him...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22422028/

It's not the long legs

Last, anthropometric data of body mass index and lower-limb-to-height ratio showed no significant correlation with 100-m performance. We concluded that the main mechanical determinants of 100-m performance were (1) a "velocity-oriented" force-velocity profile, likely explained by (2) a higher ability to apply the resultant GRF vector with a forward orientation over the acceleration, and (3) a higher step frequency resulting from a shorter contact time.

And he still had a way to go before beating Pietro Mennea at 200 M, so no, not the fastest "white dude".

HelloDan

He weight trains

http://youtu.be/PjL1xMyt6NI

As does every sprinter in the world, in fact so do I, but I wouldn't be touching his times. The weight training is just the icing on the cake.

A study on him...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22422028/

It's not the long legs

Last, anthropometric data of body mass index and lower-limb-to-height ratio showed no significant correlation with 100-m performance. We concluded that the main mechanical determinants of 100-m performance were (1) a "velocity-oriented" force-velocity profile, likely explained by (2) a higher ability to apply the resultant GRF vector with a forward orientation over the acceleration, and (3) a higher step frequency resulting from a shorter contact time.

The study only covers 13 sprinters, and I'm guessing they are all French, I'd rather see a sample containing many nationalities of top tier sprinters.

Also, the extract you provide only provides a statement about lower limb to height ratio not being a hindrance.

I would be interested to see what the optimal limb to height ratio is, as I imagine it is neither very low, or very high.
It also doesn't consider the various styles of sprinting, in that the shorter limbed athletes can be fast through power and stride rate, whereas taller athletes can be fast by being powerful and having a slightly longer stride at a slightly lower rate, slightly being key here as it seems you can't go too extreme in either direction, again I would be interested if studies existed around this.


I'm not saying you're wrong, I just think that study is too incomplete, to draw a full conclusion about limb ratios.

EvgeniZyntx

So it's just not intervals and Tabata.

Yeah, these kind of studies aren't very valuable except to parameterize the athlete. I was posting it because it is specific to the person in question - something that is rare to find.

As for those other parameters and their influence, I'm sure you can do a search and find quite a bit on the biomechanics.

Edit:autocorrect whacked a sentence.

msf74

Only intervals and Tabata and power training can give you musculature like this!

Does not compute!

On a serious note I think he has a great physique although this is an incidental benefit to his performance training.

JoRocka

There is no way he ONLY sprints.

(as noted already)

secondly... meh. I'm not really sure I'm all that keen on "a body like that"

it's really just meh to me.

msf74

There is no way he ONLY sprints.

Do you mean in terms of the training he does or the events he competes in?

JoRocka

There is no way he ONLY sprints.

Do you mean in terms of the training he does or the events he competes in?

In terms of training.

Although kudo's for being the fastest man alive. that's awesome.

msf74

There is no way he ONLY sprints.

Do you mean in terms of the training he does or the events he competes in?

In terms of training.

Although kudo's for being the fastest man alive. that's awesome.

So pretty much like any other sprinter then?

msf74

I want to thank the OP.

As I result of this thread I have decided to ditch all my HIIT and anaerobic training as there's no way I want to look like that skinny sprinter dude.

I have decided to take up ultra marathon running so I can look like David Goggins instead:



Marathon runners v sprinters, yo!

JoRocka

So pretty much like any other sprinter then?

so pretty much like any professional athlete.

msf74

So pretty much like any other sprinter then?

so pretty much like any professional athlete.

Exactly

EvgeniZyntx

There is no way he ONLY sprints.

Do you mean in terms of the training he does or the events he competes in?

In terms of training.

Although kudo's for being the fastest man alive. that's awesome.

Usain died? Why does no one tell me these things.
brb going to buy a wreath.

mitchyinge

I want to thank the OP.

As I result of this thread I have decided to ditch all my HIIT and anaerobic training as there's no way I want to look like that skinny sprinter dude.

I have decided to take up ultra marathon running so I can look like David Goggins instead:



Marathon runners v sprinters, yo!

mmmmmm

JoRocka

There is no way he ONLY sprints.

Do you mean in terms of the training he does or the events he competes in?

In terms of training.

Although kudo's for being the fastest man alive. that's awesome.

Usain died? Why does no one tell me these things.
brb going to buy a wreath.

oh fastest white dude.

My bad. LOL I forgot we classify people by color. <facepalm>

Mr_Knight

Most athletes in a common sport (or at least position within that sport) have a certain body type, which very often is the reason they are in a certain sport, they don't have a certain body type because they participate in a certain sport.

Completely agree, at least for a broad selection of sports. For example, there are sound physical realities why you're never going to win the Tour de France if you weigh over 180 pounds, no matter what your body comp or ratio of muscle fibres or natural crit level. Some team sports allow for a larger selection of body types due to specialization by position, but even there, at any given position there will be a strong push towards a specific body type.

The obvious inference, then, is that training like an athlete in sport X isn't going to get you that athlete's physique unless you're already genetically predisposed to it.

Anyway, I thought it was an interesting photo because there is a persistent meme on MFP that intense interval training will necessarily build more visually impressive musculature than longer-distanced cardio work. The reality is not anywhere near that simple...

Mr_Knight

oh fastest white dude.

My bad. LOL I forgot we classify people by color. <facepalm>

Nobody did that but you.

There are body type traits that follow ethnic backgrounds. Which shouldn't be a surprise since we're talking about genetics, and "ethnic" is a shorthand way of bundling specific genetic traits.

Pretending otherwise doesn't serve any purpose, and it doesn't mean "people" are being classified by "colour".

JoRocka

oh fastest white dude.

My bad. LOL I forgot we classify people by color. <facepalm>

Nobody did that but you.

There are body type traits that follow ethnic backgrounds. Pretending otherwise doesn't serve any purpose. And it doesn't mean "people" are being classified by "colour".

I do believe that was your first post- and your words.

Here's possibly the fastest white dude in history.

Mr_Knight

I classified the sprinting ability - not the person, the sprinting ability - by a specific genetic trait.

If you want to read more into it than that, that's on you, not on me.

jwdieter

Anyway, I thought it was an interesting photo because there is a persistent meme on MFP that intense interval training will necessarily build more visually impressive musculature than longer-distanced cardio work. The reality is not anywhere near that simple...

Imagine what he'd look like if he were training for distance?

LiftAllThePizzas

Of course there will always be the odd exception, and weight is the one variable which can be changed, but muscle insertion points, elasticity, fibre make up, height, limb length and body proportion are all determined by genetics, and won't change depending on the sport I take up.

Except pilates.:laugh:

k8eekins

:flowerforyou: Enjoying the perspectives shared thank you OP and thread posters.

PikaKnight

I classified the sprinting ability - not the person, the sprinting ability - by a specific genetic trait.

If you want to read more into it than that, that's on you, not on me.

You literally wrote fastest white dude and now trying to say don't classify by color type.

Ummmm....oh. okay.

Hauntinglyfit

I would sprint to get that body. His face is not too bad either.

Hadabetter

London 2012 - 100m final

1 7 Usain Bolt Jamaica 9.63 1.95m 94kg
2 5 Yohan Blake Jamaica 9.75 1.80m 76kg
3 6 Justin Gatlin United States 9.79 1.85m 83kg
4 4 Tyson Gay United States 9.80 1.78m 80kg
5 8 Ryan Bailey United States 9.88 1.93m 98kg
6 9 Churandy Martina Netherlands 9.94 1.78m 74kg
7 2 Richard Thompson Trinidad and Tobago 9.98 1.88m 80kg
8 3 Asafa Powell Jamaica 11.99 1.90m 88kg

and

Christophe Lemaitre France 1.90m 74kg


Fair range of body types there, although with the exception of LeMaitre, most are of a heavier build than average.

That said, what's interesting (at least to me) is why people mix the correlation and causation of physiques in sport.

If I take up basketball, I won't grow to be 7' tall, just as if I become a jockey, I won't shrink to 4' tall.

Most athletes in a common sport (or at least position within that sport) have a certain body type, which very often is the reason they are in a certain sport, they don't have a certain body type because they participate in a certain sport. Of course there will always be the odd exception, and weight is the one variable which can be changed, but muscle insertion points, elasticity, fibre make up, height, limb length and body proportion are all determined by genetics, and won't change depending on the sport I take up.

This is so true. It makes me laugh when I see any of these athletes promoting a training program or supplement program, hinting that "you too can be like me" if you only buy this or that.

Springfield1970

Here is a link to the amazing body type differences in sports from the previous post...I love this

http://m.imgur.com/a/cOTTF

mitchyinge

Here is a link to the amazing body type differences in sports from the previous post...I love this

http://m.imgur.com/a/cOTTF

that's fascinating, thanks

I could look at stuff like this all day :blushing:

WendyTerry420

Here's possibly the fastest white dude in history. No, seriously, he was the first caucasion to ever officially crack ...

When I first saw this, I thought you were going to compare his body to a crackhead. I was thinking, yeah, someone hand him some doughnuts or something! :laugh: