How strength training can improve sports performance.

 

 

 

-Today, athletes are bigger, faster and stronger than ever before. In many sports, such as Rugby and American Football , the benefits of lifting weights are obvious - increased strength, speed and mass allows an athlete to hit harder, break more tackles and get a physical upper hand in the game.

 

 

- But what about non-contact sports like Track and Soccer? And what about Endurance sports? How could resistance training help you in these sports? Many coaches don’t believe it can – but here is why you shouldn’t listen to them:

- Endurance is a matter of relative load. Let’s say a swimmer taking a stroke requires 35% of the maximum force they’re able to apply. If the swimmer has begun resistance training and has increased their 1RM stoke by say 5% this allows for a more powerful stroke to be taken with only the same effort level as before, or allows for the same stoke to become easier relative to the maximum force the swimmer is able to apply. Provided the same technique is used this will allow the swimmer to put in better times over the same distances than he was previously able to due to increased stoke power and/or less fatigue. This applies not just to swimmers but to all endurance sports.

 

- Resistance training for track is similar. Heavy leg training (particularly squats) will increase your leg strength. Increased leg strength allows you to kick your feet into the ground harder and propel you forwards with increased force – this allows an athlete to run faster. Suitable strength training will not only increase leg strength but also improve an athlete’s ability to use energy and oxygen – leading to greater running endurance. So resistance training is suitable for both long and short distance track athletes as well as athletes participating in any sport where speed and running endurance is advantageous – soccor and basketball for example.

 

- Resistance training can even help you in sports like Archery and Shooting. These sports are accuracy based. Increasing strength helps reduce fatigue and increases muscular endurance. Essentially suitable resistance training may help the athlete hold the gun or bow steadier for longer – leading to greater consistency throughout the duration of the competition and a better result at the end.

 

- Resistance training also allows athletes to correct muscular imbalances they may develop from practicing their sport. A balanced physique is essential to performance and also to remaining injury free as underdeveloped or tight muscles are more prone to strains and tears and can wreck havoc with your joints due to imbalanced forces acting on them.

 

 

To summarise 
1) Regardless of sport, appropriate resistance training will benefit your performance.
2) Resistance training can help prevent sports injuries by correcting muscular imbalances created by practicing your sport.