Is sprinting enough to build your power?

For recreationally active people, adding heavy squats to your sprints improves speed and power more than sprinting alone. Specifically, high-load strength training (85% of your max) showed the greatest gains in explosive force and sprint times.

Test your knowledge

Alex is a recreational athlete who wants to improve his sprinting speed and overall power. He is currently doing sprint drills twice a week and is deciding whether to add a specific type of weightlifting to his routine. Which addition is most likely to provide the best boost to his sprint times and power output?

A) Adding explosive bodyweight jumps to his current sprint routine
B) Adding high-repetition, moderate-weight squats to his current sprint routine
C) Adding high-load weightlifting, such as heavy squats, to his current sprint routine
D) Adding no weightlifting at all and simply increasing the number of sprints

🔬 The Breakdown

Context: We often treat 'cardio' and 'strength' as separate silos. This research shows that for those looking to move faster and more efficiently, these two modalities work in tandem. It validates that building a stronger foundation is a prerequisite for better athletic performance.

Reality Check: The study used a rigorous 3-session weekly protocol with specific percentages of 1-repetition maximums. Without a trainer to calculate your exact limits, finding the right weight can feel intimidating or inaccessible.

Takeaway: Incorporate heavy squats into your routine. Aim for 4 sets of 4 reps with a weight that feels difficult to complete by the final rep, performed twice a week alongside your sprint practice.

Published November 04, 2026

The science, explained

Evidence Check: This was an exploratory randomized study of 58 recreationally active men and women.

Conventional Wisdom Check: This refines the common belief that 'explosive' movements are always superior for speed by showing that building maximal strength provides a significant performance edge.

Everyday Translation: For someone looking to get faster, lifting heavy weights (like squats at 85% of your max) combined with sprinting works better than just doing jumps or sprinting alone.

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