Sprints and shin splints!

[sizeon]

ive been getting into my sprints mainly trying to get my 40 dash up, posibly for some college foot ball, the guys in the olympics quads are huge, is this mainly due to the sprints or more to weight training them, figure a little both, how many of you guys sprint, how much, how often, how intense, i do somtimes get some shin splints if i sprint more than a couple times a week, you guys get any shin splints? i think i might try keeping it to once a week after a lower body workout?

 

[jimboslice]

just a tip on the shin splints. I myself have ran track and half marathons all my life, went to states for the 100 meter. I would suggest some good shoes and comfortable soles. Also, "bio-freeze" does wonders you should be able to get it at a pharmacy fairly cheap.

 

[loganb_football]

Arches in your foot play a role (perhaps try better cushioning in shoes), also I would work on plantar flexion strength. Basically learning to run on your toes. It's uncomfortable as hell at first. But you will get used to it in a couple of weeks.

To help strengthen your plantar flexion you can do lunges on toes. Drops off of plyo boxes landing on the balls of your feet with a quick rebound. Those are just a couple of things you can do.

Also if you want to increase your 40 I would concentrate more on hamstrings than quads. Don't get me wrong quads are important but from what I have witnessed. When people stopped concentrating on high box squats and legs extensions, and worked more on good mornings, stiff legged deadlifts, or basically their whole posterior chain, everything improved dramatically!