Moderate Load Resisted Sprints Do Not Improve Subsequent Sprint Performance in Varsity-Level Sprinters

ABSTRACTResisted sprint training (RST) is commonly used for performance enhancement in athletics and team sports to develop acceleration ability. Evidence suggests that RST may be effective as a short-term intervention to improve successive sprints. While these improvements have been measured in team sport athletes, limited research has considered the acute effects of RST training in sprint-trained athletes. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine if performing RST with varsity level sprinters using sled-equivalent resistive loads of ∼45% body mass results in a potentiation effect, leading to improvements in subsequent maximal sprint performance over 0-5 m and 0-20 m. Competitive sprinters (n=20), were randomly assigned to perform a pre/post maximal 20 m sprint separated by either 3 resisted (RST group) or un-resisted (URS group) sprints. The RST or URS protocol was performed on four occasions separated by at least 7 days. No significant differences were observed between the RST and URS groups comparing changes in sprint times over 0-5 m (URS Δ =