Question

A distance runner has expressed interest in adding the high jump as an event in next year’s track and field season.

How successful will one year of strength training be in preparing this athlete for the change in event?

Will this training effect his current performance in long distance running?

Answer 1

Strength training increases the VO₂ max of the person and also strengthens the core. Both of these factors play a critical role in long distance running and high impact sports such as high jump. An year of strength training will help the athlete for the high jump event, however more years of training will be required for good performance. The athlete's performance in long distance running will improve significantly since with a better VO₂ max and a strong core, the athlete will be able to run for longer durations and for longer distances.