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Can metabolic resistance training help you sprint faster? Here’s the research

Jump higher and accelerate your running power with this high-intensity training style

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man running
Kampus / Pexels

Metabolic resistance training (MRT) combines strength training with high-intensity interval training, using shorter rest periods and heart-pumping compound movements like kettlebell swings and deadlifts. The goal is to boost both muscle and metabolism, and the short breaks keep your heart rate up, so it also feels like you’re getting some cardio in.

Traditional resistance training involves longer rest periods of around one or two minutes or longer between sets, with varying intensities. Does the high-intensity nature of metabolic resistance training yield comparable or better results than traditional training methods? That’s what researchers set off to find out earlier this year. In a nutshell, the short answer is, yes, MRT can help you sprint faster, even with only two sessions a week.

The meta-analysis

Man doing Kettlebell Swing.
Taco Fleur / Pexels

In a meta-analysis published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology, researchers noted that “the no pain no gain philosophy has long influenced athletic training approaches, especially in high-intensity workouts like MRT. The researchers reviewed studies of trained athletes on outcomes such as VO2 max, peak power, sprint performance, blood lactate, time to exhaustion, and jump height. 11 studies involving 276 participants met the inclusion criteria.

The results

man working out
Kawee / Adobe

The results revealed the following:

  • MRT yielded a statistically significant improvement in sprint performance and countermovement jump height, indicating notable gains in explosive power.
  • Researchers also observed improvements in VO2 max, but these didn’t reach statistical significance.
  • Blood lactate changes varied widely.
  • Younger adults and experienced athletes got the most benefit from MRT, even with lower-frequency training of just twice a week.
  • Sprint performance showed the strongest response to MRT, whereas aerobic measures showed greater variability.

Concluding thoughts

Man running by mountains on a road
Pixabay / Pexels

The researchers concluded that this meta-analysis highlights the capacity of MRT to boost athletic performance comparable to or even better than traditional training methods. This is the case even with a lower time commitment, and this study showed benefits from MRT, even with only two sessions a week. While MRT might be a more challenging style of resistance training, you might not need to power through as many sessions as you might think to generate results. MRT is an efficient way to level up your explosive power, sprint faster, and jump higher.

Steph Green
Steph Green
Steph Green (Steph Zee) is a singer-songwriter and professional writer with over 12 years of experience in healthcare and… Read Full Bio
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