Sprinting requires great physical fitness and physiological qualities. This study aims to assess the impact of structured training on body composition, physical fitness, and physiological variables, as well as their correla- tions with performance outcomes in sub-elite sprinters. One hundred thirty boys (aged 18-20 years) were re- cruited and separated into two groups: control group (CG, n=65) and short-distance runner (SDR, n=65). The SDR group received supervised training (4 hours/day, 5 days/week, for 12 weeks), but the CG group did not receive any. Body composition, physical fitness, and physiological markers were measured at the beginning (0 weeks), middle (8 weeks), and end (12 weeks) of the intervention. After the intervention, the SDR group displayed significant gains in hand grip strength, back and leg strength, standing broad jump, vertical leap, push-up and sit-up scores, flexibility, speed, anaerobic power, fatigue index, VO2max, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio. Compared to baseline, there were substantial (p<0.05) reductions in body fat percentage, BMI, body mass, 30 m and 100 m sprint times, response time, resting and exercise heart rate, blood pressure, and peak blood lactate levels. These findings highlight the practical importance of establishing comprehensive sprint training programs to improve performance-related qualities in young athletes. Coaches and practitioners are advised to incorporate strength, conditioning, and recovery measures into training programs in order to maximize sprint- ing performance. Future research should look into the long-term effects of training at various levels and devel- opmental phases, as well as individual responses and recovery dynamics.
Ghosh et al. (2025) studied this question.