Fitness

How to approach the gym machine with confidence, and explosive speed-boosters

Power plays pay off Tweaking your strength training could boost your PB, shows research from Loughborough University. The study found brief (under one second) maximum contractions developed strength but not mass, which suits a distance runner. ‘Explosive strength exercises – squat jumps or rapid leg extensions – have the potential to increase your ability to produce force as a result of neural adaptations, rather than muscle growth,’ says lead author Tom Balshaw. ‘It’s an efficient way for athletes looking to get stronger without adding mass to improve function.’