run faster than Usain Bolt : How can You run faster than Usain Bolt? You want to run like Usain Bolt, you say? Here's what you need to do. Let me warn you though--it's impossible for almost all of us, and for the rest it still isn't easy.
You want to run like Usain Bolt, you say? Here's what you need to do. Let me warn you though--it's impossible for almost all of us, and for the rest it still isn't easy.
1: Be a genetic freak.
Natural ability is more important in sprinting than any other sport I know. Many sports, like soccer, require athletes to spend years learning complex skills. Less physically gifted players can gain an edge with better technique. Sprinting is on the other end of the spectrum. Everyone knows how to run, and while you can improve your technique to a degree, that's mostly determined by your natural biomechanics. Conditioning is important, but that's just the icing on the cake.
As a rough estimate, your genetic talent probably needs to be in the top 0.0001% of people. That's one in a million. It's exceedingly rare that someone comes along with the innate gifts to become a world-class sprinter.
2: Have a physically active youth.
Now that you've won the genetic sweepstakes, the rest is comparatively easy (or, at least, more probable). You don't want to wait until you're 20 to start building strong muscles, tendons, bones, and joints. It's important to be reasonably active in your youth. This doesn't mean you need to do specific training, but a healthy amount of running around and playing sports is good. Fortunately, kids usually like doing things they're good at, so an athletically gifted child will probably be active.
3: Have adequate nutrition in your youth.
Sadly, undernutrition as a child can have lasting effects on a person's development. In order to reach your full athletic potential (which you'll need to do if you want to be a world-class sprinter), you should have access to adequate food. This doesn't mean you need to eat a perfect diet, but you should have enough to allow your body to grow big and strong. Obviously, this step isn't something a child has a whole lot of control over.
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4: Find a great coach who can provide the training and resources to become an elite sprinter.
Now that you've successfully followed the first 3 steps, you're a teenager and you're faster than anyone you know--even kids a couple years older. Now things get serious. At some point, you need to find a coach who can help you become the athlete you dream of.
The difficulty of this will vary greatly depending on where you live. If you're in the United States, you can probably join your school's track team and compete in local meets. From there, your outstanding times will get you discovered by top coaches who you can provide excellent training. You also have easy access to the best college track programs in the world.
On the other hand, if you're in a country with no sprinting tradition, it'll be a lot harder to find good coaching. Ideally, you find a way to compete in a national or international junior competition where you might get discovered. Hopefully you'll find an opportunity to run college track in the US, where you'll have access to the resources you need.
(Note: I don't mean to make it sound like US is the only place with good coaching. Plenty of other nations, especially in Europe and the Caribbean, have shown that they can develop their own athletes. But if you need to leave your home country, the US has more elite coaches and programs than anywhere else.)
5: Work really hard for several years.
Sprinters typically peak in their mid-20s. More broadly, the best sprinters have professional careers that run about 10 years, from 20 to 30 (but most don't make it that long). So from the time you find a top-flight coach, you have years of hard work ahead of you if you want to make it as a sprinter. It's really hard to make the leap from young talent to world-class athlete. In sprinting, the difference between 10.05 seconds and 10.25 seconds is an eternity.
There's also the issue of money. If you're really good, you'll be able to live on your endorsement earnings and race winnings. But until then, you'll have to find another way to support yourself. That's not an easy life to lead.
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