What Women Can Learn From Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone About Glutes, Core and Sprinting

Why Her 400-Meter Speed Is a Full-Body Skill

In September 2025, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the world 400-meter title in 47.78 seconds. It was the second-fastest women's 400 meters ever recorded, and it came after years of redefining the 400-meter hurdles. Her hurdles world record of 50.37 seconds, set at the 2024 Paris Olympics, makes the range of her abilities unusually striking. The flat race demands sustained speed without barriers; the hurdles add precise takeoff, landing and stride management. Neither event can be explained by one muscle group or a fashionable exercise.

Look at a full-speed sprint from the side. The hips extend as the stance leg drives the ground away, the opposite thigh cycles forward, the trunk stays organized and the arms move forcefully without twisting the athlete off course. The foot contacts the ground for a very short time. Force matters, but the athlete must produce it in the right direction, at the right moment and without braking excessively. A stronger squat can be useful; it is not a substitute for the skill of sprinting.

That is the first useful lesson for women who admire McLaughlin-Levrone's athletic build. Her physique is a by-product of preparing for extraordinary performance demands, not a public blueprint for a particular waist measurement or glute circumference. The muscle you can see is only one part of the system. Tendons, coordination, technique, conditioning and the ability to repeat high-quality efforts all contribute to what happens on the track.

A 400-meter race is especially unforgiving because it sits between pure acceleration and longer endurance events. An athlete must establish speed, preserve rhythm around the bend and resist technical collapse as fatigue rises in the final straight. Going out recklessly can produce a dramatic first half and an ugly finish. The goal is not to sprint at maximum effort from the gun in the way a 60-meter specialist might. It is to distribute an extremely high effort intelligently over one lap.

For ordinary gym-goers, that suggests a better question than 'How do I get her exact body?' Ask what capabilities you want: stronger hips, faster short accelerations, better running mechanics, more durable legs, or a leaner appearance without losing strength. These overlap but are not identical. A runner can benefit from a small dose of strength work; a lifter can gain athleticism from short, well-rested accelerations. Neither has to become a professional track athlete to get something valuable from the exchange.

Start by measuring a capability rather than judging a mirror photo. A consistent 20-meter acceleration, controlled broad jump, technically sound split squat or repeatable 200-meter tempo can reveal progress. Keep conditions similar between tests. Track how well you move, not merely how exhausted you feel afterward. McLaughlin-Levrone's performances are elite outliers; the useful inspiration is the process of building skills that show up under pressure.

There is another distinction worth making between sprint fitness and ordinary conditioning. A relaxed aerobic run develops the capacity to keep moving for longer; a fast acceleration develops the ability to create force and coordinate limbs at high speed. Both can belong in a well-rounded week, but they should not be confused. If every running session becomes a breathless interval test, technique may deteriorate and recovery costs rise. McLaughlin-Levrone's one-lap speed is a reminder that high performance is built by combining different qualities, not by treating all exercise as one interchangeable calorie-burning activity.

Glutes and Hamstrings: The Hip-Extension Engine

The gluteus maximus is a powerful hip extensor. During sprinting it works with the hamstrings and other muscles to help manage the leg's rapid movement and produce force. It is tempting to simplify that into 'bigger glutes equal faster sprinting,' but that skips the critical details. Strength must transfer through the pelvis and leg while the foot is on the ground. The timing of the contraction, joint angles, stiffness and technique influence how effectively that strength becomes forward motion.

McLaughlin-Levrone's long, controlled stride illustrates why the hip matters, but nobody can determine her precise glute-training program from a race photograph. Her visible development does not prove that she relies on a particular hip-thrust variation, nor does it tell us how much she squats. The more defensible lesson is to train several useful lower-body functions rather than betting everything on one exercise that happens to produce a strong pump.

For a practical strength foundation, pair a knee-dominant pattern with a hip hinge. Squats or split squats train the quads and glutes through a substantial range of motion; Romanian deadlifts challenge the posterior chain as the hips move backward under load. Hip thrusts or glute bridges can add targeted hip-extension volume. Step-ups and reverse lunges develop single-leg control and expose left-right differences that bilateral lifts may hide. Each exercise offers a different challenge, not a magical missing ingredient.

Keep the training goal in view. A bodybuilder may use slow, controlled sets close to muscular failure because hypertrophy is the priority. A sprinter needs to arrive at speed sessions capable of producing fast, technically sharp contacts. Heavy soreness from a brutal leg day can undermine that priority. The same glute exercise can be helpful or badly timed depending on what the athlete needs to do tomorrow. More fatigue is not automatically more progress.

One sensible lower-body strength session could include three sets of five to eight squats, three sets of six to ten Romanian deadlifts, two sets of eight split squats per leg and two sets of ten to fifteen hip bridges. Rest long enough to keep the main lifts controlled. Leave one to three good repetitions in reserve on most sets. If sprinting is new, reduce the accessory work rather than trying to earn your right to run through soreness.

Do not confuse a stronger hip with immunity from hamstring injury. High-speed running exposes the hamstrings to rapid lengthening and force, particularly as the leg swings forward and prepares to contact the ground. Gradual exposure to speed, sensible strength progressions, appropriate recovery and attention to symptoms all matter. A person with a history of hamstring trouble should rebuild speed progressively and seek individualized professional guidance when necessary.

For glute growth alone, progressive resistance training and sufficient nutrition are far more reliable than copying a sprinter's session count. For sprinting, the barbell is supportive preparation. The transferable principle is simple: build strong hips in several movement patterns, then practice applying that strength in the actual movement you want to improve.

Individual anatomy also changes how exercises feel. A lifter with long femurs may prefer a split squat or heel-elevated squat for a comfortable depth; another may find a conventional squat more natural. Hip thrusts can be loaded heavily without replicating the joint angles of maximal-speed running. The objective is not to discover the single movement that every sprinter must use. It is to find a small set of repeatable exercises that train the hips through useful ranges, permit progressive loading and do not leave you too fatigued to practice the sport or activity you actually enjoy.

Core Strength Means Staying Organized at Speed

McLaughlin-Levrone's trunk remains impressively composed as she moves at a speed most recreational runners cannot approach. That is not just an aesthetic detail. Sprinting creates rotational forces as the arms and legs exchange positions. The pelvis must move, but uncontrolled wobble wastes motion and can make foot placement less consistent. The trunk's job is to transmit force while allowing the hips and shoulders to do their work.

Core training therefore means more than building a visible six-pack. Rectus abdominis contributes to trunk flexion, while the obliques and deeper abdominal muscles help resist unwanted rotation and extension. The spinal extensors and muscles around the hips contribute to maintaining posture. An athlete who can perform hundreds of crunches but cannot control a loaded single-leg stance may still have an important gap in practical trunk control.

It is also easy to overclaim the evidence. Core programs can improve balance and some general athletic measures, but improvements in a plank time do not guarantee faster 400-meter performances. Running skill, leg power, conditioning and exposure to actual sprint speeds remain indispensable. Core exercises should complement those qualities rather than replace them. There is no special abdominal circuit that transforms an ordinary runner into McLaughlin-Levrone.

Choose exercises that challenge distinct functions. A dead bug teaches controlled limb movement while the lower back stays stable. A side plank challenges lateral trunk control. A Pallof press resists rotation while the arms move away from the body. A loaded suitcase carry adds a dynamic challenge: walk without leaning toward or away from the weight. These movements are useful because the body must manage forces while the limbs do something else.

A simple circuit takes about ten minutes. Perform eight slow dead bugs per side, a twenty-to-thirty-second side plank per side, eight Pallof presses per side and a twenty-to-thirty-meter suitcase carry per side. Repeat twice. Move slowly enough to notice whether the ribs flare, pelvis twists or breathing stops. Add load or time only when the same positions remain controlled. If the goal is sprinting, finish the circuit feeling practiced rather than destroyed.

Breathing deserves attention, too. Bracing is not the same as holding your breath for an entire lap. During loaded lifts, short purposeful bracing can help stabilize the trunk. During running, breathing must continue while posture stays coordinated. Practicing rib-cage control under easy movement and gradually faster running can be more relevant than endlessly chasing harder plank variations.

For women who want a stronger midsection, this approach has an additional benefit: it treats the core as an athletic system, not a cosmetic problem to punish. Visible abdominal definition depends heavily on body composition and individual anatomy. Functional trunk strength is something you can develop and test regardless of how your stomach looks under different lighting.

Hurdle Rhythm, Single-Leg Control and Elastic Power

Clearing ten hurdles over one lap requires more than jumping high. The athlete must approach each barrier at speed, organize the lead and trail legs, clear the obstacle efficiently and resume sprinting without losing too much momentum. McLaughlin-Levrone's hurdle performances show remarkable rhythm: the technical challenge is to make each barrier part of the running pattern rather than a separate event that interrupts it.

For a recreational lifter, the useful lesson is coordination under single-leg loading. Sprinting is a succession of single-leg contacts. Hurdling adds even more asymmetrical positions. That does not mean everyone should start jumping over competition-height hurdles. It means controlled unilateral strength, ankle stiffness, balance and landing skill deserve a place beside the big bilateral lifts.

Begin with basic movement quality. Step-ups teach the stance leg to extend the hip and knee while the pelvis stays reasonably level. Reverse lunges develop control as the body moves backward and forward. Single-leg Romanian deadlifts train balance and the hip hinge without needing a maximal load. Small pogo hops introduce quick ankle contacts, while low skipping drills teach rhythm. These are progressions, not a checklist that must all be crammed into one workout.

Elastic power is different from grinding strength. A jump or sprint contact happens quickly, so a drill that becomes slow and sloppy is no longer training the quality you intended. Keep jump sets short, take generous rest and stop when height, rhythm or landing quality noticeably deteriorates. Two or three sets of three to five crisp broad jumps can be more productive than fifty fatigued repetitions performed for the sake of a sweat-soaked shirt.

Technique also needs appropriate space. Use a flat, unobstructed surface and suitable shoes. Warm up with easy jogging, controlled marching, skips and gradually faster strides before introducing harder accelerations. If you have not sprinted for years, a few smooth ten-to-twenty-meter runs at submaximal effort are a more reasonable start than repeated all-out 100s. Sudden maximal sprinting is a particularly poor way to discover your hamstrings are not ready.

The athlete-specific detail matters. McLaughlin-Levrone has worked with coach Bobby Kersee, and elite hurdling relies on highly individualized stride patterns. Her own natural rhythm is not a template to force onto someone with different limb lengths, experience or mobility. Even among world-class hurdlers, efficient patterns vary. A recreational athlete should focus on repeatable mechanics and gradual skill development rather than trying to imitate a video frame by frame.

Measure whether you can perform a step-up without pushing off the trailing foot, land a low hop quietly and accelerate without excessive reaching in front of your body. These modest tests are more useful than chasing dramatic hurdle drills for social media. Athleticism is built from precise, repeatable movement before it is displayed at high speed.

What to Borrow From Elite Strength Work—and What Not to Copy

The most misleading part of celebrity-athlete workout culture is the assumption that an elite performance must be explained by a secret list of exercises. McLaughlin-Levrone's results reflect years of technical development, professional coaching, competition experience, genetics and carefully managed training. Public race results tell us what she can do; they do not reveal every set, rep, load or recovery decision in her current program. An honest fitness article should not invent those details.

What can be borrowed is the principle of specificity. If you want to run faster, you must practice running faster with appropriate recovery. If you want larger glutes, you need enough challenging resistance-training volume and progressive overload. If you want both, arrange the week so the two goals support rather than sabotage each other. That usually means doing the highest-skill, highest-speed work while fresh and avoiding unnecessary muscle damage before important track sessions.

Strength work can improve general athletic qualities, but its effect on elite sport performance varies by athlete and outcome. A heavy squat improves the ability to produce force in a squat. Sprint performance also depends on applying force during much shorter ground contacts. Jumping, accelerations and technique practice help bridge that gap. There is no guarantee that adding twenty kilograms to a lift automatically removes a fixed number of seconds from your 400-meter time.

For most women, two full-body strength sessions are a realistic starting point. Use one squat or lunge pattern, one hinge, one upper-body push, one upper-body pull and a brief trunk finisher. Add a small amount of hopping or acceleration practice if joints and tendons tolerate it. If you already have three or four lifting days, replace some low-value accessory volume rather than stacking an entire sprint program on top of an already crowded week.

Recovery is part of the plan, not a reward for finishing it. Intense sprinting and heavy eccentric leg work both stress tissues. The hard sessions need spacing, adequate food and sleep. Persistent declining performance, unusual soreness, disturbed sleep or recurring pain are reasons to reduce load and reconsider the schedule. Training quality can improve when you remove the fifth hard session instead of adding a sixth.

Body composition also deserves context. A professional sprinter's appearance reflects sport demands and individual characteristics; it is not a health requirement for women who work, study or train for enjoyment. Underfueling to chase a track-athlete look can impair recovery, menstrual health and performance. Eat enough to support the work. Protein distributed across meals, carbohydrates around demanding sessions and ordinary dietary consistency are more useful than dramatic restriction.

Finally, remember the difference between inspiration and imitation. Elite athletes have coaching, medical and logistical support that most readers do not. You can admire McLaughlin-Levrone's discipline without adopting her competitive workload. The best adaptation is the smallest repeatable dose that improves your own performance while leaving enough energy for the rest of your life.

A Practical Six-Week Sprint-Inspired Strength Plan

This is an original beginner-to-intermediate program inspired by the physical qualities involved in sprinting, not a claim about McLaughlin-Levrone's private training schedule. It assumes you are healthy enough for running and have access to basic gym equipment plus a safe, flat area. If you have an injury, significant pain or a medical restriction, modify the plan with an appropriate professional. The objective is stronger hips, better trunk control and a gradual introduction to faster movement.

Monday — acceleration technique and lower-body strength. Warm up for ten to fifteen minutes with easy walking or jogging, ankle circles, marching, skipping and three progressive strides. Perform four relaxed accelerations over ten to twenty meters at roughly seventy to eighty-five percent effort, walking back and resting until breathing settles. Then complete goblet or front squats for three sets of six to eight, Romanian deadlifts for three sets of six to eight and step-ups for two sets of eight per leg. Finish with two sets of eight dead bugs per side.

Wednesday — full-body strength and trunk control. Perform split squats for three sets of eight per leg, a horizontal row for three sets of eight to twelve, dumbbell presses for three sets of eight to ten and hip bridges for two sets of ten to fifteen. Add two side planks of twenty to thirty seconds per side and two suitcase carries of twenty meters per side. Keep one to three repetitions in reserve on the strength work. This is not a day to chase a personal record in every exercise.

Saturday — rhythm and easy running. After a gradual warm-up, perform two sets of ten meters of marching drills, two sets of ten meters of easy skips and three sets of three low pogo hops. Then complete four to six controlled strides over sixty meters at a conversationally manageable, submaximal pace, resting fully between them. If running technique deteriorates or a tendon becomes irritated, stop the fast work and substitute a comfortable walk or low-impact cardio session.

Weeks one and two: Learn the exercises, find comfortable running surfaces and establish repeatable form. Keep acceleration intensity modest. Record squat and hinge loads, the quality of each stride and how you feel the following morning. Avoid adding extra sprints just because the early sessions feel easy. Tendons and hamstrings need time to tolerate unfamiliar high-speed work.

Weeks three and four: Add a small amount of weight to a lift when all sets are controlled and the planned repetitions remain available. You may progress accelerations toward eighty-five to ninety percent effort if the first two weeks were symptom-free. Keep the number of accelerations low. Do not simultaneously increase speed, sprint distance, jumping volume and heavy leg volume. Choose one manageable progression at a time.

Weeks five and six: Maintain strength volume, aim for cleaner rather than more frantic accelerations and retest a simple marker under comparable conditions. This might be a ten- or twenty-meter time using the same timing method, a controlled standing broad jump or the load you can squat for six technically consistent reps. If fatigue accumulates, reduce accessory sets by a third for a week. Recovery is an adjustment, not a failure.

Do not turn the 400 meters into an all-out weekly punishment test. It is an exceptionally demanding event, and recreational athletes can build useful speed and conditioning with shorter, safer exposures. If your main goal is glute hypertrophy, keep the two lifting days and treat sprint drills as optional. If your goal is faster running, protect the quality of the acceleration sessions and accept slower progress on accessory lifting volume.

The final lesson from watching an athlete like McLaughlin-Levrone is not that everyone needs to look like a champion. It is that purposeful training creates measurable ability. Strong hips, a controlled trunk, better rhythm and an intelligent schedule are achievable goals. You do not need a world record to appreciate the difference between training to feel destroyed and training to become more capable.

How to track progress without turning training into a laboratory: Write down the exercise, load, repetitions, perceived effort and whether the final rep looked controlled. For accelerations, use the same start position and distance each time, and compare only runs completed under similar conditions. Phone timing can be noisy over short distances, so treat tiny changes cautiously. Note how your hamstrings and calves feel the next day. An improving training log, better movement quality and the ability to repeat sessions comfortably are meaningful outcomes even before a dramatic time or body-composition change appears.

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