Strength training won’t directly make you faster, but it definitely can allow you to achieve more out of your sprint training and set yourself up with the best opportunity to get faster. Three big factors in which gym training will crossover to your sprint performance are: 

1) Maximal Strength – Lifting heavy and maximal overcoming isometrics  provides an effective stimulus to be able to produce greater amounts of force from. Being able to produce more force simply allows for each stride in sprinting to draw from a bigger pool of resources. 

2) Rate of Force Development – Simply having a big pool of force to draw from isn’t enough when sprinting occurs at such short contact times. Incorporating high velocity movements such as plyometrics, jumps, olympic lifts, medball throws, sled pushes and sprinting itself are all effective means to enhance how quickly you can recruit a large amount of force. 

3) Joint Stiffness – The ability of your joints to resist external force provides a very important role in being able to express the absolute force you can rapidly produce. Plyometrics that challenge short ground contact timing and heavy isometric strength training are two useful means to build this quality