Training Question

[Alpha Male]

I am training for a 60M sprint in Dec. Currently, my coach is advocating conditioning: we work out for over two hours; perform lots of sprint intervals, drills, technique, and then finish with more intervals. I am new to track, so keeping up with guys who competed their whole life is challenging. I seem to pushing my aerobic capacity more so than my anaerobic. My question is this: Does it make sense to keep sprinting if your times are slowing down during the course of practice? It seems to me that over training may occur if I am getting slower by the end of practice. I don't have the endurance to keep up with these guys, but if I come in fresh, with my explosive start, I can overpower them to the finish.

Oh, I am a natural athlete, early 20's, with an intense weight training background -any advice or routines would be appreciated.

 

[highschoolcoach]

I am training for a 60M sprint in Dec. Currently, my coach is advocating conditioning: we work out for over two hours; perform lots of sprint intervals, drills, technique, and then finish with more intervals. I am new to track, so keeping up with guys who competed their whole life is challenging. I seem to pushing my aerobic capacity more so than my anaerobic. My question is this: Does it make sense to keep sprinting if your times are slowing down during the course of practice? It seems to me that over training may occur if I am getting slower by the end of practice. I don't have the endurance to keep up with these guys, but if I come in fresh, with my explosive start, I can overpower them to the finish.

Oh, I am a natural athlete, early 20's, with an intense weight training background -any advice or routines would be appreciated.

First of all, the 60 meter dash is not a speed-endurance event. It doesn't take much to develop the ability to run 60 meter all out. There should be very, very little, if any slowing down due to any kind of fatigue.

The factors that will maximize your 60 meter dash ability are acceleration and maximum velocity. Acceleration--the ability to reach top speed quickly. Maximum velocity--the fastest one one run from point A to point B.

Your training should consist of all-out 10-, 20-, and 30-meter dashes from a stand or out of the blocks and 20- and 30-meter dashes from a running start. The running start is to eliminate the factor of acceleration. The dashes from a standing or block start are to practice getting from 0 m/sec. to top speed as soon as possible. The "flying" sprints are practicing running as fast as you can.

If you can go from 0 m/sec. to top speed quickly and then run at a velocity equal to to greater than the
competition, you will do very well.

Run the dashes in 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps with 30 sec. to 1 min. per 10 meters run recoveries between reps and 5-7 minutes between sets. The recoveries will probably seem too long, but remember that you are training to get faster, not to get more endurance. When you start training to run 100m. and more you will need to train for speed-endurance.

 

[Alpha Male]

Thanks for the advice, highschoolcoach.


When alone, I train with more rest and all out explosiveness. But when I train with the team, the Jamaican head coach works with high volume, and consequently, I lose all explosiveness. Now, I'm not doubting that this may help for the longer sprints, but the extensive warm-up, plyo-drills, 5 run throughs of 40M, body weight exercises, 4-5sets of 80M, and tempo running work my sprint endurance, not my pure anaerobic threshold. Maybe I need a new coach?!Plus, high volume workout is harder to recover from. Edited by: Alpha Male

 

[highschoolcoach]

Thanks for the advice, highschoolcoach.

When alone, I train with more rest and all out explosiveness. But when I train with the team, the Jamaican head coach works with high volume, and consequently, I lose all explosiveness. Now, I'm not doubting that this may help for the longer sprints, but the extensive warm-up, plyo-drills, 5 run throughs of 40M, body weight exercises, 4-5sets of 80M, and tempo running work my sprint endurance, not my pure anaerobic threshold. Maybe I need a new coach?!Plus, high volume workout is harder to recover from.

The training you describe is good for developing speed-endurance, but not speed. For best results, one should use a "split routine" of speed traing one day and speed-endurance training the next. I've read that there should be 72 hours between speed workouts, so the training schedule should be something like:
Day 1: speed and power
Day 2: Speed-endurance
Day 3: General fitness
Day 4: Speed and power
Day 5: Speed-endurance

The training i describe is derived from the training program devised for Borzov way back in the late '60s and '70s, and is basically the basis for modern sprint training. It is also similar to the training that Bud Winter of San Jose State used to develop the great sprinters of the '60s (Tommy Smith, John Carlos, Lee Evans)and the training that Armin Hary did way back in the '50s.

 

[SteveB]

Here are some drills that you can incorporate into your routine that will develop speed and acceleration. These drills are used by some of the top sprint coaches.

- Hill training, find a gradual incline (around 5% grade) of 50 yds or more. Run uphill at maximum effort for 50 yds. Run 8 to 10 reps. Builds power and acceleration.
- Overspeed training, run downhill at maximum effort for 50-60 yds. Run 8 to 10 reps. Builds top end speed and increases stride length.
- Plyometrics, get a wood box or platform of some type approximately 30" tall. Step off of the box and jump back onto the box in an explosive jump. Do 8 to 10 sets of 15-20 reps.

Since you are working on explosion, power, and speed, you need to rest in between each rep enough so that you can run the next rep at maximum effort. Good luck!

 

[Alpha Male]

Thanks fellas. I will incorporate these workouts into my training.

A couple questions: highschoolcoach, when does the Borzov routine incorporate weight training?Do they weight train and sprint in the same day, or are weights reserved for general fitness?

SteveB, what grade should the decline be for overspeed training?


My last workout, not including warm up, consisted of 2x200m and 2x300m for conditioning (80-90% max). Hopefully, we will get to power and acceleration soon.I perform two to three brief, but intense weight workouts per week, and two intense track workouts. I may add to this once my body has adapted. Any other advice would be appreciated. My event is in Dec and I will keep you guys posted on my progress.

 

[Guest]

Hey Alpha Male: whats your time so far? (40M & 60m & 100m)

Mine is

40m/4.7 (4.32/40 yards)
60m/6.88
100m/10.53

My acceleration is very slow though. That, and i tend to breath during races, which is a complete no no for sprinters. If i could run the first 10m as fast as i run the 5th 10m, and completed my races anaerobically, id run the 100m in 10.2 something or better....

later

 

[Alpha Male]

Sounds like you have great sprint endurance J_McBride. You maintain your speed while everyone else slows down, which, as of now, is my weakness. I'm working on conditioning at this point. Lots of 110, 200 and 300M, with 2-3 minutes rest in between.

I run a 4.45 40yd. I former football player giving track a try, and I'm finding out it's a whole different ball game.

Any advice for preparation of 55 or 60m will be appreciated.

 

[waterbed]

Alpha Male, when you don't accelerate anymore you have to lift your knees then you go faster and you don't slow down that much on the end.

 

[Alpha Male]

I'm definitely going to keep that in mind. I've been incorporating single leg exercises in the weight room to correct any muscular imbalance too.

 

[SteveB]

SteveB, what grade should the decline be for overspeed training?

Use the same hill that you do your uphill training on (5% grade). You don't want a hill too steep or you can hurt yourself. If you don't have a hill nearby, you can use the "bungee method". Get about 25 feet of 3/4" surgical tubing from your local hardware store. On one end of the tube, tie a weight training belt. Insert the other end into a 1' section of garden hose and tie to a metal clip. Hook the clip end around the goal post of your local football field and walk backward, stretching the tubing as far as possible, then run your sprints. The garden hose will prevent the tubing from chaffing on the goal post.

As you continue your plyometric training, you can add a small amount weight to your body to build more explosion. There are expensive weighted vests that you can use, but you can buy some inexpensive ankle weights and link them together to form a weighted belt that will work the same.