It has been a long time since I last posted! While preparing a list of Training Design elements to cover in the blog I became involved in the interview process for a Junior College Track Coaching position. The process took over a month and I was hired two days before classes started. I didn't have keys nor email for a little more than a week. But, the real challenge was the cold, hard fact that the athletes at the JC did not have Fall Conditioning of any sort nor had they had the usual Two Week Conditioning period prior to the start of the Spring Semester. So, after many years of utilizing Fall Prep and (Winter) Special Prep as a foundation of instruction and physical preparation upon which my student athletes would build their competitive season, I found I was in the exact same position as many of the high school coaches I hear from. Maybe worse, as the student athletes did not even have their eligibility forms completed nor physical exams or training room clearance on the first week of classes. So, with our Conference Championship Trials on the 27th of April, I began my challenge of designing the training for sprinters and hurdlers...on the fly.
I thought it would be of interest, since all coaches must deal with their own environmental challenges, to post examples of training weeks I designed for athletes with no preparation and a lack of "proper" knowledge and skill in regards to sprint and hurdle drills and technique.
In addition, I thought it might be useful for some to post weekly training plans that I am devising for a Master's competitor who wants to run the 400 Hurdles at the World Master's Championships this July in Sacramento. In addition to owning his own business, he also is a Head HS Track and Field Coach for both boys and girls, coaches his sons and daughter in youth sports and does a lot of traveling. Did I forget to say he has not run 400 hurdles and is 41 years old? All these factors are important to the design process as is constant communication and feedback.
Each week I will cover one week from each of my design challenges, starting with the first week of each in hopes that those of you out there needing some examples for your "design challenges" may find them helpful.
Before I begin sharing the Training Weeks in the next post, I am ending this post with a simple, yet effective Strength/Power Training Plan for a Master's Sprinter who emailed me recently. He was looking for more than just light weight and general strength exercises and felt Olympic/Power lifts would enable him to improve. As with any Master's competitor with a general strength background over many years, the key is to provide exercises that cover the specific types of strength/power necessary for sprints. Mixing and properly rotating Maximum Strength, Elastic Strength and Explosive Strength exercises allows for training that encompasses the widest use of the Force-Velocity Curve. In addition, covering all the critical strength components while also doing sprint training, has to be done in a manner that respects the time limitations of Master's athletes. Using only the most relevant exercises and pairing them up with short-speed (block starts, accelerations, etc.) days allows for a training plan that is doable and, over time, hits all the strength/power components critical to sprint speed improvement. Below is a copy of what I sent to the Master's sprinter. The Four Week Block should be used in cyclic fashion and adjusted each cycle so the weights used are dictated by the number of reps recommended for that day.
WEEK ONE:
Day One: Done on Short Speed/Start or Acceleration track work day. On the track: do 2 x OHB Tosses with MB before each set of starts, accelerations, etc. but no more than 3 x 2.
Weight Room:
Half-Squats (close to 90 degrees) 3 x 8-12 w/ wt. you can get 3x10 with but not 3 x 12. Once you get 12 reps on all 3 sets, you need to add wt. Counter Movement Box Hops: 3 x 3 Alternate with Squats.
Day Two: Done on the second, short-speed (or Recovery/Tempo Day if no second Speed Day).
WEEK TWO:
Day One: Done on Short Speed/Start or Acceleration track work day. On the track: do 2 x TUCK JUMPS before each set of starts, accelerations, etc. but no more than 3 x 2.
Weight Room:
JUMP Squats 3 x 6 w/ wt. you can get off the ground w/ and triple-flex for landing. If wt. is too light it will fly up off shoulders, if too heavy, you won't get high enough off ground to flex for landing. Upon landing, straighten up first and get under control for next quick drop and explosive upward blast of hips (more like Cluster sets with the pause after each landing to prepare for the next descent). Static Box Hops: 3 x 3 Alternate with Squats.
Day Two: Done on the second, short-speed (or Recovery/Tempo Day if no second Speed Day).
Clean Pulls w/ Jump: 4 x 2 with weight that allows for lift off from the platform after total hip extension and shrug. Do not bend elbows and keep weight close to body as possible. Drop bar and then re-set for second rep so each rep is as explosive as possible. REst some after each Box Hop set. Static Box Hops 3 x 3 alternated with Deadlifts.
WEEK THREE:
Day One: Done on Short Speed/Start or Acceleration track work day. On the track: do 2 x OHB MB Tosses before each set of starts, accelerations, etc. but no more than 3 x 2.
Weight Room:
Quarter Squats 4 x 3-4 w/ heavy wt. that would not allow more than 5 reps on any set. No greater than 40-60 degree bend at knee. Counter Movement Box Hops: 3 x 3 Alternate with Squats.
Day Two: Done on the second, short-speed (or Recovery/Tempo Day if no second Speed Day).
Clean Deadlifts: 4 x 2 with heavy weight done from the floor only. Weight should be one that won't allow for more than 3 reps on any set. Static Box Hops 3 x 3 alternated with Deadlifts.
WEEK FOUR:
Day One: Done on Short Speed/Start or Acceleration track work day. On the track: do 2 x Tuck Jumps before each set of starts, accelerations, etc. but no more than 3 x 2.
Weight Room:
Speed Squats 3 x 8 at a weight about 60% of weight used for Heavy Squats. Starting position would have hips and knees slightly flexed. Start by dropping from this position to the same butt height used for CM Box Jumps and upon hitting that angle you would explosively change to upward lift but only to slightly flexed hip and knee position so you can go up and down (with weight staying on heels mostly) as fast as possible for 8 reps. You can use a box or bench to slightly touch and time each set of eight reps. No greater than 40-60 degree bend at knee. Static Box Hops: 3 x 3 Alternate with Squats.
Day Two: Done on the second, short-speed (or Recovery/Tempo Day if no second Speed Day).
Clean Pulls w/Shrug,Elbow Bend and Jump: 4 x 3 with lighter weight than that used for Clean Pulls w/Jump so you can shrug with elbow bend, keep bar close to body and leave the platform higher than Clean Pulls w/Jump (week two). Counter Movement Box Hops 3 x 3 alternated with Deadlifts.
Combining sound, scientific principles with creativity to advance the Art of Designing Track and Field Training Programs.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
THE ROLE OF STRENGTH/POWER TRAINING IN SPRINT ACCELERATION
THE ROLE OF STRENGTH/POWER TRAINING
IN SPRINT ACCELERATION: PART ONE
In order for successful acceleration mechanics to be performed, the sprinter must execute a technically efficient and powerful start, so as to allow for the optimal body lean and posture necessary for a sound entry into the acceleration phase.
The role of Strength/Power Training in all phases of the sprint race cannot be underestimated. Any discussion of Acceleration Mechanics specific to teaching sprinters to properly execute the Acceleration Phase of the sprint race must take into account the relationship between proper mechanics and the strength/power required to do so.
In “The Mechanics of Sprinting and Hurdling” (Dr. R. Mann, self published, 2007), Dr. Ralph Mann points out several elemental relationships between strength and the ability to be more mechanically efficient or productive in the various areas/phases of the sprint race.
Dr. Mann cites three specific examples of this Strength/Mechanical Efficiency relationship affecting a proper Sprint Start and the ability to perform a successful acceleration phase.
1) Greater strength allows for the athlete to produce greater horizontal forces in the Start (pg. 52).
2) Greater horizontal force produced at the Start allows for the sprinter to stay lower at the Start (pg.52).
3) Success in the short sprint race is determined by the ability of the sprinter to generate great amounts of explosive strength at the proper time. (pg. 91).
Mann’s analysis of sprinters found that weaker athletes tend to “pop up” during the Start because lesser amounts of horizontal force produced at the Start creates the need for the athlete to move the center of gravity vertically in order to maintain balance.
Given the need for the “falling or leaning” body position to properly execute a successful acceleration phase, block start mechanics must be incorporated into the drills used in teaching proper acceleration mechanics.
Glen Mills, coach of Usain Bolt and many world-class sprinters, alluded to the role of strength in the acceleration phase (termed Drive by many coaches) in an interview where he echoed the statements by Dr. Mann; “…the athlete has to stay in the crouch position while developing maximum power. If the athlete does not have the strength to carry the drive phase long enough then it has to be aborted so he can go into the transition earlier.”
Incorporation of relevant MAXIMUM STRENGTH (also termed Static), EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH (also termed Dynamic) AND ELASTIC STRENGTH development exercises into the overall sprint-training program cannot be argued in view of the proven interdependence between Strength and the ability to optimally perform the proven principals of Sprint Mechanics in all phases of the short sprint race.
Since Part 4 of this Acceleration Article will deal with Elastic Strength (or Plyometric Training), this section will focus on Maximum Strength and Explosive Strength Training exercises proven to be relevant to proper execution of Start, Acceleration and Maximum Velocity phases of the sprint race.
Both Maximum Strength and Explosive Strength exercises must be used in order to address both Intramuscular and Intermuscular coordination factors. Through the proper mixing of Maximum and Explosive Strength exercises, Recruitment, Rate Coding and Synchronization can be optimally developed through use of exercises that coordinate the amount of force, speed of movement and precision of movement patterns applicable to effective sprint mechanics. Use of exercises that cover the entire Force-Velocity Curve, with an emphasis on moving the curve to left over time, cannot be done with a proper mix of Maximum, Explosive and Elastic Strength exercises.
There seems to be a considerable amount of confusion among coaches about the need for Maximum Strength exercises to be included with Explosive Strength exercises in the training of sprinters. The idea that lifting heavy loads in a relatively slow manner is of no use to the high speed movements of sprinters needs to revisited in light of the specific research findings provided in “Strength and Power in Sport”, (P.V. Komi, IOC Medical Commission, 1992). Some of these specific findings are listed below.
1) High threshold Fast Twitch Glycolytic (FTb) Muscle Units are NOT recruited UNTIL force exceeds 90% of Maximum Strength (pg. 250).
2) Training with high velocity movements increases high velocity strength (pg. 263).
3) The load to be overcome and the movement time are the main factors in developing Rate of Force Development. If the load to be overcome is light, IRFD (Initial Rate of Force Development) predominates. If the load to be overcome is high, then MRFD (Maximum Rate of Force Dev.) predominates. For movements with a duration of 250ms or less (sprinting), BOTH IRFD and MRFD are the main factors (pg. 381).
4) Maximal Strength and Power are not distinct entities. Maximum Strength is the basic quality that influences power performance (pg. 383).
5) Improvements in Power have been shown to result from high intensity strength training, jump training under increased stretching loads and movement specific exercises requiring muscular coordination training (pg. 384, 385).
6) The use of training methods involving, maximal and near maximal contractions, cause a remarkable increase in RFD accompanied by an increase in movement speed (pg. 392).
7) RFD directed training should take precedence in the Preparation Phases but not be completely eliminated at any time of the training year (pg. 392).
Understanding the neural adaptations to the various strength training methods will allow for an intelligent selection of specific exercises and their proper integration into the overall training plan of each individual.
Strength/Power Training Plans must address the training age of the individuals within the sprint group. Beginning/Novice sprinters require different considerations than Intermediate and Advanced athletes. For example, research shows that Maximum Strength increases will also lead to increases in Power and the ability to generate force at fast speeds, especially in less experienced athletes. Training plans for Beginning/Novice athletes should contain more emphasis on Maximum Strength development and the teaching of proper lifting mechanics.
PART TWO: IN FUTURE POSTING
No comments:
Post a Comment