The muscles of the mid-torso warrant a special mention. This part of the 100m sprint requires isometric strength of the mid-torso muscles. During the maximal speed phase, the muscles of the mid-torso must stabilize the pelvis and maintain the upper body in an upright position. The twisting action experienced by the mid-section requires explosive isometric strength endurance.
Have you ever considered including basic planks, front/back & side to improve that quality.
Performing side planks, with lateral leg raises works the glutes additionally well.
Give L-sits a go. I feel there is no more effective abdominal/hip flexor hold exercise on the planet. The position is easiest to get into from a support on parallel/dip bars.
Never let go of them stomach vacuum holds. Your working the 3 or so muscles all human movement starts from. No point having a 1000lb squat if your weak at the generator. Just won’t reach your potential.
I like the emphasis you put on the core & plyo’s (elasticity).
both the 2 min ab ciruit and the 6 min ab circuit include isometric holds
stomach vacuums i hold for as long as i can (about 5 sec til i start to run outta breath) and i include them on my two rep based core days (wed and sat)
i really only do plyos once or so a week, but once i hit fall they will become a bigger part of my program as my lifting volume begins to lighten. i want to be used to a good volume of plyos by winter so i can use them as replacement speed work since facilities in the NE in the winter are limited
2 min jump rope
stretch checks
3 warm up runs
sled runs:
2x6x30
R:90",4’
a. single leg curls (alt) 3x12,10,10@50,50#
a. decline biceps curls (alt) 3x12,10,10@25,25#
a. overhaed tri ext 3x12,10,10@50,55
b. ledge single calf raises 3x10,8,10@80,85,85#
b. side shoulder raise 3x12,10,10@17.5,20#
b. 6 min abs
light stretch
a bystander pointed out that i really need to relax my shoulders and arms, which i can definitely agree with. I will make sure to make relaxtion a concentration of my pre-season training
i can agree to an extent. in the book “mental game of baseball” it recommends about 80% effort. id say relaxation is more important at top speed than at other stages
Relaxation is greatly important in all parts. The more muscle relaxed, the higher contraction.
The thing with Bruce Lee was that his core was so highly developed, his spine so stabilized, it related to amazing contraction of the extremities at 100% relaxation.
warm up jog
stretch checks
3 build ups
body kinesthetics
2:30 erg warm up
a. high pulls 5x8,6,4,4,4@170,180,185#
a. bench 5x8,6,4,3,4@155,165,165/160
a. lat pull down (wide grip) 5x10,8,6,6,6@100,110,115
b. squat 5x8,6,4,4,4@260,270,275
b. rdl 3x10,8,8@135,135#
b. 2 min abs (split)
light stretch
notes:
-body was very off today in the kinesthetic stuff. in the spirit of world cup i practiced flip throw ins yesterday and maybe that just wiped out my coordination for today… weightroom went fine however
jump rope 2 min
stretch checks
4 warm up runs
1x10 depth jumps onto box
1x10 broad jump
a. sit-ups 5x15,10,8,8,8@60,65,70
a. high cable twists 5x15,10,8,8,8@30,35,40
a. side bends 5x15,10,8,8,8@70,75,80#
a. stomach vacuum holds 3x5
5 min erg warm up
stretch checks
3 warm up runs
sled runs:
2x6x30
r: 90", 4’
a. leg curls 3x10,8,8@120,130#
a. bb biceps curls 3x10,8,8@65,65
a. skull crushers 3x10,8,8@60,60
b. pogo jumps 3x12,10,10@80,85 each hand
b. bentover raise 3x12,10,10@15,17.5#
b. medball throws 2x100@10
4 min jog
stretch checks
3 build ups
body kinesthetics
marching a’s 3x1min r: wb
1 min jump rope
a. clean 5x7,5,3,3,3@155,165,170/175/185
a. incline bench 5x10,8,6,6,6@130,140,145
a. seated high row 5x10,8,6,6,6@105,115,120/125/130
b. reverse hyper 3x8,6,6@50,55
b. side cable pull downs 3x12,10,10@25,30#
b. medball thows 2x100@12*
light stretch
notes:
-saw some noticeable improvements in strength today. im not sure whether to contribute that to the fact that i lifted more midday, just a good day or whether something finally clicked, but regardless i was happy
-i was very dehydrated this morning when i weighed myself so that number might be a couple pounds lower than a normal morning wake-up weigh in would. it is summer which means i will be sweating more than normal so the fact that i am not really gaining too much weight isnt worrying me because i am getting stronger
4 min jog
stretch checks
3 build ups
various plyos 34 contacts
grass tempo:
1,1,1
1,2,1
1,1,1
various plyos 33 contacts
grass tempo:
1,1,1
1,2,1
1,1,1
various plyos 33 contacts
2:30 erg warm up
a. high cable twists 5x12,10,8,8,8 each@30,35,40#
a. sit-ups 5x12,10,8,8,8@60,65,70#
a. side bends 5x12,10,10,10 each@75,80,85#
a. stomach vacuum holds 3x5
light stretch
2 min jump rope
stretch checks
3 warm up runs
sleds:
2x4x30 r: wb,2’
r: 4’
1x5x30 r:wb
a. single leg curls (alt) 3x12,10,10 each@60,70
a. decline biceps curls (alt) 3x12,10,10 each@25,27.5#
a. overhead tri ext 3x12,10,10@50,55#
b. single leg ledge calf raises 3x10,8,8 each@85,90#
b. side shoulder raise 3x12,10,10@20,20/22.5
b. 6 min abs (split)
light stretch
4 min jog
stretch checks
3 build ups
body kinesthetics
marching a’s 2x60s
1 min jump rope
a. high pulls 5x8,6,4,4,4@175,185,190
a. bench 5x8,6,4,4,4@155,165,170
a. lat pull down (wide grip) 5x10,8,6,6,6@100,110,115
b. squat 4x8,6,4,4@260,270,275
b. rdl 3x10,8,8@135,145#
b. med ball throws 1x100@10
light stretch
notes:
-because of time constraints i had to cut my workout a couple sets short
but you have to be selective. bruce lee was not a sprinter. the hips are every bit of a part of the core as the abdominals are. Hips/low back/every layer of the abdominals/shoulders are all intricately involved in sprinting. (As are many other muscles that also need to be adressed in training)
It would be foolish to neglect training the core muscles. But, RaceRadio, i am confused at what you consider “core”. I feel like you are calling “core” just the abdominals and low back.
Like others have said, those areas definitely need to be adressed, but be careful with exercise selection. A sit up is an abdominal lift. As is a hanging leg raise or a crunch or a V-up or planche push ups. But what about maximal ab strength? Like a squat or deadlift? Or hip stability training? Or hip explosiveness … training with plyometrics?
I would consider all of that core training. Much more than developing the muscles of the abdomen.