In every speed workout(except special endurance) do you always incorporate accelerations? or are some workouts used primarily for flying runs and top speed work?
I had accels in every session.
Definitely! Cones too.
How can you have a sprint workout where you are not doing accel? It takes some speed to get up for a special endurance rep, to do a fly, everything really. It’s also one of the hardest skills to perfect in sprinting.
This is why John Smith has people running almost every rep–including tempo in the workouts I’ve been to–out of blocks or 3 pt.
But there’s a difference between running 200-300 easy from standing, and really accelerating to 30 then maintaining. There’s also a difference between dong flys like Lance Brauman runs them (which is 30m from a 45m leadin–drive for 15 with head down, then accelerate for 30 and maintain for 30) and running 60-80 hard out of blocks.
After actually seeing John Smith on the track, I do virtually everything from 3X5X30 and 3X5X40 in GPP to 300-200-100 in SPP out of blocks and with better results. The reason, as you said, is that acceleration is the hardest part of sprinting to perfect and requires the most practice.
like Lance Brauman runs them (which is 30m from a 45m leadin–drive for 15 with head down, then accelerate for 30 and maintain for 30)
Do not understand…how long are they???75 m?used for?
These are 30m flying sprints with a 45 meters lead-in done more or less the way John Smith teaches drive phase. This is for MaxV:
!. Head down and drive (pull hard with arms @ 90 degrees) for 15 meters.
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Accelerate to top speed over 30 meters
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Run at top speed for 30 meters.
The way John Smith teaches drive phase is to drive for 10-20 meters, gradually come up and lift knees over the next 20-40 meters (I actually count 3 seconds, then come completely up), then run a top speed. If you have learned this technique, the way Brauman coaches flying sprints is pretty obvious.
i was taught that its bad to use blocks or 3pts starts when doing work less then full effort bc it develop bad habits?
I don’t like block starts except under full effort. Head down when you are already fully upright, which you certainly are after a 45m easy accel??
Sounds good.
Yeah… but you know what i mean.
I would assume you dislike the HSI drivephase tech?
Not really. How are you going to run a special or speed endurance rep without accelerating correctly? Are you even doing warm-ups before this?
not the drive phase again:eek:
Since when does JS tell them to put the head down after they’re fully upright?
Apart from that, I don’t really care if an athlete puts his head down at the start as long as the back is straight and he doesn’t then switch from head down to fully up in one step.
charlie i dont use blocks, since i train alone. However i do 3 pt from time to time, do mostly standing starts and falling starts. What are the pros and cons of all this in start stance for accel mechanics?
i do alot of falling starts, but standing starts feels very fast and powerful when i do a start off of it.
whats ur point.
i think i saw a couple races where mo green did. 
i do agree that its very important that athlete make a smooth a transition from head down to head up.
Ever noticed how you stretch your hamstrings or perform the slump test by bringing the head to towards your feet? Now consider the implications of doing this while trying to sprint unless you are strong like an ox… I’ve seen too many people pull hamstrings during the drive phase for this very reason.
yeah topcat that is true, for me however it is easy to do teh start bringing my head towards my feet, helps me keep low, and i got no hamstring problems yet. Unless your thinking of overlooking down to much like literally looking at your back feet which i see some people do, then i think that would cause the hammy problems.
Of course, JS actually says nothing of the kind. What I’ve actually seen him say at workouts is this:
Block Placement
Front foot (in spikes): Pad is 2 footlengths + width of 2 fingers behind line.
Rear Foot: Pad is 3 footlengths + width of 1 finger behind line.
Drive Phase
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Head down, drive with arms @ 90 degrees for 10-20 meters.
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Transition–gradually come up over 20-40 meters. Knee lift increases and head GRADUALLY comes up. JS uses the analogy of an airplane taking off.
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Top Speed–head fully up by 40-55 meters (for people running under, say, 10.5 and the 55 meters is for Mo only), running at top speed. Slight forward body lean.
It is a longer acceleration, but except for the first 15 meters, what JS says is a lot more like what you say than some here seem to believe. It appears that Lance Brauman has picked up on this, and has people doing more or less the same thing for (at least) the flying starts.