This was covered as part of an earlier thread on 400m training. As an old dog that’s trying to learn new tricks, I wanted to clarify how we categorize out methods. To the best of my recollection, here is what I have put together:
High Intensity
Speed
Speed Endurance
Specific Endurance
Intensive Tempo
Hills
Stadiums
Long Jumps/Bounds
Weights
Technique (event specific intensity)
Low Intensity
Extensive Tempo
General Endurance
Short Jumps
Circuits
Technique (reduced intensity)
If all those elements HAD to be placed in one of the 2 catagories id agree with you, however i feel 2 catagories are too general. i feel that either a middle intensity catagory should be added or a a high intensity catagory that is is hard from a CNS standpoint and a high intensity catagory that is hard form a muscular standpoint. For example hills and intensive tempo can fall under the high intensity/muscular day and speed and speed endurance can fall under the high intnesity/CNS day.
It’s a good starting point. Also remember what is harder from a CNS standpoint. Max speed is harder than say speed endurance and max strength is harder than hypertrophy training.
Also what is hard for one person may not be hard for another in a muscular sense.
Example - I always struggle physically (day after) from running than training partners even when I work at a lower intensity.
I’m just trying to stay within Charlie’s philosophy of how different forms of training should be viewed. I don’t question that speed and intensive tempo have different outcomes, but they do cause similar high levels of stress on the CNS, and I think (without putting words in his mouth) that is what Charlie is talking about. I can say that in any discussion of the subject he breaks down his planning of training in this manner.
Yes, for some athletes (400m) int. Tempo or hills may be middle intensity, in that they recover more quickly than say 100-200m types, but what would one do the following day? How would this change a training week? The key to trainng is in the recovery, remember.
As I said, I am just trying re-think alot of what I have done in the past. I posted the list to see if anything was missing or mis-placed.
DMA:
Related to the fatigue after LI training, I think that you may be running it to fast. The idea that ext. tempo begins at 70% intensity is wrong for many athletes in my experience. Alot of 100-200m type hae to start somewhere around 65% and some have to go down to 60%. Don’t worry about going too slowon the LI days. I think that it pays to be flexible.
I think the second question is more pertinent. If you do a large speed workout one day and then do special endurance/speed endurance the next day even young ahtletes will probably need two days recovery but if you do speed followed by intensive tempo you mmay only need one day for recovery. I have very limited experience but I still think you need to break things down much more for it to help in planning. The great thing about having a toolbox is that each tool produces a different effect.
This is the trap that I have tended to fall into. Trying to fit more in than is best for the athlete. Your right, and I started trying to use all the tools for every job.The pattern that you outlined was standard for me:
Early season
Day 1: Speed + Weights
Day 2: Int. Tempo
Day 3: Recov. (ext. tempo)
Repeat for next 3 days.
Late season
Day 1: Speed + Weights
Day 2: Spec. End
Day 3: Recov. (ext. tempo)
Repeat or compete.
The results were by now means bad, but were they optimal? In retrospect, probably not. I do know that often times my athletes had trouble holding a peak. What’s interesting is that I was easier on the 100-200-100H-110H and LJ/TJ people, and they always did well in the late season.
A few more questions have come to mind as I consider this concept of training.
1.) Where would shot throws fit in? I would say that they are L.I., as they are similar to, and can sometimes be used as a replacement for short jumps.
2.) Would technique (reduced intensity) black starts be L.I.? Just as with similar field event (LJ pop-ups), I would say yes.
3.) Could the body building type weights that Pfaf does be classified as L.I.? Are all weights H.I. automatically?
Nope. I’ve been using a routine I made of of low-intensity circuit weight training (if any one saw my post in the Ben’s squat strength thread not that circuit, but lower intensity) in that style and found that it can be used as a replacement for tempo days (for me as much for variation as anything else).