GPP Hills and Sprints

Can you combine some 30m accels and hill sprints in the same workout in the GPP phase and if so what volume would you use for both training modalitites in the same workout?

I think you can.

5x30 hills
5x30 flat

While this isn’t that big a deal, because the distances are so short, if this were to be done I’d suggest sprints on the flats be performed first in the training session.

In the event of two different regimes of acceleration/speed training, I think it’s wise to work from left to right, or less fatiguing to more fatiguing, as the muscular fatigue generated via the hill sprints might heighten the probability for issues on the subsequent flats in which greater speeds are reached.

Add to that, the fact that I’ve never had an athlete pull a muscle during hill sprints (obviously far less hamstring involvement vs the flats).

Again, I don’t intend for this ‘suggestion’ to be taken for rote; just something to think about.

The reason to do it in the order tamfb said is that you can get something of an overspeed effect. Go back to last year where PJ mentioned having Olu do so sled accels over 30m I think, then a long rest, and then 200s which were run at PB levels.

Give a decent amount of rest after the hills (15 min) and you might be surprised how fast you can do the first 1 or 2 on the flat.

I also would start with the hills and then go on the flat for the same reason. Also works when you use light resistence on a sled.

I’ve done this as well when the first in the order is sprints with a sled.

Regarding the hill; however, I think there’s something to be noted in regards to training effect:

Here’s my thoughts- how consistent is the actual overspeed effect of hill work then flat in the same session. If it only improves, for instance, a 30m time by a small margin, and only once in a while (ergo not every training session), then how significant is the training effect versus reversing the order?

I’m not against it, as I stated I’ve used sleds first then unloaded sprints; however, I think it deserves further scrutiny if this particular order of events is to be considered to be the more favorable one.

It was not 200s at PB level, the faster he did in those workout was 2 reps in 20.5 but it was very relaxed runs and no max effort, just let it flow.
An other guy went 21.1 indoors on flat bend lane 1, while he was supposed to do a 26sec run to take the heat out. So i agree than going from sled to a couple of SE runs make the SE runs very fast but you should be very careful that the athlete is not going for a fast run and is very relaxed. Also we are using 5kg sled for those workouts, the guys are doing 30m in low 3.7 for 30m unload PBs at 3.4.

PJ, any thoughts here about using hills versus sleds for the initial stimulus?

We simply can’t do this because our hills have always been located too far from the track!
With hills, there is an other parameter, unless the hill is made of synthetic track : the sprinters will want to test their spikes on the new surface first and do a kind of warm-up first. So you have to take it in the equation. This transition will cancell the contrast effect of load/unload sprinting.

How heavy is the heaviest sled you use?