Charlie, not having the DVD -
Is this a true reflection of how much lifting you do during the GPP?
I had no idea it was 6 days a week.
Although I consider myself a beginner sprinter, I consider myself with an early-intermediate training age (4 years of dedicated powe/speed work) - would that frequency be recommended?
-Thanks
One last question - in the progression from GPP > SPP > Pre-comp > Comp - obviously intensity in primary lifts is increased and maintained in supplemental lifts, and while across the board volume decreases slightly, but what of frequency?
As a rule, the easier the sprints (grass, hills, etc) and the lower the intensity of the lifts, the more volume that can be done in each area. Likewise, the reverse- the higher the intensity, the longer the recovery periods and the more competing componants must be spread out. This should be pretty clear from the GPP DVD discussion and examples.
You should avoid running on the asphalt hills in the first place because of the pounding your body takes, that’s why grass hills are perferred and also the same reason tempo is done on the grass. You will always run harder on ashphalt and harder tracks as well (just look at the times run in Atlanta where the track hardness was at level 11 compared to when Ben ran which all the tracks he ran on were greater than 32 I believe).
Remember if your trying to set a world record you want to run on the hardest track surface you can find but other than that you should be running on soft surfaces gradually working yourself to a decent track (not the one they had in Atlanta for example).
I know so many young sprinters getting shin splints because they run to much on the track before developing there bodies and I also see track clubs continually running on a track with an asphalt underlaying.
SIX days of lifting a week. so plyos, resistance training and all other forms of strength and power training charlie does not do in GPP???
pretty surprised actually… interesting though
so charlie would you advise athletes like me running the 100 in 10.66FAT to drop out all other forms of strength training (stadium stairs, weight vests etc) and just put all effort in the weights room??
Sorry- my answer before could be misinterpreted- I meant sure I use the other methods as well.
I always used all options for strength development and I think you should continue with these other forms of strength exercises. Please remember that in the GPP, the CNS stresses are lower and so the options for lifting and other power sessions are much greater. Once the intensification is increased in the SPP, you’re better to lift on speed days only, after the speed work, to maximize recovery. Review the GPP DVD again and see how the lifting is adjusted to reflect the ever increasing demand of the sprints and I think it will be clearer.
Doing stadium stairs in the GPP phase will give your body access stress it doesn’t need; therefore, grass is better in this phase. You may not have problems now but you have to remember the pounding (especially your feet) your body takes on throughout the year.
At what Intensity do you do Hillwork? 100% ? At what angle is the Hill?
At what Intensity do you do Plyo’s? On what days (speed or tempo)? Finally what do phases 1,2,3 refer to in the GPP for Plyo’s? Do you start with the first exercise in the first column (hip) and work your way down and then to the second column (flat) and then the third (with each plyo exercise representing the seven different weeks of the GPP so that you do one plyo exerise in week one then move onto the next one for week 2 and etc). At what time do you do Plyo’s, do you do them before Hillwork or after?
Why is Explosive Med Ball work done on Tues, Thur, and Sat? Aren’t these tempo days? Or does the GPP phase allow you to work on explosive exercises everyday?
For the Advanced Stage for Weightlifting, do supplementary lifts equal 70%? And if so how many reps do I do? I am assuming 5-7 otherwise we start getting into hypertrophy! And why can’t you lift at a higher % for SL, does this cause to much CNS Stress?
For General Med Ball Circuits if you do them as a separate workout do you do them in the mornings as an additional workload to everything else mentioned on the DVD. And if so at what volume?
For the Dynamic Sit-ups on speed days do you do them after the speed workout or as part of the general warm-up? On tempo days are these done between the tempo sets or are they done before/after tempo?
Can you split the Speed/Tempo workouts from the weightlifting as long as there are 4 hours apart? And if so what are the drawbacks? Would doing the Speed/Tempo in the morning be the best time if you were to split the two? According to Bompa CNS Excitability is the highest at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. [for the average person getting the average 9 hours of sleep]. In fact would this not be the best way to train to spread the CNS stress and get faster recovery not to mention more energy for both workouts assuming you can afford to do this and you cut out the girls!!
Where do Med Ball with Partner Workouts fit in in the GPP? Are they also a seperate workout done in the mornings on tempo days? Speed days? Or both?
What days are best for the Hurdle Walkover Drills? Speed days so that the body will remember the motor pattern better and the drills are done as part of the warm-up?
What about Pool Workouts? Are they done in the GPP phase? McFarlane uses them to teach correct motor pattern so that the athlete has to slow it down in the water, and later he can speed it up. I think Sundays would be the best day but not during the GPP Phase because you already have to much going on as is! And is EMS important in the GPP Phase?
How much should your Med Ball weigh for explosive throws? Is this the same weight for the Med Ball Circuits and General throws? Is there a perfect size? I can pick one up just down the street that has gel in it and it bounces almost like a basketball against the wall!! :eek:
Sometimes stairs can work better for some people who have achilles problems etc- if the distance between is optimal- usually every other or every third step. For everyone else- grass hills are best.
1: That’s a loaded question, as, even if you go all-out at this point in training, it is not possible to generate the intensity that could be generated in the SPP later. In addition the distance over which you are accelerating is shorter. Likewise intensity loading is a combination of height (int) x breadth (duration of exposure, rep nos, etc) This is why it is possible to spread the intense activities out more during this period. Hopefully this principle becomes clear after spending some more time with the graphs describing the reasoning behind the weight schedule.
2: The plyos change by phase.
3: See one.
4: Supp lifts are not limited to 7 reps as the overall program will limit concerns about hypertrophy. Generally percents are well down. Individual lifts will be highly individual and nothing here is written in stone.
5: I like gen med ball work in the AM with at least a 4 hr break to the speed or other high int activity in the PM.
6: Any time you can fit them in throughout the day is fine.
7: I don’t think you can count on a certain hour for optimum stim as long as you’re up long enough. You body will readily adapt to a regular, well thought out plan.
8: Another means for gen med ball work.
9: After the session- but on any day as it is tiring but, in reality, is low intensity.
10: Pol workouts can substitute for tempo work any time, though I don’t usually like to use them too much in phase one, as we still can use grass outside and we need this option more for phase two to protect the shins when we’re stuck inside. It is tempo work- not speed! If you go too fast in the water, you overload and tighten the hip flexors (that really don’t have to work too hard in sprinting as long as you’re flexible).
Phase is just another word for period. In a triple periodization scheme, the first is the longest, running from prob Sept through to the indoor comp period starting in mid Jan.
"5: I like gen med ball work in the AM with at least a 4 hr break to the speed or other high int activity in the PM. "
So you do medball circuits on speed days? I was doing them with tempo, after the runs. I was doing the big tosses (overhead, scoop) on speed days before or after hills.
Referring to question 4, what is the highest intensity that SL’s should reach 75%? Can you do to many reps at these lower percentages for adverse training effects? What is the highest reps in one set would you allow someone to do for SL; furthermore, I assume the SL sets would range from 2-3 according to McFarlane.
Referring to question 7, what do think would be the most optimal training scheme? I know you like do sprinting first and then shortly after you like to do weights but is what you would do if all your athletes didn’t have any extra-curricular activities and the gov’t paid for all your training expenses (LOL since the gov’t would always look after their own selfish needs first instead of the athletes)?
Referring to question 10, can you get tight hip flexors if you consistantly stretch? What are the consequences if you get tight hip flexors?
