Yes that is it. What Cf said applies as well as what Pioneer is suggesting. I think this adds an interesting wrinkle to my S-L approach as it relates to younger, less skilled athletes. Would you agree?
Good post guys, I would like to chip in with a question for Charlie. My athletes have been following a Short to Long programme on lines with the SPP in the Vancouver 04 DVD. As the indoor season approaches I will reduce the volume of speed/speed endurance by 20% as you advise in another post to utfootball4, but In order to reduce the intensity prior to racing would I reduce the intensity limits per rep, e.g. if 60m reps are currently done with a 40m effort and 20m maintain would I gradualy reduce the limit to 35m - 30m effort with 25-30m maintain. My male sprinters are in the 11.00 - 11.5 range and I coach a female with a pb of 12.1.
I think if you look at the Van’04 dvd graphs you can see that this is what CF does to unload every fourth week or so. However, I am also interested in other ways to go sub max for the indoor season.
I would really like the answer to this - seeing as I am probably around this ability level myself!
This abstract of “The development of velocity and acceleration in sprints: A comparison of elite and juvenile female sprinters” from New Studies in Athletics seems to add something to the discussion here:
This study compared the development of velocity in 100 metre races by 22 elite and 22 juvenile women sprinters. It found that the main tendencies are the same but there are some differences between the two groups in the length and quality of the race phases. The elite sprinters are faster from the start and increase their theoretical lead continuously to the finish. They are superior in all acceleration criteria and in the length of the positive acceleration phase. The biggest difference between the two groups is in the level of maximum velocity. Much smaller, but still significant, are differences in the loss of velocity caused by fatigue and the relative velocity at the finish. The author concludes that maximum velocity and power dominate the list of priorities for the sprint abilities, that pick-up acceleration is more important than the start acceleration and that speed endurance has a much lower influence on final performance than the other abilities studied.
So to follow on Sonic Boom’s question, this study would seem to indicate that with developing athletes, despite the fact that they are in the speed endurance phase longer, training should still prioritize acceleration and max velocity over speed endurance.
It is important to realise that the example S-L SPP program is for both a highly conditioned athlete, and an athlete capable for accelerating to those intensity limits. For a female sprinter that I train both the intensity limits, distances (I use 50m) and total volumes are adjusted to suit her. The specifics were selected based on a compromise of several factors including:
(a) Developing athlete: reduced volume
(b) The 50m distance (for her) is covered in a time pushing the boundaries of alactic.
© Technical issues dictate that the distance be reduced in order to ensure good technical execution.
(d) She is capable of accelerating (maximal) to around the 30-35m mark.
(e) Primary acceleration runs are often kept below 30m considering her maximum acceleration distance capabilities and technical concerns
(f) Acknowledgement of the role of endurance in the womens 100m/the transition of alactic to lactic/the merits of 60m runs etc etc however primary concern is to faciliate good technical execution.
Hope this helps.
Based on observations made on the previous page by Charlie (post no2) and PJ (post no6 in this thread), what level is she exactly at? Just to raise the issue, I am not disputing what you are saying! Perhaps I am not getting something here…
Understand competely: by definition a ‘developmental’ female typically wouldn’t be able to accelerate to 30-35m… Would be more intermediate. She’s in the 1.0x region at top speed and reaches her top speed in the region of 30m +/-. Enough for an 11 high run provided endurance is in place. I used the term ‘developing’ as there are a lot of constrictions on her training distances and volumes at the moment due to technical issues from a previous life of excessive quantity and no quality. We are still building up workload capacity and there is much still to be achieved: very high capability for strength and power. Reinforcement of correct technique/habits is by far the number one training goal at this time. As a very part time athlete at the moment (uni masters/work/stress… then training) there is a lot of capability left: hence in my mind I see her as a ‘developing’ athlete. Sorry for any confusion!
Thanks tc, yes I have that DVD and the graph, which is what I have been following, but we are nearing the competition season and wondered if Charlie does anything differently. I have altered the programme over the bext few weeks, we have a local championship on the 13th January. I have reduced intensity by shortening the maximum intensity section on the 60s, and have reduced the weekly volume on the high intensity sessions by 20% starting next week. Over Christmas and New Year we have to reduce it to 2 sessions anyway because of track closure due to public holidays. Still keeping tempo going of course but dropping it in volume the week leading up to competitions.
I you don’t have enough fitness to finish, it’s better to get fitter than to screw around in some vain hope you can get more out of what you currently have.
That’s like cutting the end off your blanket and sewing it on the other end to make it longer.
We’ve heard all the arguements about gradual acceleration, but when you look at race splits, even the aledged proponants are going faster than ever past 30m in their best races because they’re relaxed (which you must be anyway).
Sounds good. But be careful not to drop the volume of high intensity too much if you are drop the intensity also. You don’t want to end up with the double taper that Charlie explains about in the Van’04 dvd. I have found that during a sub max session you can keep the volume up with few problems. For example before our taper in the summer we may do 4-5x150 at 95% (a higher volume than usual because 17s is so much easier than 15.5) but it seems to work fine. I think one important thing to always remember is not to drop out the tempo until the very last minute. Cut it by 20% or so in the week running upto a fairly large meet but no need to cut it right out because I assume you want to keep on training after the 13th Jan.
Thanks once again tc, I will certainly bear your comments in mind. Re the tempo, I am reducing it but that’s all and will be keeping it going throughout the indoor season. The high intensity volume no more than 20% overall volume per week as per Charlies instructions to utfootball in another thread recently.