HS Short Sprinter's Training Journal

February 27

SG Deadlift 5x5x185
Weightlifting Circuit (13) 2x10
abs- 300 reps

March 1

DB Incline Bench 3x10x40,50,50
Squat 5x5x205
Chin Up 2x10
Dips 2x6
Seated Row 1x10

Later)
Hip Mobility Stuff
abs- 350 reps

March 3

Squat 5x5x205,205,215,215,225
Natural GHR 3x2
RDL 2x10x135
Depletion Push Ups 46,11,5
abs- 200 reps

Bike- 5x30sec “Hard” R:2.5
abs- 200 reps

This was my first time doing depletion push ups, they are “fun”, its weird/funny cause after I ended the first set I got up for the 30 second break and before the time was up I felt pretty decent, I thought I could maybe hit another 20 or so pushups, then I get down in the push up position and its just like “woah!, im screwed”. Haha, its a funny feeling. I recommend everyone experience that at some point or another.

Suppose to be 90sec rest.

haha okay, for some reason I thought it was 30seconds, although i dont see why it cant be varied, it doesnt really have to be set in stone, variability is always good, and 30 seconds makes it quite interesting, ill give 90 seconds a try sometime.

Actually 30sec is stupid, it’s like having a short sprinter do ext tempo 10x200 rest 20sec it’s still low intensity but the quality is shit.

“We always found that bench results were stimulated by the inclusion of “depletion push-ups” once per week- usually on Sat, after lifting M,W,F. This consists of doing the maximum no of push-ups possible, waiting 90sec and repeating, waiting 90sec again and repeating for a final set”. (Charlie Francis)

valid point, I coulda swore i saw 30 seconds somewhere on this site, but i searched and couldn’t find it again, thanks for the quote, ive been proven wrong…(not that hard to do :o )

March 4

Bike - 15 Minutes
GS Circuit x10
Arms/Shoulder Brief Circuit(4) 2x10
abs- 600 reps

March 6

Squat 5x5x205,215,225,225,225
Drop-Catch RDLs 5x5x45,65,75,75,75
Bench Press 5x5x150
Lat Pulldown 3x10,100,110,110
abs- 400 reps

March 8

Full Body Weights 2x10ish by 16ish exercises @ ~50%
nothing really heavy or taxing

March 11

Squat 5x5x205,215,225,235,245
Drop Catch RDLs 2x8
Seated Gm 2x10
DB Reverse Lunge 2x6+6
abs- 200 reps

30 seconds is way too little. Need at least 60 seconds, preferably 90 seconds if you want to go with the typical protocols. I’m surprised you got 45 push-ups on your first set and 11 on the second to be honest. My strength to weight is much better and, if I haven’t been doing depletion push-ups, I’ll usually only be able to do 45-60 or so the first set out and get to 80-100 within 2-3 weeks or so. With 90 seconds rest, I never got more than 22 or 23 push-ups on the 2nd and 3rd sets, usually well below that.

Yes, I get its 60-90 seconds now, are you saying that 11 is good or bad?

Too late now but I would have went up to 8-10reps for 1-2 weeks after your indoor season.

I considered that but I didn’t want to overdo the hypertrophy because my legs are much bigger than they are strong, also 5x5 is more volume than I have been doing and I dropped the intensity as well so although I am not doing the typical 3x10 accumulation phase, 5x5 is accumulation for my situation.

Yes, 5x5 is great in accumulation esp if you are using short rest periods 90sec, 3 sec pause squats, or 1 1/4 squats. I’m kinda old school it seems different doing 3x10 vs 6x5 or 3x3x60 vs 3x180’s…

I agree with you it is different, I started with 2- 2.5 minutes rest (not quite 90sec) but also I wanted the effect of 5x5, with more emphasis on strength but also some muscle mass gains, than of 3x10 with more emphasis on muscle mass gains.

11 is fine and to be expected with such short rests–I am more surprised by 45 to be honest. You might not be touching chest.

I don’t remember my exact form but it was good, full range of motion, maybe an inch or two from having the chest touch the floor at most. I don’t cheat on reps to try to inflate numbers.

I don’t know maybe you’re surprised because this is the first time I’ve done depletion push ups but I usually do push ups as a warm up for bench and during general strength circuits so its not a completely new movement.

Also I am short (only 5’ 6") so if my numbers seem off based on my strength to weight ratios (estimated bench 1.44 BW) maybe i have a leverage advantage or something.

March 13

Squat 3x8x205,225,225
RDL (Slow Tempo) 3x6
3a. Bench Press 2x6x150
b. Lat Pulldown 2x10
c. DB Shoulder Press 2x10
d. DB Upright Row 2x10
abs- 200 reps

My season with my school team begins on Monday, and my first meet is on the 29th I think. For outdoors I am going to try to have a better attitude about training with the team, I think believing in what you are doing will go a long way. Also right now my fitness sucks basically all the qualities needed for sprinting are low right now (besides my strength in the weight room). I am expecting poor times at the beginning of the season but they should improve drastically as my fitness, speed and SE fall into place.

March 15
Wasn’t allowed to do anything because my physical was too old, i think they lost my most recent one or something. I was fine with sitting out, it will allow me to ease into this week more.

March 16
Dysfunctional Weight Room*
2x (Hell Week Circuit** + ~550m Jog)

*Dysfunctional Weight Room is exactly what it sounds like, I didn’t get anything worthwhile done
**Hell Week Circuit is a circuit with 15 stations each lasting about 30 seconds and they are a mixture of abs, bw exercises and low intensity plyos