I was just wondering if plyos are an ABSOLUTE NECESSITY in a long sprinter’s program? I don’t incorporate them at the moment, but was wondering if I should. I’m lifting weights and such, but seeing as how power output is not AS important for longer sprinters (because MaxV is never reached) are plyos necessary? Also, if plyos/jumps should be incorporated, would I go for quality or quantity (for endurance)? Thanks.
The first thing this brings to mind is what Charlie said on relation to weight training in CFTS (at least I think that’s where I remember it from) “Why are you working so hard to get down the track? You did all that weight training to make sprinting easier, not harder.” So plyos should be done to make you faster and more explosive.
If you do anything it should be done to make you faster. There are two ways to do that in an endurance sprint, increase endurance or increase speed. If you increase your endurance while maintaining your speed you can drop a few seconds quite quickly. If increase your endurance while maintaining your speed you can also drop quite a few seconds. The question is, which do you want to maintain? and which do you want to increase? In the GPP this shouldn’t really be your focus; howevever, as your state or sectionals meet looms closer you should start to ask yourself these questions. If I remember your PR’s correctly 23.X and 54.X then you should probably really work your endurance more heavily than your speed, but without neglecting your stength in the latter parts of your training schedual.
In my opinion plyos are indeed a necessity even for a quarter miler. And when doing them, ALWAYS go for quality.
Personally I’d rather cut or drop weightlifting for a sprinter than plyos (except in the case of injuries).
If you even grow 10-25% stronger in squatting, but your jumping power does not increase (I always like to test standing long jump, standig triple jump and jump and reach for height) I don’t believe your speed is likely to improve much (exept you improve on sprinting technique additionally).
When I moved from 5x230 pounds to 5x310 pounds squats (without improving my jumps) only my first 25m were faster, max speed even a little slower.
Any different experiences?
And even in 400m (mainly MAX) speed is very important - for example an athlete with a 100 PB of 12s will never break 50s for the 400m no matter how enduring…and it might take a PB of 10.07 to run 43.18 
Alright, so the consensus is to implement them. Now I know they go on CNS days, but how would you start off and then progress? Like what exercises to start off with and which should be saved for end of season?
I think Charlie said start your “plyo season” with jumps up (like up a box), then flat and end with depth jumps - try to maintain in comp season.
According/additional to that (as a rule of thumb) go from low intensity (squat jumps, split squat jumps, tuck jumps - all double-leg) to medium (standign triple jumps, sinlgle leg hops etc) and high intensity (running bounds, jumps off the box, multiple single legs box jumps etc.)
Does that sound useful?
400,
I could send you a layout of a plethora of plyos I incorporate into my program. It has each exercise and intensity of the exercise. Let me know if you want me to send it to you.
The role of plyos and jumps is covered in the Forum Review. If you don’t have it, now’s the time- it’s on sale.
You ought to buy the Forum Review for the graphs alone. It is very valuable for a relative novice,(like me).
Please do. Thanks.