Intensive Tempo

Expert Discussion Advanced Sprint Training
33

Here’s VERY rough layout of what I would have a 100/200 athlete do:

Mo: Hills+Jumps (short)+Med Ball Throws
Tu: (am) Weights (pm) ExT
We: ExT -> InT (usually split runs)
Th: Off or Pool or ExT (bike)
Fr: (am) Weights (pm) Hills+Med ball Throws
Sa: Jump/Run Circuit

This is the structure for the all of the sprinters + hurdlers. The loading of the components is adjusted based on the event. For example long sprinters/hurdlers do more ExT. I know that Charlie wouldn’t agree with the weights placement, but our weight room is taken by other teams in the afternoon for most of the fall (GPP). So I had to adjust. Plus the whole team lifts together this way, which is not only good for group cohesion, but also means that at least 2 if not 3 coaches are watching when they lift. As the intensity rises late in SPP we are able to use the weight room in the late afternoon and there is some shifting of components.

34

Thanks!! So on Wed the runs start out as ext tempo then progress to int tempo? Is the int tempo work done on grass or track and do you prefer the shorter int tempo (split runs) runs mention earlier?

35

Actually there’s quite a bit more ExT at the start. I just didn’t want to give the impression that I make them jump right into InT/Split runs. All of the early stuff of this type is done in flats, but on the track. Not enough grass where I am. Tuesday is generally the big circuit, sometimes a bit more for the long sprinters/hurdlers, on a soccer pitch, runs as shuttles.

36

Oh and whatever you do, don’t take this as gospel. Each situation is different and if i were in a different location with different athletes I would more than likely do things another way (and have).

37

Kool, I actually like performing tempo on the track at times and never had a problem with lower leg injuries etc. You don’t have access to the football field?

38

Once the runs start moving above 80% it gets hard to do them on grass. There are very few fields that I know of that can accommodate a split 600m without making for some tight turning, which in turn leads to the possibility of another series of leg issues.

We have access to a soccer pitch Mon-Thu, but it’s condition drops dramatically as the season progresses. Saturdays and some Fridays we can get on the baseball field which is huge (400m around). The grass tends to be better kept there.

39

AC,

You’ve hit the nail on the head with the 5-6x200m session at 90% with 2-3min recoveries. There are athletes who will gut this out, but at what cost?

Exactly. If I may say, I give my athletes 5-6x200m with 2-3min. recovery ONLY on tempo days but never @90%

C. Hart uses something like this;

10x200m @ 30 sec with 2.5 - 3min recovery
9x200 @ 29sec. etc. down to 5x200m @ 25sec. with breaks anywhere from 3min. down to 1.5-2min. over 6 week period.

This is my template for SPP1 week 1

MONDAY
Warm up
Stretching
Drills
2x30m accelerations
3x4x60m 2.5/7min
4x30
4x30m lunges
PLYOS [bounds]
WEIGHTS:
Bench press 4x4
Lat puldowns 4x8

TUESDAY
Warm up
Stretching
16x200m @70% 3min
Medicine ball 6x10
PLYO - Sand pit
up to 20 jumps in total
6x 30 sit ups
6x25 leg lifts
4x25 hyper-extensions
cool down 2 laps

WEDNESDAY
Stretching 30min
1000 crunches
200 push ups

THURSDAY
Warm up
Stretching
Drills
4x30m 3-5min
4x30 blocks 3min.
2x[3x[20E/20F/20E]]
PLYOS [bounds, hops]
WEIGHTS:
Squats 4x4
Leg press 4x4
6x 30 sit ups
6x30 push ups
15min skipping rope

FRIDAY
Stretching 30min
1000 crunches
200 push ups

SATURDAY
Warm up
Stretching
Drills
2x200m 10min.
1x80m
1x100m
1x120m
Medicine ball 6x10
WEIGHTS:
Dead lifts 4x4
Dead lift roll outs
Hyperextentions 4x25
Seated rows 4x4
Cool down 2 laps

In WEEK 8 we do;

MONDAY
Warm up
Stretching
Drills
2x30m accelerations
2x100m 5.5/7min
4x60
4x30m lunges
PLYOS [bounds]
WEIGHTS:
Bench press 4x4
Biceps, triceps 4x12


TUESDAY
Warm up
Stretching
9x200m @70% 2min
Medicine ball 6x10
PLYO - Sand pit
up to 20 jumps in total
6x 30 sit ups
6x25 leg lifts
4x25 hyperextensions
cool down 2 laps

WEDNESDAY
Stretching 30min
1000 crunches
200 push ups

THURSDAY
Warm up
Stretching
Drills
4x30m 3-5min
4x30 blocks 3min.
4x150m 7min.
PLYOS [bounds, hops]
WEIGHTS:
Squats 4x4
Leg press 4x4
6x 30 sit ups
6x30 push ups
15min skipping rope

FRIDAY
Stretching 30min
1000 crunches
200 push ups

SATURDAY
Warm up
Stretching
Drills
2x200m 10min.
1x80m
1x100m
1x120m
Medicine ball 6x10
WEIGHTS:
Dead lifts 4x4
Dead lift roll outs
Hyperextentions 4x25
Seated rows 4x4
Cool down 2 laps

While during GPP Week 12 - our current week

MONDAY
Warm up 15 min.
Stretching 15min.
Weights
1x10 bench press
4x4 bench press
upper body work out
2x[2x60m] rec. 3/5min
1x40m
lower back roll outs
Hyper 4x25
4x4 dead lifts
4x6 good mornings
30 min. skipping rope
6x 30 sit ups
5x25 push ups

TUESDAY
Warm up 15 min.
Stretching 15min.
5x400 1min @ 70%
Medicine ball throws
6x10 throws
10x triple hop throw
lunges 5x30m
2x10m left or Borzov hop
2x10m right or Borzov hop
4x6 split squats
6x 30 sit ups
8x25 push ups

WEDNESDAY
Jog - 5km or
45min skipping rope
1000 crunches

THURSDAY
Warm up 15 min.
Stretching 15min.
Weights
1x10 squats
4x4 squats
4x4 45 leg press
4x25 lower ab leg lifts
4x25 lower ab leg lifts
straight legs
lower back roll outs
6x 30 sit ups
8x30 push ups
5x18 chin ups

FRIDAY
Jog - 5km or
45min skipping rope
1000 crunches

SATURDAY
Warm up 15 min.
Stretching 15min.
POWER DRILLS
2x8x20m
4x60m
2x40m
2x60m flying
Interval speed running
3x[20F+20E+20F]
Cardio/agility/plyo

Lunges/stairs (100 stairs)

4min for an easy 250m walk? A brisk 200m walk takes @2min+ or minus a few seconds at least for nearly everyone I coach. If I said slow walk around to my athletes they’d take at least 5min and I fear more like 6min.

True. Same here :slight_smile: I tell them to walk across rather than around. It takes precisely 2min.

40

I will have to use that.

41

So the question now is do you have a problem with this “controlled speed work” in GPP if it replaces a speed day?

42

I don’t see why there is one when there is recovery in between sessions as there would be when you replace a speed session. Maybe you prefer this when you plan on a longer GPP?

43

I will be doing a mod version of your gpp graphs follow by a mod version of the spp graphs. GPP will only be 7 weeks, I’m wondering would it be beneficial to have 2 speed/1 controlled speed day vs 3 speed days since I am a lower level sprinter (10.6-10.7) and will spend all winter indoors? My controlled speed days may look something like this: 6x200 rest 4mins, 6x180 rest 4mins, or 300-250-2x200 etc.

44

No reason why you couldn’t adopt a plan like that. You need to adjust to what’s best for you specifically.

45

Not sure if you answered this question before, but did your training group do any of this controlled speed work in gpp or did you prefer to keep things short speed and ext tempo since there gpp was only 3-4 weeks?

46

just curious, what do the >'s mean?

47

i think he means a progression (with a shorting of distances)

48

over a period of weeks or in one workout?

49

The 6x___ is the day’s workout. The different distances are not used all in one day as the volume would be criminally high.

50

yeah, thats what i was thinking, thank you for explaining:cool:

51

I like this approach. It seems like in week 8 you are introducing speed endurance, or at least beginning to bridge towards it, yet in week 12 that quality doesn’t seem to have progressed. That said, you haven’t listed all your recoveries. How is speed endurance developed as you go on? (If you can remember, I appreciate this is a 4 year old post!)

52

I don’t know why the rules get so confusing but they do and I am finding that people get lost with how they are supposed to train or they never knew in the first place? Which is it?

First and foremost you need to address the individual in such a way that the rules are used but they don’t take priority over what works for the athletes.