Definitely the wisest of all options in my view; of course the challenge is a logistical one which is unlikely to be resolved by most who aren’t in a position to travel.
Yes. Historically I’ve kept the bulk of the speed work shorter; however, I’m seeing too many positives to get away from the current set up.
Essentially, the first two (of the three) blocks of summer training I construct a plan heavily influence by Charlie’s work and then the final block consists of work more biodynamically/bioenergetically specific to the game and alactic capacity is the emphasis that is realized via field drills that satisfy the positional biodynamic requirements.
What are your results in your players speed once these have been added? I have a player who is a WR in a no-huddle fast tempo offense. Speed ahs improved, but once position specific running was added, speed has decreased. Not sure if it’s over training, or a wrong balance of elements.
When we transition to alactic capacity I test my own version of a RAST that more closely relates to game energetics.
As I modify the program every year I won’t be able to tell you until July so I can compare that alactic capacity test with the one I took prior to spring ball.
Keep in mind, however, that alactic capacity is the name of the game prior to spring ball and training camp.
You’re looking for the highest repeatable level of speed. So as opposed to testing absolute speed (ergo single effort 20, 30, 40yd etc) you’ll have a much more meaningful picture of improved energetic potential via a test of alactic capacity.
So, in simple terms, now is the time to improve alactic power (peak intensity) and leading into the camp we want to improve alactic capacity (total work output)
So I compare June to June with respect to speed testing and February to July with respect to alactic capacity testing.
I explain all of this in the lecture I gave most recently that should be available in a DVD in a few weeks.
I see your points. In the end its speed during games that matters, and my guy’s playing speed is definitely improved. PM me when your DVDs come out. Thanks
I don’t want to be seen particularly as a proponent of overspeed; I just happen to know that the method Loren/Shaver have used works (in small amounts). And once again, Shaver’s people have suddenly jumped into the position of primary competitors for the NCAA track title. Does this mean they just started to do overspeed in their contrast training in the last couple of weeks? I’d love to know the answer to this, but I don’t know.
I now seem to have learned how to do this type of training without getting injured, which involves several days of rest after the contrast/overspeed. The resisted/assisted is done on a slight uphill/slight downhill next to a track. This is my cutdown phase at the end of Charlie’s SPP trapezoid (from the SPP download):
13-May 3X100 + 2X50 (last main SPP session)
14-May
15-May weights 2X15X215 bench + 2X15X325 squats
16-May
17-May 2X50 resisted, 2X30 OS, 90m flat
18-May
19-May
20-May 4 X 30
21-May
22-May
23-May Verkhoshansky-style stimulus session 2X15X215 bench + 2X15X315 squats/
1 hour rest, /wu + 100m
24-May
25-May
26-May
27-May 3X100 + 50
28-May
29-May bench 2X15X225, vertical pulls, DB shoulder press
30-May
31-May 2X40 resisted, 2X30 OS, 100m flat
How are the holes filled?Tempo, complete rest?
Have you made your competitive debut?
This is the cutdown phase after the real SPP that Charlie showed in the SPP lecture. For me, the first week of SPP2 is about 1500m of workouts, not counting warmups and tempo. This declines down to about 800m not counting supplementary stuff like starts by the end of the real SPP, more or less as Charlie showed it. The cutdown for me is averaging 550m, with basically 1 session of SE, one session of (over)speed, and no tempo.
John Smith does it about like this:
Last week of SPP: 4 workouts, 4 weight sessions (before track of course) lots of SE1
First cudown week: two workouts (one is only special endurance), 2 weight sessions
Second cutdown week: 1 workout, 1 start session, 2 weight sessions (VERY few reps)
Comp: no tempo, nothing over 80m or 90-90%, mostly starts and drills
The US professional season has really just started, and most people with John Smith have just started to race. Some, like Tyson and Allyson claim with a straight face that they haven’t really started speed work yet. No kidding.
Very interesting, as always in your infos…but I wanted to know how many of the days in the scheme above were complete rests, and, if no tempo, maybe circuit based?Do you have the opportunity to compete in europe also?
Is that 2sets of 15 or 15sets of 2?
From his posts, I bet 2 sets of 15.
2 sets of 15
Like John Smith, during the cutdown period I have eliminated the tempo and the weights are also cutdown. The other days are complete rest. But the loading effect of the contrast/overspeed is so strong that even this was pushing the envelope a bit In this portion:
15-May weights 2X15X215 bench + 2X15X325 squats
16-May
17-May 2X50 resisted, 2X30 OS, 90m flat
18-May
19-May
20-May 4 X 30
21-May
22-May
23-May Verkhoshansky-style stimulus session 2X15X215 bench + 2X15X315 squats/
1 hour rest, /wu + 100m
During the first overspeed session, which followed weights (incuding squats) by two days, there was quite a bit of hamstring pain, and this pain continued for 2 days. I was not recovered by the time of the 4X30 on May 20, and not really recovered until after the stimulus session on the 23rd. The weight loads as %1RM are in the 50-70 range that James has mentioned, but the squat session I did was clearly too much.
Before the second contrast training session, I did not do any squats and did not have the hamstring pain, so I need to either cut the squats going into a contrast training session more than I did, or insert more rest after the squats.
This is why Dennis Shaver has the very light weight session you see in the video, I guess.
I don’t think contrast training is the main reason why Dennis uses light weights etc. “Coach Shaver does much more ‘power’ development than ‘strength’ development in the weight room. His athletes tend to be beasts on the track but don’t put up huge weight room numbers”. Mike Young
I’ve know I’ve heard Dennis Shaver say in interviews that he doesn’t want his athletes to lift slow because he doesn’t want them to sprint slow on the track (and, of course, Charlie will disagree with this position).
But my hamstrings informed me quite directly that’s not the only reason…
Again, it’s always difficult to know of ‘high level’ coaches having such beliefs as it is simply misinformed.
Regarding your overspeed work, what is the magnitude of increase it has consistently yielded you in order that you are willing to accept its risks?
Those, now, are not my opinions, those are Shaver’s. Your position about 50-70% seems to be about what I’ve found useful outside MxS, but John Smith also pays particular attention to how fast the bar is moving (with sets of about 10 reps for primary lifts).
Regarding your overspeed work, what is the magnitude of increase it has consistently yielded you in order that you are willing to accept its risks?
You don’t get the gains unless you minimize those risks!
When I first learned of Loren’s contrast training workout (and I have no idea whether he invented it, but it seems that he popularized it), I saw gains of 0.2-0.3 in 60 meter times after ONE session. The problem was that I injured my hamstring after two sessions for 5-6 weeks and didn’t get to compete.
Somebody here on the forum who I’m not going to name saw a 0.3s improvement in 150 after ONE session.
I know it sounds too good to be true, but you have to see it to believe it. But there’s a giant gotcha: You have to learn how to do this safely.
One advantage of this approach over the towing-type overspeed approaches (and maybe some of the stuff Franno does with sleds) is that you only have to tempt fate–yes, I think that’s the proper way of looking at it–once or twice.
It looks like I finally learned how much to cut back everything else to make contrast training work safely, which is why I listed every single workout (and every single non-workout) in one of my posts above. And from what I’ve learned now, I think I’m going to end Phase II this way from now on.
Again…video links?referring to the Xman report on Trans World Sport?
I know, you were clear.
Equally as disappointing, as now not only is it implied that the speed of lifting the barbell is important for the sprinter but also during the context of high rep sets on the primary lifts.
It’s information like this that lies at the root of my criticism of many in the industry, even those at the ‘perceived’, or via ‘assocation’, ‘highest’ levels.
Some things are open to debate (ergo general exercise selection, long to short, short to long, and so on); however, some things are not.
Hence, while it earns me my own share of criticism and haters, I must caution all readers to closely scrutinize the methods of even those who are, according to conventional wisdom, the most celebrated coaches because what you may find out, as is too often the case, is that a fair share of success often occurs in spite of, NOTdirectly because of, the coaching.
While this may sound preposterous, hence the friction I receive for stating my unpopular opinion, I have had many a conversation with individuals ‘in the know’ that are in a position to reveal coaching tactics and otherwise that are strikingly absurd.
Just sent you a PM.