For sure the preparing earlier is the key and the higher average top speed leading to better advances in “learning” to run fast and relaxed. One reason i brought up the 50% vs 10% debate is because it changes other aspects of the program because in a 300m rep you are using proportionally more posterior chain than in the 5x60m. This has implications for therapy and what other exercises you can do.
That’s true with a few provisos. posterior chain work is significantly affected by each incremental increase in working speed- which will be higher with split runs, and, when you move out to split runs- over 80m for instance, the posterior chain load is increased substantially. The transition through the phase becomes quite manageable.
From a neuromuscular perspective the force of a contraction is greater after than before a brief tetanus. Posttetanic potentiation (PTP) is elicited by interval work at greater intensities( 5x60 v 1x300). This heighten PTP may give the feeling of greater efficacy at lower intensities.
Viewed that way, what happens when you use fast 60s with longer breaks? I’m thinking of the preparation indoors for Marita Koch in which she set WRs over 50m and 60m during her career on the way out to outdoor records over 400m.
I do them that way (long breaks) after GPP is over (e.g., 3X3X60 @100% rests 2 min/15 last week). There is a strong potentiation effect for the rep at the start of the second–and particularly the third–set. The performance numbers are comparable to what PJ mentioned for 200’s following short sled reps (presumably with long break after the sled work) with PB/WR level performance. BUT, there is also a strong supercompensation effect to the next workout, if you give some rest (2-3 days).
Note that I am not training for 400, but my volume numers are high by the standards of this forum (up to sessions of 3X5X50 at the end of GPP) Don’t know if you get the same effect from much lower workloads.
2min is still fairly short as 90sec is about the time to do a walkback. i like the long set break to keep the quality up.
The 2 min rep break comes from the Italian Sprint Training thread, and I normally start with 2 min/6min during GPP and increase the set break up to 15-20 min closer to comp. The shorter rest (lower intensity during the set) seems to set up a stronger potentiation effect for the first rep in a set after the long break.
But, I’ve seen the effect with several variations of the overall theme, including the 2X3X80 with rests 7-8 min/15 min that you’ve mentioned in the past, and the 4X(60,80) that John Smith uses.
I was looking for that (or something akin) and believe we found it doing the long fatiguing rep followed by the block of short faster reps with walkbacks: eg: 300m (90sec rec.) 60m x 4 reps. The neural load on this work seemed relatively heavy, but I believe this sort of set concept involving a change of rhythm, change of intensity, etc (twice a week all year, basically) helped the athletes become better “racers” and the training transferred much better across to the actual race.
Post activation potentiation is associated with a shortening of contraction time and increased rate of force development. Recovery time is a fine balance, because two opposing factors are at work, central fatigue ( motor unit activation) v peripheral fatigue intramuscular fatigue.
Postactivation potentiation indicated that intracellular mechanisms limited force production after the exercise. Short recovery work may elicit greater PP however pheriperal fatigue will limit PP force production. Simple the nervous is ready to fire (after short recovery work) but localised fatigue within the muscle will inhibit force production.
Heightened neural activity from PP is still active 10min post exercise That’s gives plenty of time with repeat 60m runs to off set peripheral muscle fatigue.
How fast were the 60s ?
The best of what the athletes had left to offer. Invariably they got faster the longer they had post-300 (or 320m as it was in later seasons). Always a walk-in to start the 60s.
My HS kids have found something similar… My 400m guys do 2x(2x400). The third rep is usually very fast and easy for the guys (10 min rest between sets). They always say that after.
Earlier this week, one of my hurdlers, I had scheduled him to do a 110H, but he wasn’t comfortable, so he ran the open 100. About 30 minutes later, he ran a PB in the 300H into a strong head (at least 12 mph) wind half the race.
My impression from the interview is that they do stuff like the 8-10x200m as long as weather allows and then substitute pool work once they are forced to move indoors. I doubt that they try to do ExT on their indoor track but that’s just my perception.
I remember someone saying they still do one day of ext tempo work indoors and the other days are pool work etc.
PJ has often spoken on this forum of 400m athletes aptitude for acceleration as opposed to max. velocity. His concept is that the former doesn’t compete with Specific Endurance at the same level as the latter. I think CF has spoken about this as well.
I know that in addition to a steady diet of hills and split 600’s, Phil Lundin has his guys do 3x3x80m working on race tempo as they approach their key meets.
Also before he got canned, Ralph White had very good 4x4r’s at Williams College (for that level) and he sued a air amount of short speed endurance with very brief rests.
This observation was based on the fact that Privalova would beat Ottey anytime at 60m and for sure at 400m, while Ottey would win the 200 and most of the 100m.
Same for Chandra Cheeseborough who was better starter and 400m runner than Evelyn Ashford though Ashford won anytime at 100 & 200m.
Same for Göhr and Koch. Koch led most of the times at 60m but get beaten at 100m. There was no contest however at 200/400m.
I’m not sure it’s about max velocity, rather 100m specific endurance (ability to hold high % of max velocity) since Koch and Göhr had the max velocity yet Koch not able to maintain it even if she was a long sprint specialist.
Tyler Christopher only 0.3 off Wariner at 400m. For 200m races, the difference is 0.2 this year. The gap gets closer.
After the race Wariner claimed that he held back a little due to a sore hamstring. All the same Christopher looked very good. As the weather gets better in Edmonton his SE volumes will increase. We’ll see what the net effect is soon I am sure.
So you’re saying that Speed Endurance and Special Endurance essentially compete for the same resources? That does make a little more sense to me than the concept that Speed and Special Endurance are in opposition.