I thought you folks might be interested looking at the inseason program of Matt Shirvington from '98 before setting his Australian record of 10.03. If any of you can get through a week of this sort of training, then you’re a better man than I!
The following was published in “Australian Athlete” magazine :
MONDAY :
Morning session -Maximum strength -
Dynamic warm up (includes jgging, drills, general stretching and specific stretching exercises for this particular session.)
Power cleans - 90kg x 5 reps, 100kg x 3 reps 110kg x 2 reps 120kg x 1-2 reps
Bench press - same progression up to 130kg (286lbs)
Squats - up to 200kg (440lbs)
Various exercises for abs and back
Sprint drills and plyometrics at the track
Warm down including jogging, stretching and massage.
Afternooon session - stretching and swimming
TUESDAY :
Morning session - maximum velocity and starting acceleration -
dynamic warm up
technical runs: 6 x 60m
acceleration runs: 6 x 60m
starts - up to 10 starts over 30m
handicap starts (putting training partners in front 1m- 3m)
“flying sprints” or assistance sprints (down hill or using wind) 4-6 x 50m
warm down
Afternoon session : massage
WEDNESDAY :
Morning session - power strength
warm up
explosive weights ( performed as fast as possible with only 50% of max or
lighter for 3 x 10 reps)
power clean or snatch
bench press
speed squat
jumps from half squat
“Borzov” jumps
sprint drills and sprints at the track
warm down
Afternoon session - technical and tactical (video and biomechanical analyses)
THURSDAY
Morning session - speed endurance and bend technique (for 200m)
Dynamic warm up
technical drills and runs on the bend
sprint into bend and off the bend 4-6 x 60m
speed endurance - 2 sets (8 x 80m) at 95% intensity
technical tempo 75% intensity (2 x 250m)
warm down (jog and stretch)
Afternoon session - regular physio treatment
FRIDAY :
tactical preparation for competition and rest
The sprinting volume (and all the high intensity volume for that matter) seems extremely high to me. Maybe that explains why he ran 10.03 but now can’t see to run faster than 10.3 (burnout)?
Just a gut instinct but, for a sat meet I would do the tuesday work out on thursday. After switching the the thursday work out to tuesday I’d drop the tempo. Not sure why thats in there… Just a hunch
I was considering doing a set up like this for the fall:
Monday lifting and plyos
Tuesday accel devel
Wed. tempo
Thurs lifting and plyos
Friday accel
sat tempo
is this too much is it wrong?
I tried to do wieghts and speed on the same day for a whole season and my legs always felt heavy and slow.
Thats what i get for not seeing the big picture… The work outs seem ok just by reading them but, GEEZ… over 3000m? You just cant tell how sound a program is just by reading the work outs. Good learning lesson!!!
Some sprinters can tolerate very high vols of speed- but when it is almost exclusively spread over 60s and 80s to this degree, and includes overspeed- good luck to you!
Another interesting thing to keep in mind is that you can tolerate more volume on the way up than when you arrive because the speed of each element gets higher. So you reach a level, but the exact same program won’t keep you there.
The fact that you will now be starting at the new higher level of speed, which has different recovery demands than were present at the start of the previous year.
so because he is now running faster, it is more stressful on his nervous system and muscular system, so volume must be reduced to allow for recovery in order to repeat these intensive efforts without burnout/injury/etc…?
Thanks, Charlie. One thing that we didn’t understand was the duplication of rehearsal sprints (technical runs) on Tuesday and Thursday. Followed by some “imposing” CNS work!
Unless they were submaximal or split sessions from the subsequent work, we would think those activities cover that days’ speed work alone! We typically combine technical compliance as a part of the primary work session. In most cases, if a rep (exceeding 10m) doesn’t commence properly, we simply terminate its’ continuation.
This ultimately puts a great deal of emphasis on the current technical state of work required, as well as the fitness, condition and communication with the athlete.
I would wonder that myself. How is the technique to be perfected without the range of motion and elasticity componants that can only be seen in a state of recovery? What is being perfected?
Not knowing the type of massage and/or “physio treatment” administered to Shirvington, how effective would it have been? I realize this was for inseason, but given the session(s) following each treatment, what is the benefit? Accelerate relaxation conditions, assist metabolic waste removal?
Not a fan of his at all but a lil bit more info for ya
this is a link to his bio that show he still ran a 10.09 last year and the little bio at the bottom shows he has had glandular fever last year or so.
Anyway, i totally agree with the analysis of his program…but as we know different programs work in different ways for some. Just thought i’d give a few more reasons for his decline.
I always wondered what happened to Shirvington. For awhile there I thought he might have a shot at running under 10 seconds. He did seem pretty injury prone though and looking at his training you can start to see why.
Off topic question - has any caucasian ever run under 10 seconds?
