how long can a training session be? It seems that most people say that you should keep it under 60 minutes, but when you do your sprints and weights at a same training session the session can strech anywhere from 90 minutes to 120 minutes!
what are every forum members take on this subject???
Well lets do the “math.”
30-40 mins to warm up
6x60m workout
6 minutes rest
We’ll say 40 mins for the speed work
10 mins cool down/stretch
That’s 1 hour and a half for your track workout.
Now we’ll say 60 mins for the strength workout.
You’re looking at a 2 hour and a half workout. A inbetween workout snack + small shake (20g whey) and a small break should help to recharge you.
Charlie, a long time ago, posted a sample day of an 8+hr “workout” for a pro athlete. It was 3-4 sessions within the day along with massage and some other things.
I dont count the warm-up to the training time.
but for me a sample workout could look like this.
15*10m sprints with 90 second rest between
couple sets of jumping on a highjump mat…one with a box and one without.
then weight training…doing only couple heavy sets in each movement…squat, power clean, chin ups and bench.
from start to finish this takes me little under two hours, depending if everything goes smoothly.
I think for most ncaa athletes 2hrs per session should be the max and for older athletes who have full time jobs 60-75mins per session.
I remember Clyde Hart saying that the running portion of most of his workouts for 400 runners took less than 20 minutes. That is possible when you are doing a tempo-based program.
Charlie’s peaking workout (4X30/80/100/120/150) takes 2 hours plus a warmup of 1 hour minimum. John Smith workouts, including the warmup, are frequently in the 90-120 minute range (there are shorter ones like 400-300-200 with 10 minute rest).
How long your workout is really depends on your level as an athlete and how close you are to your max performance in the season; To get to higher levels you need more rest.
Early in the season, you could need only 20-30 minutes (not counting warmups), as the recent post about Doc Patton mentioned for 3X300. 3X3X60 with rests of 2-4 min/6 min would be similiar.
But in the Vancouver download, charlie mentions rest for SE going out to 20 minutes, so if you’re doing 4X120 or 6X60 late in the season getting ready for comp, for me it might be:
4X100 strides
3X30m drills
30m alt leg bounding drill (only one, with 3-5 touches each leg)
rest
2X30 starts
6X60, 100%, 20m rest
This comes to about 2.5 hours; Since I work, I can only do this kind of thing in the spring/summer when it’s light late at night or during the weekend.
lkh wrote: "Charlie’s peaking workout (4X30/80/100/120/150) takes 2 hours plus a warmup of 1 hour minimum".
I feel a one hour warm up is too long for a training session. Particularly for athletes who are working full time/athlete part time. An athlete should be able to warm up adequately for max velocity running in 40 mins.
With the warm up and main component, ie: 6 x 60’s or 2 x 60’s/2 x 80’s. The whole session should take around 1h 30m.
I totally agree the warmup for part time athletes should be done in about 30mins, my man lkh love to have those long workouts. 
Or move to where i live - other than winter time, its very warm, takes minimal time to warm up, esp in summer. In between efforts in summer you don’t try to keep warm here, you try to cool down…
Unless of course that is if you are tight for some reason, then warm ups take a long time - up to 45min
Never take me more then 30mins even during meet day, i tend to move pretty fast during the warmup.
From CFTS page 108 (about the 10 day peaking workout):
Very long warm-up (one hour minimum)
See various comments by PJ talking about a two hour warmup before races (or Olu, at least).
HSI warmup (from John Smith’s presentation at the High Performance Summit last year):
SPRINT WARM-UP
10 X 100M; Run the straights and walk the turns
-Flexibility for 15 to 20 min
-3x60m EZ acceleration
-3x20m A skips into a 20m acceleration
-3x20m B skips into a 20m acceleration
-3x20m Run A’s into a 20m acceleration
-3x60m acceleration from a 3 point stance.
Now how long do you think the HSI warmup takes? It all depends on your performance level. The faster you are, the longer it takes to warmup safely, and the more performance you get from a longer warmup.
Thats kool still dont change my mind, unless you are elite I dont see the point in warming up for 2hrs and 10.3 isnt elite.
Those warm ups would serve as a workout for most athletes on this site I bet.
I think 35-45 minutes should be optimal to get an athlete ready if you’re not screwing around in the warm up. Now, if you’re running very fast elite level times, then let’s get the warm up 1 hour or more. Obviously it takes much longer to get warmed up for that kind of speed.
Is there any chance to have linked that John Smith presentation?I remember seeing it, but have no idea where.
Thanks a lot.
What about if an athlete lives in extremely humid climates with temperatures that often reach 90+ degrees? Would even a 30min warmup be necessary?
It would be…at least you need to rest more btwn drills and build ups…
The warm-up should be the same for speed work in training as in a meet to eliminate variables. If you only need 40m for your warm-up for speed in practice, it should be the same for a meet.
Actual workout body time depends on what you’re doing. SE might be 20 to 45min with two runs and the rest of the time used up by recovery between the reps.
I thing for optimal results you have a rest between speed workout and weight workout,because after your speed workout you not have big energie resurs and your weight training not be a very good,for me you need time to recovery between two workouts,and what is this 1 hour for warming up,gays what you do 1 hour?MY warm up is maximum 30-40min i do 4x100,different drills 6 sets for 30-40m,3x60m accelerations,flexibility…this is only warm up it is?
Man during gpp my workouts have pushed into the 4-5 hour range. Including the drive to the hill or track. then the drive to the gym, and the talking.
hills+med ball+weights =3.5 with the drive added in for another 30