Modified GPP - Return from stress fracture

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1

I have a talented sprinter who has just received clearance from the doc to start light training since suffering a stress fracture last season in a metatarsal. He is cleared to run, but not on consecutive days and only on grass. Hills are out, but all loading weights are fair game (although none will be of high intensity at this point, of course). He will have access to good ART/massage likely once per week. This will be his modified GPP, with the goal of competing in 60m this indoor. He will meet with the doc again in 5 weeks to re-assess his foot (hopefully green light). I have put together 4 workout days for the time being (this number can increase), and would like to share so that I can get feedback on what people think. Thanks in advance!
Monday:
Tempo (short) on grass, straight no turns
Core (during or after tempo)
Hurdle Mobility (walk throughs, over-unders)
Upper Body med ball/bodyweight lifts

Tuesday:

Bike (thinking alactic [<8 seconds] or short lactic intervals)

  • to provide some CNS stress, ATP-CP/Glyco and avoid too much tempo
    Lower Body med ball/body weight lifts
    Med Ball core (solo, partner passes)

Thursday:

Tempo (same protocol as Monday)
Hurdle Mobility
Upper Body med ball/body weight
Med Ball core

Saturday:

Lower Body med ball/body weight
Pool (*straight leg sprints, running water tempo)
*flutterboard held out front, wearing flippers for increased resistance,
Hip extension-type exercise done over 10 à 20m, again for CNS/ATP-CP

  • Lifts would likely last 2 weeks before transitioning into Accumulation
  • Str. End. (A’s) likely added after 2 weeks
  • much emphasis on improving running mechanics – very fundamental to start
    ***If green light from doc end of Nov (with ~10 wks before shortened 2-3 week comp phase),thoughts on length of GPP and SPP??
2

Do you understand what caused the Stress Fracture in the 1st place?

Ie - if what caused it is not fixed, he will likely introduce yet another one.
If so - what have you done to fix this from re-occurring?

3

Good question. I think the transition to indoors onto a hard mondo track helped. Probably too much volume on that track too soon for someone fast also.

4

I know the track that Stanley’s guy trains at, and the track is a very tight and flat indoor 200 metre oval. You can probably get 50m on the straightaway, but there are no crashpads set up at the end of the straight, as it is a multipurpose facility. His athlete is a sub-21 second 200 metre man, so he can really move.

Keeping everything on the straightaway and on grass early on is the best advice I ever got from Ange! She told me this the first season I started coaching, and I’m convinced it has saved my athlete from injury.

I’m wondering if it would be possible to do some explosive medball throws over a mat as another option to get some more CNS excitement? It involves a knee bend and a push off, with no landing stress. Is that too aggressive for now? I’m just thinking out loud here.

Also, it might be an opportunity to start out with a Long to Short style GPP building up to multiple 600m up-backs on grass at around 60% with short (5 minute or so) recoveries. I’ve got a new guy who’s coming back off a long-standing torn adductor magnus and the Long to Short approach should help him transition back to full speed running gently, as the range of motion involved is limited, and the actual forces going into the ground are limited compared to full out sprinting.