ESTI, can you clarify- a previous conversation we had indicated that you may have used a sled day in the initial GPP period which would be true accel / power work, something the original KitKat version does not touch upon until transition. I’m not sure if it was this particular instance or not?
I can say that using the traditional KitKat model I saw 30m acceleration times for my guy go from:
3.70 (end of GPP)
3.65 (end of transition / race block)
3.58 (10 day taper after transition for major competition)
3.50 (competition phase after)
Acceleration definitely develops over time, but if using the traditional KitKat GPP the biggest improvement shows nearing the end of transition and into the competition phase it seems.
I saw the same pattern with myself but of course at a much lower level. (Add about half a second!)
You are correct. Let me clarify- what I remember ESTI saying was that he did a sled day one day every week during one of his modified KK GPP blocks, so not just the two workouts that would normally appear during weeks 4 and 5 of the traditional 6 week GPP.
lkh, that’s different, I guess. As long as you are prepared for what’s to come, anything can happen. Perhaps I was a bit strict in my mind, but working from both ends -if that’s what you are implying- can surely work! Thanks for clarification!
IMHO gofast’s model is worth raising in the context of this discussion. Obviously he is referring to 400m but the principals could be adapted to suit 100m.
[i]
I have the weights on day 1 and day 4 (the short speed/max vel days) to hit CNS all at one time. I have found that it doesn’t interfere with the SE work the next day. If I felt it did with a particular athlete then I would add it to the SE day instead but I find most athletes struggle to lift very well after hard SE sessions.
The day 2 SE is what I term special endurance II (300-600m) whereas the day 5 session is special endurance I (150-300m) to hit overdistance as well as under distance (which I know KK goes by).
My approach is really built around short to long to develop accel/max velocity and long to short to develop speed endurance/lactate capacity…all ideas tried by many before me I am sure.
The big thing I have found, and a good masters project (not done by me) supported this well, is to focus on developing the max vel, that’s where I think there are big gains can be made for many athletes in the 400m. Improve their max vel so essentially they can run at high velocities in the first 200m without using up too much energy. Then when the race starts at the water-jump they can kick hard and be charging home. [/i]
TrevorS, EFE stands for easy-fast-easy and the reverse for FEF.
John, that’s what I meant regarding working from both ends. The latter point on developing maximum speed as much as possible is also true and especially for women. As Charlie says in his book “The key to the longer sprints (200-400 m) is the speed reserve, especially in races such as the women’s 400 m. There are few women, who are good in the 400 m at the world level and not also good in the 100-m sprint.” In gofast’s model though -which I am sure has been quite successful- attention should be paid on the 4-day weeks’ schedule (e.g., working on a 2+1-week plan). Perhaps he could comment on that and how it may fluctuate per phase.
Thanks Nikoluski. Now how does that work exactly? I see ESTI says tires then EFE. I want to do the Canadian Indoor and outdoor season this year so just finishing up my GPP phase and while the weather is still hot have added sled sprints over 30m this week.
I tried to follow the same Endurance vs. Power format as KK, while incorporating Accels/speed from day one. I shortened the distances in the first couple of weeks due to focusing on the 100m and not having done much Speed Endurance work. During the second GPP cycle, I will probably increase the distances covered in the GPP. What are your thoughts?
In the Lance Brauman interview a few years ago, his group at the time was doing a lot of split runs similar to KK’s. They also did 40 sec+20 seconds (similar to 300+150). Tyson Gay has repeated a few times on Twitter he likes 300+100 as a workout.
Climb, I’d be cautious in your week 2 and 3. Give it a shot and report back your results.
Thanks for posting that Climb. Would someone mind explaining how the EFE works. I now know it stands for Easy,fast,easy but how does that exactly work. An example would be great. Thanks
It is in the GPP video in case you have it. Basically, you have 3 20m segments. You run easy for the 1st 20m, fast for the 2nd 20m so that your hips lift, then easy for the last 20m.
The 5x200 session is going to kick your ass, and doing it the day after speed may not be feasible, especially if you expect to do more speed type work the day after 5x200. Try it and let us know how you feel though.
As for lengthening the runs in the second GPP block, I’d go the other way around and start with longer runs for general fitness and conditioning, getting more specific (and shorter) as you get closer to the race block.
Wow, that is a serious workload. Maybe I’m misunderstanding the intention of the specifics of this GPP program and its intent, but how do you get yourself into condition to run 2-4x4x150m or 5x200 at 95% capacity or higher? Or is this specific GPP assuming a certain level of fitness upon arrival?
I agree that what I have posted may not work out and I plan to change things as needed. I plan to keep the volume very low for the speed day and will not be running all out on the 5x200. I may insert a rest day on day 5 and complete the 5x200m on day 6. I will see how I feel and how things are going and make that determination then. Also, I expect that I will only complete 2-3x500m before I am toast initially.
T-Slow
I was planning on a slight increase in distance during the second block due to being in better shape at that time. I am only planning on increasing some of the workouts to 250-300m for the longer distance for some of the split runs. That depends on how week 3 goes with the longer distances that week. I don’t think increasing the distances will be much of an issue for racing as I do not have any races any where near the end of the GPP.
Thanks for the critique and I will keep everyone posted on how things go.
Those workouts are not 95%+. KK’s program might be called intensive tempo by Charlie’s standards. To understand 5x200, lets look at a 50 sec runner. To run 50 seconds, they will need to run about 22.7 in the 200. To complete 5x200 for a 50 second pace, you would run the 200s in 26 seconds, 87% of approximate max speed.
The split runs put you in a state of fatigue to develop lactate tolerance. The transition phase is more full out or close to it for the distances on certain days.