pakewi
December 8, 2010, 12:20pm
134
Charlie and I had the chance opportunity to sit down with a former WC 100m runner (and her coach) quite a few years ago. She told us how she would run (as speed work) 10 x 100m at 11.1 seconds (hand times) with a walk back for recovery. While we were impressed with her stamina, we were not convinced these workouts were enough to create an adaptive response for maximum velocity (i.e. max v at 10.8 seconds for 100m FAT). Her weightlifting consisted of circuit-type weights, so they were not used as a central stimulus. But she told us she would do a total 500 jumps per workout.
Because the volume of jumps was so high, there wasn’t a specific peripheral conversion to max velocity (assuming ground contact times were much higher than 0.090 sec required at max v). However, that volume of jumps could create a general high-intensity “central” stimulus that would create a positive nervous system adaptation that could be transferred to her alactic abilities.
Thus, we reasoned that plyos (or jumps) have a plasticity that allows you to apply them for specific training for ground contact and reactive work, use them as a general loading mechanism for providing a CNS stimulus to be transfered and applied in another manner (high volume, high intensity), or be used as a general strength workout in a peripheral manner (i.e. high volumes, slightly lower intensity).
If your weight program doesn’t have a high intensity quality to it, I believe the jumps/plyos have to take a different form to make up for the lack of intensity in the weight program. The plyos are providing a general CNS stimulus that can take the place of the weight program, and may be more complimentary for a sprinter. Perhaps this is why there are numerous cases of long jumpers converting to world class 100m sprinters later in their career (i.e. Bruny Surin, Leroy Burrell, Kareem Street-Thompson), as well as Carl Lewis.
I have seen this plasticity of jump training applied with numerous athletes, particularly in winter training where outdoor weather and indoor facilities to do not allow for max velocity work, as well as a lack of sophistication with their weight programs.
Note I have been careful not to equate plyos with jump training. There is some overlap, but they are not exactly the same thing.
This is how velocity endurance ends up helping max v. Give the brain enough repeated maximally fast stimuli,and it will pick it up,shifting all areas of the curve.