These are my notes from a presentation she gave in Boone, NC back in October, 1997. They look a bit scattered right now and I’m not sure how to make heads or tails out of some of it but here it is.
Speed development and the training of Allan (misspelled above) Wells by Margot Wells.
Allan was a long jumper early on with a best of 7.42m (24’ 4 1/4") and 10.9 in the 100m. He did not training exclusively as a a sprinter until he was 24.
New Program: 6 sets 3 min. and 1 min. rest
Oct.-Nov. Gym phase speed ball, chinnies:6 sets of 25(speed of leg action considered key), press-ups 6 sets of 30, bodyweight 1/2 squats for 6 sets of 20. Done every day for 6 weeks.
Nov.-Feb. running phase. (I’m unsure how this broke down within the week or if it was all done on one day, sorry) 6 x 150m 6 x 70, 6 x 50m. my note: I think it is explained a little later here.
March-end of April back to a gym phase most likely working up to the set rep numbers above.
Training principles: Never sacrfice technique for speed. Never sacrifice speed for numbers or reps.
Value of speed ball is to instill relaxation since it can’t be done properly or with fast rhythms without relaxation.
5 week running build-up going from Nov.-Feb.
walkback recoveries. Most all of AW’s training involved 100% effort.
All distances in yards.
wk 1: 2 x 6 x 120 (3 min./6 min.) 3/4 speed
wk 2: 2 x 6 x 60 3/4 speed
wk 3: 2 x 60/20/60 at 3/4 speed (fast/slow/fast)-her words.
wk 4: 2 x (6 x 50) at 100%
wk 5: 2 x (3 x 60/20/60) 5 min rest
Caused a tremendous lactic acid build-up.
Block work 20 minutes prior to this kind of work.
In a short amount of time(?) he went from 10.9 to 10.52 FAT.
After initial 5 wks:Speed- 60-walk back recovery- 80, rest 20 min. and repeat the 60/80
Speed ball-speed endurance and strength endurance(I know this might not make sense but it’s what I have).
Arm action preceeds and cues leg action(I think we’ve read/heard this before-CFTS)
Knee lift comes from hip extension and heel recovery.
Arm drive out of blocks elbow back.
Run with arms on legs not with the legs alone.
Wk 6: 6 x 150, 6 x 70, 6 x 50.
When short bounds and hops were included in training, he took off, figuratively, in terms of improvement.
Short hill sprints for acceleration
bounds done before gym work.
done for over 25y alternated for height and distance.
2 x 100y bounds, 2 x 100y running b-drils were used.
some bounding was done with light weights
AW’s overload occurred at speed.
He trained May to the beginning of June all out.
Sample week
Sun:100m 200m 30 min. (trials) I take this to be a training session and not a meet but I don’t know.
Mon:3 x 60 w/5 min. rest
Tues.same
Wed.:2 x(4 x 30) 5 min. rest
Thurs.:1 x 30
Friday- OFF
(my note- perhaps this Sunday should be at the end of this week?).
Plyos and hill running helped overall performances a great deal.
Their observation: when AW’s 200’s were “on” his 100 would be good but not necessarily the other way around.
Key distance for SE work (taken from the East German’s text) was 4 x 233m (255y). Done with 6 1/2 min. rests. (done at about 90% intensity). Over the years they felt like that this was an important developmental distance.
30 second rests originally and working towards 71/2 min. rests.
1st one was in about 27:30 and eventually worked down to 26 sec. Lactate levels indicated that he should reduce recovery times. (not sure what the levels needed to be to determine this).
1 x wk on hills. 30 sec. 7 1/2 min, 2 x 10-11 sec, 3 min. rest 3 x 10-11 sec.
Also done 6 x 6m on hills done in about 1.75 sec.?
Some favored exercises were hip raises and split lunge jumps(not an extreme split)
Very intense focus and effort throughout training over the years.
2 leg bounds of 36 steps.
running every step?
hop right, hop left, 2 ft. bounds
3x then 3 1/2 min. rest.
gym circuit no rest between reps or circuits.
every overload must occur at speed.
all speedball was done first on gym days and then the circuits.
My note:again sorry for the incompleteness of the notes and the scattered thoughts as they made more sense almost 11 1/2 years ago.