It’s like asking why Charlie was doing all those 60s when stuck indoors in Canada… You act according to your specific circumstances, I guess.
Correct…maximize what you have…and we talk about history here…
It’s like asking why Charlie was doing all those 60s when stuck indoors in Canada… You act according to your specific circumstances, I guess.
While I agree with you that we all should act according to our specific circumstances I would not agree with your example. It is one thing to train at a proper indoor track facility where you could train in the gym as well as run on track. That’s why it has been built for. However, if I remember correctly Wells did his plyometrics on an outdoor track in rain. I would hardly recommend anyone to train like that today. Then presently you have those wombats who train for 10 weeks straight (6-7 days a week) in the gym during GPP period while following this program refusing to step out on track as it would be “against the rules” or something. Quite amusing.
The 2009 AT&FCA Congress is in Melbourne on 2nd October to 4th October 2009.
The early-bird registrations close today Friday 21st August.
After today a higher fee applies.
Special guest presenters at the 2009 Congress are Tom Tellez and Pauline Davis-Thompson.
The provisional itinerary has Mr Tellez offering a Sprints session & Ms Davis-Thompson delivering a session on drills & running the bend.
Scheduled on Saturday, Mr Tellez also is the keynote speaker on Long Term Development.
ON FRIDAY 2nd October a session on SPEEDBALL TRAINING will be offered by Stuart Dempster. I believe Jim Bradley will be in attendance.
I went to the last congress and thought it was very beneficial.
Details at: http://www.atfca.com.au/coachedcongress.ews
Youngy, there will be DVDs available covering the seminars?
Hi Eros,
Not that I’m aware of. I will ask the AT&FCA if they are taping it, if not I might see if I can take my own camera.
I will be taking notes
I spoke to the ATFCA and they are doing a DVD, but which presentations are going to be on I am not sure.
If anybody is going, good luck and enjoy.
Thank you guys!
Forgive me if this was covered already, I didn’t get a chance to read through this entire thread.
What seems interesting to me is the speed ball training used in his program. Would the speed ball be used much like the bench press is used to prolong a strength peak? only that the speed ball is used to prolong a speed peak since this activity lies around the same area as sprinting on the force velocity curve but does not interfere with the legs as much.
Would this method be a better way of preserving speed during an injury? Replacing sprint sessions with speed ball type exercises in order to offer a speed component while injured.
Yes, Syrus, when injured, particularly leg injuries, the speedball can be a very useful part of the rehab as it offers an anaerobic and/or an aerobic component that can assist an athlete to maintain a strong conditioning base. It is the only upper body exercise that is non-resistant and offers a turn-over rate comparable to that when running. Keeping the heart rate at around the 130 to 160bpm for 20 minutes during 6 x 3min routine enables the athlete to return to the track with a solid base to recommence the build up to race pace.
I had an athlete that severely damaged a hamstring in late November 2007. He had to spend some time away from the track and in the interim went on a 6 x 3min round speedball training regime. He was back running flat out by the end of December and ended up running a 200m PB in mid January 2008.
What about complementing voluntary exercise with involuntary exercise, a.k.a. EMS?
It fits in nicely with the concept of limited facilities. You just need a couch or bed at home to work on.
Hi Youngy…how was the conference?reported some notes?
Yep, AT&FCA conference was terrific.
Tom Tellez was the stand out. Very good presenter of basic common sense sprinting. Incredibly fit for his age, demonstrating the technique and the nice fluid action one hopes to achieve.
The speedball presentation was in two halves. Stuart Dempster spoke of the background of it and gave a brief talk about the concept and the effects it has on the body. He said the obvious - the only reason there’s no genuine scientific evidence is because no-one has gone to the trouble of actually testing it. BUT he spoke of the anecdotal evidence including testaments from Allan Wells and Frank Dick.
The second half was basically me giving an instruction on it and discussing my own experiences both as an athlete and a coach in a question & answer format.
I think (at least hope) Stuart was happy for me to answer the questions!
Just a very quick query.
Would the Wells chinnies, squats and push up circuit (minus the speed ball) be a good substitute for tempo when the latter is not an option for that day (e.g. time constraints, etc) or was it a little too intense to use for this purpose?
If you are well conditioned and use to exercises then a maintenance type program could substitute for tempo. It gets the heart rate up and if the circuit lasts 30 to 40 mins then it should have a similar cardio response to doing a normal tempo.
Better than doing nothing at all.
Several members of my squad still do a body circuit regularly - normally the day after a solid track session, as part of their recovery.
Thanks Youngy
And do you find that they recover well and are able to put in a high intensity training session the following day?
Yep, no problems.
We’re not talking big numbers that will have them going home tired & sore.
The numbers are kept at a reasonable level so they recover well enough overnight to be ready for a high intensity speed session.
Eg:
11/11/09 Wednesday some flying 50 tempo running, followed by circuits of bodyweight exercises.
12/11/09 Thursday: 3 x 60m spint trials about 6 to 8 mins apart. It was 39 degrees celsius in Adelaide yesterday.
Incidentally, it is 40 degrees on Saturday where quite a few of our squad are heading up to a pro meet in Whyalla, the gateway to the Australian outback. (about 360kms north of Adelaide). Meet starts at 6.00pm.
just to comment on circuits a la wells…I have in my squad 3 18-22 yo guys…late comers as they say…but I implemented a program centered on a circuit of high rep squat, push ups, sprinters sit ups and burpees. ( only recently added chin ups)…I’m amazed at the physical changes they underwent.
What do you mean? In terms of strength, conditioning or speed?