There was a mention about backing off every 3rd or 4th week with track work (or I believe there was). I know about doing this with weights, but how does that work with track work? Do you just half the volume or intensity of that training?
Or am I just imagining things, and this never happens in track training? Thanks for any help.
Depends on how you structure your workouts but you can simply run all the sprints at 95%, which is pretty easy. You may want to keep the volume up in order to maintain conditioning?
Well, I plan on following the short to long deal from that DVD for the upcoming “indoor season”. I would figure the low intensity (tempo) would deal with the conditioning and active recovery.
I think though you just try to do each run to the best of your ability, of course staying relaxed and having good form. So, let say someone is running the best they can for that time, should one back off on the fourth week, or just keep training during the high intensity days to the highest ability they can for that day througout the season?
If you don’t cut the intensity then you will just have a bad week anyway some point around weeks 4-5. Also realise that all the time your times will be increasing so even backing off a bit you will probably run similar times to what you did in week 1.
To put your question on its head. If you don’t back off what will be the result? Will backing off hurt your performance long term? People are scared of taking it easy but trust me it really helps long term.
Tc,
How would you “unload speed work”? I remeber you posting some week table with intensities before 2-3months!
I belive you would cut the intensity to 95% and reduce volume? What would be the best time for this — when peaking in strenght workouts (ME work) or allong with strenght unload period? Thanks
— I will just check Charlies Vertical integration graph
Ok, so what does everyone agree with? Charlie, could you put your input in if you wouldn’t mind?
Well I routinely plan to cut intensity every 4 weeks. But if they look flat or you want to go for PRs in the gym some way through the Max strength phase then you can also cut the intensity on the track to allow this.
When coming into the final taper having a week of submaximal work before the stimulus session 10 days out also seems to work very well.
Comach, By the way these are CFs recommendations to me and they worked very well this year. Perhaps this is why he hasn’t chimed in?
Its all good tc. I just saw a difference in ideas, but if that is true, then I have my answer. Thank you for the help, wasn’t trying to disrespect you or anything.
But, quesiton about the above statement. For me, I unload my weights on the 4th week. This would coincide with the unloading on the track. Is this what you want, or do you want to peak in weights when you back off on the track? I think that is what you are saying in the above, but am not sure.
Excellent thread question. I will take a quick look at my notes.
In Charlie’s Vertical Integratio Graph, I didn’t see any larger fluctuations in volume of speed work (except in taper) — so I guess to unload speed we should: cut the intensity to 95% and slighty cut the volume.
To unload strenght work, cut the intensity slighty and cut the volume more.
How to fit strenght unload and speed unload? Should they coincide or to be in “phase shift”?
I am more for option A during the GPP and SPP (unload the whole system), but during the taper, I would switch strenght to maintenance, cut the volume of speed but intensify the sessions to use “a strenght base for power increase”. I would maybe decrease the speed to 95% of first week of strenght maintenance! What do you think?
I wouldn’t consider unloading both in the same week a necessity and even more so in the early stages of training, when strength gains are needed. The latter can be easier achieved on an easy track week. In any case, overall it would still be “unloading” for the individual. Later on perhaps you can’t afford to do this, as you need all you have for your number one priority. Besides, you may not need to plan it in such a way anyway, since you should be in the maintenance phase by then.
In the 2003 seminar on pg 19 I believe in the short to long graph the intensity limit goes from 50 + m in week 7 to 40 + m in week 8. I believe week 8 is the regeneration week. You can see the same thing in week 12 were the intensity limit in week 11 was 60 + m and in week 12 it goes to 50 + m. I can’t explain weeks 1-7. So it is the intensity limit that is lowered during a regeneration week to allow for supercompensation. Notice that overall speed volume is reduced from week 6-12 so the overall speed volume is being reduced for those 7 weeks. In weeks 7 and 11 (pg 10) MxS Volume goes down (and IMO Intensity should also go down) and at the same time the FC (footcontacts) in the Plyo’s go up. Now I believe the intensity limit should go down in conjunction with MxS going down; in other woods, the MxS and Speed work have the same recovery/regeneration week. However, the seminar notes with the 2 different graph pages I have discussed might be 2 different plans or for 2 different athletes or just human error.
I could be wrong but this is my take/guess on the subject.
That’s why you should BUY THE DVD!
That’s why you should BUY THE DVD!
They don’t seem to be selling Vancouver 2003 anymore.