to fix the problem properly I need to be sure of the cause. if I drop the squats and they get better then I know what it is that needs to be solved. if I drop the squats and nothing changes then it’s back to the drawing board and I resume squatting…
monday
weights
db squat 3:10 24kg
db clean 3:10 24kg
overhead press 2:6 24kg
db curl 2:10 6kg
wednesday
warm up
10x30m (60-80%)
3x50m (75%)
masters comp
200m 1st, 26.14s (h)
60m 1st, 7.74s (h)
thursday
weights
front squat 3:5 30kg
oh press 3:5 14kg
db curls 3:5 14kg
leg extension 3:5 40kg
front squat 3:5 30kg (5s pause)
I’ve recovered really well after my runs last night, which is fantastic news. also, didn’t really feel too bad in the ankles/calves once I had warmed up. I changed a couple more things about my position in the blocks and I felt like I came out pretty well. I’m finally starting to get happier with my start. interestingly enough, that coincides with me doing a few cleans over the last week.
slept quite a bit today and had a light weights session. I’ve decided to replace the full squat with a front squat, pausing for 5s at the bottom to further engage the glutes and hams. also, I’ve added the oh press to build up shoulder strength in anticipation of hitting the snatch later on in the season…
sunday
warm up
10x30m
2x60m
speed
2xf20
1x30m (4.65s fm)
2x60m (8.13s, 8.23s fm)
too wet on the grass to use the sled, this morning. pretty cold, too.
didn’t feel all that sharp this morning. I’ve been pretty disciplined with my sleep for a few weeks, now, but last night I stayed up too late again. pretty dumb considering I had training in the morning followed by a concert in the afternoon. sometimes I find that the tireder I get the harder it is to make smart choices. plus, I’ve had a few things on my mind lately.
before each of my sprints I kept telling myself to go for height with hips and hands, but as soon as I got out of the blocks I just forgot and ran like an idiot :rolleyes: .
my right arm is still terrible. going to have to work on that…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAvjATGSW2E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSOZeXIwbkc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHXPpEWnlm0
I recognize myself when reading this. But it gets better it just takes time.
human nature, I guess… 
monday
weights
cleans 2:6 30kg
snatch 1:6 30kg
squat snatch* 1:6, 1:3 30kg
leg extension 3:10 40kg
db squat (5s pause) 3:10 14kg
oh press 3:10 7kg
curls 3:10 7kg
*squat snatch - I don’t know if there’s a name for this already, but basically it’s a front squat with a 5s pause at parallel, followed by an explosive movement upwards, launching the bar overhead.
really good session. I felt like it was quite well balanced and I was pleasantly fatigued at the end. it seems like the pause at the bottom of my squats is really hitting the glutes and hams, even better than the full squats I was doing previously. at the moment I think that the combination of relatively light weights (about 50% of bodyweight) in faster compound movements and isometric holds is working well for me. going heavy just seems to aggravate my back/ham problems, and history has shown (ie. my training journal ) that it hasn’t really helped me run much faster. in contrast, clean and snatch sessions seem to precede some of my better times.
I guess 500 pound squats prior to racing isn’t for everyone… 
tuesday
warm up
800m
tempo
2x200m (36s, 37s)
stretching
1x200m (35s)
a bit tight in the hammies today, surprise surprise :rolleyes: . had some cupping treatment (mostly preventative) on my left ham/glute and right quad, but still not 100%. I’ll be fine in 24hrs, though…
wednesday
weights
cleans 3:6 30kg
snatch 3:3 30kg
friday
weights
cleans 2:6 30kg
snatch 2:3 30kg
squat snatch 2:3 30kg
leg extension 3:10 40kg
overhead press 3:10 7kg
curls 3:10 7kg
in order to manage an old and lingering niggle, I’ve lately been strapping my left wrist with a bandage when lifting overhead. I’m pleased to report that it’s been working a trwat, so I may even consider resuming my efforts on the bench press at some time in the future, should I ever feel the need.
was hoping to hit the track in the last few days, but it’s been rainnig a fair amount, and I was probably better off having a rest, anyway. school’s been wearing me out quite a bit, lately. fortunately, today was the last day of term, so I’ll be able to gther some strength for a few weeks. more good news is that, apart from a musical that I am conducting, I won’t be nearly as busy as I have been in the first half of the year… 
sunday
tempo
800m warm up (4min)
2x200m (32.75s, 33.31s)
8min rest
2x200m (32.42s, 33.07s)
I was particularly pleased with this session for a number of reasons. firstly, I really had to push myself, and not just on the track. I was extremely tired a bit tight in the hips from having just done a 2.5hr concert.also, it has been pretty cold and raining today, but I’m not going to let that stop me unless it’s pouring. so wrenching myself from the couch to get going was a big mental effort.
this was a fairly tough session I planned for myself, because my body is totally crap an dealing with lactic acid, and the goal tonight was to make myself feel sick afterwards. and I did .
I was intending to do 6x200m at 35s, but I went a lot faster than I intended. the more I relaxed and concentrated on technique, the faster I seemed to go. funny, that :rolleyes: . in particular, I concentrated on placing my feet directly under my bum to avoid overstriding in the home straight. I’ve got a bit of a reaching habit to overcome. I was pretty tight in the hammies to start with, but the tension just left me more I ran.
all in all, a pretty satisfying little outing.
now I’ve just got to force some dinner in me…
monday
afternoon recovery session
840m (270s)
2x420 (120s, 120s)
evening weights
cleans 3:3 30kg
snatch 3:3 30kg
squat snatch 3:3 30kg
tuesday
warm up
800m
tempo
3x150m (24s, 24s, 22s)
recovery session worked well for me. I was reasonably tight to start with, but felt nice and loose by the end. took the tempo a bit quicker this evening. in fact, I’ve bumped up most of my track work, of late. faster, further and more frequently…
thursday
warm up
480m 120s
tempo
2x240m (38s, 35s)
a freezing sydney evening, and too soon after dinner.
took the second one out fairly hard and died over the last 30m. but I guess that’s what this is all about - finishing strength. I managed to achieve that lactic gut at the end, so that’s another mission accomplished. I should be pretty confident of being able to pb in the 200m pretty early on in the season if I keep up this sort of training. then again, I’ll probably pb even if I don’t!!
how long between 200’s? Pleasing to see things tracking well for you.
I walked back to the start, waited about 30s then went again. so the rest periods aren’t short, but I’m still pretty unfit at this point. they’ll get shorter as I get fitter…
saturday
weights
session 1
db cleans 3:10 25kg
db squat snatch 1:6, 1:5 25kg
session 2
db cleans 3:6 25kg
db squat snatch 2:5 25kg
I’m really looking forward to next season. can’t wait for it to start, even though it’s about 3 and a half months away! things have been going pretty well for me, so far. I’ve been able to find solutions to a lot of long term problems, and I just keep learning more and more. I still haven’t quite hit the off-season target times that I set myself, but that’s cool. I’m only a little over halfway through the off-season period…
that is really good, I hope it keeps going well.
When you put session 1 and session 2 was that am and pm? 
afternoon and evening. I got interrupted during the first session, so I came back later annd had another shot…
monday
Am “recovery” session
960m (4:30)
2x480m (2min, 2min)
PM tempo
480m warm up (2:10)
2x240m (41, 42)
240m (37)
had a cold and felt crummy and tight for a few days, hence the recovery session to loosen up. ran my 240’s into a strong wind, but couldn’t change direction because it was dark and I couldn’t see the lane from the other angle…
Sunday
speed endurance
warm up
80m: 10.18s
100m: 12.4s
120m: 15.1s
good session. effectively ran a pb in the 100m.
Monday
weights
cleans 1:6 40kg, 3:4 55kg
shoulder raise 1:10 8kg, 3:4 12.5kg
curls 1:10 8kg, 3:4 12.5kg
in brisbane as assistant coach to the soccer team.
Tuesday
weights
lat pull downm3:10 40kg
cleans 1:6 40kg
Wednesday
recovery
10min jog
5min stretch
10min jog
push ups 3:10
light session to loosen up the players.
Thursday/Friday
push ups 3:10
soccer training assistance
Sunday
weights
cleans 1:6 30kg, 1:6 50kg
deadlift+ 1:6 70kg, 1:3 70kg
cleans 1:3 50kg
snatch 1:6 30kg
sq pwr sn 3:3 30kg
leg extension 3:10 40kg
Monday
weights
curls 4:12 8kg
shoulder press 4:12 8kg
push ups 4:12
Tuesday
weighted march 4:25steps 30kg
sq sn (uni) 1:3each 30kg
front squat 2:10 30kg
leg extension 2:12 40kg
too wet to run.
Wednesday
tempo
840m 4:30
2x150m (24.87, 24.87)
420m 2:30
sick with a cold. really low energy.
Monday
weights (session 1)
db squat 4:12 10kg
curls 4:12 5kg
shoulder raise 4:12 5kg
push ups 3:12
weights (session 2)
db squat 3:6 20kg
curls 3:6 10kg
shoulder raise 3:6 10kg
Tuesday
weights
cleans 1:6 30kg, 1:3 50kg
deadlift+ 10:1 70kg
squat 1:10 30kg
sq pwr sn 2:3 30kg
Wednesday
speed
warm up
2x20m
2x20m race
2x30m race
training with stormbikes.
Thursday
deadlift 2:3 30, 2:3 50kg, 2:3 70kg, 2:3 80kg
leg extension 3:12 40kg, 1:10 50kg
Friday
plyos
420m
single leg jump off box 2:6
hurdle jump 2:6
double hurdle jump 1:6
track session interrupted. turned into a plyo session…
sunday
10x10m block starts
monday
plyos
single leg jump off box 2:6
hurdle jumps 2:6
double hurdle jumps 2:6
weights
deadlift 1:10 30kg, 1:6 50kg, 3:3 70kg
leg ext 4:12 40kg, 1:6 50kg, 1:6 60kg
looking back on my journal over the last few weeks, I can see that my routine has been thrown off since I went to bris and most of my sessions have been pretty jumbled. I guess this is a result of freezing cold and wet weather, soggy wet tracks, and a weeks worth of sniffles . I’ve also been doing a lot of after hours work on the musical I am involved with. one positive observation is that I have at least done some form of training on nearly every day.
to compensate for my lack of track I have been great of weight. it’s interesting to note that history suggests that weight training brings me greater improvement to my times than running does. I guess that my tragic lack of strength must be more of an impediment to my speed than I realised. anyway, they say that if it looks right it flies right, and I have been starting to look more right than I have done for many years.
I videoed a few of my starts the other day and I was appalled. I have made further and final alterations to my starting position, so the movements an kind of the reverse of what I’m used to. that’s my excuse and it’s sticking to me! at least I noticed that there was a gret improvement when I stopped concentrating on my feet and shifted focus to my arms.
oh, and I made final table at my local poker tournament the other night! at least I can do one thing well… :o
tuesday
calf raises 5:10 20kg
single leg calf raise 3:6 20kg
wednesday
weights
curls 2:12 5kg, 4:6 10kg
shoulder raise 2:12 5kg, 4:6 10kg
thursday
plyos
single leg jump 1:6
hurdle jump 1:6
2 hurdle jump 1:6
weights
deadlift 1:10 30kg, 1:6 50kg, 2:3 70kg, 2:3 80kg
leg extension 3:12 40kg
sunday
speed
10m block starts 2:6, 1:3
weights
deadlift 2:3 50kg, 2:3 70kg, 2:3 90kg
leg extension 4:12 40kg
been working a bit on my block technique and it appears to be coming along in leaps and bounds (literally ). been doing a bit of work on ankle strength and stability to reduce the ‘give’ that I am getting on each footfall. also appears to be working.
fingers crossed that the weather starts to clear up a bit this week, because I really want to get back out on the track and start to work on my tempo and speed endurance. I think there’s something like 10 weeks to go before the season starts and I want to be as close to 12 flat as I can get for the opener…
tuesday
plyos
single leg box jump 1:10
hurdle jump 3:10
double hurdle jump 1:10
wednesday
weights
curls 4:12 5kg
shoulder raise 4:12 5kg
rev flyes 4:12 2.5kg
thursday
plyos
step down hurdle jumps
- knee high, progressively higher until belly button high
*2x3:10, 3:6, 10x1:3
pilates
glute activation exercises
*sets of 20
still been pretty cold and wet and I’ve still been overworked and underpaid. I feel as though I have been on the verge of getting sick for several weeks and have tried my best to avoid the cold by doing indoor training or wearing several layers and rugging up between sets. the last thing I need now is to get another cold.
that being said, I feel as though I have been making reasonable progress with my strength and starting technique. I have about 2.5 months before the season starts, so that will probably give me a good 6 weeks to pile on the tempo and speed endurance training…