Ange,
Thanks for the input,
Yes I am doing the medball accelerations after the bike tempo as I am fully warmed up ,and thought it might be best, however, I could easily do them as part of the warm up.
I am in the early weeks of SPP and thought it might be wise to spread the load a bit as I have seen others do this in the early stages.
I do the bike tempo exactly off the download, which is great.
I am more than open to suggestions to change.
Thanks
Med ball accels go on speed days not tempo days generally as they need to be explosive, fresh and lively.
It’s not enough to just do it.
The reason I push so hard regarding regeneration to the point of sounding very annoying ( even for myself ) is you need to be fresh to perform. Even on tempo days.
Even tempo requires a readiness. Otherwise you are practicing something you wish not to practice or make permanent.
tell us why you want or think you need to be doing med ball accels on these days? ( spreading load? okay. I still would not do them on tempo days)
My recollection is almost 100 percent of the time on tempo days we had a shorter than normal warm up especially in summer when it was warmer and then we did tempo as best as we could. Grass was first pick, pool was rare and more normal if it was winter or injury time and bike was later in my career when my background on tempo and fitness was already in place.
Ben was dropped by yesterday. He wanted to know where I bought my med balls. All of our med balls came from one place in Quebec. A place there shipped them from Italy and they are the best med balls I’ve used. I can no longer find the supplier. There was no way I was going to lend him my fav med ball.
I was asking him how old he was when he first started coming over to the house. ( I continue to live here with my son). He said he was 15 years old. HE was telling me he was the young kid in the group and they would come over on Thursdays to EMS 1 x per week for about 5 weeks.
I lent him one of my 10 lbs med balls. I asked if he would return it if I called and said I needed it. He said yes. ( I am not certain I believe him).
I told him he would need to give me an interview on camera for the site if I call him to get my med ball back and he fails to deliver. He never answered me. Let’s see what happens. I want to hear some of his stories. It’s fun speaking to him about the beginning. Slightly sad too but mostly fun.
That would be intriguing indeed! 
Its been a while! Im currently helping a friend of mine back into competitive track…from reading the GPP material i always thought Medball accels were done on the Tempo days too. I’m kinda gutted i never knew this before as this would explain a lot of the tiredness and fatigue i had during the GPP phase! I know Charlie wasn’t one for cookie cutter programmes but it would nice to see how your GPP should be planned (what components on a particular day) and Angie you make a fantastic point about “its not enough just doing it”…I couldn’t agree anymore.
I got the idea about medball accelerations on tempo days from the GPP download and the clip that was posted on Great Britain 200m training. I do way less volume than the 2 x 8 for medball 1 and 2 , I only do 5-6 of each. Though I don’t do them ‘lively’ more as a technique run through.
Since following the GPP and SPP downloads with approx half the volume I have been uninjured and felt the best I have and also feel my training is finally geared towards a goal of running fast.
I am aware Charlie didn’t like cooki cutter programs ,however the GPPP AND SPP downloads are fantastic as a guide.
I really appreciate the comments and will implement changes . thanks
That would be awesome to hear some of his stories, so interesting.
thanks
Tuesday 11/8
1 x 20m-2.30 rec
2 x 20m push up start - 2.30rec
2 x 3 x 50m 20+… 3 mins/6.30 rec
3 x 30m running As
4 x 10 hurdle walkovers
Wednesday 12/8
weights
squats 3 x 5 x 130kg
incline press 2 x 5 x 80kd, 1 x 5 x 82.5kg
Deadlift 5 x 60kg, 5 x 80 kg, 5 x 90 kg, 5 x 100kg, 5 x 110kg (pb) I suck at deadlifts
seated row 2 x 8 x 65kg
shoulder press 2 x 8 x 45kg
Supine hamstring bridge 4 x 10
abs 30 sec on/30 secs off - 10 mins
mobility work
hot n cold shower
Felt quite strong today as this is my 7 week max strength phase at the start of the SPP, after that I will be doing maintenance weights only right up until Christmas.
In the beginning of GPP, I think one option would be to run the hills on Monday and Friday, and on Wednesday inbetween I like to sometimes do the med ball and either plyos/weights depending. Low volume. I’ve found it quite tolerable. You could then make Wednesday gradually increase in volume, it becomes speed and eventually swaps for a hill session (so then it becomes a higher volume of speed day and a hill day) and this might make a smoother transition to SPP for a 2 day HI program. I find it’s sometimes difficult to plan out progressions for a 2-HI program because you can’t isolate the work as much (ex, on a 3-HI you can have an accel session, an SE session, and a max v session - for a 2-HI you may just have a speed [accel+max v] and an SE session). Of course, in the GPP there’s not as much isolation as in SPP.
I see what you mean about getting the idea from the GPP and the GB 200m training template I put up.
Notice that the med ball stuff is before the tempo not after.
It’s not easy doing med ball jumps in those volumes on tempo days so you need to exercise excellent judgement.
From my experience building in judgement to a program once on paper virtually impossible.
EVERYONE wants to do the work according to what is on the paper.
Perhaps you have a coach to say STOP.
I am speaking from my own experience but I also operate from general principles and ideas and it’s a good idea to do this because you will cover a tremendous amount of ground by doing this.
When I feel great I always want to do more because at that moment I feel I can. This rule can’t apply to when I was training competitively. I had a coach to do that.
If you are attempting to improve your speed, I can’t emphasis enough the importance of quality of how you do everything. At the heart of the highest level of speed development, quality is everything. At least this is what I know for sure. This is what I learned.
I love coaching. There are some practical issues why I have not done more of it. But when I have coached I don’t take my eyes off the people I am coaching. It’s very hard work and very time consuming and energy consuming. I have said this before but this is also how I was taught. When you are making decisions about what to do for training it’s one idea but when you begin doing the work it WILL and should change. And generally it should not be changing with the idea of adding tons more work. Generally speaking it changes with taking something out or making an important adjustment regarding another exercise or altering distances
Here is another very important reason why routine regeneration is so very important. It’s not just something to help you work harder although I beg to hear from anyone why that would not be hugely desirable. I came across this the other day.
" An athlete who is receiving regular regeneration methods and treatments is able to increase the volume of high quality - high intensity work by as much as 40 percent" ( Page 61 " The Charlie Francis Training System " by Coach Charlie Francis)
Routine and consistent regeneration gives you the athlete every chance possible to repeat what you are learning as freshly as possible. There will always be residual load but you are presenting your best physical and neurological self for training every single day. That’s the ideal goal. There were many times especially early on when I was training that I was told to stop because I was not handling and digesting the work.I hated that but I could feel it. Consequently I got very good at doing all the things I could think of to ensure when training time came I was 110 percent ready. It was a game I enjoyed almost more than competing. I already knew how good I was. Competing is kinda another game all together.
I know the nay sayers might be thinking this is not science and you need to see a double blind study to prove a number like 40 percent.
Go get the scientist to do the study and get back to us. Meantime I will get started on what I know for sure.
40 percent is a gigantic number especially when you are looking to increase the volume of high quality intensity work.
This is not all about all the things a therapist can do for you either.
It’s about taking responsibility to get therapy done in as many ways on your own until you can do different.
Contrast baths done correctly regenerate the nervous system as well as a myriad of other side benefits. Resetting the nervous system after high intensity training is required to eventually work towards 3 HI sessions per week. You might never get there but you ought to try if you training for the long haul. Acupuncture also resets the nervous system but you need someone to preform this for you and this requires judgement to be done properly.
Thursday 13/8
4 x reverse overhead throw
6 x medball acceleration 1 and 2
full bike workout
Mobility work 15 mins
Hot n cold shower
I did the medball accelerations before the bike tempo for the first time at it certainly changed the focus of the session , with the main focus being on the accelerations and the bike tempo being secondary and more relaxed. i felt easier doing the medball without any extra effort.
Thanks for the tip Ange.
I am also trying to put a bigger emphasis on regeneration a sI have had a history of hamstring lower leg issues. so far it all has been good with the way the program is structured and a lighter volume of work.
Friday 14/8
Rest
Saturday 15/8
1 x 20m from high start - 4 mins rec
2 x 20m from push up start - 4 mins rec
6 mins rec
3 x 15E15F15E - 7 MINS REC
1 x 50m , 30+
weights
Squats - 3 x 5 x 135kg
Bench - 3 x 5 x102.5kg
Cleans 5x 3 x 55kg
Supine hamstring hip extension 4 x 10
Abs 30sec on/ 30 secs off for 10 mins
Mobility work for 15 mins
hot n cold shower.
Legs are starting to feel better after 3 weeks with the flu, cut two weight exercises from routine today to see how that makes me feel and will continue this for a couple of weeks to see if it freshens me up a bit.
Sunday 16/8
Bike tempo
low intensity medball
Mobility- 15 mins
Hot n Cold shower
Legs felt a little heavy during bike tempo but ok as I used it as recovery.
Flu hit me again for about ten days, haven’t done much consistent training for about six weeks.
Sat 29/8
2 X 2 x 20m from push up start- 2.5 mins rec
2 x 3 x 50m , 10+ 2.5 mins rec/6 mins rec
Incline bench 3 x 5 x 80kg
squat 3 x 5 x 120kg
deadlift 5 x 60kg, 5 x 80 kg, 5 x 90 kg, 5 x 100kg
Sunday 30/8
rest
Monday 31/8
medicine ball throws
4 x reverse over head
6 x acceleration1 & 2
bike tempo
TUESDAY 1/9
Felt really tired again so did not train
Wednesday 2/9
Squat 5 x 60, 5 x 80kg, 5 x 100kg, 5 x 120kg, 5 x 130kg
Bench 3 x 5 x 102.5kg
Deadlift 5 x 60kg, 5 x 80kg, 5 x 100kg, 5 x 105kg, 5 x 110kg
Shoulder press 2 x 10 x 40kg
chins 5, 6 , I suck at these
Supine hip ext 4 x 10
abs 30 /30 for 10 mins
mobility 15mins
Thursday 3/9
medicine ball throws
4 x reverse over head
6 x acceleration1 & 2
bike tempo
mobility 15 mins
Friday 4/9
Bike tempo
Have decided to cut back training from six days a week to five days a week and see if it freshens me up a bit. Am a bit nervous to be doing less training.
As a side note, I coached my schools junior 4 x 100m relay team to their first State championship today.
Saturday 5/9
1 x 20m -4 mins rec
2 x 20m pu start 4 mins rec
2 x 2 x 20m finish drill from 20m build up - 9 mins rec
1 x 50m 20+
Squat 3 x 5 x 130kg
bench 3 x 5 x 102.5kg
cleans 5 x 3 x 55kg
hams 4 x 10
abs 30/30
hot n cold shower
felt quite good today after a week of no running
Sunday 6/9
rest
Monday 7/9
medicine ball throws
4 x reverse over head
6 x acceleration1 & 2
bike tempo
mobility 15 mins
felt a bit stiff after and during the workout
Tuesday 8/9
1 x 20m 4 mins rec
2 x 30m from pu start 4.30 rec
2 x 50m, 30+ 7 mins rec
3 x 30m run As
4 x 10 hurdle walk overs.
Felt like shit today, legs were heavy and stiff. Pissed me off a bit, but live to fight another day.
Wednesday 9/9
Squat 3 x 5 x 140kg
Bench 3 x 5 x 105 kg
Power clean 5 x 3 x60kg
Shoulder press 2 x 8 x 50kg
chins 7, 6 , I suck at these
Supine hip ext 4 x 10
abs 30 /30 for 10 mins
mobility 15mins
Thurs
medicine ball throws
4 x reverse over head
6 x acceleration1 & 2
bike tempo
mobility 15 mins
Fri 11/9
Rest
Sat 12/9
1 x 20 - 4 mins rec
2 x 20 from push up start - 4 mins rec
2 x 20 m finish drill from 30m build up- 12 mins rec
2 x 50 m 40 + 12 mins rec
felt a bit tired warming up but came good and felt as though this was the quickest I had run sine coming back from the flu
weights
Squats 3 x 5 x 150kg pb
bench 2 x 5 x 105kg, 1 x 5 x 107kg
cleans 5 x 3 x 65kg
supine leg ext 4 x 10
abs 30/30
strong in the gym for me, this is the end of max strength phase will drop the weight down 10% on squats and cleans, keep bench as is, and increase the intensity of the speed runs gradually. I need to lose a bout 5kg and struggling to do this with low volume training, any ideas??
Sun 13/9
Rest
Mon 14/9
1 x 20m 4 mins rec
2 x 30m push up start 4 mins rec
2 x 50m 30 + 3.30 rec
10 mins rec
1 x 50 , 30 +
3 x 30m run As
4 x 10 hurdle walk overs
Trained on the track for the first time, felt quite awkward, was really tired from saturdays big session and in hindsight could have done a easy session. Usually do speed on Tuesdays, and will go back to this a swas not prepared.
Tuesday 15/9
medicine ball throws
4 x reverse over head
6 x acceleration1 & 2
bike tempo
mobility 15 mins
Still felt really tired today…need a good nights rest.
Notice you have had a few episodes of tiredness/flu and uncertainty over training 5 or 6 days per week. These can be indicators of overtraining, 5-6 days per week is a lot in the masters age range. Have you tried monitoring your resting heart rate, raised fluctuations are often an indicator of overtraining.
Although you are being careful about the hi/low intensity days the sheer volume of the weekly programme could be tiring your system. All of your days are proper sessions - not counting any easy 10 min jogs in your template !
Double sessions of speed + weights on the same day are efficient in terms of how hi days are placed in the week and ok if you are 25 but pretty tiring at age 50.
Have you considered a rolling 4 day programme that contains all of your key elements, limits each session to around 1 hour duration and enforces rest on day 4 ?
Day 1 = mobility (during warm up) + Speed + flexbility (during cool down).
Day 2 = Weights + abs
Day 3 = tempo + abs + med ball.
Day 4 = Rest. You could have a further Day 5 of rest to cut the overall number of training days to 3-5 days per week.
I wonder if you need to start some running tempo rather than only bike sessions. It`s more specific in terms of mechanics and if you do abs between the reps it may help you with the extra kgs you want to lose.
Appreciate the above contains hi on consecutive days 1 and 2 but gives your legs a rest between speed on D1 and tempo on D3.
If this sounds like an ageist rant, its not since I am even older then you !!