short sprint rookie problems

Expert Discussion Advanced Sprint Training
1

Hi everyone. I’m a first time poster for training matters, but I’ve read and appreciated the information from everyone in this community for a year or so. To give you a good idea of what tools I am working with, here are my stats:

5’6" 178 lbs. Japanese/Anglo mix., 21 yrs. old in college
285 squat, 375 deadlift, 205 front squat, 225 bench.

60m: 7.45
100m: 11.9
200m: 25.75

I would like honest input into this program that I put together a few months ago.

Day One: warmup
acceleration (flying 30’s or starts thru 45m)
plyos- box work, bounds, jumps
weightroom- power cleans 3X3-5 (vary sets periodically)
push press 3X5

Day Two: warmup
tempo (100m X 6 at 75%, 1 min. rest)
abs

Day Three: rest

Day Four: warmup
starts thru 70m
weightroom- squats (olympic or traditional)
deadlift
stiff-legged deadlift

Day Five: warmup
tempo (100m X 5 at 85%, 1.5 min. rest)
weightroom- barbell rows/pullups
dips/bench press
bicep/shoulder dumbbell work
abs

Day Six: light activity/rest

Day Seven: rest

I have had problems recovering, but I’m not sure if it is due to inexperience and errors that I made in training, or if it is the training frequency. I’d like some input from you fellas regarding this problem.

I found that I have some weakness in the outside of my right knee after running tempo. Has anyone suffered from this? I do have shin splints that sometimes make every step hard to make when walking back to the start line. What should I do to rehab this knee and these splints? People I have asked tell me to rest it, but it seems to come back regardless.

Finally, the head track coach told me that I’m not stepping over “enough.” I believe this may be causing the excess shock to my knees and the splints. I know what stepping over should feel like, but when I accelerate, my foot isn’t striking correctly. I plod instead of making minimal contact. I believe it is due to a lack of hamstring flexibility, so what particular stretches/warmups should I look to as a remedy for this? And what can I do to help stimulate stepping over?

Thank you for reading all of this, and will listen to every reply, for I want to perform the best that I can.

2

cut back on your weights volume, you dont need to do deadlifts, they crush your CNS, and wheres your max V work? you whole thing is acc…and your SE work? Also Id drop the stiff legged deadlifts, stick to something more simpliefied, and maybe do weights only two days a week, ie pwr clean, squat, unilateral(if you want) and then bench, row, mayb a tricep move, an a pull up or chin up, and what do you do for Ab work?

3

I actually have little experience with making a sprint program, so I don’t know what constitutes speed endurance and max velocity work. The ab work includes med ball training, weighted crunches/situps, leg raises.

4

numba56: 70 meter runs and flying 30’s aren’t MaxV work?

torpitamike: Your program looks solid, but you’ll have to be more specific with volumes. Also I suspect you’re doing your tempos too fast if you can only manage 5-600 meters worth. How fast are you doing your tempos (times)?

5

See, I’m not sure what intensity those tempo runs should be, taking into account my weight training and velocity/speed schedule.

6

An underlying problem I’ve run into is deciding what is important in the schedule, either A) tapering intensity into the weekend, B) increasing intensity on heavy weight training days, or C) mixing all the variables.

It’s quite confusing, because I’m new to this as is my body, so I’m not sure what works yet.

7

yes they are, i meant he doesnt have them sep. specific days, he does both max V and acc on the same day, and theres no SE

8

The bounding is likely doing you no favors with your knee pain, and is not true plyometric training. I don’t see why you couldn’t drop it.
Also, since you’re doing pullups, I don’t see need to do direct bicep or shoulder work. That takes up time and focus you should devote elsewhere.

9

Tamike, 1st, sorry about my poor gramar…
Well, your “training program” and your Physical conditions are similar to me, including knee and shin issues.
First i have to say to you: Rest is very important at this time of your “career”.
I´ll sugest some changes ok, be free to ask me why.

  • Change 1: Rests between tempo; you could take 2 minutes or more ( 1 minute sounds lactic train not tempo train )
    You have to perform your 100m tempo reps over 16.0s considering your PB is near 12.0s.
  • Try to do Plyo´s separate from Speed or ACC days, at the beggining at least, as you have almost 3 days of rest ( day 3, 6 and 7 ) you could do PLyo´s in on of this days.
  • Your Weights are high for a fresh guy, congs for you !! How long are you train ?
  • Your ACC sessions sounds like Speed Work too right ? I mean, you run some distance at max velocity…

You said that you have had problems with recovery, i say it´s very common at this stage, don´t worry about this.

Are you taking any suplementation ? Protein, aminos, creatine ?

Regards,

10

Thanks for the input Garry and Flying.

Flying, I have a question about lactic training. Should this be done often and is it crucial to do this early on in training? Thanks for clearing up the issue of tempo work.

Garry, the bounds are tough on the knees. I just figure that all the explosive work should be done together as to maximize the amount of rest for the remainder of the week’s activity. You say that it shouldn’t be done, so what plyo activities do you suggest? Anything new is a welcome change.

11

I’ve been training for 3 heavy years in traditional bodybuilding and powerlifting schemes. I’ve never been that strong in comparison to my bodyweight, but that is changing due to sprint training. I’ve found that the poundages are easier after all the explosive work I have done in the last 2.5 months.

I don’t take supplementation other than a multi-vitamin, I just eat plenty of lean meat and clean food. I’m considering supplementing with protein, but I would have to find one that doesn’t contain extra sugars and gums, I increase weight quite easily.

Flying, what’s the distinction between max velocity and speed endurance work? Would running speed endurance also give you max velocity work?

12

for your recovery problem try the autoreg system used by DB Hammer. some may not like his training methods but the autoreg system is great for controling training volume. Search threads under DB Hammer.

13

Tamike,
we´re talking about 60m and 100m right ? ( maybe 200m )
So, i guess you don´t need often lactic train to run fast ( sprint ),
i have a lot of friends running 400m and they need this often.
I´ve heard that most of sprinters don´t do this often.

Max V and Speed Endurance are like Water and Wine.
Max V works are performed to enhance your top speed, you could work this twice a week ( look some threads about Max V, generally performed 20m and 30m flying, or in&outs = 20m fast + 20m easy + 20m fast with totaly recovery between reps ).

Speed Endurance help last 30, 20m in 100m races, ( help last 40m for begginers )
are performed between 85% and 95% of your PB for the distances,
1 session could be 2x150m or 3x120m again with totaly recovery ( if you need 10 minutes, don´t worry, take those 10 minutes !! ).

14

I disagree with you Flying, about the 100’s. If it’s intensive tempo, then maybe, but for extensive tempo I wouldn’t go higher than 45s rest intervals (which will likely mean a slower pace overall).

15

Ok Alex,
you´re right about this,
but i´m talking about 5th day training, where Tamike is running at 85%, so, it´s a Intensive Tempo, better he take more than 1.5 minute between reps.

Tamike, could you tell us if the times in your 5th day is around 14.0s ? ( 100m Tempo day )

Tks

16

The tempo times on the 5th day are close to 14s early on, but increase to 14.5+ when I get to the 4th or 5th 100. I can’t seem to keep up the pace because shooting pain runs up my right leg and it’s hard to walk correctly back to the start. I don’t have a partner, so I time it with a watch myself.

17

Ok, don´t worry about self times crono…i believe most of the athletes “breast” this at the beggining of a career.