I have done a search regarding sled/tyre pulling, because I have heard both good and bad things about it. I am at university training under the supervision of a coach, but I am using a program from a different coach. Simon, who sets my program has tyre pulling sessions included weekly over a short distance (e.g. 3x6x20m), yet Darryl, the coach supervising me is not sure about this. Simon sets the session in order to get correct shin and body angles over the first part of the race. Darryl however argues that it increases contact time and therefore gives negative biomechanical and neuralogical adaptations. I can see both the positives and negatives. However I can see the positives more I think. If the towing was lasting over say 50m, I can see why there would be negative adaptions, because a forward lean that is rather extreme would be encouraged for too long. Thoughts???
If distances are kept <30 m, GCT is not as important as during top speed.
Having said that, using appropriate resistance is of great importance!
Hope this helps!
Good luck!
Thanks for your input, what you’re saying makes sense. I would probably use between 10 and 20kg on the sled. I am 185cm and 85kg. I have cleaned 90kg, just to try and give you an indication of my size and strength so you could judge whether the resistance I would use sounds about right??
I have no idea from these data!
It’s actually much simpler than that; the difference between flat-30 m time (or whatever the distance) and sled-30 m time should not be greater than 10% (C.F.)
It doesn’t have to be heavy! What you are posting actually might be a lot…
Hope it helps!
Ok cool, thanks. We’re talking going very light then. Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
we have done sled-work for distances of 30m or less, weighting the sleds usually not more than 10 lbs plus the weight of the sled itself, which is pretty heavy. I don’t think the guys added more than 20 or 25 lbs on top of the weight of the sled at any point. Closer to competition season we reduced the weight even further, although i’m not sure this type of work should have a place in comp phase at all.
Nik is right, it doesn’t have to be too heavy.
Would something like sled pulling be done during GPP, or pre-comp phase? :o
Perhaps in GPP, if, for example, hills are not available; you have to be really carefull, however, for good mechanics. I would try and avoid it during GPP, as strength levels are also down.
You can fully implemented it later on and in fact in cobinations with flat running -progressively, that is…
I have always had positive results with sleds. Or lets say tyre pulls. I pull a tyre with a shotput in it. It totals to about 10kg ( 22lbs). It has improved my starts over time and I’ve always done personal bests when I use it. The thing is that I used to do 30s 40s 50s and even 60s on some occassions. The sum of my work was between 30s and 50s in GPP and SPP but then went to doing very fast 20s ( close to my track times )in the Precompetition phase. I believe no one should miss it.
When you said you were doing very fast 20s, did you mean you were still using the tyre for these? Just curious, because I have seen sessions before, where the tyre or sled is used at the beginning, and then it is removed giving the sensation of running faster, and I guess applying the body angles etc you have just been trying to learn.
I suppose you could do that as a “contrast” effect; just make the transition to normal running as smooth as possible through the weeks (e.g., number of intervals).