I know this probably has been discussed before but is sled work really more intense then hill work? I think it should depend on the grade of the hill and weight of the sled, if the hill grade is 4-6% and the sled is 5-15lbs, would the sled be anymore intense then the hill and should total volume be decreased?
i don’t see why it should be. Sled work is useful inddors or when you need spikes on the track- which is for very modest levels of resistance.
What if you are using the sleds instead of hills for gpp work, sled weight is 5-15lbs done on field turf in trainers; should we reduce the vol even more from the graphs since the sled could be more intense then hills?
Your volume should be dictated by the individuals Posture during the reps. ie, once they start loosing form - time to cut
some might handle hills better? and vice versa.
5lbs might be a touch light maybe? I found, with a very low level small female that 5kg, or 12lbs was about right to get the Angles through the hip as shown on the dvd’s - any lighter and she was bent over too much - same with hills, i found for lower level “such as beginners and very weak” that the steeper hills were needed to get the angles.
As one gets stronger, you can drop the angle of the hill or lighten up the load on the sled.
Remember, the purpose of the hills or sled is to simply mimic the correct action of a start - all straight lines. Once the lines disappear, then session stops, or set. Or simply stop at them chart Volumes on the graphs you have.
If you have a group, and can do that successfully with the individuals, then they will see you know your stuff, and will be happy to keep coming back to you with $$ in their hands.
I know there are coaches on the forum that use 5-15lbs because they are trying to stay within the 10% rule.
on long term athletes - who are strong, that would be case - they dont really need much resistance or hill gradient to get the required angles.
Rank beginners - are totally different. Sometimes with them, explosive med ball throws might be the only option for a number of weeks before they can even do - hills or sleds…
Im only mentioning rank beginners as i know your into coaching, i take it your applying this to them?
I have some clients, who just have no strength or power or flexability at all. 4 wks it can take, even longer for some to just do a roll back onto shoulders up onto feet to a squat throw n chase. 3 wks we spent breaking that exercise down to smaller and smaller parts until they mastered them, and progressed from there. So for some, it was 4 wks before i felt it Safe for them to tackle hill work or sled work. Then, you need to find the right weight and or hill gradient to achieve them correct angles. Im more interested in teaching correct lines of power and movement than just saying “reduce 10%”. Its harder, but the results are better and more longer term.
As cf said in one dvd - with deep angles and straight lines high speed happens.
hope it helps?