hey guys, yesterday was the first day i incorporated tempo runs into my workout. i train monday, wednesday, friday and saturday and do tempo runs on tuesday and thursday. i do 5 sets of 3 reps of 100 yd runs with 30 sec between reps and 2 min btwn sets.
i did them on grass and also did them barefoot to focus on using proper form, good plantarflexion, high hips, light feet and getting a good “kick out” to emphasize hamstring functionality. now they were fairly easy when doing them, but when i got home about an hour after the runs, my calves ached like they never have before! they were real sore and fatigued.
this morning my calves feel better but my hips especially the abductors are noticeably sore. everything else feels fine, my hamstrings are not bad and neither are my calves.
just wondering if this means im doing something wrong, or what it is a result from. i mean i never get calf/hip soreness from doing a sprint workout.
I doubt it means anything other than you arn’t used to doing this workout. I would start with a lower volume say 600m and ramp it up to the full 1500m or whatever over say 3 weeks. This way you will probably avoid getting sore.
Remember, anytime you change your workout you will risk getting sore and tight. This is why it is important to train concurrently (all aspects at the same time) and simply raise and lower the volume and or intensity or a component as you focus on different aspects throught the season.
See the Forum Review 02 ebook for more info on this.
It sounds like you are probably focusing to much on the technical aspects of running. Try to just stay relaxed when doing tempo and see how that feels.
Yeah, were you focusing on knee lift by any chance?
Some people seem to love to run with excessivly high knees when doing slower runs (striding it out) - I guess because they feel that since it isn’t hard they should practice “perfect form” which seems to translate to exagerated mechanics.
A new workout and barefoot? No wonder everything was tight! As TC said, gradual progression…
Also, forget anything that has to do with technique while running tempo; your aim on the day is to recover -meaning relaxed running- and the rest are for the high intensity/track days (e.g., technique).
The tightness in your abductors might also simply be from running barefoot as well, as, along with the slower pace perhaps, those muscles are working as stabilisers and they are not used to this apparently.
For your calves, sprinting and tempo (with heel ground contact) are not exactly the same (i.e., soleus and plantar flexion, as its primary action).
thanks guys, so are yo u saying on tempo runs to allow my heel to make contact with the ground? i was under the assumption tempo runs were also used to practice perfect form (good planatar flexion, high hips m etc)
so next tim ei do them i should just rela x and not worry about form and let my heels hit the ground? as if iwas running say a mile run or something?
Your form in terms of arm action should be the same as sprinting (don’t go just waving them anywhere ) However, it needs to be fluid and relaxed and some people automatically start to look like machines when they run a lower velocity.
As for heel contacts i guess it depends how fast you are. I never even think about it but if you were a 10s guy you would be running 100s at around 13.5s pace - at this speed i doubt your heels would touch the ground significantly.
If you are running more like 12s we are talking 16.5s 100s which is still pretty hard to jog. Thats still a 66s 400m pace or a 4min24s mile!
Tempo running is shown on the GPP DVD, it is well worth the cash just to see what you should look like when running both speed and tempo. Not to mention the weight lifting demonstration and all the med ball work, power speed drills etc that is demonstrated.
yes please explain, i was under the impression when sprinting it is best to stay on the balls of your feet using good dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. isnt it inefficient to allow the heel to strike the ground?
when the foot lands the balls touches first due to it landing slightly ahead of COM.as the foot passes DBC the heel will come in brief contact withthe ground.
the only sorinters i have seen not touching the ground at all with the heel is carl lewis/marion jones.there maybe more but i have studied these athletes alot and noticed this
X-Man has good points since Mo made ground contact with his heals when he was tested at the nike lab. Marion did not though, but Charlie could perhaps explain.
) However, it needs to be fluid and relaxed and some people automatically start to look like machines when they run a lower velocity.