Im a pole vaulter (shock horror) and currently an example of the tempo session I’m doing is:
2x10x100m on a 100m straight with 10 press-ups at one end and 25 sit-ups at the other
(same as one mentioned in Vancouver '04 DVD)
I think 2km tempo is plenty, especially for a vaulter, 30m repeated sprints in a comp, so Im looking to add more upper body work in to make me expand on this session.
At one end of the straight is a high bar and parrallel bars, which i’m planning to use throughout the tempo either:
- to add on more general exercises, i.e. dips and pullups
or
2)I have some exercises that are more specific to vaulting that could be done instead
My first question is should I do the chins and dips, or the specific exercises? Is tempo the session to be doing specific work even though it is still under the low intensity banner or should I just keep it general?
And secondly, obviously I can’t do as many chins as I can pressups, is there a certain percentage of max to keep it under so it is low intensity? i.e. If max in one go is 12, do sets of 3? or is this just something to experiment with?
Obviously some quite pole vault specific stuff here but I hope someone with a better understanding of Mr Francis’ principles can help me.
Thanks
Paul
P.S. I can do more than 12 chins 
So long as the intensity is low you should be ok. E.g. if you are doing bodyweight and not going to fatiuge you should be alright.
In the weight room intensity is measured in relation to 1RM. You arn’t going to fry your CNS doing bodyweight stuff unless you are doing absolutely loads of them to fatigue (so you can’t do another).
How about muscle ups?
The question with specific work is do you want to practice technical stuff in a state of fatigue? My personal view is no.
Charlie, others?
I would go with more general elements of training on a tempo day, yes…
I wouldn’t go crazy with bodyweight exercises either; just keep your self occupied, if you want and keep in mind the rest of the gym work you are doing and its nature…
Hope it helps!
Nikoluski:
The reason I want to expand on the work I’m doing in my tempo sessions is because of the work in the gym.
I’m sure since i’ve been using press-ups as part of the tempo that it has actually helped my bench somewhat. As a vaulter my power should be mostly in my back, and this is why I want to add excercises like chins to see if I can get similar improvements.
TC:
I wouldn’t say the excercises I’m reffering to are technical in nature, just that the movement pattern, and thus muscle firing patterns, mimic the action of vaulting.
Muscle-ups as tempo would be something to aspire to but currently I can only do about 6-8 in a row on the high bar with good form, so this would be the equivalent of say a 100kg bench for me, which I wouldnt dream of utilising as tempo, so maybe a bit too High intensity at the moment but give me time ;).
Thanks for this so far, I also welcome any further input, e.g. on my distance used etc…
Looks like ill just experiment with reps and keep it general for the moment. Will post back my findings.
Cheers
Paul