Spikes

Is it a good idea to train for speed in spikes on the track right from the start of a sprinting season/career?

I plan on doing a GPP as laid out in “GPP Essentials” and then transitioning to an SPP based on what I’ve gleaned from the other products and forums.

My sense is that I should spend a couple of months or so doing sprints in sneakers in order to prepare my body for the demands of something as ballistic as sprinting before making it even more exlosive (and dangerous) by putting spikes on.

I’ve read through the threads on grass training and understand how it can be used for tempo (apparently always) and speed development but still think running in sneakers would be a good place to start for someone who hasn’t done an all out sprint for some time.

Thoughts?

If you follow the GPP plan you will not be going straight to spikes anyway and I would suggest doing the tempo on grass barefoot as that will help.

Thanks for the feedback.
I was doing the hills in sneakers but figured the 10-30m acceleration work would be done in long spikes on grass. I didn’t notice the issue of footwear specifically addressed in the video (maybe I missed it?).

I’ve also been doing the tempo in sneakers. What would be the advantage to barefoot? I imagine it would be pretty impractical to check the entire length of the football field for sharp objects.

Barefoot tempo helps strengthen the feet and ankle area. Re checking for sharp items, it’s just a matter of a walk up and back.

This is the first GPP I’ve done soley on grass (i’m 5 weeks in) Hills - Grass, spikes. Tempo - Grass, bare foot. My whole lower leg is getting some great conditioning, and this is the first GPP with no shin pain :eek:D (touch wood).

On the subject of spikes. I’m not a fan of doing preperation in straight sprint spikes as they have little support or cushioning. I use jump spikes for prep, with the odd time trial in sprint spikes. When it comes to competition, on go the sprint spikes :cool:

Interesting about the barefoot running.

Nobody thinks much about running on a track in sneakers I take it.

Is it generally recommended that an athlete with no access to massage, etc. stick to two high intensity days as opposed to three (talking mostly about SPP, understanding that some of the hill days in GPP aren’t really as high intensity as 100% sprints in spikes on a track)?

If an athlete has high tolerance for high volume, high intesity work in the weight room will he generally have a similarly high tolerance for high intensity speed training?

Trainers have a raised heel and therefore effect your mechanics.

There is no reason not to use three HI days just becuase you don’t have access to massage. You can still use contrast therapy, foam roll, strething and just monitor the volume of each session.

Yeah I was leaning toward three HI days…guess I’m just a little paranoid about tearing a muscle or something.

In one of Charlie’s documents (Structure of Training for Speed? and at the end of 02 Forum Review), he presents a three HI day schedule and a two HI day schedule with the Wednesday workout (of the 3 HI schedule) being Special Endurance of 2-3 x 250 meters.

What would this workout look like for a 60-100 meter sprinter? I’m guessing the 250 meter distance is better suited for someone preparing for 100-200 comp.

It depends on what part of the year you are in, and whether you are following a long-short, or short-long scheme.

The SPP immediately following GPP (suppose this would coincide with indoor races) and short-long.