Hey, i am now lifting weights with my track team on a regular basis and he wants me to do ham curls and calf raises with the leg press machine with the rest of the workout. But i have read in these forums that you shouldn’t do any calf work outside of sprinting and that ham curls are too specific or something. Anyway, i don’t wanna tell my coach that i dont wanna do his workout becuz it will insult him, are these exercises really that bad for a sprinter?
Yes. are you doing more complex leg exercises such as the squat? Try to do other movements that have been covered in previous threads, including straight leg deadlifts, glute-ham raises, etc.
I agree with dlive about the calf work. I used to do a lot early on in my sprint training and found they were always tight and sore. I found shin splints to be a hinderence as well. Not sure if the two are related though.
As for ham curls, when I had popliteus tendonitis I found these were a big help in recovering from that but I don’t tend to do them anymore.
I rely on squats and cleans now for most of my hamstring work as well as some butt lift evercises with a fit-ball. These are really good for core stabilisation as well. ie u don’t use your core to brace, you fall off the ball.!!
well yeah, of course i do the ‘complex’ leg exercises such as squat and deadlift, although i wouldnt call them complex 
What we tend to do in one week as far as weights is:
day 1: bench, full squat, incline bench, leg press, hams/calves, abs
day 2: seated row, lat pulldown, back raises
day 3: off
day 4: cleans, military press, front squats, calves/hams
day 5: off
day 6: same as day 1
day 7: off
What i’m most concerned about is if the ham curls and calf raises will be detrimental to my speed. I want to know if it is worth having my coach feel insulted to not do these exercises. I don’t think so, unless the calf raises and ham curls are extremely bad for sprinting?
Also, since there seems to be some quick responses today i might as well ask what you think of this week’s track workout for a general preparation phase:
day 1: 3x600, 5x100
day 2: 8x200
day 3: recovery day: plyos, hurdles
day 4: 5x400
day 5: 10x100
day 6: Pool workout
day 7: off
That’s what we did, is that good for this phase of training?
btw day 5, the 10x100, 5 of them we’re in spikes for speed training i guess as well as the warm up strides
What intensity are your runs at, and what distance do you compete at?
Originally posted by jules
I agree with dlive about the calf work. I used to do a lot early on in my sprint training and found they were always tight and sore. I found shin splints to be a hinderence as well. Not sure if the two are related though.
In my belief, they are. I feel if you train your clves consistently, without doing any corresponding shin work, your going to develp shin splints. You can do toe raises to help the shin splints though.
Track man,
GPP for what distance? 800m?
GPP for the 400m
btw, i have another question, when you are running, is the leg supposed to land straight or bent? Cuz if it’s straight, then aren’t you already in triple extension when you land? How can you generate any power if you land with a straight leg?
The leg lands slightly bent as zoom states, and then power is primarily produced by the posterior movement of hip extension (hams and glutes contracting). Quads and gastroc are activated more so after the foot passes behind the centre of gravity, for knee extension and plantar flexion.
BTW I don’t think you’re supposed to try to force or even do any of this by thinking about it.
Definitely do not drop any weights onto your toes. :D:D:D
what’s a glute-ham raise???
Hamstring curls will only improve your speed. There was a thread here a while back that showed how hypertrophy training for your hamstrings will help improve sprinting speed.
I don’t know about calf raises.