I’m thinking of buying a 20LB weight vest how helpful will it be in trems of speed training?
Adaptive response of human skeletal muscle to simulated hypergravity condition.
Bosco C.
The mechanical behaviour of leg extensor muscles of five international-level athletes was evaluated during 13 months training period. Drop jumps, average mechanical power during 15 S continuous jump, and vertical jumps performed with and without extra weights were used to measure explosive power characteristics. The data recorded in vertical jumps was utilized for construction of force-velocity relationship (F-V curve). The athletes did not show improvement in any of the variables studied after 12 months of intensive systematic training programme. It was assumed that the subjects already had reached their upper limit of performance. However, after that the athletes underwent a simulated 3 weeks high-gravity period. The hypergravitational condition was created by wearing a special vest filled with extra loads (11% of BW). The vest was used from morning to evening. No changes in the ordinary training programme were allowed. After the simulated high-gravity conditioning period significant improvement in almost all the variables studied was observed (P less than 0.05-0.001). Vertical jump performance was enhanced from 44.3 to 54.9 cm. The F-V curve remained stable all year but after hypergravity period shifted markedly to the right. The drastic improvement was attributed to be caused by a fast adaptation to the new functional requirements (I.I g). Therefore, once the biological adaptation occurred the mechanical behaviour of the athlete’s leg extensor muscle was similar to that which could be experienced in a field at low gravity condition (0.9 g). Adaptive response to the hypergravity conditioning was speculated to occur mainly at neurogenic level and less in myogenic component.
My 60m sprint times improved 15 hundredths of a second by the watch but that is a conservative statement. I was wearing more clothing and it was in January that I ran 0.15 sec faster over 60 than I did in the hot summer with less clothing. So perhaps my capacity had actually improved around 0.25 seconds.
There were only 3 notable differances in my training during the 6 weaks leading up to my improvement.
- My squat was 20 kilos heavier.
- More core work.
- I was regularly using a weighted vest, about twice per weak.
In which phase did you use the vest and how? How much weight?
Sorry for the late response to your question, I can only use the internet at the library now.
I used the vest from begining of December through to mid January. Though I am not competing in track, it was based around the notion of a general preperation phase.
I used a minimum of 12 Ib’s but increased it to 20 pounds.
I used it in my sprint sessions. The warm up run, followed by quick feet drills and running A’s were done with the vest on. Some of my sprints were done with the vest on too.
None of my pick up sprints (0-30m from crouched or 3pt stance) were done with the vest on. Only 60m sprints from a standing start were with the vest.
I was also doing a lower volume of sprints during this time. Very low.
No plyometrics were used during this phase either.
I used the weight vest as prescribed by Keelyb’s post. I wore it all day and did the drills and some plyo’s as the post said to and it think it worked though I didn’t get to time myself I found that I was running a bit faster then some of the guys that I train with that previously ran the as fast as me. I did some high speed in place high knee drills with ankle weights (1LBS/ foot). I did depth jumps and jump ups. Warmed up with 11% added. Then ran some more warm up 100’s with about 4-5lbs. I would do some training with the extra weight (4-6 max) then for the last few reps dump the weights completely. You must be careful and pay close attention to your legs as I found it very taxing. If you feel to tired don’tuse them as you could injure yourself. I did this for about 6 weeks. It will work if you are disciplined and stay with it for 4-6 weeks. There are posts on it for more details. I suggest you read them first. If you don’t do it as prescribed you’ll be wasting time and energy
Buckyboy, read carefully; You [SIZE=6]don’t [/SIZE] have to do it as prescribed. There are lots of ways you can incoperate the weighted vest with great success. I did not copy anyones training program on weight vest training and I improved my capacity by 0.25 seconds within just 6 weaks, though part of my added success was also greater squat and core strength, atleast half of my improved capacity was from my own weight vest training program.