What Can We Learn from Usain Bolt's Victory

[Charlie_Francis]

@Track_man

Ya but his time would be :eek: :eek: :eek:
therefore it would have been worth it anyways considering Dix is already fatigued from the 100 and I dont think spearmon/crawford really stand a chance…plus bolt can run rounds really well it seems anyways.

BTW, I guess this settled another arguement of whether or not Bolt had peaked too early

The guy who called me called Dix to win.

[RandyG]

@Charlie_Francis

1:yes
2: (off track i assume you mean) Not really, it’s easier on the body if it is in rythem and relaxed but results in higher force losses into the surface.
3:the coupling times come from the combination of muscle/tendon/AND surface. Once you switch upwards in hardness you gain a benefit for a given time, determined by the time of exposure and the work chosen (ie grass is VERY amenable to pick-up drills, speed change, E,F,Es etc) You need to be very careful when switching downwards to the grass surface- very careful on the first few sessions.

Thanks Coach and yes I did mean off track :)…

Would it be of any benefit to incoporate grass or articial turf sprints in ones training at some point in the year?

[Charlie_Francis]

@RandyG

Thanks Coach and yes I did mean off track :)…

Would it be of any benefit to incoporate grass or articial turf sprints in ones training at some point in the year?

I’d steer clear of artificial turf. It’s not remotely the same.

[martijn]

I have the impression that in the past Jamaican talents were totally dependent on the inconsistent US collegiate programme whereas now they are able to train fulltime with fulltime coaches at home. It’s not just Bolt who is benefitting, the depth of Jamaicans at the highest level is very impressive.

[TopCat]

I’ve quickly analysed the film from the footage I have availible.

From what i can tell he took 37 steps though the angle changes half way so i hope i didn’t miss one there.

Overall at least 11 steps in drive phase
18 of upright running
8 with no use of his arms!

So basically he isn’t running flat out for at least 8/37-38 steps which is about 20% of the total run!!!

[Track_man]

37 steps? wow lol.
whats his stride length? 2.9m?
lol.

[Charlie_Francis]

@Track_man

Ya but his time would be :eek: :eek: :eek:
therefore it would have been worth it anyways considering Dix is already fatigued from the 100 and I dont think spearmon/crawford really stand a chance…plus bolt can run rounds really well it seems anyways.

BTW, I guess this settled another arguement of whether or not Bolt had peaked too early

he was referring to energy expenditure

[AthleticsCoach]

@martijn

I have the impression that in the past Jamaican talents were totally dependent on the inconsistent US collegiate programme whereas now they are able to train fulltime with fulltime coaches at home. It’s not just Bolt who is benefitting, the depth of Jamaicans at the highest level is very impressive.

Yes, that inconsistent US collegiate system that produced 5 of the 8 finalists and the silver and bronze medalists.

Wrong answer :mad:

[AthleticsCoach]

@Charlie_Francis

I’d steer clear of artificial turf. It’s not remotely the same.

Grass -> Artificial Grass -> Synthetic Track

Is that a fair way to arrange them. I am specifically speaking about the newer fake grass, not the old rock hard stuff. It is springing up hear like weeds as people look to cut maintainence costs. If you say it’s no better than running on the track then many of may be stuck.

[Charlie_Francis]

@AthleticsCoach

Yes, that inconsistent US collegiate system that produced 5 of the 8 finalists and the silver and bronze medalists.

Wrong answer :mad:

Wrong conclusion here as well. Yes there are the results BUT are they by specific people? There are thousands of scholarships and dozens of good results.

[Charlie_Francis]

@AthleticsCoach

Grass -> Artificial Grass -> Synthetic Track

Is that a fair way to arrange them. I am specifically speaking about the newer fake grass, not the old rock hard stuff. It is springing up hear like weeds as people look to cut maintainence costs. If you say it’s no better than running on the track then many of may be stuck.

the surface beneath the artificial grass is a killer.
How about grass, soft track then hard track. Soft might be Rekortan and hard is Mondo

[faivala]

There also is a big and notorious diference between short cutted grass and longer grass.

[Charlie_Francis]

@faivala

There also is a big and notorious diference between short cutted gras and longer gras.

Yes, there is flexibility in the surface.

[lkh]

@Charlie_Francis

the surface beneath the artificial grass is a killer.
How about grass, soft track then hard track. Soft might be Rekortan and hard is Mondo

Any thoughts about structuring the progression over a season or over a peak?

To take advantage of the tendon effects, do you have to do all of your sprints on grass during tapering, or is the effect longer lasting, so you can do it during GPP, then progresively train on harder tracks through the phase?

[Charlie_Francis]

@lkh

Any thoughts about structuring the progression over a season or over a peak?

To take advantage of the tendon effects, do you have to do all of your sprints on grass during tapering, or is the effect longer lasting, so you can do it during GPP, then progresively train on harder tracks through the phase?

Actually Derek Hansen and I are working on some audiotapes where we’ll be getting into this pretty deeply. They should be ready soon.

[RandyG]

@Charlie_Francis

I’d steer clear of artificial turf. It’s not remotely the same.

The stuff we have here is the classic artificial turf (old school football playing surface) and the fake grass w/the ground rubber that is “popping up everywhere” in it…I guess I’ll have to rethink this :o

[Davan]

@Charlie_Francis

Well that’s your interpretation. If I could get your attention here (Obviously, I haven’t succeeded in getting it before on this).
Either:
1:Weights are intended as an adjunct to Sprint work and they will vary according to the quality of sprint sessions- exactly as I did with Ben.
2: Grass sprints allow for a heightened tendon stiffness, which, when transferred to progressively harder tracks allows for big performances before the tendons can accomodate to the hard surface.
OR
You’re right and I don’t know what I’m talking about.

I’m not saying you don’t know what you’re talking about as that would be completely stupid.

1. I said poor technique and no plan. That isn’t referring to their numbers or anything like that, but teaching of the lifts (if you aren’t bothering teaching the lifts in a safe and correct manner, how can you have intelligent programming), pec tears from stupid bench press techniques, and more are too common and do not reflect on a program that has any of the planning you’ve spoken of. One poster here spoke to a Carribbean coach who coached a guy in the Olympics this year and he didn’t do anything special like counting foot contacts on plyos or anything of the kind–he response to volumes was “lots.” Not quantification or thoroughness in planning.

2. I didn’t say doing grass work was bad, just that they aren’t doing anything special. Glen Mills has coached a long time, but there’s only one Bolt and nobody close to him (anybody else even sub 10?). Talent and the Jamaican ‘gospel singing’ go a far way it seems…

3. Since grass seems to be the common denominator of Asafa and Bolt, how much of an influence is grass in a training program if many of your athletes (and in many other camps) succeeded without doing extensive speed work on grass outside of training camps?

[AthleticsCoach]

@Charlie_Francis

the surface beneath the artificial grass is a killer.
How about grass, soft track then hard track. Soft might be Rekortan and hard is Mondo

Just trying to adapt to circumstance. For now I have some grass available, but it’s REALLY uneven. At some point I know that the pressure will become too great and Filed Turf or some similar surface will be installed. In the case of field turf the fuller is a mix of sand and rubber particles. Is that a problem? I agree completely, old style AstroTurf was miserable. I ran a few sessions on it in college.

My track is similar to Rekortan and there’s Mondo nearby. Do you think that it’s good to train on the latter as you approach championship races even if they aren’t to be contested on that surface (Mondo)?

[Charlie_Francis]

@AthleticsCoach

Just trying to adapt to circumstance. For now I have some grass available, but it’s REALLY uneven. At some point I know that the pressure will become too great and Filed Turf or some similar surface will be installed. In the case of field turf the fuller is a mix of sand and rubber particles. Is that a problem? I agree completely, old style AstroTurf was miserable. I ran a few sessions on it in college.

My track is similar to Rekortan and there’s Mondo nearby. Do you think that it’s good to train on the latter as you approach championship races even if they aren’t to be contested on that surface (Mondo)?

a short strip of good grass can serve well if you can roll and water it- maybe 50 to 60 m by one lane

[AthleticsCoach]

@Charlie_Francis

a short strip of good grass can serve well if you can roll and water it- maybe 50 to 60 m by one lane

I’ll see what I can do. I don’t want the gardeners filing a complaint about me doing their job for them

To Mondo or not to Mondo that is the question?