I met with them at their request. What they wanted - I have no idea, but it wasn’t training, as Zhanna was intensely disinterested in anyone’s opinion of- well - pretty much anything.
Charlie, maybe Zhanna met with you not only to consult with you but also to advise you not to work with Marion since she(Marion) would , of course, crush Zhanna if you worked with MJ.
Forget all them I like angella williams the best.
Originally posted by Charlie Francis
I met with them at their request. What they wanted - I have no idea, but it wasn’t training, as Zhanna was intensely disinterested in anyone’s opinion of- well - pretty much anything.
Hmm interesting indeed. I’d have thought a little thing called 9.78WR would have made them ask a lot more questions to someone linked to that performance rather than seeming “disinterested”. Maybe she drives the boat in her training rather than her Mark?
Can just say the next year of sprinting is going to be sensational, not only for the times and performances posted but for all this behind the scenes stuff that has taken place.
There’s a similar thread about Zhanna Block in the IAAF forum
http://www.iaaf.org/community/forums/ListThread.htmx?lngCatId=&ForumID=140&TopicID=14019
Throughout her career and until she reached her ‘top’ level in 1997 with 10.85 at 100m and World Title at 200m, her training for speed was based mainly on her stride amplitude improvement. At the start of her international career, she used to do 52-53 strides in a 100m race, with a loss of rythm after 80m. After 4 years work, Zhanna was able to do 49 strides, solving in a way her finish problem and increasing her 100m times.
Speaking training, her stride length problem was solved by power preparation (checked with specific tests, 3,10m for standing LJ, bench 90kg…), flexibility, technical modifications (see the differences between her races in Stuttgart’93 and 10 years later, especially hip position and maintenance through the race, and the knee position at touch-down/take-off) and over-striding races (3x100m with 43-44 strides, or running with steps between 2m40 marks in order to feel easy with 49 strides in competition).
Since she’s with Mark Block, her results as more consistent, especially last year with 10.83 and 10.84 runs, as well as some big fights with Jones.
There’s still room for improvement for her in the endurance speed phase, this lack is obvious in the last 10 strides, when Block’s technique bring her back 10 years earlier… Her 200m races also indicates poor endurance abilities, or at least poor training emphasis on this point.
Zhanna ran a 55.2 400m split for Silver medal at 4x400m at European Junior Champs back in 1991, i have no clue about her 300/400 possibilities. Of course, it has no direct influence on 100m specific speed endurance, but it has on global cardiovascular and lactic anaerobic condition.
No they can’t Charlie, however Borzov’s article makes a good point about developing efficient motor patterns. If you have a look at MJ’s actual programme, as in his diary as opposed to that rubbish Slivio posted 6 months ago, you see that alot of his work is at 90% or less, but the last half of the rep is always performed faster than the first.
This is just one of the arguements she doesn’t want to hear. Her whole emphasis on improving the finish is to compensate for diminishing frequency by increasing stride length. My whole emphasis would be on normalizing the stride length/frequency ratio to improve the finish. If you begin to “bound” into the finish, the freewheeling strides that will result will be of a frequency FAR lower than any gain in length. I’ve always seen the best athletes on the male side were able to maintain their mid-race mechanics through to the finish. The first, and, most obvious, example was Carl Lewis. He maintained his mechanics while his contemporaries pushed for the extra stride length- and he walked away from them. Anyone who wanted to run as fast or faster afterwards had to do the same thing- and they did. On the women’s side, Flo-Jo did the same thing. Maybe Zhanna could eat in front of the TV next time, and if she could “tear herself away” she could watch a few examples.
The suggestion of poor endurance is totally off the mark- as her work-load is nothing short of colossal.
Charlie just for clarification here.
You are saying that rather than focusing on increasing stride length to combat diminishing frequency, better time would be spent focusing on holding form of her normal/usual midrace stride length/frequencey through to the finish?
If so then cueing her to do that would mean staying veritcal and picking her feet up right through the end? Or is there another cue to have her focus or am i off the track all together?
What you are saying seems to be what the difference between TM’s races pre 2001 and now. His final 30m sees him staying much more veritcal and then flying away from his competitiors.
The issues between Zhanna and Tim are/were not the same. Tim’s problem was that he had the MOST consistant finish but the lowest top speed of all top sprinters because his arm mechanics limited his hip rotation. His improvement there resulted in higher top speed overall. Zhanna’s finish slows down dramatically, I believe, because of the change in emphasis in the closing stages. Correction for Zhanna would require (ironically) some lessening of volume at times to allow her to train for the finish at the highest possible race velocities, and the lowering of intensity at times to allow for concentration on the relaxed execution of the improved technique.
Charlie,
Tim’s problem was that he had the MOST consistant finish but the lowest top speed of all top sprinters because his arm mechanics limited his hip rotation.
Could you shed a little more light on this. Was is because Tim wasn’t really “opening” up his arm swing similar to Maurice?
They had the same problem but it has been addressed by improved arm mechanics. The best way to see this with Tim is to check some earlier races and compare the arm action with the World Record run. Marion’s arm action change has yet to be seen in comp. i can’t really say more about this.
You must really check what’s happening at the elbows, not necessarily with the hands.
Much of what Charlie has outlined or mentioned i assumed was the case. I guess its nice to know that “her rival” can still hold some pretty strong power over Zhanna in terms of the mind games in place in elite sprinting. Confidence and belief in what you are doing is what decides if you win or lose.
I’ll extrapolate further. “Rival” was working with coach who is now revealed greatly assisted with 9.78 and Zhanna and Mark panic thinking what special training techniques is this coach going to reveal to her. They decide to investigate further finding that he volume of work recommended isn’t what they want or believe they need and they dismiss what is mentioned to them thinking that coach is only out to protect “rival”.
Other scenerio and slightly more sinister is that they just did it to waste some time and p#ss some people off, having no real intention on listening to what rival coach had to say, with the idea “hey rival is doing that means we should do it too”.
Lucky that rival seems to be so switched on and focused about what she’s doing as a lesser athlete might actually give a s#it.
Very interesting stuff. Maybe Zhanna needs to hear about the Less is More rule, Train Smarter not Harder…ah the cliches continue! But i’m guessing she feels thats what she needs to do to truly challenge Marion in Paris.
Charlie you’ve just added to the already high level of anticipation in seeing Marion race. I also then assume that her right leg swinging issues have been addressed then. The first time i saw it happen was in Edmonton but only seems to creep in when she is really under pressure in her races.
Remember, I’m out now!
Ahhhhh yes well there’s out and then there’s out. 
Originally posted by Charlie Francis
This is just one of the arguements she doesn’t want to hear. Her whole emphasis on improving the finish is to compensate for diminishing frequency by increasing stride length. My whole emphasis would be on normalizing the stride length/frequency ratio to improve the finish. If you begin to “bound” into the finish, the freewheeling strides that will result will be of a frequency FAR lower than any gain in length. I’ve always seen the best athletes on the male side were able to maintain their mid-race mechanics through to the finish. The first, and, most obvious, example was Carl Lewis. He maintained his mechanics while his contemporaries pushed for the extra stride length- and he walked away from them. Anyone who wanted to run as fast or faster afterwards had to do the same thing- and they did. On the women’s side, Flo-Jo did the same thing. Maybe Zhanna could eat in front of the TV next time, and if she could “tear herself away” she could watch a few examples.
The suggestion of poor endurance is totally off the mark- as her work-load is nothing short of colossal.
The argument about increasing stride frequency in the last 20-30m in order to compensate step frequency decrease was not mine, but from an interview of her former coach Valentina Bondarenko i red in Legkaya Atletika about Zhanna’s training.
My personal view is that it wasn’t efficient for her, it led toan obvious improvement 1993 -> 1997, but she’s still not at her best level in the finish phase.
On the other hand, the suggestion of poor endurance is based on the 200m races i’ve analysed. She said she wanted to run under 22sec, she can do it in a good day in August, but to reach the times Jones, Torrence or Miller did, she will have to do a specific 200m training.
Last year, Block doubled 100+200 in Bruxelles meet, beaten twice by Jones, in spite of posting fast times, 10.90 and 22.24, without any special wind assistance.
My analysis of the 200 race about speed maintenance, stride length and frequency variations are good clues about her endurance abilities, in spite of the huge amount of work you’re talking about.
Pintusevich-Block lane 7, wind -0.3m/s
Distance, time (split time), number of steps, stride length (metres), stride frequency (HZ)
Reaction Time 0.149
050m 06.18 (6.03) - 27.00 - 1.85 m - 4.39 HZ
100m 11.17 (4.99) - 49.95 - 2.18 m - 4.57 HZ
150m 16.42 (5.25) - 73.25 - 2.14 m - 4.44 HZ
200m 22.24 (5.82) - 96.45 - 2.15 m - 3.99 HZ
Like evey top-class sprinters, she maintains her stride length at about the same level, but her dramatic frequency decrease makes her last 50m time (5.82) at a 22.70-22.80 sprinter level!
This is also a function of the choice of specific speed and special end workouts- and the phisical state in which they are embarked upon.
I remember Charlie trying to explain this program at the Asheville seminar. I really don’t understand the point of trying to increase speed by means of plyos, while still performing large volumes of lower intensity speed work. What’s the point of doing all that sprinting if you’re going to rely on another component to improve performance? Why not just rely on sprinting to improve sprint results, reduce the plyos to a minimal supplemental level and cut the overall workload?
Re Vert Plyos
This is a complex issue, which is hard to evaluate easily as it has to do with the amount of time spent in conditions of strong loading and therefore lower top speed and the amount of competition time available. One means of making an analysis would be to look at early comp results vs late comp results. If there is a big difference, then the speed might come from racing itself, but if results are good from the beginning of the comp period, another explanation must be present (such as vert plyos). This requires knowing the ratio of training to competition and, not only race times, but section breakdowns as well. I havn’t done it in this case. Maybe pierrejean can shed some light on this.