Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

2 questions. 

1.  Am I correct to use a workout such as 2x5 30M hills @ 95% followed by 1x5 20M block starts as an acceleration workout?  I know hills are labeled as power speed in Hart’s terminology, but if I’m trying to work accel in our first month, does a workout like I outlined accomplish what I want?

2.  I had a weird idea yesterday for a hill session.  The school I coach at is budget challenged, so overspeed/contrast training is difficult.  Anyone ever tried doing accel work over the top of a hill?  I’m thinking of something like going 20M from the top of the hill, having the girls go 95% up that, hit the plateau at the top, and continue for 20M on the other side.  I’m thinking it could help replicate the feeling of drive phase entering into MaxV, with body lean eventually turning into MaxV mechanics as they hit the plateau and go over.  Good idea or crazy?  If good, would I want to hold off on this until we get closer to the MaxV macrocycle?

Thanks, hill training certainly seems to be a hot topic on here these days.

#1- Yes, that could work.

#2- Sounds like a bad idea to me.

I agree with Mortac on his responses. At the same time, don’t let the terminology fool you too much.  Power-Speed as he defines it is different than what others may define it as because of how he trains his athletes.  I learned not to get too hung up on terminology a long time ago, and to focus on what works and what doesn’t…

#2 Since you gave me the option of good idea or crazy, I am going with crazy.

IMO, downhill running is in the same category as being pulled by a car with a rope. Don’t do it. While both increase your stride length (unnaturally), you end up braking more than running and it messes with running mechanics.

Ha. I figured there was a reason I’d never heard of anyone doing this…

as for the terminology, I’m not really hung up on that.  More just questioning whether hills as described would be accel work, given that you never reach the speeds you would on flat ground.

I hear a lot of talk about running downhill.  I understand arguements from both sides, those that support it and those that oppose it.  However, I have access to a 100 meter hill that by my calculation is about a 2-3% grade.  For years now we have incorporated a set of weeks devoted to downhill running once per week.  We have seen huge improvements in our sprinters and hurdlers (especially hurdlers) in the weeks during and following our downhill runs.  We don’t use the entire 100 meters, typcially just 30-50 meters.  We typically spend 5 weeks running uphill, then 3 weeks down, 2 more up, and 2 more down.  It’s just something that works for us really well.  In my opinion, the slight grade allows for more normal running technique.  Also just from experience, boys take to downhill training much better than girls.  Again I’m lucky I have a slight hill grade and a nice surface to use, and it works in our system.

Also with using a 1-3% grade downhill, in my experience as athlete and coach, there is no braking effect.  There is a braking effect if you don’t have the courage, attitude, or will to run faster as well.  Belief goes along ways in the sprints in my experience and from what I have observed.  Downhill and uphill running is a “must do” tool if you don’t abuse it.