Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

Originally posted by mike
DaGov-
I'm not quite sure what you're asking. Are you having those girls do their speed work on the grass?

Well since they have the shin problems I only run them in the grass, which means I can't do speed work because I don't want them on the track right now. So how would that affect speed development knowing that they are not getting any done?

Originally posted by mike

I think so but from personal experience I don't quite think they are equivalent. Whenever I've done runs in the sand or cinder it always to place a much greater stress on the lower leg muscles than their resisted run counterparts. Also, the softer the surface, the longer the ground contact time. Shorter ground contact times have been indicated as one of the primary indicators of better sprinters so overly soft surfaces should probably not be used to often for speed development work.

Thanks Mike.  We are going to be having some meets on cinder so do you think that it could be an effective form of resistance training if used up to once per week but with regular sprint training twice per week or do you think this is too frequent.

Pete-
That setup seems fine to me.

Thanks again!

Originally posted by DaGovernor
Well since they have the shin problems I only run them in the grass, which means I can't do speed work because I don't want them on the track right now. So how would that affect speed development knowing that they are not getting any done?

Their top end speed might be hurt. In such a case, you may want to at least consider a long—>short setup so that speed can be addressed at some point in the program.

Guys…

My top jumper just started feeling shin splint pain a couple days ago.  When she got them last season, they came on much earlier in the season so we held them off longer this year…

The pain is strictly in her left leg (hop/step leg) and nothing yet in the right.  She rates the pain as a 7 on a 1-10 scale.  I'm very watchful of her training stimuli and losing her to this nagging injury would be terrible. 

We have a large invitational Sat. and I have entered her to double LJ/TJ.  She also runs the 400.  The pain started sun. after a meet last sat. and this week we have focused training efforts more on mobility, lifting, and core strength and I have cut bounding altogether so far this week.

Question is…we have 4 weeks until conference…7 weeks until regional/state competition.  Should I scratch her this weekend and continue to rest?  Should I make the call on Saturday morning?  Ice bath yesterday proved to be a good idea and I'd like to fit another one in before Sat. 

Thoughts, comments? ...

I would continue to ice, do what you can in training, and I'd probably recommend holding her out of at least one event (preferably the TJ) this weekend.

Thanks Mike…that sounds like a plan to me.  Ice bath tomorrow (thurs.) or friday?  Which would fit best with a saturday comp.?

Mike-

I was just curious and wondering…

How many issues do you deal with involving minor or major shin splint problems with your athletes?  Have any of your top notch athletes (jumpers especially) in the last couple years had to cope with this injury while still trying to compete at their high level?  Has Toney ever had shin setbacks?

One last question for now Mike

What would be your advice on the lifting end of things?  Monday we lifted harder (tues. we discovered the shin splints) and this morning we performed hang cleans and did some circuit work in addition.  Also core work.

Just wondering what you would do….

We get a few cases of shin splints a year but they never seem to get out of control. I think the barefoot exercises we do are helpful in this regard. Also, most of the athletes take ice baths immediately following practice which probably helps reduce the likelihood of a lot of injuries. Our multi-eventers and high jumpers seem to be the most likely to get shin splints. As for notable jumpers with shin splints, Toney does have some type of lower leg issue right now that is more of a nagging issue than anything else. It could be shin splints but I don't know the exact cause yet. For other related injuries, Marcus Thomas jumped at Nationals and trained for about 3 weeks on a broken foot two years, and Walter has had ankle and lower leg problems for the past year and he has done pretty well for himself in that time span. All of these issues can be fixed but aggressive care and patience in returning to full speed are important.

Originally posted by jumpscoachmike
One last question for now Mike

What would be your advice on the lifting end of things?  Monday we lifted harder (tues. we discovered the shin splints) and this morning we performed hang cleans and did some circuit work in addition.  Also core work.

Just wondering what you would do….

It would depend on if and how much you had to cut back on track. If you had to eliminate running and jumping, additional Olympic lifts could be substituted quite well. Everything else could remain the same (or slightly increase in volume) unless you foresaw that the injury would take a long time to rehab, in which case, I might consider switching up the focus of the training from speed to strength.

Many thanks Mike.  She will LJ this weekend and as of right now, I will hold with TJ until conference meet on May 4.  Icing will continue, as well as a slight change in wt. lifting loads.

Anyone know of something athletes can wear for shin splints…heel cups aside.  Any type of neoprene sleeve for the lower leg to help compression?

What are heel cups and how do they help shin splints?