[quote author="Callam Mccabe" date="1361677079"]So maybe the window is bigger than the 6-7 seconds we all suggested. What is your issues here? What exactly do you disagree with? Nobody who is sprinting properly is going to hit their max velocity at 25 metres or 85 metres.
Most of your argument seems to come from improbable scenarios with really low level athletes. If we look at your scenario of someone being fully upright out of blocks after 3 steps then there are probably a whole host of things we should look at before worrying about how far into the race they hit max V. Removing the blocks would be a good start.
I completely agree. People forget that the race isn’t going to be shortened and unless you have a young athlete, you have a very limited time to progress to get to a competitive level. At a low level, should you really be focusing on the veracity of training acceleration patterns when the athlete is decelerating half the race or more?
This reminds me of a discussion regarding intensity limits during split rep 60s with Charlie. When asked what to do if that athlete can’t accelerate beyond 40m (or 30m), and if to adjust down, he simply said that if you can’t accelerate to that level, you shouldn’t be worrying about it in the first place and need to be getting improvements over the entirety of the distance (basically saying just run the damn 60s fast&relaxed; and stop overthinking it).
I think elites actually benefit more from the very short (ie 20m) type work anyway as there is more room for technique to make a significant role in the final result on a relative basis. Some guy running 7mid or slower 60m is running so slow that I could care less whether or not they are upright at 18m or 27m or accelerating 4.4 seconds or 5.8 seconds and I think any competent coach should feel the same. A variety of work over different distances should cover all of these bases. Plus, proper relaxed acceleration should be a focus in every rep–whether it is a block start, a fly, a special endurance rep, intensive tempo, etc.[/quote]
Ah, the genius of Charlie. He never steers you wrong. So logical, so simple. No over thinking.