[quickerthansilver]

quickerthansilver on February 20, 2005 at 11:50 am #10455

Hello all, I have been reading the article on this board for the last week, and have learned so much about the science/method behind sprint training.

I am very raw and have just started track training in earnest for the first time in my life. I went to High School in nigeria, thus there was not much in the way of facilities or coaching to enable me realize my potential.

This is my junior year of college, but in track terms I am a freshman. I have been told I have an explosive start, and usually am the first to react coming out of the blocks and the first 5 meters. But, after that, my lack of form and speed endurance catches up with me.

Basically in the races I have run so far, I smoke everyone out of the blocks, am level with them after 20/25 meters, then don’t have the speed/endurance to stay with them.

I have a lot of work to do on my sprinting, and am ready to improve myself to the best of my ability. I am looking for guidance as to a lifting and sprint work-out program for this summer, or immediately after the end of the outdoor season.

My first ever 55m race, I ran a 6.96 indoor. I felt like there was a lot I could have done better because of some forms issues.

I would appreciate comments from great track minds like Mike, Phoenix, CockySprinter, Quickazhell, etc

What do I need to do as regards lifting, nutritiion, and track workouts to get better.

P.S. So far this season, I never did any Olympic Lifts because I didn’t see their use. I have realized from everything I have read on this board that OL’s are essential, and will incorporate them in my workouts now that indoor is over.

I hope I haven’t gone on for too long, but I eagerly anticipate responses from you all. I am like a sponge seeking to learn as much as possible.

[quickerthansilver]

quickerthansilver on February 20, 2005 at 10:12 pm #42374

anybody around? :eureka:

[Derrick Brito]

Derrick Brito on February 21, 2005 at 12:26 am #42375

yes

[Derrick Brito]

Derrick Brito on February 21, 2005 at 12:35 am #42376

well my advice will be same for all beginning sprinters. tempo, gs, weights and accel dev. start with 2 high intensity days per week and eventually move to 3. you can start acce dev at 5-10 meters and eventually work up to around 30m. when you feel your aceleration is getting good, move on to maxv, and do the same for maxV to SE. for weights, lift on your high intensity days (i also lift on off days, but its really light) after you sprint. my current lifting routine is 3-5 sets of 6 reps in a pull (olys/deads), press, squat, and posterior chain exercise. it would be a great place for you to start. as for nutrition, i know jack, as i ate pizza for breakfast:wink:.

[quickerthansilver]

quickerthansilver on February 21, 2005 at 9:39 am #42377

Thanks CS, I was looking for more of an off-season program though.

Right now I am lifting according to my coach’s schedule, but from all the information I have read on this site, an athlete makes most of their speed and strength gains in the off-season.

So I am looking for a program that starts immediately after outdoor, and extends into the pre-season (late fall)

[Derrick Brito]

Derrick Brito on February 21, 2005 at 12:14 pm #42378

my advice applies to both season and offseason. depending on your level, you might progress faster or slower through my above setup. or if you have already been training, you will have a better idea of what works for you. in my experience, fixed schedules dont work very well for me, though they do for some people. a program can only be effectively conceived and applied after a needs analysis has been conducted, which is why i gave general advice.

[Mike Young]

Mike Young on February 21, 2005 at 8:53 pm #42379

[i]Originally posted by quickerthansilver[/i]
Hello all, I have been reading the article on this board for the last week, and have learned so much about the science/method behind sprint training.

Welcome to the board.

This is my junior year of college, but in track terms I am a freshman. I have been told I have an explosive start, and usually am the first to react coming out of the blocks and the first 5 meters. But, after that, my lack of form and speed endurance catches up with me.

Your problem is not speed endurance, it’s acceleration capabilities and technique. Speed endurance won’t become an issue for even the most untrained individuals until about 30m.

Basically in the races I have run so far, I smoke everyone out of the blocks, am level with them after 20/25 meters, then don’t have the speed/endurance to stay with them.

This sounds like an acceleration and top end speed issue rather than a speed endurance issue. You should be able to continue accelerating until about 35m and then maintain your top end speed for about 20m. It sounds like you hit top-end speed around 20-25m while everyone else keeps accelerating.

I’d suggest working on technique and following a program similar to what cockysprinter suggested. That is probably the best method for off-season training. I’d add that you’ll probably want to be lifting heavy and doing a lot of acceleration work early on before moving to any maxV (top-end speed) work.

ELITETRACK Founder