What is everyone's opinion on so called overspeed training?
1. Downhill running
2. "bullet belts" and all things similar
Thoughts on each?
Overspeed in Training
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Participant
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Participant
Thanks 400.
Thoughts from anyone else?
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Participant
Causes your foot to land too far ahead of you center of mass causing a breaking effect which puts alot of undue stress on the hamstrings which is potential for injury.
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KeymasterI would personally avoid it too although Coach Shaver uses overspeed from time to time.
ELITETRACK Founder
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Participant
it is only useful as a last resort when you havereached a plateau in training and tried all thigns else. CAREFULLY monitor it. (i used overspeed training wiht surgical tubing and the tubing broke and the metal hook latch thing came sprialing back at me and hit me EXACTLY one inch above my private parts…needless to say it was a REALLY close call and after that day i never did overspeed since!)
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Participant
I will probably be one of the few who will say that I like overspeed training. Through watching video when I was hooked to the pulley, my stride was never breaking. If I would have had a break in my stride or spent more time on the ground with each stride I would have caught a spike and face planted. I felt it really helped with me the times that I have used it, which were the last two years. That's just my opinion and I know it's not a popular one, but it works for me, so maybe it's athlete specific.
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Participant
https://www.power-systems.com/nav/closeup.aspx?c=19&g=2532&Bullet/Belt%E2%84%A2
has anyone tried this? if so, is the "Pop and Rip" feature worth the extra $35. what are the pros/cons for someone who would use it once in a while during speed days?
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Participant
[url=https://www.power-systems.com/nav/closeup.aspx?c=19&g=2532&Bullet/Belt%E2%84%A2]https://www.power-systems.com/nav/closeup.aspx?c=19&g=2532&Bullet/Belt%E2%84%A2[/url]
has anyone tried this? if so, is the "Pop and Rip" feature worth the extra $35. what are the pros/cons for someone who would use it once in a while during speed days?
I use it for indoor resistance training with specific athletes. The Rip option works very well during block start and clearance sessions. The pacer remains the better option, of type device, for assistance support (with modified implementation).
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Participant
Downhill as long as slope is gradual, otherwise I hate wind assisted and being pulled.
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Participant
Good lord–130km/hr? No way a person should be outside in those winds! Gale-force winds blow things about. Living in the Pacific, I knew of someone who was killed when she was struck by a stop sign that was torn away from its post and blown at her at something over 100km/hr.
Okay, as far as track training: Using natural wind is fine. A particularly useful session can have the runner keeping the wind to her/his back for one set of repetitions; then a set into the wind (resistance training); then a final set with the wind to one's back (leaving the increased speed as the final neural imprint).
The problem with using very strong winds is that they can alter the sprinter's mechanics markedly. And this is the same objection that many have to using assisting devices for overspeed. Too great a jump over the athlete's unaided top speed will tend to produce a braking (not "breaking") force in the stride, as the foot lands well in front of the runner's center of mass.
My athletes used overspeed for years and loved it, and their results certainly suggested that it was not harmful (multiple conference championships/all-Americans in the speed events, 800m runner who went from 2:04 to 1:55 in two years, etc.). However, we emphasized three things:
1) A *slight* increase over one's unaided top speed, perhaps as much as would be encountered with the wind to one's back on a breezy day.
2) A complete emphasis on achieving the speed through higher turnover. I do suspect that a somewhat-lengthened stride also occurred, but because our concentration was completely on greater turnover–more steps per second–there was no problem with developing an overstride that carried over into unaided running. Again, this increase in turnover was only possible because we stayed slightly over the athlete's unaided top speed. Had the athletes gone considerably above that speed, they would have had to overstride in self-defense!
3) The higher turnover (which we were able to document) was possible because we emphasized certain features of correct (whether aided or unaided) sprinting technique: relaxed elbows (triggering) relaxed knees (allowing) full flexion at the knee (resulting in) a shorter lever, with the swinging foot stepping through above the knee of the supporting leg; a feeling of lightness or quickness (promoted by) reduced time that each foot was on the track (coached by emphasizing) running over the track rather than on[/u] it; and by the active backward movement of the foot as it struck the track.
If anything, we felt that overspeed work led to fewer injuries. It certainly promoted an increase in (so-called) dynamic flexibility–flexibility at high speed; but we also used a steady program of PNF stretching, to build strength as well as flexibility at the limits of the range of motion, and we avoided overspeed if the athlete had soreness from previous work. Note: this definitely applies to sore calves, as well, because the calves assist in bending the knee during a sprinting stride!
Bottom line: we had good results and very few injuries with overspeed work. And the kids loved it, which should not be overlooked. Face it: sprinters come out for track so they can learn to run fast. Few experiences in the sport can bring the sprinter more pleasure than running faster than s/he has ever run before. And treating overspeed as a "treat"–as a reward for complete preparation–certainly was great motivation for getting the kids to do their strength work, their PNF, their stride drills, proper warmups and cooldowns, etc.
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Participant
At my Level I, Ron Grigg (I think, long time ago now) kept it simple for resisted and assisted runs:
Accelerations into the wind, Max Velocity with the wind.
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Participant
During your overspeed training please consider the below factors:
1. Complete warm-up and flexability exercises prior to overspeed training(especially the hamstrings toprevent injury)
2. Caliber of sprinter ( i've seen slower sprinters fall due to very tense bands over great distances or steep hills). Each coach should monitor the distance being covered during band pulls in relation to the sprinter. It can get really ugly!!
3. Time of season. Make sure your muscles are ready to fire at that rate or you hamstring will give you problems. -
Keymaster
Downhill as long as slope is gradual, otherwise I hate wind assisted and being pulled.
Why do you prefer slight downhill over wind assistance or pulling.
I think of the three I'd probably choose wind first, slight downhill a distant second, and pulling when hell freezes over.
ELITETRACK Founder
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Keymaster
Lease-
Nice post. I personally think a tow will affect mechanics more than a big wind. This is what I've observed however I have not emphasized turnover like you suggest…but then again even if you do emphasize turnover aren't you still coaching deviation from normal sprint mechanics? Or does emphasis on turnover just return you to normal or correct sprint mechanics? I don't know as I've never done it.Also, the gastroc does have a minor role as a knee flexor but it is quite limited. Current research indicates that it only provides a significant torque at the knee joint only through about 8-12 degrees range of motion.
ELITETRACK Founder
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ParticipantPulling has ruined two athletes I know. One was worldclass one was on the verge.
Some may get away with because of their tendon and ligament gifts….I don't buy it. Like Dan Pfaff said at Las Vegas…….97% max speed?
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Participant
Pulling has ruined two athletes I know. One was worldclass one was on the verge.
Some may get away with because of their tendon and ligament gifts….I don't buy it. Like Dan Pfaff said at Las Vegas…….97% max speed?
what do u mean 97% max speed?
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Keymaster
I addressed the use of hills as an overspeed in a recent blog.
what do u mean 97% max speed?
Yep. Dan mentioned this in vegas. Many times you think you're running faster but you're actually not. In downhill running and pulley running this may be the case quite often as both tend to create longer ground contact times and bigger braking forces.
ELITETRACK Founder
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