[bluesmagoo]

bluesmagoo on September 14, 2005 at 5:55 am #11260

How can plyo boxes be used to improve sprinting speed?  Also, deadlifts as far as helping with power?  I'm trying to help my daughter get some better improvement she runs the 100m/200m- any suggestions appreciated.

She plays Varsity basketball and cannot do a lot of off season training but I thought maybe some
deadlifts and box jumps a couple times a week might help get more power.

[davan]

davan on September 14, 2005 at 6:12 am #48515

How old is she, what is her experience, and how fast is she? They can both be great and very beneficial, but why do them if she doesn't have fitness in place or some other quality yet? They can definitely help, depending on her needs.

[bluesmagoo]

bluesmagoo on September 14, 2005 at 6:26 am #48516

She ran 2 years Varsity HS track, 100m- 12.5 200m -26.6 FAT.  She's in her junior year.  5'6" 118 lbs.  Does some weights during basketball and track season, but not regularly.  Can bench about 80 lbs.

[davan]

davan on September 14, 2005 at 6:33 am #48517

Increasing her general fitness through a lot of bodyweight work (pull-ups, push-ups and variations like windmill push-ups) and lifting circuits (not necessarily max strength, but just circuiting through various free weight exercises like squats, bench, deadlift, and more) could be great and will probably increase her muscle mass a bit as well. That would be a great way to be introduced to more serious weightlifting in the future.

[Josh Hurlebaus]

Josh Hurlebaus on September 14, 2005 at 8:03 am #48518

I agree with davan. You shouldn't introduce plyos until she has adequate strength. The shock from plyos can cause more damage than good if the strength isn't already there.

[Daniel Andrews]

Daniel Andrews on September 14, 2005 at 8:22 am #48519

I agree with davan. You shouldn't introduce plyos until she has adequate strength. The shock from plyos can cause more damage than good if the strength isn't already there.

Actually, this is kind of a fallacy.  Medium to high volume low intensity plyos like jumping rope, hopskotch, and skipping are much needed in the early ages as they help general athletic skill through increased motor control and learning giving kids better balance, coordination, and quickness while providing some fun and aerobic fitness from shear volume.  There are many other benefits, but this is done a lot less now than I was in school and it shows in the general school population from 6-12 grades.

[Josh Hurlebaus]

Josh Hurlebaus on September 14, 2005 at 12:46 pm #48520

Very true danimal, but i was thinking the high intensity plyos cause he mentioned the use of boxes.

[Mike Young]

Mike Young on September 14, 2005 at 7:31 pm #48521

As with all things remember progression is key. Don't start your plyo regime by dropping your daughter off of a 6 foot box. If you start with lower intensities and gradually progress the intensity and volume she'll be fine. For example, adding deadlifts, squats or cleans could be very beneficial as long as you start at an intensity which is appropriate. The same (as Danimal pointed out) goes for plyos. Sprinting actually places great stresses on the body and if she can already handle those stresses and run as fast as she does she is definitely ready to handle some form of weight lifting and plyos. As others said though, don't neglect general fitness work though because at her level this will be where most of her gains will come from.

ELITETRACK Founder

[bluesmagoo]

bluesmagoo on September 14, 2005 at 7:40 pm #48522

Thanks for all the input,  I was thinking along the lines of deadlifts of 1/2 bodyweight and increasing incrementally.  Also starting with 12" plyo box, then moving up to 18"
after a month and maybe 24" after a couple months.  She would do these exercises
2 times a week.

Also she has rather skinny upper and lower legs.  I think she has speed but not much power.
I notice a lot of the better sprinters have much larger upper legs.

My son is 14 years old, can he do the same exercises?  He is 5'11"/135 lbs, ran the 100m in 12.0 as an 8th grader.  He also plays basketball and can grab the rim easily.  He wants to dunk and hopes
to get his time to 11.5 in the 100m as a freshman.  His legs are skinny also.

[Mike Young]

Mike Young on September 14, 2005 at 9:24 pm #48523

Your progression sounds fine. Don't worry about leg size at this point, that will come as a result of training and maturity. Training for size is not the goal…..training for relative power / strength should be. As for your son he would likely benefit from a similar program.

ELITETRACK Founder

[Daniel Andrews]

Daniel Andrews on September 15, 2005 at 7:50 am #48524

I have to agree with mike that body size and type are something that happens with regards to training.  Training performance goals are always a better route.  In mature, more advanced athletes a look at anthropometrics is something a coach can do.  I'll look for more minute changes in my athletes at the HS level, like looking at areas surrounding the achilles tendon, the core, and shoulders as an indicator of leanness and fitness.  That all changes when training is over a week old, because by then I have an idea of how what I want their early training performance goals to be and I'll know how they reached that musculature.  This is something I believe that other sports don't do very well at, they emphasize the wrong things.