Weightlifting Technique

Following on from yesterdays article on the versatility of the olympic lifts with regard to training for different types of speed, it is time for some more videos on olympic weightlifting for sports performance.



For me, the take home message from the point on elbow position is that athletes do not need to be able to execute perfect technique in the olympic lifts before they can benefit from performing them. They certainly do need to at least be able to execute the lifts with safe technique though.

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Best Strength Exercise for Speed

Olympic Weightlifting techniques transfer very well into improved sprinting performance.

Maximum speed sprinting performance is dependent on high levels of vertical force production during the ground contact phase. This explains why the use of weightlifting techniques result in improved maximum speed. The goal of Olympic Weightlifting is to lift as much weight vertically as possible. It stands to reason that this requires high levels of force to be produced in a vertical direction and it will come as no surprise to learn that many weightlifters have recorded very impressive vertical jump scores.

The requirement for high levels of vertical force production clearly shows the link between weightlifting and maximum speed sprinting performance. There is also a strong relationship between weightlifting and acceleration performance over very short distances. Anecdotally, Olympic Weightlifters have been reported to have very impressive sprint times over short distances such as 30m. There are also frequent reports of world class weightlifters out sprinting world class sprinters over the first 5-10 metres of a sprint.

Of course, we would not expect all world class weightlifters to be faster than world class sprinters over short distances of 5-10 metres. It does, however, illustrate the point that weightlifting methods have a high level of transfer into improved sprinting performance.

To improve this transfer even further advanced athletes can use methods such as complex training. This training technique involves combining a strength exercise such as a clean or a snatch with an explosive exercise such as a sprint start. Not only does this help to increase the transfer of training, but it also improves the performance of that sprint start through a phenomenon known as Post Activation Potentiation.

It is, however, important to remember that there are a number of different types of speed. If we just concern ourselves with running speed then the different types include: starting speed, acceleration, maximum speed, and multi-directional speed (agility).

Each of these different types of speed possesses different characteristics. The different characteristics associated with each type of speed require a different emphasis with regard to the training methods used.

There is no strength training method on the planet that is as adaptable as the Olympic Weightlifting techniques and their various permutations.

The lifts can be performed from the floor if greater emphasis is required on knee extension or from the hang position if greater emphasis is required on hip extension. Other variations include receiving the bar for the catch in a squat position or a split stance position. Alternatively it may sometimes be more appropriate to remove the catch from the lift entirely. In these situations variations of clean pulls and snatch pulls can be used to develop the properties required for improved force production during the ground contact phase of sprinting. Further options include lifts such as drop cleans and drop snatches which would be used to condition the athlete for the impact of ground contact during sprinting and/or improve the speed of the recovery leg during the sprinting stride.

As you can see there are innumerable variations of the Olympic Weightlifting techniques. This makes them an incredibly valuable speed development tool, as it is possible to overload the specific attributes required to develop any particular type of speed.

Tim Egerton
http://www.sprintstrong.com/

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Running the 40yd Dash

Here is clip with Joe DeFranco discussing optimal starting position for the 40yd dash.

His key points were:

1) Make sure there is pressure on both feet
2) Make sure both shins are at least at a 45 degree angle to the ground



It may be interseting for you to compare the points made in this video to those made by Tom Tellez in the previous video on blocks starts.

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Bodyweight 250

After yesterday showing a video of Alex Maroko performing a workout with lots of bodyweight exercises I thought I would have some more bodyweight stuff again today. In this video Craig Ballantyne performs the bodyweight 250.

The bodyweight 250 pretty much does what it says on the tin. The workout consists of performing a total of 250 repetitions using various different bodyweight exercises. Some exercises are more challenging than others and so may need to be broken up with some rest periods. The goal of the session is simply to complete the workout in as quick a time as possible.



This type of workout can be described as metabolic resistance training. It is very effective in elevating metabolism for prolonged periods of time following the completion of the workout. As such, it would be a fantastic fat loss workout.

I would not recommend athletes use this type of workout as a form of strength training. The high repetition nature of this training session means that the level of resistance would be inadequate to develop strength in advanced athletes.

If time is limited or if the athlete does not have access to a suitable training area then this type of workout could be a very effective alternative to a tempo workout.

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Alex Maroko Bodyweight Workout

Sports Speed expert Alex Maroko shows how to be innovative with your workouts when you are faced with a gym that is not up to scratch (to say the least!).

There are some really interesting bodyweight exercises shown in this workout. It goes to show that an effective training session really can be performed anywhere.

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Suitcase Deadlift

The video below shows an exercise known as the Suitcase Deadlift. Exercises such as this, where the load is on just one side of the body, represent another great way of increasing the work performed by the mid-section.

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Koji Murofushi: Unstable Training

There are some interesting training methods displayed by 2004 Olympic Hammer Champion Koji Murofushi in this video. It goes to show that core training does not have to be about isolating particular muscle groups.

Many of the exercises in the video have clearly been thought up with the hammer throw in mind. However, the squat is applicable to most athletes. When Murofushi was performing these squats, weighted objects were dangling from the bar. This added an element of instability to the lift, which meant that the mid section was required to work harder in order to control this instability.

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TRX Exercises

In addition to the anti-rotation movements that we have looked at over the last couple of days, the speed based athlete must also pay attention to the sagittal plane. Here, Eric Cressey demonstrates some sagittal plane (or anterior core, if you prefer) movement progressions using a TRX.

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Cable Chop

Here are two exercises that can be used as progressions from the Half Kneeling Paloff Press: The Half Kneeling Sequential Chop and the Half Kneeling Sequential Lift.

Here is the Half Kneeling Sequential Chop.



And here is the Half Kneeling Sequential Lift.

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Paloff Press

Following on from yesterdays post on the Paloff Press, I have two more more variations of this 'anti-roation' exercise.

First off is the Kneeling Paloff Press.



Next is the Half Kneeling Paloff Press.



By using these different variations we can shift the emphasis on stabilisation further up or lower down the body, depending on our needs.

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Core Training for Speed

Following on from my post on the weighted front plank, I am beginning a series on core training for the purposes of speed development.

Here is an exercise popularised by strength and conditioning coach Eric Cressey, the Paloff Press.



This is an excellent 'anti-rotation exercise'. Such anti-roatation training plays an important role in the context of speed development. This is because unwanted rotational movement whilst sprinting will only serve to slow the athlete down.

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Starting Speed

Here is an interesting drill for developing starting speed. It seems particularly applicable for sports such as rugby. In this sport, for example, quick acceleration might be required immediately after being tackled to the ground.



It could also be used for track athletes as well simply for the purposes of variety. It would work reasonably well for acceleration training since it places the athlete in a low position for the intial few strides.

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Weighted Front Plank

Bret Contreras created this video showing a simple way to make front planks more challenging.

A common way of increasing the difficulty of planks is to lift one leg or one arm off the ground. However, I prefer the method of adding weight. This is because the athlete is more likely to perform the exercise without unwanted movement compensations occurring if the method shown in the video below is used.



Note the position of the plate on top of the low back/gute region.

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Marc Kent Interview

Here is an interview I did with Marc Kent, a leading personal trainer from North Devon. There are some great sports nutrition insights in this interview.



Tim: Hi Marc, I really appreciate you taking out some time for this interview.

Marc: No worries Tim, thanks for having me.

Tim: You have developed quite a reputation as an expert in fat loss. Many readers may be thinking this subject is not particularly relevant to their sports training. However, I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the importance of developing optimal body composition in speed and power based athletes.

Marc: In my opinion Tim, having an optimal body composition is equally if not more important to speed and power based athletes than it would be to the general population. While having a lower body fat percentage is good for general health and lowers the risks of certain diseases, I believe that obtaining an optimal (for your sport) body composition can only improve your performance.

For instance, in weight categorised sports such as boxing/judo where the athletes need to fight at certain body weights having a low body fat percentage would enable the fighter to be stronger, fitter and faster than an opponent at the same weight with a higher body fat percentage. The same would go for rugby players.

For pure speed athletes such as sprinters having a less than optimal body composition would be akin to running with a ruck sack on your back, it’s just going to slow you down!

Tim: Would your approach to improving and optimising body composition vary greatly between an overweight population and an athletic population?

Marc: In a nut shell I would say no. For an over weight population it’s slightly easier as it’s just a case of manipulating their calorie intake, especially their carbs to help reduce body fat. Where as due to the intensity as well as the frequency that a high level athlete would train it would depend on how many calories they would need to be able to train at those higher levels. Cut calories too much and you will never have the energy to train and recovery would be compromised.

Tim: Obviously physical training plays an important role in optimising body composition. However, the importance of nutrition should not be overlooked either. What nutritional advice would you give to a speed and power based athlete who might be looking to decrease their body fat levels but also needs fuel himself appropriately for intense training sessions?

Marc: For both my fat loss clients and the athletes I train I always stress the importance of getting enough protein to help facilitate muscle growth and recovery. The more muscle an athlete carries the more protein they should ingest. I aim for my clients to get 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight. We want to feed the muscle and starve the fat. I would ensure there diet has adequate amounts of good fats obtained from salmon, tuna, and cod liver and flax oil. From there it would be a case of getting in good quality carbs to fuel the workouts. How many carbs? Well that would depend on where they are in their training cycle and how far off their target body fat percentage they are.

Tim: Are there any nutritional supplements out there that you think athletes should be taking, either from the perspective of body composition or performance?

Marc: To cover the short falls in some athlete’s diets a good quality multi vitamin/mineral should be top of the list. Also to help ensure they are meeting their protein requirements I suggest a good quality protein power and a post workout recovery shake that has a 2:1 carb/protein ratio. Studies have shown this ratio has been optimal for recovery, I recommend a shake due to convenience.

Tim: Thanks Marc. You have provided some really useful information here. Is there anywhere the readers can go to find out more about you?

Marc: Thanks for providing me the opportunity to share my information with your readers. If your readers want to check out more from me they can find it at my main website: http://www.marckent.com/

Thanks again Tim, it’s been a pleasure.

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Nigel Lewis: Complex Training

Following on from my first interview with long jump coach Nigel Lewis, I have another interview which this time focuses on complex training. Enjoy!


Tim: Hi Nigel. Thanks for doing another interview for the site. I really enjoyed the last one, and so I'm really looking forward to this.

Nigel: Thanks again for inviting me.

Tim: I know you have just released a new manual on complex training, which is available on your site http://www.longjumping.co.uk/. For anyone that might not be familiar with this type of training, could you give an overview of what this training method entails?

Nigel: Tim, complex training is not new. Coaches have been using this form of specific strength training for many years in many guises. All I have done in this my latest technical manual is collate all the information that is especially relevant and make sense of it all and present in such a fashion that is clear and concise and that coaches and jumpers have useful guideline’s and advice.

I personally have been implementing complex training for well over 10 years and like plyometrics am convinced of its value in its inclusion into a jumps training programme.

But it is not something that can be ‘cobbled’ together. It has to be given a great deal of thought and all coaches thinking of including complex training into their training programmes should have a sound basic background of knowledge in physiology and bio-mechanics.

Complex training is essentially the ‘linking’ of a resistance exercise followed by a matched plyometric exercise

For example:-

• Back squats followed by squat jumps in place

The logic behind these matched pair of exercises is that the resistance work gets the nervous system in to full action so that more Type IIb fibres are available for the explosive exercise, hence a better training benefit.

Tim: The science behind this type of training suggests that the level of force production achieved in the second exercise should be enhanced by the prior performance of the first exercise. However, I know of some coaches who use complex training as a way of transitioning between training blocks focusing on maximum strength training and speed-strength training. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this and whether or not you have any other additional uses for complex training.

Nigel: Strength work has been shown to improve sports performance particularly for sprinters, jumpers and throwers but it is not beneficial in developing ‘rate of force - the speed with which force is achieved in a movement’.

For example, it takes around 400m/sec to develop maximum force during a squat exercise, but the foot-ground contact time in sprinting is around 90 m/sec so there is not enough time to produce maximum force in sprinting. Therefore, for speed strength events, like horizontal jumping, it is the ‘rate of force development’ that becomes more important than absolute strength.

I never utilize complex training as a transition. I use it as one of my main specific strength attainment programmes throughout the training year from October right through to April. It sits alongside our traditional weight training programme and they indeed compliment each other and specific strength gains are more than evident.

Also, I structure my complex programme so that all the exercises performed replicate the specific movement patterns of the long and triple jump events. This is explained in my manual.

Tim: There is a fair amount of research to suggest that lower level athletes do not achieve a potentiation effect with complex training as they simply carry over too much fatigue from the first exercise. Do your own coaching experiences support these findings? If so, do you think there are still any uses for this type of training in developing athletes?

Nigel: I would never begin a complex programme with a younger jumper until they have had several winter preparation periods with me. During that time I would have ‘drip-fed’ the essential fundamentals of resistance training and plyometrics. Only recently I started a young 18 year triple jumper on his first complex programme – he absolutely loves it! I had to wait patiently until he was ready to start such a high impact programme. I had to make sure that his core strength was sufficiently developed and strong enough to meet the demands of performing complex pairings.

You rightly state that a ‘novice’ might exhaust himself on the resistance exercise and then be in no condition physically and mentally to quickly begin the following plyometric exercise. When you consider that the resistance exercise is approximately 65-75% of their 1rm – to quickly follow that with a demanding plyometric exercise is very hard.

Tim: Are there any common mistakes that you find coaches and/or athletes make when getting started with complex training?

Nigel: Yes. Many coaches appear to have little knowledge on the ‘application’ of this specific strength programme. They tend to use it in on an ‘ad-hoc’ basis at the end of a training unit with no definite structure. They really have to understand the physiological and bio-mechanical processes that underpin it. More knowledge is definitely required via workshops and clinics.

Tim: You have revealed some great information here and I am positive there will be great interest in your complex training manual. I am sure it would be really useful for the readers if you could provide a brief outline of the content of your manual.

Nigel: I attempt to make the reader understand what complex training is and it’s rationale as to why it should be included into a jumpers training programme. I identify 15 complex pairings that might be included into a complex programme. I have included many photographs and description of each pairing along with sample training units with repetitions, sets and recoveries identified and much, much more………….

I also offer an email service for all coaches and jumpers who purchase my manual to answer any queries that they may have.

Tim: Once again, thank you for your time Nigel. Could you remind people where they should go to find out more about you?

Nigel: Simply log on to http://www.longjumping.co.uk/

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Dwain Chambers

Here is a very small taste of what it takes to become the World Indoor 60 Metre Champion. Dwain Chambers won the world indoor title this weekend, and in the video below he can be seen displaying his impressive box jump ability (albeit with a small run up).

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How to Run a 200 Meter Dash

As you can tell from Latifs' reference to the US track and field trials, this video was created last summer. However, I thought now would also be an appropriate time to show this video - in honour of the world indoor track and field championships which have been taking place this weekend. Of course, the 200m is no longer an event in the world indoor championships. Even if it was, one might argue that a different strategy might be required due to the differences between running on indoor and outdoor tracks. However, with the world indoors being the last event of the indoor season for most athletes the attention will now turn to preparation for the outdoor season.

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The Snatch: Whats the catch?

We have looked at ways to develop the ability to quickly drop down into a deep catch position over the last couple of days. Previously we have looked at why the catch is an important part of the olympic lifts when training for sprinting speed. Todays video will help explain why it is so important for the purposes of performing well in the olympic lifts themselves.



As coach Burgener put it, 'you don't upright row that kind of weight'. So the only way you will successfully clean or snatch big weights is by dropping under the bar FAST.

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Snatch Progressions

Having looked at kneeling jumps, a great exercise for teaching athletes to drop into a low catch position in the olympic lifts, this video shows a multitude of progressions that can be used to teach the catch.



There is divided opinion regarding the drill where the athlete drops into the catch position from a position of flexed shoulders and elbows. It is thought by many coaches that this teaches athletes to bend their arms too early in the lift. Irrespective of your thoughts on this, there are still plenty of good exercise variations in this video.

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Kneeling Jumps

Here is a great exercise that is probably new to you. I would prefer to see the athlete in the video rise from the squat position after the jump, but this is being picky. The main benefits of the exercise are derived from exploding from the kneeling position and then quickly flexing the hip, knee and ankle joints in order to land in the squat position.



This exercise is similar to the olympic lifting exercises in that it requires forceful extension immediately followed by rapid flexion of the lower limb. The main difference is that, whilst the olympic lifts involve full triple extension (of the hip, knee and ankle), the kneeling jump emphasises hip extension.

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Reverse Slide Board Lunge

Here is an exercise to try if you have access to a slide board. Slide boards are a great tool that can be used to add another dimension to your workouts. In this instance it allows it allows for a great variation on the lunge exercise.



Standard lunges will result in greater eccentric force production. However, a possible drwback of the exercise is that it involves a decelerative movement pattern. For track athletes who require straight forward acceleration, the reverse slide board lunge shown above would be more suitable.

Of course, team sport players requiring multi-directional speed would still do well to include the standard lunge in their programmes.

By holding the weight overhead, there is an increased demand placed upon the core.

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Sprinters vs endurance athletes: Two different animals

With regard to interval training for middle distance running I have already stated that a deviation from the incremental system outlined by Frank Horwill may be required. My reasoning for this is because, if we are training to become more efficient at a specifc running velocity, it would make sense to gradually increase the volume of training performed at this training intensity.

The incremental training system would be likely to result in the opposite occurring. This is because the total volume of the training sessions remain largely unchanged with his progressions. Yet the workouts become increasingly demanding, and so will be performed less frequently as greater time periods are required to recover between workouts.

Such a phenomenon is often seen with sprinters. The performance level of a sprinter is often inversely related to the frequency with which they can perform high intensity training sessions. A high intensity sprint training session would involve running speeds anywhere between 95% and 100% of maximum velocity. Lower level sprinters are simply not able to run fast enough to significantly tax their nervous system. Such athletes could get away with performing sprint sessions at 95-100% of maximum speed everyday, since they would be carrying over very little fatigue from the previous sessions. In contrast, it will usually take an elite sprinter around 48 hours for the nervous system to recover from intense speed and strength training sesions.

So why would we be encouraging demanding training sessions that necessitate less frequent exposure for elite sprinters whilst discouraging the equivalent sessions for middle distance runners?

Whilst they are equivalent workouts in as much as they both involve training at speeds that are as close to race pace as possible, they achieve their effects through differing means.

Maximum speed is developed by increasing force production during the ground contact phase. In order to increase such force production capabilites, high threshold motor units must be activated during training. This cannot be achieved with submaximal running speeds.

In contrast, the level of force production required to run at a specific running velocity remains the same. We may even be able to slightly reduce the level of force production required by improving the efficiency of the running technique at this particular running speed. However, in order to achieve such changes it is necessary to increase the level of exposure to this running speed. Increasing the level of fatigue associated with such training sessions, by increasing the work: rest ratio, will serve to reduce the frequency with which they can be performed and thus reduce the overall exposure to the stimulus. This would appear to be counterproductive.

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Incremental Training

Following on from my post on Frank Horwill, this article will scrutinise the incremental training system that he advocates.

I previously stated that this type of training progression would be beneficial for developing work capacity due the increased density of each subsequent workout progression. So a good starting point would be to take a look at what is meant by the terms 'work capacity' and 'training density'.

Sprint coach Tom Crick recently decribed work capacity as 'the ability to tolerate a certain volume or density of a specific task and recover sufficiently in order to repeat that task in the next training session'.

Training density is the amount of work that is performed within a given time period. There are essentially two ways in which training density can be increased:

1) Perform a greater amount of work within the same time period.
2) Perform the same amount of work, but within a shorter time period.

It is clear to see that the workout progressions provided by Frank Horwill, which I previously outlined, result in an increased level of training density by decreasing the amount of time in which the same amount of work is performed.

On a side note, an example of a training system that increases training density by increasing the amount of work peformed within the same time period is the Escalating Density Training Method. This training system, created by Charles Staley, is effetive in developing muscular hypertrophy. The protocol involves performing two separate strength training exercises in alternating fashion, back and forth, for a period of 20 minutes. The aim is simply to perform as many repetitions of each exercise as possible within the 20 minute time period and then to improve on the number of repetitions performed during each subsequent workout.

So how does increasing the training density in the manners described above devlop work capacity?

By increasing the density of a workout we are essentially making it more demanding. This has the potential to increase the level of fatigue experienced following the session. As a result, it would not seem logical to expect this type of training progression to result in the athlete being able to tolerate a greater number of these workouts within a given time period.

However, the concept of work capacity can be applied to within workouts as well as between workouts. By developing the ability to recover between repetitions/sets that are performed at a specific intensity an athlete is improving their 'within workout work capacity'.

But why should we be so concerned about developing greater levels of work capacity at specific exercise intensities?

If we go back to interval training for middle distance running performance, we have outlined two quite distinct methods.

The traditional method of interval training involves consistantly performing workouts with the same number repetitions (over the same distances and with the same recoveries). The progression is achieved by increasing the speed for the repetitions, which means the focus is not on developing work capacity at a specific intensity (speed). The incremental method of interval training achieves progression by increasing the work: rest ratio whilst maintaining the same running speed/exercise intensity.

The benefit of the latter method would be that the athlete is constantly developing a greater efficiency and becoming more economical at the specific running speed he is ultimately aiming to race at. However, one thing we know about running economy is that it responds very well to high volumes of training at the specific training intensities in which we are attempting to the develop this quality.

So perhaps we would be better off looking at ways we can develop between workout work capacity? This would enable more frequent exposure to the specific running speeds we are trying to develop which in turn will result in a greater volume of work being performed at such intensities?

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The need for speed

Many coaches have made known the perils of long slow distance running when it comes to the development of top end speed. Alex Maroko, a specialist in developing ‘game speed’, has gone as far as to say that the one mainstay to avoid with speed based athletes is long distance running.

But what about the other way round? Do middle and long distance runners need to work on the development of maximum speed? If so, should the methods used to develop this quality be the same for endurance athletes and power athletes alike?

Yes and Yes. Even though an endurance athlete will not attain their top speed during their competitive event, all things being equal, the athlete who can run the fastest (over, say, 60 metres) will win.

Of course, all things never are equal! But it doesn’t change the fact that devoting some time to the development of maximum speed will be incredibly beneficial – regardless of your racing distance.

So why is maximum speed so important for the endurance athlete?

Well there are two main reasons.

1) Sprint finish.

How many championship races over 5,000m or 10,000m have you seen that have boiled down to a huge burn up over the final few hundred metres? I know, for me, the answer is A LOT! So what use is it being able to stay with the pace for the first 24 laps of a 10k track race if everyone is going to come tearing past you on the 25th lap? That must be pretty demoralising, huh?

Maximum speed training can directly translate into improved sprint finish ability, especially in tactical race situations.

2) Speed Reserve

Okay, okay. I know. You couldn’t care less about that sprint finish malarkey right? For you it’s all about your personal best. You against the clock. This requires even paced running, right?

Well, I’ve got news for you. Improving your maximum sprinting speed will directly translate to an improved ability to sustain fast (but submaximal) running speeds for prolonged periods of time.

Why?

It’s quite simple really. The concept of speed reserve is that the greater the difference between your maximum speed and any given submaximal speed, the greater the duration for which that submaximal speed can be maintained.

Increasing the duration for which a given speed can be maintained does not always directly translate to improved performance in time trial scenarios. But it will allow greater exposure to key training paces, which in turn will result in superior physiological adaptation, which in turn will result in an improved ability to race against the clock.

So whether you are racing for times or positions, be sure to include some maximum speed training in your programme.

Tim Egerton
sprintstrong.com

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Frank Horwill

In this weeks edition of Athletics Weekly there is an article on interval training by Frank Horwill. Frank is the founder of the British Milers Club (BMC) and quite possibly one of the most charismatic coaches you will come across. I personally have learnt much from Frank Horwill and many of my key training sessions for 1500m are Horwill sessions.

However, this most recent article from Horwill has sparked much online debate on athletics forums.

In Horwills article he discusses an approach to interval training that he describes as incremental training.

Basically, the athlete starts fast and runs a fraction of the ultimate target and when that distance can be handled with ease in the targeted time, the distance increases at that same pace with the original recovery. This is in contrast to starting with longer repetitions and quickening up. With incremental training, the athlete is getting accustomed to the target pace from the outset.

(Horwill, 2010)

Most of the forum comments have not specifically taken issue with the principle outlined by Horwill in the quote above. Instead, there has been much debate about one of the example sessions that was provided.

The session in question was:

4x400m (at target 800m pace) with 30 second recoveries.

Now I have to agree with the general consensus on the message forums. That is, ones current 800m race pace will be faster than what can be maintained with the suggested recovery periods above.

Horwill is famous for creating a training system known as the Five Pace System. For a 1500m runner this system would require the athlete to train at race pace as well as the estimated race paces for the two distance above and below the 1500m event (ie. 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, and 5000m pace). I believe that the recovery periods that Horwill originally suggested for each of these training paces work very well.

Horwills original recovery suggestions were:

Training pace (distance of the jog recovery)
400m pace (jog double the distance of the repetition)
800m pace (jog the same distance as the repetition distance)
1500m pace (jog half of the repetition distance)
3000m pace (jog a quarter of the repetition distance)

Horwill also stated that the pace of the recovery jog was to be at 45 seconds per 100metres. The distance of the repetitions was to be double the distance of the race pace.

Using this system, a typical training session at 800m race pace would be 4x400m with 3 minute recoveries. In my experience, the pace that can be maintained for such a session does indeed very closely match the pace that can be achieved in an 800m race.

So yes, it does seem that 30 second recoveries between 400m repetitions is rather harsh if one is expected to maintain their current 800m race pace. When you consider that it was being suggested that the pace being trained at should be a target pace (ie. faster than ones current ability over the distance) than this particular session appears to be even more unachievable.

However, rather than looking at it as a single isolated training session, lets examine the sequence of progressions that Horwill provided:

Progression 1 - 8x200m with 30 second recoveries
Progression 2 - 6x300m with 30 second recoveries
Progression 3 - 4x400m with 30 second recoveries
Progression 4 - 3x500m with 30 second recoveries

From this it now seems clear what Horwill is trying to achieve. The total distance covered with each progression remains roughly the same (approximately double the 800metre race distance). The recovery periods remain exactly the same, but the total distance is achieved with fewer repetitions (due to the increasing distance of the repetitions). This results in the total recovery for the entire workout decreasing with each progression.

This now appears, to me, like a good sequence of progressions. It will certainly develop work capacity by increasing the density of the training sessions. The only real problem seems to be the actual recovery duration, which can easily be adressed.

If you decide to use this approach to 800m training then I would suggest using the above progressions with 3 minute recoveries instead of 30 second recoveries. Your only problem now is deciding what time you want to achieve this summer - as this will determine the pace of the sessions!

Stay tuned for future articles on this topic. I will be taking a step back from analysing the specific sessions and progressions, and instead will critique the incremental interval training approach itself.

Tim Egerton
sprintstrong.com

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Maximum Velocity Sprint Mechanics

Mike Young provides a great insight into the biomechanics of maximum speed sprinting in the video below.

In particular I would like to draw attention to his point that the unfolding of the swing leg is not something that should be acheived actively. This is something to consider when prescribing drills such as the B-skip, since it would be easy for the athletes to become under the impression that they must actively stive to achieve this 'pawing' action.

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X-Band Walks

Yesterday we looked at some ways of optimising glute development. In my interview with Bret Contreras, Bret mentioned that, in addition to using the main hip extension exercises, the glutes also need to be trained through hip abduction and rotation as well.

The X-Band walk is my favourite means of training hip abduction:

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Best Glute Exercise

The cook hip lift is a glute activation exercise that allows hip extension to take place without lumbar extension occurring. This develops the ability to dissociate the hips from the lower back which is important for both optimising sports performance and remaining injury free.

Here is a clip of the cook hip lift.



The application of the exercise is somewhat limited and its main use is to activate the glutes prior to performing a more demanding exercise. The exercise below will also limit lumbar extension (although to a lesser extent) but will allow greater loads to be used whilst also allowing for a greater range of motion.



Bret Contreras has identified that the hip thrust has the highest Glute Max. EMG readings out of any exercise. The exercise above is essentially a single leg version of the hip thrust.

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Fastest man in the world

A short while ago I posed the question as to who really is the fastest man in the world. One of the comments made by a reader was that just because Usain Bolt is the fastest 100m runner in the world it does not necessarily follow that he has the greatest top speed in the world. This reader went on to make the point that the reason why Bolts superior sprint performance is particularly apparent in the second half of his races may be primarily due to his ability to hold his top speed for a greater length of time than his competitors. Is it possible that Bolt does not reach greater top speeds than his rivals, but once having reached his maximum speed he maintains it for longer?

The official analysis from the 2009 World Championships Mens 100m Final shows that Bolt took 1.61 seconds to cover the distance between the 60m and 80m points in the race. This was the fastest 20 segment recorded in the race (0.2 seconds faster than Tyson Gay ran for the same section). With regard to the ability to maintain this maximum speed, Bolt slowed down by 0.5 seconds in the final 20m section whereas Gay slowed down by 0.6 seconds. This suggests that the ability to achieve a greater maximum speed as well as a greater ability to maintain this speed contributes to Usain Bolts superior performance in the second half of 100m races.

However, I would like to draw your attention to another point that was made. The readers comment highlighted the fact that there are two distinct factors to consider: speed whilst the athlete is in contact with the ground and speed whilst the athlete is in full flight.

In actual fact, even during the so called maximum speed phase of sprinting there will be a constant fluctuation in running velocity. This is because it is only possible for an athlete to accelerate his centre of mass forward whilst he is in contact with the ground. As soon as the flight phase of the running stride begins the athlete will start to decelerate. Deceleration during the flight phase occurs due to the effect of wind resistance (along with the absense of any propulsive forces).

An athlete may be able to maintain maximum speed, from stride to stride, for around 15 metres. But during this maximum speed phase his running speed will actually fluctuate within each stride. This adds another dimension that must be considered when determining the identity of the fastest man in the world.

If two athletes are able to achieve the same 'stride to stride maximum speed', the athlete who truely achieves the greatest maximum speed will be the one with the greatest variability in speed within each stride. The main factor that will contribute to a large variability in speed within each stride is the duration of the flight phase. A longer flight phase results in a greater decrease in speed. If two athletes achieve the same 'stride to stride maximum speed', the athlete who has a greater decrease in speed during the flight phase will have to compensate for this by achieving a greater speed at the point of take off (at the end of the ground contact phase).

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