Ask me anything about Speed Training

[secretlifter3]

I'm spent a very large amount of time researching and learning about training methods and how speed training really is. Speed training is defined as a 2-8 second maximal effort, with full recovery in between.
I have some good experience competing/training myself (track and field), have trained others, and have studied many programs and their details.

So anyway, go ahead and ask me anything about speed/power/strength training and i'll try my best to answer.

[Stathakis]

I'm an aspiring 800m/1500m runner, and over the next 4 or so months I'm going to focus on building my aerobic base, but I don't want to lose all my speed (actually, if i want to do anything with the 800 I have to gain quite a bit of speed), so will I make any progress at all if I just throw on an extra 10x100 once a week during base building? should I do more? should I do less? most of my long runs will be over an undulating course without too many steep or long hills, but rather short ups and downs.

edit: the 10x100 with full recovery in between each one, of course

[secretlifter3]

I'm an aspiring 800m/1500m runner, and over the next 4 or so months I'm going to focus on building my aerobic base, but I don't want to lose all my speed (actually, if i want to do anything with the 800 I have to gain quite a bit of speed), so will I make any progress at all if I just throw on an extra 10x100 once a week during base building? should I do more? should I do less? most of my long runs will be over an undulating course without too many steep or long hills, but rather short ups and downs.

edit: the 10x100 with full recovery in between each one, of course

I'd rather do 4x 30m + 2x4x60m, then move up to 2x4x85m, then 100m, then 120m, then 150m. Keep the 4x30s in there.
You will need to do quite a lot of work in the 300-600 area as well.

[Stathakis]

I'd rather do 4x 30m + 2x4x60m, then move up to 2x4x85m, then 100m, then 120m, then 150m. Keep the 4x30s in there.
You will need to do quite a lot of work in the 300-600 area as well.

I was under the impression that making the distance too long or the recovery too short builds lactic acid and counteracts aerobic development, and short sprints > long sprints until i start that phase of my year (i.e. when i start doing 3-4 interval days a week)? I don't really know much about speed training, could you tell me why exactly that workout, and why 300-600?

[sackman30]

I'm spent a very large amount of time researching and learning about training methods and how speed training really is. Speed training is defined as a 2-8 second maximal effort, with full recovery in between.
I have some good experience competing/training myself (track and field), have trained others, and have studied many programs and their details.

So anyway, go ahead and ask me anything about speed/power/strength training and i'll try my best to answer.

i know speed pretty much boils down to stride frequency and stride length what do you suggest to improve both of these? i am 6'4" 252 senior in high school and currently running a 4.70 forty wanting to break the 4.6 barrier

[secretlifter3]

I was under the impression that making the distance too long or the recovery too short builds lactic acid and counteracts aerobic development, and short sprints > long sprints until i start that phase of my year (i.e. when i start doing 3-4 interval days a week)? I don't really know much about speed training, could you tell me why exactly that workout, and why 300-600?

what's wrong with the recovery? 4x30 is with 3 mins rest in between. The 2x4x60 or whatever distance is in there, is 5 mins rest between the reps, and full rest (10 mins or so) between the sets.

I would consider having a day of flying 50s on top of this if possible.

the runs should progress slowly to 120-150s which still WILL improve your top speed, while improving endurance of that speed. As an 800m runner, improving your instaneous top speed isnt as much use as developing the ability to hold sub maximal speeds, which is where 120-150s come in. Btw, once you get to 150s, get the workout to something like 3x2x150, 8 mins between reps/15 mins between sets.

These workouts would generally develop your sprinting qualities. The 300-600 becomes more specific to running an 800.

[secretlifter3]

i know speed pretty much boils down to stride frequency and stride length what do you suggest to improve both of these? i am 6'4" 252 senior in high school and currently running a 4.70 forty wanting to break the 4.6 barrier

All the programs which try to go specifically into developing stride frequency and stride length have been doomed for failure. The end results of those programs, has been nothing but failure. The problem arises when coaches/trainers try to increase stride length "manually" or improve frequency by using certain drills, hoping that this will improve times by itself. This is not true.

My suggestion is a good sprint training plan, which will focus on sprinting (mostly), and then jumping,throwing,lifting.

If you're looking to cut off 1 tenth, spend about 4-6 weeks doing 3x per week sprint training, 2 days of acceleration development, and 1 day of max velocity.

BTW, just for your interest, stride length improvements wouldnt have a large impact on your 40 times anyway... you dont reach full flight mode hence never reach your full stride.

[Stathakis]

what's wrong with the recovery? 4x30 is with 3 mins rest in between. The 2x4x60 or whatever distance is in there, is 5 mins rest between the reps, and full rest (10 mins or so) between the sets.

I would consider having a day of flying 50s on top of this if possible.

the runs should progress slowly to 120-150s which still WILL improve your top speed, while improving endurance of that speed. As an 800m runner, improving your instaneous top speed isnt as much use as developing the ability to hold sub maximal speeds, which is where 120-150s come in. Btw, once you get to 150s, get the workout to something like 3x2x150, 8 mins between reps/15 mins between sets.

These workouts would generally develop your sprinting qualities. The 300-600 becomes more specific to running an 800.

I see. will definitely try it out, but it sounds a bit taxing to throw on the end of a long run so i think I'll just set aside a specific day of the week for that. thanks!

[secretlifter3]

I see. will definitely try it out, but it sounds a bit taxing to throw on the end of a long run so i think I'll just set aside a specific day of the week for that. thanks!

oh you definitely dont want a long run + speed on the same day! the speed work will become next to useless. The CNS does not want mixed signals, either you go slow or go fast.

[AssassinCrazy]

Will sprinting on a track make you faster on a football field? Is it better to run b4 lifting or after?

[txapn]

All the programs which try to go specifically into developing stride frequency and stride length have been doomed for failure. The end results of those programs, has been nothing but failure. The problem arises when coaches/trainers try to increase stride length "manually" or improve frequency by using certain drills, hoping that this will improve times by itself. This is not true.

.

i agree with ya alittle on the above statement only bc IF stride length is a problem then it needs to be dealt with, so yes you are correct in the fact that a program trying to increase those two things is doomed for failer but only bc they might not be needed!

IMO a simple way to look at speed training to so find ur weakness and focus on improving it.
whether it be stride length, accelleration, speed endurance, reaction, or stride frequency. (alot of the factors depend on what the speed is being used for)
a program can not be 100% optimal in results unless an evaluation is givin on the athlete and the weak points are adressed and are a main priority of the program.

strength, force/power and so on can be increased but if the weakpoints are not fixed then they will always hold you back!

[secretlifter3]

Will sprinting on a track make you faster on a football field? Is it better to run b4 lifting or after?

Yes, sprinting on a track = better than sprinting on a field when goal is getting faster.
Lifting should always coem after sprinting.

[strongjoind8]

lol, what college do u sprint for

[secretlifter3]

i agree with ya alittle on the above statement only bc IF stride length is a problem then it needs to be dealt with, so yes you are correct in the fact that a program trying to increase those two things is doomed for failer but only bc they might not be needed!

IMO a simple way to look at speed training to so find ur weakness and focus on improving it.
whether it be stride length, accelleration, speed endurance, reaction, or stride frequency. (alot of the factors depend on what the speed is being used for)
a program can not be 100% optimal in results unless an evaluation is givin on the athlete and the weak points are adressed and are a main priority of the program.

strength, force/power and so on can be increased but if the weakpoints are not fixed then they will always hold you back!

a good program will cover everything from the start and weak points will no longer exist eventually (hopefully).
Stride length could only be a limiting factor in someones speed if it is due to lack of flexibility, improper technique, or poor strength levels. All of which should be addressed in a good program. If you take a guy running 10.8 and try to make him faster by making his strides longer by using stick drills (like some coaches do), that's dooming him to failure... instead where he could work on flying sprints, SE runs, 60m sprints, ins and outs, plyos, accel. work, lifting and get better overall.

[strongjoind8]

ok then

[secretlifter3]

lol, what college do u sprint for

I dont go to college.

[strongjoind8]

I dont go to college.

do you run unattached?

[secretlifter3]

do you run unattached?

At this moment, club.
How relevant is that to knowing about sprint training?

[strongjoind8]

At this moment, club.
How relevant is that to knowing about sprint training?

ha, are you serious? extremely relevant, there's a reason why people accomplished in sports become experts in their field. You can read all you want but its never going simulate actually sprinting competency in entirety. Just asked you a simple question, nothing to get defensive about big guy.

[secretlifter3]

ha, are you serious? extremely relevant, there's a reason why people accomplished in sports become experts in their field. You can read all you want but its never going simulate actually sprinting competency in entirety. Just asked you a simple question, nothing to get defensive about big guy.

I was only interested in where you where going with that. Steven Franno and Glen Mills never competed themselves, how are they doing right now as coaches... well combined they coach 2 of the 3 fastest guys ever in the world, and coach a large wealth of other sucessful athletes as well.

Succes as an athlete does not equal success as a coach. I know of many many top athletes who became coaches, but I dont know of many (actually any) top athletes who became top coaches. There actually is a reason for that.

Experience as an athlete can help being a coach however, and allows a coach to better understand the mood/atmosphere of track meets, adaptation to training, symptoms of overtraining, life problems interfering with training, etc etc. and many of these a coach simply cannot fully understand and apply without having first hand experience with it. But more than that, training yourself from an 11.5 down to a 10.5 doesnt mean you know that much of what you're doing...

BTW, you said people accomplished in sports become experts in their field, can you name a few sub 10 sprinters who have gone onto coaching other sub 10 athletes?

[strongjoind8]

I was only interested in where you where going with that. Steven Franno and Glen Mills never competed themselves, how are they doing right now as coaches... well combined they coach 2 of the 3 fastest guys ever in the world, and coach a large wealth of other sucessful athletes as well.

Succes as an athlete does not equal success as a coach. I know of many many top athletes who became coaches, but I dont know of many (actually any) top athletes who became top coaches. There actually is a reason for that.

Experience as an athlete can help being a coach however, and allows a coach to better understand the mood/atmosphere of track meets, adaptation to training, symptoms of overtraining, life problems interfering with training, etc etc. and many of these a coach simply cannot fully understand and apply without having first hand experience with it. But more than that, training yourself from an 11.5 down to a 10.5 doesnt mean you know that much of what you're doing...

BTW, you said people accomplished in sports become experts in their field, can you name a few sub 10 sprinters who have gone onto coaching other sub 10 athletes?

lol is all i have to say. g'luck "speed expert"

[2slik]

What exercises will in particular will help your speed training?

[wrwally]

If you're looking to cut off 1 tenth, spend about 4-6 weeks doing 3x per week sprint training, 2 days of acceleration development, and 1 day of max velocity.

Can you give a sample program for this please?

[secretlifter3]

lol is all i have to say. g'luck "speed expert"

good answer buddy

[secretlifter3]

What exercises will in particular will help your speed training?

exercises for what?

sprinting
plyometrics
throws
lifting

Which are we talking about here?

[secretlifter3]

Can you give a sample program for this please?

mon: rest
tues: 4x15m/4x25m/4x35m @ 100% + throws (25) + lifting
wed: tempo 8x100m on grass @ 70% speed + abs
thurs: 8x60m @ 100% + plyos (25 contacts) + lifting
fri: medicine ball light work/abs/lots of stretching
sat: 3x3x20m hills + 8x30m + plyos (25-30 contacts) + weighted abs/lifting
sun: tempo 4x100m/2x150m/2x200m/1x250m @ 70% speed + lots of stretching

After couple weeks, add in 4x20m sled instead of the 4x15m on monday
Make the tempo 12x100m on wed
Get rid of 250m run on sunday

And then after a month, make the thurs workout 6x60m.

Taper off the lifting to twice per week, get rid of weighted abs, and make the saturday workout with only 4x30m after the hills whenever you're ready to test your 40.

[Zyzzle]

What are your thoughts on distance training (5-10k)? I train like a 100m sprinter (speed & tempo) and I go on 2 long runs/wk. I notice that I feel very strong because of all the speed work and my endurance is great. Do you think this is a valuable way to train? I believe it increases my speed reserve. Should I make my speed workouts more speed endurance oriented?

A typical speed workout would be 8x50m with full recovery.

[whatevergirl]

secret...thanks for your comments in your other thread, relating to my achilles heel. Sorry, didn't see this thread. Your advice has been really helpful.

[secretlifter3]

secret...thanks for your comments in your other thread, relating to my achilles heel. Sorry, didn't see this thread. Your advice has been really helpful.

No problem, any other questions feel free to ask.
BTW, if you can get a massage (whenever possible) and have access to a therapist, consider seeing one whenever you can, it will help a lot.

[secretlifter3]

What are your thoughts on distance training (5-10k)? I train like a 100m sprinter (speed & tempo) and I go on 2 long runs/wk. I notice that I feel very strong because of all the speed work and my endurance is great. Do you think this is a valuable way to train? I believe it increases my speed reserve. Should I make my speed workouts more speed endurance oriented?

A typical speed workout would be 8x50m with full recovery.

What is your actual goal? To train to be a 5k runner?