Losing Weight for Preseason?

Training Bodybuilding
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So, November is finally upon us, and the Winter track season is starting up. My coach considers and treats the winter season as more of a preseason to the spring, so we avoid serious competition (we treat the winter meets like high quality practices, going for times over team wins).

So, I’d like to try and lose some bodyfat during the winter season. I’ve started doing full body workouts three times a week, vary the set rep scheme as such:

Excercises = Barbell Flat-Bench; Front Squat (still learning this, so should I ditch it for the back squat I’m more accustomed too?); Traditional Deadlift; Bent-over rows; Power Cleans (from hang).

Saturday = 3 sets, 5 reps (All excercises)
Tuesday = 3 sets, 8 reps (All excercises)
Thursday = 2/3 sets, 12/15 reps (All excercises)

I’m only doing light cardio atm, but I figure my track practices will be enough in the intensity/cardio department (i’m a sprinter). I’m also doing recovery sessions (stretching and tennisball rolling (cause I can’t find a foam roller)) on wednesday and friday.

I’m trying my best to get my diet on track, shooting for 6 “meals” on workout days (including peri-workout drink), and 5 on rest days. Fitting meals in during school is perticularly tough, since w/e I want to prepare has to be able to be eaten cold, and stored in tupperware. I own Persicion Nutrition, and I feel i’m at least on the right track, moving slowly towards the ideals set in it.

Right now, I weight about 190lbs, at a height of ~ 5’ 8", 26% bodyfat. I want to cut back my bodyfat for spring track season, particularly to avoid shin-splint and ankle injuries, as well as increase my speed.

I’d appreciate any feedback on my “program”, and I’d be happy to answer any questions anyone has.

My specific questions include:

~Am I doing to much volume?
~Should I do more varied excercises?
~What would a good target calorie intake be?
~How can I best handle track practices on top of the weight lifting time wise (IE: when to lift, before or after practice)?
~What would a decent goal be? I knwo its unique to my body and how hard I work, but what should I be expecting range wise?
~Has anybody, especially any sprinters, ever had a great weight loss and experienced a difference in speed? How significant? Ect…

Thanks for reading!

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[quote]Beowolf wrote:
Excercises = Barbell Flat-Bench; Front Squat (still learning this, so should I ditch it for the back squat I’m more accustomed too?); Traditional Deadlift; Bent-over rows; Power Cleans (from hang).

Saturday = 3 sets, 5 reps (All excercises)
Tuesday = 3 sets, 8 reps (All excercises)
Thursday = 2/3 sets, 12/15 reps (All excercises)
[/quote]
I’d consider adopting an A-workout/B-workout schedule, and alternate those throughout the week. This way, instead of hitting the same 5 exercises 3 times a week, you’re having some more variety/stimulation.

I hope the light cardio you’re doing is something not running based. You’re exploiting that motion well enough. Get on a bike, grab a jump rope, do anything except more running.

Protein bars would be great. The Metabolic Drive bars are smaller than most cell phones.

Zoinks. Yeah man, drop a chunk of bodyfat and your speeds will skyrocket.

Not at all.

Yes, see above. I’d also really like to see some single leg movements. A lunge, a step-up, a bulgarian split squat (search around here or google them. They’re common enough)

And about your front squat/back squat question…either one is fine. Plenty of folks do well either way. Dan John and Mike Boyle are huge advocates of Front Squatting. But back squatting has been around since the beginning of time.

One more thing, to deal with ankle issues before they start: Whenever possible, do your lower body work barefoot. No shoes, preferably no socks. Without outward support of any kind, your entire lower leg will have to work on its own, which is a good thing.

A little less than you’re taking in now. I’m not big on counting exact numbers, but ballpark what you’re eating on an average daily basis right now, and reduce it a little bit, maybe 300 or 400 calories. Adjust it as you go along.

I’d treat the track sessions as full fledged workouts. Take a PWO drink as appropriate, and lift around that schedule. Ideally, I’d have at least 6 hours between track and lifting.

If something’s sore from lifting, and it’s interrupting your running, I’d adjust your lifting. It’s supposed to help, not hinder.

You can probably end up around the same bodyweight, but by managing and manipulating your bodyfat %, you’ll end up leaner and more muscular looking. But remember, the most important thing, I think, is how you perform on the track.

Depending on your priority, you might want to use your running times as a significant measure of progress. Time’s decreasing? Keep doing what you’re doing. Time’s plateauing? Switch something up.

It’s fairly common sensical. If you decrease bodyfat, you’re moving less weight. It’s akin to wearing a weighted vest, then removing it and running. Also, the muscular strength you build will make each footfall more powerful, so you’ll be moving faster (ideally).

Thanks for writing! :stuck_out_tongue: My fingers are tired now.