It is stated by many that sprinters should not train maximally in the gym, saving themselves for the track. Hence they should perform typically 3-5 working sets of 3-5 reps, each set being atleast 1-2 reps away from failure.
I have tried this for a while now, and although I have maintained my strength I have not got stronger. However, if I do try and push the odd session to maximal I am sometimes too knackered…CNS fatigue from the track possibly.
How should should sprinters train in the gym?
Rich,
Hard to say how YOU, as a sprinter, should be training.
IMO your strength training was not stuctured enough (i.e. well periodized).
In the maximal strength phase you can manipulate buffer and intensity to get strength/power gains (keep the reps, up the intensity, i.e. lower the buffer or lower the reps, up the intensity, keep the buffer, for example).
Consider the following using a 3x5, 80% of 1RM, 5% Buffer, starting point:
Intensification Option a): 3x5, 82.5% of 1RM, 2.5% Buffer
Intensification Option b): 5x3, 85% of 1RM, 5% Buffer
Explosive concentrics are paramount; it’s common knowledge that the higher the buffer the more power output you get but after a certain point you sacrifice strength gains, which should be the focus in the MxS phase anyway, and you also have to consider TTUT, which often sets apart “strength maintenance” from “strength gain”.
Obviously you need to plan some sort of progression in your mesocycles, otherwise you will not see any improvement.
Furthermore, the number of CNS taxing training units you have in a microcycle should be addressed, as well as how your mesocycle is set in order to recover from them and overcompensate.
In my experience low volume, high frequency, non-linear (alternation of 1RM intensities within the microcycle) strength programs are the best to be integrated with sprint training.
If you have further questions do not hesitate to e-mail me at: strength_coach@usa.net.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Carlo Buzzichelli, SSC, PPS, CPT
2003 T&F World Championship Accredited Sprint Coach
2002 Commonwealth Games Accredited Sprint Coach
go look at charliefrancis.com message board, basically he recomends do your track workout, then go lift, heavy, as it is on the opposite end of the spectrum of sprinting, all of his sprinters had great success with this adn so have i so far. As well you have to have weeks where you back off of the weights and sprinting to allow ur body to recover, and as a sprinter your focus should be on improvements on the track, not necesarily in the weight room…but again go look at the forum, and if u have his book, a wealth of information there
I’m going to chime in here and tell you that Carlo knows his stuff, so listen up T-people!
In my humble opinion maximum strength training is paramount to the sprinter. In Charlie Francis excellent training book he states that his athletes trained with max weights, now I m not saying this is the best way to train only an option. With my collegiate and sprinters I do use Max Strength training but I also incorporate speed strength and strength speed
into an auto regulatory undulating peridized plain which is very effective. Also With most of my sprinters I try to have them overtrain to a 3 to 7 percent deficit to illicit a supercompensation effect. In the Sprint or Squat first?? forum thread I gave a brief intro along with a full week program to show one way the variables can be manipulated in our favor. To tell you the truth I?ve been training sprinters and numerous other athletes ( all collegiate or pro) for some time, I have talked to and read every book I could get my hands on about strength and conditioning. Every sprinter and coach has different ideas of what makes the best training program. Most coaches don?t have a clue on how to BUILD the perfect sprinting machine Charlie Francis is one of the few who know how and have done it on countless occasions. The point I?m trying to make is ask 10 S&C Coaches the best sprinting program they will give you 10 answers, so read all you can and choose the best parts from each coaches programs then find a way to incorporate them into your own program. Hope that helps good luck.
Boss,
What is “very effective” for you? An average “x”% strength increase over “y” microcycles? Or “z” N or W? Please quantify your statement because the S&C field is about performance and numbers.
How can you define a 3 to 7% deficit “overtrain”? How do you integrate a neural deficit elicited by training a single biomotor ability with the training of the other biomotor abilities (especially the one that require the CNS to be fresh and which is more specific than strength: speed).
In your “intro” there is everything EXCEPT how the loading parameters are manipulated, please post them. Furthermore you don’t stress what phase of the annual plan you are talking about, although I guess it’s GPP.
So, how a rugby GPP program can give us an idea on how you would train a sprinter?
IMO performing the GPP exercises right after the “specific” ones, make you lose some of the benefits of both units (check Platonov on “mixed objectives” training units).
I read in another post that you might have an athlete 10 straight weeks in “overtraining”, please explain me the rationale physiologically and methodologically.
One last thing: I would be interested to know which pro sprinter you work with.
Best,
Carlo Buzzichelli, SSC, PPS, CPT
2003 T&F World Championship Accredited Sprint Coach
2002 Commonwealth Games Accredited Sprint Coach