Short Term Speed Gains Needed

Training
1

hi Coach CT, some time ago you wrote about the high pulls, and in the last few months i have been using them a lot, along with hip thrust and glute ham raise to improve my speed and posterior chain, as i was slow and quad dominant.
i tested on monday i was able to make a .4 of a second improvement on 40 meter sprint from 3 months ago.which shows i was quite weak in posterior to begin with.

the problem is i still have .2 of seconds that i need to cut in 2-3 weeks before the first game of my rugby this year to be able to perform backline position. (5.2 seconds is aim, still not fast but at 6"4" and 230pounds it will be ok.)

what can i do to really accelerate the gains i have made in last couple months? the other day after sprint workouts which i do 2 times a week for the first time i was sore in my hamstrings, as before i only had soreness in quads, which i think shows that high pulls have been working (from slightly below knee ), and that there is still hope. however if i try to do sled sprints i still only feel it in my quads, so i think i still need to improve posterior chain. i have been doing box squats 3 times a week as well, 4 min after high pulls.3 sets of 5 jumps.

could you gibe me any advice? im on holiday now so have 2 weeks that i can train twice a day.

2

to clarify what i have been doing on high pulls, i have been using slightly split stance,with the other leg slightly behind. as to focus on one leg at a time, as my right leg is slightly weaker. so i would do 2 sets more with right leg.
i would begin with a warm up set after some band work for glutes. this would be at 155 pounds or 70kg, 2 X32kg plates plus bar which is 6kg.
i do 2 heavier days, keeping the reps between 3 and 5 reps, and adding weight each set until i feel im heaving the weight up.
i would do 3 work sets for each leg in split stance, and 2 final sets normal stance using both legs. i have seen progress in that, at the moment i would finish 200 or 220 pounds last 3 sets , 5 reps/3 and then a double. even some singles heavier but i was heaving the weight so i stopped.

been doing farmers walk as well once a week at moment im at 65kg each hand 20-30 metres 4 sets. this would be before a sprint session of 5X 60 meter sprints. the other sprint session i do 6 -8 hours after one of the heavy high pull days. that is normally 5 sets of 20-40 meters.

on the other 2 days i do more volume/explosive work,i would try get as many sets in at 12 reps with lower weight, normally 4 sets, then as i lose power at higher reps, i stop there for a further 3 sets. normally these would be 9 /8 and perhaps even 6 reps on last 3 sets. i have been able to cut my recovery time between sets a lot which still allows me to be explosive on these. at the moment probably 60-90 seconds on first 3-4 sets, before it would take 3 minutes.

the hip thrust normally 2-3 sets for high volume with bands, and glute ham also only for pump which seems to help to feel the posterior chain.have also been throwing in some calf work and sliding leg curls at night just to feel the muscles and trying to get activation levels up.

i then mix and match bench/pullup /db presses/trx rows along the same lines of heavy/higher rep days.have also been doing your shoulder drop sets with excellent results the last couple weeks since you put them up. but upper body is not weak link at moment i can just maintain next few weeks i would say i am /was very upper body dominant.

the jumping i normally do monday/thursday/saturday
heavy high pull/posterior day monday/thursday
explosive high pull tuesday/saturday
farmers walk saturday

3

regarding supplementation ive ordered Indigo 3-G and Brain Candy from local Biotest agency.should be here next week, was hoping that would help me to train twice a day with good energy.

4

This is a 4 weeks peaking plan for power from a book I’m working on.

It requires you to be at least decent on the power snatch and power clean from hang

4 WEEKS VERTICAL JUMP/POWER PEAK SPECIALIZATION

WEEK 1
Monday
Box jump (max effort, step down donâ??t jump down) 3 x 5
KB jump squat (16g) 3 x 5
½ back squat (100 degrees) 3 x 5
Vertical jump (max effort) 3 x 5
KB jump squat (20kg) 3 x 5
½ back squat (100 degrees) 3 x 5

Tuesday
Zercher goodmorning 4 x 8
Pull-ups pronated (use elastic band help if needed or add weight if possible) 4 x 8
Snatch-grip high pull from hang 4 x 6
Barbell power shrugs 4 x 6
Barbell curl 4 x 8

Thursday
Broad jump (reset every jump) 3 x 5
KB swing (heavy and explosive) 3 x 5
Russian goodmorning 3 x 5
Broad jump (reset every jump) 3 x 5
KB swing (heavy and explosive) 3 x 5
Russian goodmorning 3 x 5

Friday
Muscle snatch (clean grip) 5 x 5
Push press 70% 5 x 5
Superset 1 (3 sets)
1.1 Medicine ball throw overhead x 5
1.2 DB shoulder press 75% x 5
Superset 2 (3 sets)
2.1 Medicine ball throw from chest x 5
2.2 Bench press 75% x 5

Saturday
Vertical jump (max effort, step down donâ??t jump down) 3 x 5
Power snatch from hang 65% 3 x 5
Power clean from hang 65% 3 x 5
Vertical jump (max effort) 3 x 5
Power snatch from hang 70% 3 x 5
Power clean from hang 70% 3 x 5

WEEK 2
Monday
Vertical jump (max effort) 3 x 5
KB jump squat (20g) 3 x 5
½ back squat (100 degrees) 3 x 3
Vertical jump (max effort) 3 x 5
KB jump squat (20kg) 3 x 5
½ back squat (100 degrees) 3 x 3

Tuesday
Zercher goodmorning 4 x 6
Pull-ups pronated (use elastic band help if needed or add weight if possible) 4 x 6
Snatch-grip high pull from hang 4 x 4
Barbell power shrugs 4 x 4
Barbell curl 4 x 6

Thursday
Broad jump (reset every jump) 3 x 5
KB swing (heavy and explosive) 3 x 5
Russian goodmorning finish explosively on toes 3 x 5
Broad jump (reset every jump) 3 x 5
KB swing (heavy and explosive) 3 x 5
Russian goodmorning finish explosively on toes 3 x 5

Friday
Muscle snatch (clean grip) 5 x 3
Push press 80% 5 x 3
Superset 1 (3 sets)
1.1 Medicine ball throw overhead x 5
1.2 DB shoulder press 80% x 3
Superset 2 (3 sets)
2.1 Medicine ball throw from chest x 5
2.2 Bench press 80% x 3

Saturday
Vertical jump (max effort) 3 x 5
Power snatch from hang 70% 3 x 3
Power clean from hang 70% 3 x 3
Vertical jump (max effort) 3 x 5
Power snatch from hang 75% 3 x 3
Power clean from hang 75% 3 x 3

WEEK 3
Monday
Depth landing (36-40â?? box) stick landing knees at 100 degrees 3 x 5
KB jump squat (24g) 3 x 5
½ back squat (100 degrees) 1 x 3 , 1 x 2, 1 x 1
Depth landing (36-40â?? box) stick landing knees at 100 degrees 3 x 5
KB jump squat (24kg) 3 x 5
½ back squat (100 degrees) 1 x 3 , 1 x 2, 1 x 1

Tuesday
Zercher goodmorning 4 x 4
Pull-ups pronated (use elastic band help if needed or add weight if possible) 4 x 4
Snatch-grip high pull from hang 4 x 4
Barbell power shrugs 4 x 4
Barbell curl 4 x 4

Thursday
Broad jump (series, do not reset) 3 x 5
KB swing (heavy and explosive) 3 x 5
Russian goodmorning finish explosively on toes 3 x 3
Broad jump (series, do not reset) 3 x 5
KB swing (heavy and explosive) 3 x 5
Russian goodmorning finish explosively on toes 3 x 3

Friday
Muscle snatch (clean grip) 85% x 3, 87.5% x 2, 90% x 1, 87.5% x 3, 90% x 2, 92.5% x 1
Push press 85% x 3, 87.5% x 2, 90% x 1, 87.5% x 3, 90% x 2, 92.5% x 1
Superset 1 (3 sets)
1.1 Medicine ball throw overhead x 5
1.2 DB shoulder press 85% x 3, 87.5% x 2, 90% x 1
Superset 2 (3 sets)
2.1 Medicine ball throw from chest x 5
2.2 Bench press 85% x 3, 87.5% x 2, 90% x 1

Saturday
Depth landing (36-40â?? box) stick landing knees at 100 degrees 3 x 5
Power snatch from hang 75% x 3, 80% x 2, 85% x 1
Power clean from hang 75% x 3, 80% x 2, 85% x 1
Depth landing (36-40â?? box) stick landing knees at 100 degrees 3 x 5
Power snatch from hang 77.5% x 3, 82.5% x 2, 87.5% x 1
Power clean from hang 77.5% x 3, 82.5% x 2, 87.5% x 1

WEEK 4
Monday
Depth jump for height (20-24â?? box) shoot for maximum jumping height 3 x 5
KB jump squat (32g) 3 x 1
½ back squat (100 degrees) 3 x 1
Depth jump for height (20-24â?? box) shoot for maximum jumping height 3 x 5
KB jump squat (21kg) 3 x 1
½ back squat (100 degrees) 3 x 1

Tuesday
Zercher goodmorning 4 x 4
Pull-ups pronated (use elastic band help if needed or add weight if possible) 4 x 4
Snatch-grip high pull from hang 4 x 4
Barbell power shrugs 4 x 4
Barbell curl 4 x 4

Thursday
Depth jump for length (20-24â?? box) shoot for maximum jumping distance 3 x 5
KB swing (heavy and explosive) 3 x 5
Power clean from hang 70% 3 x 3
Depth jump for length (20-24â?? box) shoot for maximum jumping distance 3 x 5
KB swing (heavy and explosive) 3 x 5
Power clean from hang 70% 3 x 3

Friday
Muscle snatch (clean grip) 90% 3 x 1
Push press 90% 3 x 1
Superset 1 (3 sets)
1.1 Medicine ball throw overhead x 5
1.2 DB shoulder press 95% x 1
Superset 2 (3 sets)
2.1 Medicine ball throw from chest x 5
2.2 Bench press 95% x 1

Saturday
Depth jump for height (20-24â?? box) shoot for maximum jumping height 3 x 5
Power snatch from hang 87.5% 3 x 1
Power clean from hang 87.5% 3 x 1
Depth jump for height (20-24â?? box) shoot for maximum jumping height 3 x 5
Power snatch from hang 90% 3 x 1
Power clean from hang 90% 3 x 1

5

A Russian goodmorning is similar to what we call a Romanian deadliftg. But the focus is NOT on going down low, but on stretching the hamstrings as much as possible. Elevate the toes on boards. Only think about pushing the hips back, not bending forward (it will happen automatically)… imagine trying to have the hamnstrings tight/loaded without having to go lower than the knees.

A Zercher goodmorning is the same drill as above but with the bar held in the crooks of your elbows (wear a hoodie to make it more comfortable for your arms).

6

Sounds like you’re a great athlete. I was going to question your “slow” time until I re-read your post and realized it was a 40 meter dash – not a 40 yard dash. With your height, weight and speed you’d probably be a lock or flanker on my team but I’m sure your coach welcomes some power in the back line. But then our coach is an old Wasps prop so we run a forward-oriented attack.

CTs advice notwithstanding, remember the biggest component in speed training is sprinting. I prefer interval sprints because I’d rather maintain 90% of my top speed for an entire match than increase my top speed by 10%. Keep doing what you’re doing! And good luck this season!

7

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