I am often asked what equipment is needed for training speed. I am a bit of a luddite when it comes to such things, thinking that I should develop my own coaching and observation before using gadgets
A good video camera and playback machine is necessary for good athletes, but for the majority, my eye is ok.
The use of high hurdles helps with hip power and alignment. The athletes shown here were doing a static jump over the first hurdle, immediately followed by a reactive jump over the second.
The idea is to help improve hip control as well as foot reactivity from the floor.
They did this twice followed by running to reinforce this action, then more drills and then more running.
I find that one coaching point per drill, followed by rehearsing that into running is effective.
Does Olympic Weightlifting Help Field Athletes Throw Further?
Is weightlifting for throwers a good idea? Today we shall look at how we need to adapt our training around the lifts to a specific sport: throwing in athletics with guest author Nick Garcia.
Nick Garcia is one of the leading high school coaches in the U.S.A. For the past ten seasons he has served as the throwing coach at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California where he has guided more than thirty five throwers over 50-feet (15-metres).
This includes more than ten each of spinners and gliders. Two of the girls he has coached have also broken 49-feet (15-metres). He is a level three USATF coach and level five IAAF coach.
I met Nick at the GAIN conference in Houston earlier this year. He did a great presentation on adapting training to throwers, plus a practical demonstration in the gym.
Nick is an active thrower and has been throwing the shot put for the last fifteen years. As a student at California State University Northridge, he was a two-time Big Sky conference champion in the shot put.
In ten years of post-collegiate training he increased his personal best to 18.35 metres. This was also done even though, by shot put standards, he is not the typical thrower. He measures just 170-centimeters (5-foot 7-inches) tall.
Transfer of Training
As throws coaches in the sport of track and field we are often challenged with the question on what training exercises or movements transfer best to our throwing. In the system I use, developed by Dr. Anatoliy Bondarchuk and taught to me by Derek Evely and Martin Bingisser, the exercises with the best transfer are labelled in one of two categories:
(CE) Competitive Exercises
(SDE) Specific Development Exercises.
Sure there are other exercises in other categories that may have some transfer to the throw itself, such as the clean, the squat, etc., but I look at the CE’s and SDE’s as the exercises that carry the most transfer.
(All these exercises and training programmes are built up gradually by Nick, his success comes from long term development: please avoid copying and pasting these exercises without the correct preparation: James).
Such as this chain drag throw.
Lets have a look at what we mean by CE’s and SDE’s.
Competitive Exercises (CE’s)
Each training Session begins with CEs. Basically a CE is the movement you perform in the competition itself. In the shot put it would be throwing with the rotational or glide techniques.
In the hammer throw it would be using 3, 4, or sometimes even 5 turns. When performing CE’s we always vary the weights of the implement.
However, whatever weights we choose to use are used throughout the cycle in the exact same order with the exact amount of reps each training session always keeping the competition implement within the rotation.
For example, we may choose to do a cycle with an emphasis on heavy implements for specific strength. It could look something like this:
6 Full Throws w/8.25K,
6 Full Throws w/7.75K,
8 Full Throws w/7.26K.
We keep it the same throughout the cycle so that our focus remains fixed on the same goal and our body can fully adapt to this set of implements.
Following that cycle we may choose to do a cycle emphasizing both a heavy and light implement looking something like this:
5 Full Throws w/8K
10 Full Throws w/7.26K
5 Full Throws w/6.75K.
The concept of this cycle would be to make the transition from throwing heavy implements during cycle one to throwing lighter implements for cycle three a little bit easier.
Cycle 3 may look like this:
6 Full Throws w/7.26K
8 Full Throws w/6.25K
6 Full Throws w/6K.
Now that we have a description of how CE’s may look during a particular cycle we can now analyze which of these implements may have the most transfer to a particular thrower.
While this category of exercise in general has higher transfer, I underlined particular thrower because each athlete is different. One athlete may have better transfer using heavy implements while another athlete may have better transfer with lighter implements.
How do we determine what carries the most transfer? DATA COLLECTION!
Each day we collect data by marking our best throws with each implement. Ultimately we are looking at our performance data from the competition implement during both practice and competition.
I enter my data using excel and then create a line graph so I can see the peaks and valleys. I also keep track of my personal best with each implement during each cycle. At the end of the year I will have a look at what each cycle emphasized and at what point I had my best results with the competition implement.
Whatever cycle I had my best results with the competition implement is a good bet that the implements that were being used during that time carry the most transfer for me.
What I have I found by my data collection?
I have found that I can throw as high as an 8.25K and as low as a 6K long term without messing up my rhythm with the competition implement.
Anything above 8.25K and below 6K will have a negative effect long- term on my technique and rhythm. I say long term because I have found that when I throw fulls with a 9K I can have huge throws with the 7.26k for the first week. After that first week my rhythm with the 7.26K begins to decline and starts to crash.
As for the implement that carries the most transfer for me, I have found that every time I have included the 6K into my training I have had huge throws in regards to my personal bests and talent. Therefore, if I am planning a cycle leading into a big meet I will include the 6K within that cycle.
Specific Development Exercises(SDE’s)
SDEs are movements that closely mimic the throwing motion but done with something other then a throwing implement. It can be done from a stationary position with a plethora of different devices.
For example, a shot putter may take a heavy medicine ball (9-10kg+) and fire into a wall from a standing position. This mimics the release point of the shot put.
or they could putt a sandbag
or throw a barbell
or a kettlebell
A hammer thrower can take a 10 Kilo plate and do releases for distance. This mimics the release point of the hammer. The transfer of this exercise is a bit tougher to pinpoint.
For discus throwers, this dumbbell throw can be used:
However, the data collection from the CE’s is still important in relation to the SDE. Once again in order to see what SDE may have the most transfer I will look at each cycle and see what SDE I was performing when my results with the competition implement were the best.
While going through the training year I will input different SDE’s within different cycles of training to try and come up with the best combination for me. Much of it is on feel and what I feel has done the best for me.
The Neider press in the gym is an example of applying some specificity prior to weightlifting:
Find out more about the Excelsior Weightlifting Club if you are a track and field athlete in Devon or Somerset and who wants to prepare this winter.
See this Javelin technique video which has helped two of our female throwers:
Winter for track and field athletes is the ideal time to work on conditioning without the focus of peaking for competition. Here Assistant Coach (and erstwhile sprinter) Matt Durber highlights 3 ways you can improve your athlete winter training.
Improve your off season training
Winter is a chance to get off the track!
There is more to out of season training than running endless laps of the track or competing in cross country races.
The following observations are based on my experience over the last few years of athletics training, as well as some insights from top track coaches.
1) Warming up: the clue’s in the name
Matt using hurdles to develop mobility
Recently on a cold winter evening, I saw an athlete arrive at the track and proceed to jog a couple of laps.
Upon finishing and becoming “too warm”, the athlete removed their tracksuit and performed some static stretches sat down on the floor.
Needless to say after a few minutes the athlete was now “too cold” and had to go and warm up again (making the previous 10 minutes completely pointless?!)
Instead, why not prepare for training the smart way. A run to warm up initially is not a bad thing (after all, that is what you will be doing during the session!), but should be followed by a series of dynamic exercises working on mobility and technique, rather than static stretches.
Winter is traditionally used as a time to work on endurance, even for sprinters. However, without working on top speed, what are you learning to endure?
Speed work should be included in the training plan all year round, and should consist of exercises to help improve top speed through correct running mechanics. The volume of this work can then be increased (when suitable) to provide the endurance of the newly gained speed.
Speed training is not only important for Sprinters, but can also help middle and long distance runners as well. Increasing your top speed will result in improved efficiency when running at a slower pace.
Read more thoughts on speed training fromFrans Bosch: author of “Running- Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology Applied in Practice”
3) Strength training
Many athletes use the winter months as a time to train in the gym to increase strength and power.
Although exercises such as Squats and Deadlifts will provide a significant stimulus for muscular adaptation, it is just as important to focus on the application of strength.
Circuits are a great way of organising a group and getting general work done in a short time and I use them accordingly (circuit video and here). However, doing one good repetition, followed by 14 bad ones is helpful to neither body or soul!
Rather than just performing generic exercises to strengthen legs or “core”, it is also important to focus on the requirements of your event.
Runners-e.g. Hip heist, knee stability and ankle stiffness
Jumpers-e.g. Horizontal or vertical displacement off single leg
Throwers– e.g. Shoulder strength and mobility as well as rotational strength from torso and hips.
This hanging hip drill is an example of specific strength.
A good rule of thumb is to work on general strength for 50% of the time, specific strength the other 50%.
This review of Track coach Gary Winkler’s seminar on speed training describes the importance of making every aspect of training relevant to your sport or event.
Read here for more information on the role of the hamstrings during running.
Summary
Make every aspect of your training, from warm ups to gym work, relevant to you and your event.
Aim for precision and quality in every repetition in the gym or lap of the track that you complete.
Based on my personal experience over the last year as well as the wealth of experience of other coaches I have learned from, the athletes who make the most progress are the ones that do things consistently well.
Matt Durber
If you want comprehensive training plans with video clips, then check out our ebooks on Amazon: Jump Higher, Run Faster and Get Stronger.
Good luck to Jazmin Sawyers who jumps today in the World Junior Championships. She recently came third in the UK Senior Trials with a jump of 6.64m.
Her technical coaches Gary Jennings and Alan Lerwill have done a really good job of managing her training and competing schedule.
She has had a good run up to the Championships, increasing her jump scores almost on a weekly basis. Jaz is a real competition athlete, performing well in the big situations.
Making the most of what you have
I have been working with Jaz for the last 2 years, getting her ready for Heptathlon, Bobsleigh (Where she won Silver Medal in the Junior Olympics) and now long jump.
We started out with a musculo skeletal and movement screening, and worked from there.
Initially, we started with getting Jaz moving effciently and with more control in different directions.
The demands of training for Heptathlon are huge, so my over riding priority was getting Jaz fit enough to train all year round.
Track and Field is littered with stories of “niggles” and “illnesses”. That is something I wanted to eliminate from our language: and pretty much all the athletes I have worked with over the last 3 years who have bought into our System are much more robust.
Jaz has some pretty extraordinary physical gifts. But, what makes Jaz really good is that she makes the most of every opportunity presented to her. She does the little things well, consistently.
When given homework, she does it: warm ups, stretching, 5x5x5 exercises, Christmas, Easter and Summer holiday training. Other athletes given the same advice and opportunity, didin’t always take advantage, and have slipped backwards.
Juggling the Demands
It has not all been smooth sailing. Jaz has had to balance school demands: Head Girl, a million exams and House tiddlywink competitions the day before training.
We also had to consider the demands of Bobsleigh. Jaz was pushing, and was selected for her speed. Bobsleigh asked that she put on mass to help the bobsleigh. Gary Jennings and I were resisting this, thinking that mass for mass sake would not help Jaz run and jump faster and further.
We also had to consider the “Get big in a hurry” effect on a junior, developing female, with not much strength training background. (See more here in our Free ebook”Building the Big House” for Female Athletes).
We all decided that stronger was good over the Winter, but not at the expense of movement and speed.
Following her success, other opportunities have arisen: media, publicity and drinks with Nick Clegg!
I can’t say that all this was ideal preparation. What I can say is that Jaz is extremely organised, and has managed her way through. As she says, these opportunities don’t come along every day.
Jumping Specific Training
The last 2 months have allowed us to concentrate on the long jump. Jaz has had her A Levels, but her organisation and motivation have allowed her to train around them.
We have been working on “co ordination with resistance”. Jaz is a speed jumper, not a strength jumper, so just getting stronger may not help.
I have looked to focus more on co contraction work, as well as getting her gluteal and dorsal muscles stronger (some of the exercises are in this video).
Jumping is an impact sport, so sometimes we have to let her unwind with some inverted brachiation training (picture)
Jazmin Sawyers Specific Training
All of this training has been develped alongside the work of Gary and Alan, and of course Jazmin. I haven’t downloaded a blue print and followed it for the last 2 years (I haven’t seen one for Heptathlete, Bobsleighing, Long Jumping, Head Girls, who also sing and dance!)
Instead, we have had an overall view and system which we have constantly assessed, adjusted and adapted to the various demands. It has been a pleasure working with Jaz, because she communicates well, is organised and applies herself.
Last week I was lucky enough to attend a workshop at Exeter University led by John Brierley . This was part of the Transformational Coaching programme organised by Paula Jardine and led by Wayne Roberts.
John has a massive range of experience, including being the Team Leader of Athletics at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and fitness consultant to Birmingham City FC for 4 years.
John imparted 90 minutes of useful information, and was able to answer many questions that I had. It was especially useful for me as I am working with a lot of track and field athletes and their coaches.
A few of the points that I found useful:
Learning the culture of the organisation is as important as just nuts and bolts knowledge. Having lots of knowledge without understanding can lead to rapid unemployment.
Agents in football: what do they do? They could be a lot more useful than just wage brokers. They could be lifestyle consultants and actually earn their money helping footballer’s families settle and adjust to new towns and countries.
Prozone at Birmingham City FC- how it was useful, and how data got interpreted differently by Owners and other players. Inexperienced Coaches are often emotionally attached to data or the latest gadget. Experience helps filter new information into the system.
After looking at sweat rates when playing in Kuala Lumpar and the UK, because players wore more layers in the UK in winter, they actually sweated more. Hydration should be emphasised all year round, not just in the summer.
We then spent quite a bit of time talking about UK Athletics. For 2012 the target is 10 medals, despite never having won more than 4 in any Olympics. That is a big ask. The other aspect is the ongoing state of injuries, and what is causing that. Lack of conditioning, over playing, over competing?
Changing the culture of Athletics (or any sport) is difficult. What often goes on is “sports practice” which is not necessarily the same as “preferred practice” or “best practice.”
This was a most beneficial evening for me, thanks to all concerned. John was my MSc supervisor at Brunel University, and always offered practical, professional and thoughtful advice.
I am often asked what equipment is needed for training speed. I am a bit of a luddite when it comes to such things, thinking that I should develop my own coaching and observation before using gadgets
The use of high hurdles helps with hip power and alignment. The athletes shown here were doing a static jump over the first hurdle, immediately followed by a reactive jump over the second.
They did this twice followed by running to reinforce this action, then more drills and then more running.
Nick Garcia is one of the leading high school coaches in the U.S.A. For the past ten seasons he has served as the throwing coach at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California where he has guided more than thirty five throwers over 50-feet (15-metres).
Each training Session begins with CEs. Basically a CE is the movement you perform in the competition itself. In the shot put it would be throwing with the rotational or glide techniques.
While this category of exercise in general has higher transfer, I underlined particular thrower because each athlete is different. One athlete may have better transfer using heavy implements while another athlete may have better transfer with lighter implements.
Winter is traditionally used as a time to work on endurance, even for sprinters. However, without working on top speed, what are you learning to endure?
This hanging hip drill is an example of specific strength.
Good luck to Jazmin Sawyers who jumps today in the World Junior Championships. She recently came third in the UK Senior Trials with a jump of 6.64m.
I have been working with Jaz for the last 2 years, getting her ready for Heptathlon, Bobsleigh (Where she won Silver Medal in the Junior Olympics) and now long jump.
It has not all been smooth sailing. Jaz has had to balance school demands: Head Girl, a million exams and House tiddlywink competitions the day before training.
The last 2 months have allowed us to concentrate on the long jump. Jaz has had her A Levels, but her organisation and motivation have allowed her to train around them.