Preview: Speed Training for Lifetime Athletes
If you've always wanted to get fast or be faster -- but were not sure how to go about it -- you're in the right place!
About This Course
Hey, did I mention that you are AWESOME?
The Force-Velocity Curve is a well known classification system in training. The thumbnail graphic included with this lesson provides a clear and simple example of the relationship.
Let's get into some relevant science right off the bat! The energy currency our cells utilze is adenosine triphosphate or ATP. We have 3 energy systems which create ATP. These are the phosphocreatine or creatine phosphate (CP), anaerobic, and aerobic energy systems.
Work bouts and rest intervals are unique in speed training. When we think of the underlying metabolic aspects that were described in the last lesson, it becomes clear why the work bouts need to be quite brief and the rest intervals respectively lengthy.
The dosing and spacing of speedwork sessions is extremely important.
Getting ready to go fast involves a progression. The key to safe, and effective speed training is getting the body used to moving rapidly. This takes a little time and it involves several things happening concurrently in the body.
Locomotion, in effect sprinting, is the standard mode for speed training. However, this may be inappropriate or contraindicated for certain athletes. The great news here is that most Lifetime Athletes can find something to do quickly that is safe and fun, even if it's not running-related.
Among coaches and athletes, and regarding training in general, the ability to communicate quickly and understandably is essential.
Viscoelastic properties are critical for the optimal expression of speed. Viscous materials, like a pool of mud or Jell-O (you may have wrestled in there in the 80's) absorb energy. Elastic materials, like a steel rod transfer energy.
There are 3 main mechanical presentations in the athlete. This especially true in sprinting. We have the muscular/concentric athlete, the elastic/isometric critter, and the rhythmic/eccentric beast. These conditions are primarily genetically determined, although they can be influenced to some degree by training.
Just like we use shorthand to abbreviate workout design, there are numerous keywords that are very helpful in speed training. As is the case with many topics, we could create a fairly exhaustive list. However, once we become familiar with metabolic parameters and proficient with workout design, the main thing we want to use words for is to stimulate a vision of what we're trying to accomplish.
There are two main locations where we do speed training: the field and the track.
Let's give some consideration to the types of shoes (or none) that we use for speed training. There are a few general principles to apply to shoe selection with regard to speed, bodyweight, and terrain.
On your marks. Set. Go! The sprint start is all about overcoming inertia and gaining momentum. It's propulsion exemplified. The start sets up our acceleration. There are 4 main ways we can perform starts. There is a 4-point, 3-point, 2-point, and rolling technique which we'll examine.
Perhaps nowhere in athletics and fitness is warmup more important than in the context of speed training. That's why we utilize The Lifetime Athlete Track Warmup.
A sprint race, or even a rep in a workout, can be broken down into 3 phases. This is especially true if you use the 100 meters as an example and if you examine the technical components of elite sprinters. There is a start/drive phase, an upright running/max velocity phase, and a maintenance/minimization of deceleration phase. At the elite level over the 100 meters, that roughly divides the race into thirds.
6 x Flying 30 meters @ 90+% max velocity with 3:00 rests
4 x 60 meters at RPE 9, working on 3 phases (drive, max, maintain) with 5:00 rest periods
10 x :15 fast/:45 easy
6 x :10 fast/:50 easy
The cooldown following a sprint workout looks a little different than that of an endurance or conditioning session. It's conventional in many workout forms to add in several additional sets of submaximal intervals, a steady-state burn, or extensive lifting. That's fine when doing a blended session but adding a lot of extra training to a pure speed workout can make it excessively fatiguing. This can be counterproductive. It's very tempting for Lifetime Athletes to want to pile on some additional work because they didn't feel like they did quite enough. Ofen this results in a major "I didn't just work out...I got worked over" experience.
This is a unique yet valuable perspective. It applies to patience, and that's true in every workout and it's equally salient over the course of time.
As a Lifetime Athlete with a need for speed, there are three major types of training progressions you should consider. They are short to long, long to short, and undulating.