Strength Training for Sprinting

[Barry Ross]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Nice work, Mr. Ross.

Thanks!
I like your quote from Pavel!

I'm meeting with Pavel in February. He is a great individual with a lot of knowledge and a great desire to learn.

[Garrett Smith]

Honestly, since I've never done much sprint training ever, much of this seems over my head at this point. I do know a solid approach when I see it, though, and your success speaks volumes.

I'm curious about your distaste for POSE. Is that mainly in the sprinting arena that you don't care for it?

It seems to me to be a solid approach for re-training heel striking folks (mostly recreational, not elite). I do understand that any decent sprinter will not have any problem with heel striking and that POSE may not be applicable at all with elite runners.

I'm just curious.

[Donald Lee]

I think I may now understand your reasoning for disregarding speed endurance, as you call it. By increasing maximal strength, you are able to increase your top speed and have more motor units recruited so that as you fatigue, more motor units are available. Is this a correct assessment?

Do the ratios of anaerobic to aerobic energy system being utilized (i.e., in the 400 m) in your athletes differ at all from the norm, as a result of your system of training, or is that largely unaffected?

[Steven Low]

Great stuff man. Keep talking and we'll keep learning.

[Barry Ross]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Honestly, since I've never done much sprint training ever, much of this seems over my head at this point. I do know a solid approach when I see it, though, and your success speaks volumes.

I'm curious about your distaste for POSE. Is that mainly in the sprinting arena that you don't care for it?

It seems to me to be a solid approach for re-training heel striking folks (mostly recreational, not elite). I do understand that any decent sprinter will not have any problem with heel striking and that POSE may not be applicable at all with elite runners.

I'm just curious.

This is the image of a heel striker who only deadlifted--no form drills at all.
The season to season transformation is remarkable, but simple: he got stronger.

[Barry Ross]

Originally Posted by Donald Lee

I think I may now understand your reasoning for disregarding speed endurance, as you call it. By increasing maximal strength, you are able to increase your top speed and have more motor units recruited so that as you fatigue, more motor units are available. Is this a correct assessment?

Yes!

Do the ratios of anaerobic to aerobic energy system being utilized (i.e., in the 400 m) in your athletes differ at all from the norm, as a result of your system of training, or is that largely unaffected?

The ratios are different for each person but the concept is the same. I'm not sure there is a "norm."

[Donald Lee]

Thank you, Mr. Ross, for the time you've spent answering questions on this thread. I'm all out of questions, except I'm anxious as to when your next book will be released.

[josh everett]

Hi Mr. Ross
I'm guessing another advantage to your program is your athletes really enjoy practice!
From what I understand of Clyde Hart & Baylor's system you guys are at opposite ends of the spectrum here. Interesting in that 2 opposite programs both get great results.

[Chris H Laing]

Originally Posted by Barry Ross

The following is from the algorithm for a female runner:
9.804 7.895 4.802 5.069 9.871

The first number is the m/s of a 10m fly-in trial
The second is the m/s of a 300m fly-in trial
The third is m/s aerobic capacity
The fourth is the m/s anaerobic speed reserve
The last number is the combination of the of third and fourth numbers.

Can you explain how to use the algorithm for those of us who don't quite get it. Also, could you provide the algorithm for a male runner?

I'm interested in trying out this kind of sprinting work, and it seems more quantifiable than running at an arbitrary 80% of max (like you stated above)

[josh everett]

For those interested here is a less arbitrary way of assigning target times for workouts as a % of your max for a given distance...

Personal best X 100 / percent effort

So if my personal best is 47.5 and I want to know what 90% of 47.5 is...

47.5 X 100 = 4750

4750 / 90 = 52.77

I would need to run 52.77

another popular stratedgy is to run shorter intervals at race pace of a longer event... for example run 400m intervals at your mile PR pace.