A great quote

"Champions aren't made in gyms.  Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: a desire, a dream, a vision.  They have to have late minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will.  But the will must be stronger than the skill. "(Muhammad Ali)

No Power No Sessions

Hello All,
I hope that everyone is safe from the weekend snowstorm.  Just like most of you I have been struggling with no power.  I have not worked since Saturday as the training facility has no power.  I stopped by the training facility yesterday and it was 48 degrees in there.  Currently Bloomfield is at 98% no power which means there may be no sessions until next week!  I have cancelled todays sessions and what I'm going to do is take everything day to day.  I will let everyone know each morning this week about any cancellations.  I have been spending lots of time at Panera Bread for Wi-Fi use and at my health club for showering and cell phone charging.   The good thing about the showering at the health club is I can workout there before showering.  Also I want to thank the Iannone for the Panera Bread birthday gift cards.  I have been using them this week.  It has worked out great!!! Tea and pastries!!! Each day I will be using my blog, facebook, twitter and my website to keep everyone updated.  Twitter (@GinoCaroSAID) is the best way to follow my notices because easier for me to post through my phone. 

Stay warm everyone!

Strength Training for Sprinters

                Here are some questions and answers on strength training for sprinters.

1. What lifts if any should be done to strengthen the hamstring group of muscles
2. Posterior Chain aka The Running Muscles

In sprinting, the hamstrings, in large part, aid in contributing to hip extension. So it’s not just ‘hamstring’ strength you want to develop, but overall posterior chain development. In simple terms, this primarily means developing the glutes (butt) and hamstrings emphasizing glute activation and, again, hip extension.

If you’re having hamstring problems, the issue probably stems from some combination of the following: insufficient warm up and/or warm down, poor running mechanics (most likely foot strike taking place in front of the center of mass), too much speed work without sufficient recovery work, weak glutes, poor glute activation, subpar strength training program, excessive slow running, i.e., too much tempo and middle intensity work.

The strength training exercises that best develop this area are:

Core Lifts

Core Lifts
Olympic Lifts (hang cleans, high pull, kettlebell clean/snatch, etc.)
Squats (and their variations)
Lunges (and their variations)
Deadlifts

Supplemental Lifts
SLDL
Good Mornings
Hyperextensions

2. What can be done to develop the central nervous system to allow for faster reaction time?
 Faster reaction time would be one of many byproducts of a finely tuned Central Nervous System (CNS). By itself, it’s not a significant portion of running faster times.
Developing the CNS requires engaging in high intensity, explosive exercises. Most important, maximal development and efficiency requires performing these activities while fully recovered.
If you try to, for example, run a 50m sprint while fatigued, you will not achieve optimal firing patterns and will not see maximal improvements to the skill of running fast. (That’s the extreme ‘in a nutshell’ explanation.)
So which exercises lead to ideal CNS development?
-      All the Core Lifts I mentioned above, as long as the rep range stays at 6 or less per set and you focus on moving the weight as quickly as possible.
-      Plyometrics (Hopping, bounding, medicine ball throws)
-      Speed Development (2 – 15 seconds duration, 90-100% intensity)

3. What can I do to increase my stride length and frequency?
Improvements to stride length and frequency are byproducts of increased force application. This means that you’ll take naturally longer and faster strides when you develop your ability to apply greater amounts of force to the ground in shorter periods of time.
There is absolutely no value in specifically trying to improve stride length or specifically trying to increase stride frequency. This causes more problems than it solves.
But quickly, you develop the ability to improve force application by using the information I’ve already discussed in this article since it is all related and connected.

4. Coming out of blocks I have been struggling to find the precise median between stepping out to far and slow and taking a small first step and every time I attempt to correct my mistake I go from one extreme to the other.
Speed of efficient acceleration is the primary indicator of success or failure when breaking down sprint races at 200m or less. Coming out of blocks, I instruct athletes to take the biggest first step possible in order to increase the likelihood of achieving triple extension with the drive leg, clearing the blocks and maximizing force application.

The simple answer is this: Film it. If you see what you’re doing on film, you’ll quickly see your mistakes.
Video analysis is an important part of any effective coach’s speed development program and I simply could not get the kind of results I get if I did not film, watch and rewatch my athletes frame by frame.
Finding the right place for initial ground contact is fairly straightforward. Take the biggest first step possible, making sure that foot strike takes place directly underneath (or slightly behind) the hips. Of course, you also have to make sure you drive the lead arm, come out at a 45 degree angle, keep the head in line with the spine and reach triple extension before toe off. If you don’t do these things, you’ll compromise your speed of efficient acceleration and have a bad race.
The coach should be watching your starts and engaging in technical feedback to help fix this issue. If this isn’t a reality for you, film it and watch it yourself. That is what I would do.

Pre-Workout Shake.

Try this Protein Shake 30 minutes before a workout.

Bananas Foster

1 scoop of Vanilla or Banana flavored Whey Protein Isolate
1 medium banana
1 cup of low-fat milk
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon of caramel sauce

Combine first five ingredients in blender. Pour into a glass and drizzle caramel sause on top.  MMMMGOOD!

344 Calories   33 grams of protein  47 grmas of carbs  3.5 grams of fat. 

You can have this for a post workout shake too! 

Nutrition: Easy as 1-2-3

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and many athletes skip breakfast because of lack of time.  So here is a quick guide for a combination breakfast.  A combination breakfast is having one high-carbohydrate food, one high-protein food, and one fruit. Athletes can choose any combination of one food from each of the three columms below.   This is an easy 1-2-3 breakfast that takes little time to prepare. 


Carbohydrate                                                                                                                    

Cereal                                                                                                                              
Oatmeal                                                                                                                          
Grits                                                                                                                                   
Toast                                                                                                                          
English Muffin                                                                                                                  
Bagel                                                                                                                                     
Pancakes                                                                                               
Waffles                                                                                                                  
Granola                                                                                                                     
Granola Bar                                                                                                                   
Four Tortilla                                                                                                  
Whole Grain Crackers                                                                                          
French Toast                                                                                                                       


Protein                                                                    

  Low-Fat Milk                                                             
  Yogurt                                                                     
  Eggs                                                                           
  Peanut Butter                                                             
  Cheese                                                                      
  Ham                                                                            
  Turkey or Chicken Sausage                                   
  Canadian Bacan                                                       
  Almond Butter                                                        
  String Cheese                                                            
  Scrambled Egg Whites                                           
  Cottage Cheese                                                         
  Walnuts                                                                      

 Fruit

 100-Percent Juice
Banana
 Strawberries
 Fruit Smoothi
 Apple
 Mixed Berries
Applesauce
Canned Fruit
 Grapes
 Orange or Tangerine
 Tomato or V-8 Juice
 Pineapple
 Pear

A Day Off at The World Track and Field Championships

Today is a welcoming day off at the World Championships and we all need it after some dramatic races.  I still can't get over last night men's 400 meters as the 18 year old from Greneda Kurani James(picture above) just edged out LaShawn Merritt at the finish line to win Gold.  The first medal ever for the country of Greneda.  He is such a humble kid who gives all the credit to his competitors.  Look for him to do big things in the 2012 Olympics.  Also in the women's 400 meters  Amantle Montso just beating out Allyson Felix at the finish for another exciting race.  They both ran personal best!  American Carmelita Jeter winning the 100 meters was also exciting.  Her first major victory on the world stage.  I look for her to also win  the 200 meters.  Tomorrow we have the women's 800m heats, the women's 1500 meter final and the 200 meter heats.  In the women's 1550 meters two Americans, Jen Simpson and Morgen Uceny are in the final.  They both have a chance to medal which will be great for USA distance running.  The 4x400m relays are Friday and the 4x100m meter realys are on the last day which is Sunday.  So we have lots more exciting races to go.  Can't wait!

World Track and Field Championships in Daegu Korea

Well its been awhile since I've done any work on my blogsite.  It's been a very busy summer training mostly fall sport athletes and collegiate athletes. Now that the summer is over everyone is heading back to school and begining September 5th I go back on a regular schedule.  Once I go back to my regular schedule I will be consistenly using my blogsite for all sorts of FLSP information.

 Today's topic is the World Track and Field Championships in Daegu Korea.  Day 2 is complete and there has been some surprises in the events.  The big surprise is Usain Bolt's false start in the 100m final.  21 year old Yohan Blake from Jamaica became the youngest sprinter ever to win the 100 meters at Worlds.  Blake is quickly becoming one of my favorite sprinters.  He has a great start and he closes well. I like the way he sprints.  I also notice that all the Jamaican sprinters run with great form.  I hear that the Jamaican coaches puts a big stress on form running.  The Kenyans and Ethiopians continue to dominate the distance seen and in the womens 1500m  three Americans, Morgan Ucny, Shannon Rowbury, and Jen Simpson advance to the semi-finals.  I think all three have a great chance to advance to the finals. 

In the womens 400m three Americans advance to the final.  Sanya Richards-Moss, Allyson Felix, and Francena McCrory.  Felix looked great in the semi-final and I pick her to win it.  Sanya Richards-Moss did not win her heat so she draws lane 1 in the final tomorrow.  Allyson Felix will run in lane 3 and Francena McCrory will run in lane 5.  Should be an exciting race with a very strong field.  Be on the lookout for Amantle Montso who has been running some great 400m races. 

In the mens 400m American LaShwan Merritt easily advances to the semi-final and ran a 44.35. That is fast for a 1st round race.  Look out for 18 year old Greneda's Kurani James.  He also advanced and will tough to beat.  He has run 44.6 three weeks ago. 

As you can see there was lots of action in only two days.  I'm looking forward to watching the races every nioght this week.  Universal Sports is televising the World Championships every night this week.  The last day for the Worlds is September 4th.