Fall Training

Fall Speed and Agility Sessions start tomorrow!!!
Winter Sport and Spring Sport Athletes must email me or call me to reserve sports and hurry because they are filling up fast. gcaro@comcast.net or 860-798-0420.

Lombardi: On Sacrifice/Success

Hello Everyone,
Every once in a while I like to share with you all Vince Lombardi's philosophy on life and sports and how they both relate.  I feel that all of us athletes, parents, and coaches can really learn how Lombardi influenced so many people, especially his players.  He's is a true leader and remains legendary in our American history.  Here is his philosophy on success/sacrifice.

Success/Sacrifice

"Football is a great deal like life in that it teaches work, sacrifice, perseverance, competitive drive, selflessness and respect for authority is the price that each and every one of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.  To achieve success, whatever the job we have, we must pay a price.
Success is like anything worthwhile.  It has a price.  You have to pay the price to win and you have to pay the price to get to the point where success is possible.  Most important you must pay the price to stay there.
Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponents pressure, and the temporary failures.  A person can be as great as he/she wants to be.  If you believe in yourself and have the courage, determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done."

Summer Training

Good Luck to all Fast Lane Sports Performance (FLSP) athletes that worked so trained so hard this summer and now are back in school and playing their sport.  Now its time to turn your hard work into performance.

Teamwork

"The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.  People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.  Individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." - Vince Lombardi

Strength Endurance Phase 1.

Strength Endurance workouts for 400 meter sprinters are great for early season early and phase 1 training.  These types of workouts include hill work, stadium steps, resistance running or treadmill high incline runs.  Strength Endurance workouts involves activities that will last longer than 10 seconds in duration. Here are some examples of Strength Endurance Workouts:

a. 6x150 meter hill runs.  These are to be done will full recovery between each rep.  A 150 meter walk down hill to the start would be sufficient for recovery.

b. 6x60 stadium steps.  A great workout because an athlete can get good footwork with this type of running too.  Again, full recovery with a walk back down the steps.

c. 6-8 very light resistance running for 60-80 meters.  The best would be parachute running with a 2-3 minute full recovery.

One quick note when doing hill running.  Make sure you choose a hill that has a gradual incline.  Hill that may be too steep will result to breaking down on sprint form and shortening of stride.  You want to make sure that proper sprint mechanics are in place when running hills.  

Tempo Endurance Phase 1

This aerobic workout will pay great dividends for 400 meter sprinters.  Not only will it help them to increase their oxygen uptake, which will help to shorten their recovery time, but it will aid them in being able to accomplish more and longer workouts.  This workout, since the runs are done at a slower pace, will help the sprinter learn rhythm; and as the workout suggests, tempo.  Another vital byproduct of this workout is that it will also help to train the body to increase production of phosphate, which is a primary energy source.  The emphasis in the workout should be on quantity and not on quality as is true in the aforementioned speed endurance workouts.  The rest factor is generally kept short-usually 2 to 3 minutes.

Examples of Tempo Endurance Workouts 

a. 8x200m                                2 minutes rest
b. 6x300m                                2 minutes rest
c. 50-100-150-200-300-350  Walk same distance for rest

"There is no shape like track shape." -FLSP

Speed Endurance Phase 1

This week I am going to write about three different types of early season workouts (late summer fall) for 400 meter training.  Remember the key to training for any distance is understanding the energy system used for the particular event and understanding the phases of the workout plan.  Phase 1 which is early season can focus on speed endurance, tempo endurance, strength endurance, and strength training. As you can see everything in this phase has to do with endurance.  Today I will cover Speed Endurance.    This is sprinting where the sprinter incurs a high oxygen debt, and there is a definite lactic acid buildup.  This workout is vital to good 400 meter running.  Distances that are run can vary from 100 to 600 meters.  Number of repetitions are figured by multiplying the race distance 2 1/2 times; In this case this would be about 1000 meters.  The recovery period will usually be around 5-10 minutes.  This is to give the runner almost full recovery so that there will be quality in the sprints.  This workout is designed to help the lactic acid energy systems.

Examples of Speed Endurance Workouts   

A. 10 x 100m with a 5 minute rest
B.   6x150m with a 5-8 minute rest
C.   5x200m with a 5-10 minute rest
D.   4x300m with a 8-10 minute rest
E.    3x350m with a 8-10 minute rest
F.    2x 450m with a 10 minute rest