PoleVaultPower.com

I would higly recommend the below article to anyone who wishes to increase their sprint speed.

http://www.bearpowered.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,f71e29fd-2598-48db-ae46-af020d7d284b.aspx

It is very interesting, and almost 3 years old. I will watch to see what other people have to say about this. Perhaps some have actually trained this way.

- master

I didn't read anything revolutionary in the article? Russian and European coaches knew this stuff 30 years ago... But in America we always fail to look at studies that have already been researched years ago! We have always been behind the curve. For example the free takeoff is still a fairly new concept to most pole vaulters..... And I would disagree with some of statements in the article, some lifts are not sport specific for sprinting when the athlete reaches a certain level because of the Rate Of Force issue, which is why plyo's are so beneficial (especially if one is able to add weight)... There have been studies that show that improving a squat beyond a certain point can be detremental to a sprinter because it hinders rate of force... So of course staying light would increase Rte of Force production, so to me that is the golden ticket to running fast.

The article mentioned that it is not beneficial to lift to failure, is this true? What do you guys think?

Also, how should squats be implemented to improve speed?

sooch90 wrote:Also, how should squats be implemented to improve speed?

When you look to weight training to improve your performance on the track, you need to think about an extended training programs that implements periodization.

So if you want to improve your squatting ability to get faster and or stronger, then you would need to go through different periods of lifting that are specified by weight load and repetitions. There are articles you can look up on periodization but some of the common periods of lifting include a foundation cycle, power cycle, explosion cycle, etc. With each period comes improvement (if you do it properly). After one cycle you'll feel stronger, then you will feel more power in your running, then you get to the explosive stuff (the good stuff!)

You can't get faster by squatting alone, you must do speed work as well.

KYLE ELLIS wrote:You can't get faster by squatting alone, you must do speed work as well.

Exactly, I should have mentioned that.

If you're going to do both, your running intervals on the track should correlate what you are doing in the weight room. Longer running to condition goes with building your foundation, shorter distances (like 200's and 150's) being run faster correlate to power, and very short quick running correlates to explosiveness.

I see, and do these periods all occur during 1 year? Or several years? In fall of last year I did a lot of conditioning and longer runs, then in the winter I shifted more towards 200s, and by the spring I started doing a lot of flying 30s. Now that it's summer, I would like to do speed work because I feel like this is the area I have to focus on the most. So I think I'm doing some 200s again, but a lot of flying 30s, with lifting. Is this all right? Is there anything else I could be doing for speed work?

sooch90 wrote:I see, and do these periods all occur during 1 year? Or several years? In fall of last year I did a lot of conditioning and longer runs, then in the winter I shifted more towards 200s, and by the spring I started doing a lot of flying 30s. Now that it's summer, I would like to do speed work because I feel like this is the area I have to focus on the most. So I think I'm doing some 200s again, but a lot of flying 30s, with lifting. Is this all right? Is there anything else I could be doing for speed work?

Most track athletes generally try to implement a single periodization cycle around one year (i.e. their season from September to May). However training is a career-long process and you shouldn't just look for improvements from month to month. The best athletes look at the big picture and look at year to year and the improvements that come from training for those years.

In terms of what you want to do this summer, this time of the year really isn't the time to be doing speed work. The 3 months you have before you go back to school don't need to be focused around conditioning. If all you do is run all summer you'll have nothing left by the time you get back to school. Instead, treat this as sort of your downtime. You just got off of 8-9 months of hard training. Your body now needs to de-train. Of course you want to maintain fitness, but there are other ways to do that that won't cause you to burn out in the middle of your next season.

Here is what I would recommend. After your last meet, take about 2 week completely off. No running, lifting or strenuous exercise. Then around June if you feel ready go ahead and cross train. Bike, swim, hike, etc. This maintains fitness while not putting impact on your body. Around July, you can start to get more organized if you want. Lifting is fine at this point. If you want to run, start off by doing long warm ups to ease your body into it. Around August you will probably want to consider doing some light workouts. You should definitely talk to your coach about what he wants you doing this summer.

However if you're like me you are itching to do vault specific training. Here are some things I would recommend doing if you absolutely have to do something in terms of training.

-Get a medicine ball. Medicine ball training is great for the vault. It helps with strength, stability, core, explosiveness, etc.
-Take gymnastics lessons
-Short run vaulting/sand vaulting to work on technique

Feel free to send a PM if you have any another specific questions.

hey

what is "interesting" is i put the Harvard study into these pages several years ago... everything about what i do with my charts... "MID" included (which i have been doing since the 70's),is comparitive to this profile on speed...

anyone ever here me talk about 2 cars on the Santa Monica pier??? or contact time and the amount of force is all you can change.. and that the "body weight to strength" of the vaulter not only makes a difference on the swing but in the speed down the runway. and that Mike Tully and Maurice Greene and i'm sure many others.. (I did myself) trained at a heavier body weight and "trimed down for the major competitions...

and if i went back on my post i might find a few other "goodies" that are inline with this study.. it has made my "speed' coaching more forcused since it was first published.. it actually confirmed what i had learned as an athlete and was trying to emphasis with the 6 step "MID" and speed on the runway.

dj

And always remember that the mechanic's of the run should always be more important than any strength training for speed. Forget about where their mid is just teach them how to run properly first.

Rick Baggett

good morning...

Forget about where their mid is just teach them how to run properly first.

never though i would here a renowned coach say this....

if the "MID" (check) point is not correct the technique will never be correct..

really.. this is the part of what i have learned and put into a chart to share, that i don't understand why other coaches don't understand..

Kirk talking about poor English!!! Help me out here.

?

dj

ps the chart is ALL about teaching the vaulter to run correctly.... and consistently.. and at their maximum controlled speed.. and to follow the Petrov model of "last six steps are consistent length but increased in frequency..." and pole carry and starting correctly is the only way your ever going to have a "chance" to run correctly..

PSS.. when i started on pole vault power my avatar read... RUN...PLANT...SWING... it's interesting that the latest post about bubka was ..RUN... PLANT... and ARRRAAAAAGGGG... or something to that effect...

PSSS..

Remember that Bubka foused on run and take off - after take off it was Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!!!