My (seemingly) monthly (most-likely in vain) drum-beating against the continued ignorance of some folks on the complexity of speed, and the methods we employ to improve it:
SHORT THREAD >>
SHORT THREAD >>
Perhaps the biggest myth in all of training for speed is that "you need to sprint maximally to get faster"
This is especially pervasive in the football world, where the only sprint coach that most S&C and-or football coaches know is Charlie Francis. And, indeed, sprinting fast was a big part of CF's program.
But believe it or not, Charlie Francis was not the only sprint coach who knew something about getting folks fast. There are 100s of coaches who don't employ his methodology, and 1000s of athletes that have ran fast with these coaches
Let's not get caught up in dogmatic, binary thinking.
As it relates to maximal sprinting - a quick question to the S&C folks:
Is lifting maximal weight the ONLY way to get stronger?
The answer is obvious: of course it's not!
As it relates to maximal sprinting - a quick question to the S&C folks:
Is lifting maximal weight the ONLY way to get stronger?
The answer is obvious: of course it's not!
So why would it be the same with sprinting? There are all manner of ways for a person to get strong - and in fact, I know of no single program in the history of programs that employed ONLY maximal lifting as its means to get maximally strong.
Sprinting is no different.
Sprinting is no different.
For some athletes, sprinting maximally will be the most-appropriate method for getting them faster ... sometimes - but definitely not ALL the time. And definetly not for all athletes
For others (e.g. those with poor technique), other methods will be more-appropriate
For others (e.g. those with poor technique), other methods will be more-appropriate
It is still important to run fast ...
... just not always MAXIMALLY
Sprinting maximally is NOT a necessity to improving speed
... just not always MAXIMALLY
Sprinting maximally is NOT a necessity to improving speed
By equating running maximally with training maximal speed, coaches are blowing up far more athletes than is necessary.
Intensity - at least as measured by velocity - should usually be governed by technical proficiency.
Intensity - at least as measured by velocity - should usually be governed by technical proficiency.
This does NOT mean that coaches should - rather than running their fly 10s and 30s - spend months doing cross-country work, or repeat 500s.
It simply means - if an athlete has not stabilized technical execution at a sub-maximal intensity, he or she has little business progressing to greater levels of intensity.
Mechanics first - load second
Mechanics first - load second
It means that the sport coach (and-or the S&C coach) requires a better understanding of the general technical model of sprinting - as well as how-when-why to adapt this general model to each individual.
(And to be fair, this seems to be getting better - both in the appreciation for, as well as the execution of, effective and efficient mechanics)
It means coaches require not just a set number of training sessions that work on maximum speed, but also knowledge and understanding of the requisite abilities that underpin the ‘maximum speed ability’
Timing, rhythm, coordination, mobility, flow, technique, force-power abilities - all things that can - and should - be developed sub-maximally, that can improve maximal speed.
(Sorry - that was longer than I meant it to be)
If there is one simple take-home, it is this:
