training after a fall sport

[mikesprintshard]

What is the best way to train for sprints after a fall sport? I play football and then do nothing in the winter besides work out, so I have time from the end of the season till March. football season is nine games long, making the length of season about 2 months and 1 week (9 weeks). If it gets over November 7th which it should, what should I do from then on out? From then to March I would have November December January Febuary and a week into March maybe. That makes about 3 1/2 to 4 months of preseason training. What should I do running wise and strength training wise during that time and about how often each week? I want to go from 11.9 to 11.2 and I think it is possible if I put my mind behind it. What are all of your guys' ideas

[Speed-driven]

You could do a Winter Sport. But my opinion on that is no sport has the fast sprinting you need, and isnt consistant running. Soccer does have sprinting, but you gotta have skill to join, plus its a different type of running. Basketball too. you gotta have skill to get on the team. And to me basketball doesnt run enough. So, I would suggest that you train by doin sprints 3 times a week, work out 2 times a week in the weight room. and 1 day work on endurance mayb run 2-3 miles. And the last day rest for recovery. Not every workout should be extremly hard since its pre-season obviously. But i would say 1 1/2 months you should increase your training almost to where its like your season practice. Since your talkin about the 100m. Make sure you do 150m ..200m..for your finishing 40m of your 100m race..and make sure you do 50m and 60m sprints for improving your charge and build up speed in your beginning 25m of your 100m. By the time your 2 weeks before your 1st practice officaily starts. Try to set a goal of already being faster than your PR. That way more improvement can been seen and achieved.

[remiks]

First and foremost, rest. A lot of people fail to realize how helpful rest can be for you. After resting, lift 3 times a week for a couple of weeks, and 2 times a week when you start running. Before you get into speed endurance and explosive speed work with distances of around 60m, you should really consider building a base of sorts. Try doing some intensive tempo (With considerable focus on running form.) The purpose of such workouts is to build up your cardiovascular capacity so that you will be more prepared for speed endurance and just the entire track season. Do strides for recovery. Remember, this is an EASY, YET STEADY PACE. And it is meant entirely for resting or recovering your legs from the workout the day before. I'd suggest doing the easiest one, since you could use more recovery and rest after Monday's hard workout. Do some short speedwork during this portion of the season. For increasing speed after you have built a base, do some speed endurance work, and some higher distance speed work (GRADUALLY increasing to a mix of reps like 30s, 60s and 80s), mixed with recovery days and lifting.

[Brumund-Smith]

First and foremost, rest. A lot of people fail to realize how helpful rest can be for you. After resting, lift 3 times a week for a couple of weeks, and 2 times a week when you start running. Before you get into speed endurance and explosive speed work with distances of around 60m, you should really consider building a base of sorts. Try doing some intensive tempo (With considerable focus on running form.) The purpose of such workouts is to build up your cardiovascular capacity so that you will be more prepared for speed endurance and just the entire track season. Do strides for recovery. Remember, this is an EASY, YET STEADY PACE. And it is meant entirely for resting or recovering your legs from the workout the day before. I'd suggest doing the easiest one, since you could use more recovery and rest after Monday's hard workout. Do some short speedwork during this portion of the season. For increasing speed after you have built a base, do some speed endurance work, and some higher distance speed work (GRADUALLY increasing to a mix of reps like 30s, 60s and 80s), mixed with recovery days and lifting.

I agree with plenty of this (you clearly know what you are talking about), but let me add my two cents onto what has worked with my own experience:

1. Rest is very important. Take two weeks off after the football season from running, lifting, biking, etc. Obviously playing some pick-up basketball or participating in gym class is fine.

2. The winter is a great time to LIFT WEIGHTS! In most places (especially up here in the Midwest) it is too cold to get onto an outdoor track or any sort of outdoor surface suitable for running. Reality dictates that most HS athletes don't have easy access to indoor tracks. But just about everybody has access to a weight room. Start off with three days per week and build up the weights gradually (I'm assuming you are coming off a lifting program for football). I believe you can still be lifting at least three days a week even while you begin running during the winter months. I used to lift four days a week. Do NOT use your football lifting program though. Have somebody (who knows what they are doing) write you up a track-specific lifting program.

3. I don't think you need to do many intensive tempo runs to build up your speed endurance. If you do, make sure you do such running ON YOUR TOES using CORRECT SPRINTING FORM! I haven't seen much evidence of heel running helping out 100m sprinters. The more I coach short sprinters, the more I feel they need to do at least one day of just pure speed in the early season. It is too much to ask for an athlete to just start pounding out top-speed work near the end of a season. Get in some pure speed work (40-60m repeats with full recovery) once a week during the winter.

4. Run some hills. This doesn't have to be a 60-second gradual build-up. In fact, for a 100m runner, I wouldn't recommend running any longer than 25 seconds. Many of your hill runs can last only around 10 seconds or so. But try not to confuse hill running with pure-speed work. You don't need six minutes rest between each 10-second repeat. You really only need about 30-60 seconds rest, and then this becomes a little bit of a speed endurance workout. I think hills once a week is a great idea for the winter.

5. Strides is another GREAT idea, as well as some form running. Make sure, of course, that you are running with efficient and effective form. Running sloppy strides will actually hurt you more than it will help you. Focus on keeping your knees high and your toes dorsiflexed.

[one_more_hurdler]

You could do a Winter Sport. But my opinion on that is no sport has the fast sprinting you need, and isnt consistant running. Soccer does have sprinting, but you gotta have skill to join, plus its a different type of running. Basketball too. you gotta have skill to get on the team. And to me basketball doesnt run enough. So, I would suggest that you train by doin sprints 3 times a week, work out 2 times a week in the weight room. and 1 day work on endurance mayb run 2-3 miles. And the last day rest for recovery. Not every workout should be extremly hard since its pre-season obviously. But i would say 1 1/2 months you should increase your training almost to where its like your season practice. Since your talkin about the 100m. Make sure you do 150m ..200m..for your finishing 40m of your 100m race..and make sure you do 50m and 60m sprints for improving your charge and build up speed in your beginning 25m of your 100m. By the time your 2 weeks before your 1st practice officaily starts. Try to set a goal of already being faster than your PR. That way more improvement can been seen and achieved.

i dont know where you live, but in WA baceball and soccer are both spring sports. not winter.

[Speed-driven]

Oh, I see. Well first of all i didnt say baseball. But yeah I live in CA, and basketball and soccer are winter sports. I guess everywhere football is a fall sport. Football is good for track, cuhz it helps a lot in the weight room. But when it comes to injuries, its not worth the risk. Best thing to do is a get a person whos way faster than you..and run with them, cuhz who likes to get smoked..? your bound to always try everytime. or at least be pushed..which is the point.

[one_more_hurdler]

my bad...dont know what i was thinking when i thought you said baceball. XC is a good sport to do if you're going to be running the 400 and up. but its the mose dangress sport might i add, lol. are coach told us last year that more people die a year in xc then in all other HS sports. morons get hit by cars. or something like that.