Howdy Great One! You are doing amazing things in your training and the results are shining through! As we cruise into week 2 of the Speed Block, we’ll be focusing on running mechanics in our training. In this case it’s not just what we do…it’s HOW we do it.
The “it” is of course the magical art of running fast. Across sport and life, speed is one of the keys to winning as well as survival. Speed is also the most fun and exhilarating expression of your athleticism. And speed training has been shown to enhance motor function, preserve muscle and bone mass, and burn fat better than high volume circuits or overcooked cardio.
You just gotta do it safe and you gotta do it smart. Warm up well. Progress gradually based on how your body is feeling. Stay consistent in your training. And shut it down if it’s not there on the day. Failure to do any of these things results in pain, injury, frustration, and failure. The glory of speed is worth it, but it takes work to achieve it. Let’s get to work.
We are hitting the track twice this week and filling in with those play-filled recovery sessions. The track is the safest and most effective place to work on your speed, bar none. If you don’t have a track available, use a field or quiet road. The main thing to think about is patiently building up your readiness and then sampling your high turnover. We’ll concentrate on running the 100 meters this week.
LOCATIONS AND TIMES FOR LOCAL TRAINING THIS WEEK:
MONDAY (7/5): Belgrade High Track 6pm
THURSDAY (7/8): Gallatin River Jog and Splash with Bonfire 6pm
SATURDAY (7/10): Belgrade High Track 10am
WEEK OF: 07-05-2021 (2nd week of month 1, SPEED block)
| WOW | PREP | PRIMARY | ACCESSORY | TIPS |
| A TRACK X2 | Jog 5’ Tubing 20 reps each Strikedowns Laterals Flex-extend Drills 1 x 20m each A-Skip B-Skip Side Shuffle Carioca L leg hop R leg hop | Max Velocity 6 x 100m Slow to fast progression (to 90% max) MB backward toss Max effort X 5 Big rests 1 x 400m 70% effort | SB Stadium steps or bench step-ups 2 x 1’ with 2’ rests Leg swings 20 each F-B Lateral Strap Stretches 20 each Calves Hams Glutes Quads | Access your top gear smoothly. |
| B TRAIL X1-3 | Mental Prep View this sesh as an unstructured celebration of movement and fellowship! | Lo-slo Cardiomojo 30-60’ of any activity such as walk, jog, hike, bike, etc. | Soak, splash, swim, rinse…any refreshing water exposure | Stay Hydrated! |
Key Workout Considerations: Let’s talk about running the 100m. In the most basic of terms, you can divide the run or race into thirds. The 1st 3rd is your acceleration phase. Drive out powerfully from the start with strong pushes and gradually let your steps quicken as you become upright. The 2nd phase is max velocity. Hit your top gear and concentrate on those snappy/poppy footstrikes and frontside mechanics. The final phase is called maintenance or minimization of deceleration phase. This is where you try your best to hold form and get through the line without slowing down. When you run those 6 reps of hundreds, just try to feel those segments and make the transitions as seamless as possible. Take long rests between reps. Walk back, have some water, do a couple of limbering exercises…even sit in the shade on your bucket for a minute or two. And…as the workout progresses, you should take more time between each rep as your body naturally requires that. We do plenty of conditioning in our work, but when we emphasize speed, rest is required. Velocity won’t develop unless the body and central nervous system is fresh. Enjoy this aspect of your training.
| MASTERCLASS | DAY | TIME | LINK |
| LIFETIME ATHLETIC LUNCH (training and learning) | THU | 11:30am MDT | Join Zoom Meeting ID: 83949244947 Passcode: 173730 |
We are using all familiar exercises and methods this week. Instead of trying to master new movement patterns, we’re refining the ones we’ve been using. Less complexity. More intensity. Focus, Grasshopper! In learning about your body and maximizing it’s function, take a look at the video which will get you thinking about how your unique inner beast is built to locomote. There are only 3 choices and you will clearly be one of them.
Onward and upward. You are killing it. Have fun and keep inspiring me, yourself, and others. Questions: hit me up in the T2 Forum or bring them to the MasterClass.