Kilo / Sprint Training

Originally Posted by fergie

Hello Everyone

Here is my outline of training for a sprinter. Feel free to pick it to pieces. The most important thing is not so much what training a rider does but what effect it has on them and how they communicate this to you. The best results I had with a sprinter was one that I personally trained in the gym and was on hand for most of her track work. A lot of speed work was done on a windtrainer at the gym. Much the same as the success I had with a road rider building towards the World Road Champs where I didn't observe much of his training but we was in contact up to three times a day leading up to his departure for Europe.

For sprinters I follow a multi-tier approach as opposed to the more periodised approach I use for endurance. Everything is trained year round and it is the amounts that vary depending on what phase one is in.

This means medium term aerobic, short term aerobic, anaerobic capacity, alactic capacity, power and strength (both ATP system) are all included in the programme.

Based on the goal event and the main requirements (sprint = anaerobic capacity) one looks at the levels 2 up and 2 below the main requirement and trains all 5.

For a sprinter...

+2: ATP Strength and Power
+1: Alactic Capacity
Main: Anaerobic Capacity
-1: Short Term Endurance (around maxV02)
-2: Medium Term Endurance (around anaerobic threshold)

For a roadie it would look like...

+2: Anaerobic Capacity
+1: Short Term Endurance
Main: Medium Term Endurance
+1: Long Term Endurance (around aerobic threshold)
+2: Very Long Term Endurance (below aerobic threshold)

Note I still get roadies to do very short sprints of 6-10sec or two lamp posts start in the saddle in medium gear (53X19-17) as a type of weights on wheels workout.

Training is then based on each requirement and the volumes at each level is varied depending on the priority. It generally goes from endurance through to strength and power for sprinters. The easiest way is to take the time till the goal event and divide by 5.

Note I do things differently for roadies who spend as much time as possible in the long term endurance phase before a block at MT Endurance, a block at ST endurance and a 2 week block of Anaerobic capacity before a 2 week taper to the goal event. This is because 75% of road racing is done within the aerobic and anaerobic threshold and the more power they can produce and sustain at this level the less time they spend in the energy sapping anaerobic levels. Sprinters however need to train fast all year long.

Instead of the usual 7 day microcycle I have gone for a 14 day period. All training sessions have goals of either time or max lift achieved. If you can't get close to a PB then pack up. Also you hit a PB then pack up, reward yourself for hitting new targets!

Example schedules based on a masters level rider with 20 years in the sport, a good understanding of weight training and racing at Denton Park, Christchurch, New Zealand's regular racing on a Wednesday and Sunday from late October to early March.

Medium term endurance phase...

Mon: Rest Day
Tues: 3 X 5min @ anaerobic threshold
Wed: am. Lower Body Power ie Powercleans pm Track Racing
Thur: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 12 X 15ses on 15sec off at maxV02
Sat: 8 X 6 sec at max speed
Sun: am Lower Body Strength ie Deadlifts pm Track Racing
Mon: Rest Day
Tue: 3 X 5min @ anaerobic threshold
Wed: am Lower Body Power pm Track Racing
Thu: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 12 X 15sec on 15 sec off at max V02
Sat: 3 X 5 min @ anaerobic threshold
Sun: am Lower body Strength pm Track Racing

Short term endurance phase...

Mon: Rest Day
Tues: 12 X 15sec on 15sec off at max V02
Wed: am. Lower Body Power ie Snatch pm Track Racing
Thur: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 12 X 15ses on 15sec off at maxV02
Sat: 8 X 6 sec at max speed
Sun: am Lower Body Strength ie Squats pm Track Racing
Mon: Rest Day
Tue: 12 X 15sec on 15sec off at max V02
Wed: am Lower Body Power pm Track Racing
Thu: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 3 X 5min @ anaerobic threshold
Sat: 12 X 15sec on 15sec off at max V02
Sun: am Lower body Strength pm Track Racing

Anaerobic Capacity Phase

Mon: Rest Day
Tues: 5X20sec (or 250m) at high speed
Wed: am. Lower Body Power ie High volume plyos pm Track Racing
Thur: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 3 X 5min @ anaerobic threshold
Sat: 8 X 6 sec at max speed
Sun: am Lower Body Strength ie Leg press pm Track Racing
Mon: Rest Day
Tue: 5X20sec (or 250m) at high speed
Wed: am Lower Body Power pm Track Racing
Thu: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 8 X 6sec at max speed
Sat: 12 X 15sec on 15sec off at maxV02
Sun: am Lower body Strength pm Track Racing

Alactic Capacity Phase

Mon: Rest Day
Tues: 8 X 6 sec at max speed
Wed: am. Lower Body Power ie Low volume plyos pm Track Racing
Thur: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 5X20sec (or 250m) at high speed
Sat: 8 X 6 sec at max speed
Sun: am Lower Body Strength ie Split Squats pm Track Racing
Mon: Rest Day
Tue: 8 X 6 sec at max speed
Wed: am Lower Body Power pm Track Racing
Thu: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 8 X 6sec at max speed
Sat: 12 X 15sec on 15sec off at maxV02
Sun: am Lower body Strength pm Track Racing

Now is the time to use the bike to get you up to speed (ie 65-72kph) and then between turn 3 and 4 kick round the bike to the line. Can be done on windtrainer but on track is better to replicate the effort and handling required to kick off a wheel.

ATP Phase

Mon: Rest Day
Tues: 4 X 6 sec at max speed
Wed: am. Lower Body Power ie Low volume plyos with weights pm Track Racing
Thur: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 2X20sec (or 250m) at high speed
Sat: 4 X 6 sec at max speed
Sun: am Lower Body Strength ie One leg leg press pm Track Racing
Mon: Rest Day
Tue: 4 X 6 sec at max speed
Wed: am Lower Body Power pm Track Racing
Thu: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 4 X 6sec at max speed
Sat: 6 X 15sec on 15sec off at maxV02
Sun: am Lower body Strength pm Track Racing

This is the final lead up to goal event and is done once then in the final 14 days to the goal event changes to...

Mon: Rest Day
Tues: 2 X 6 sec at max speed
Wed: am. Lower Body Power ie Low volume plyos with weights pm Track Racing
Thur: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 20sec (or 250m) at high speed
Sat: 2 X 6 sec at max speed
Sun: am Lower Body Strength ie One leg leg press pm Track Racing
Mon: Rest Day
Tue: 2 X 6 sec at max speed
Wed: am Lower Body Power pm Track Racing
Thu: Rest Day
Fri: am. Upper body weights pm. 2 X 6sec at max speed
Sat: Goal Event
Sun: Goal Event

Very little aerobic training in the last two phases but before all anaerobic and alactic workouts one should do this to warm up...

-5-15 min at aerobic threshold
-Stretching
-1-5 min below aerobic threshold
-5 min at anaerobic threshold
-1-5 min below aerobic threshold
-1 min at max aerobic pace
-2-10 min below aerobic threshold
-30 sec flat out
-ride at below aerobic threshold to start/training

This and a decent warm down negates the need for much aerobic training in the last two phases.

With the weight training the goal is to hit a new PB and then do some supplemental exercises. Select one main exercise hit the PB and then if lower body do some hamstring, glute, lower back and abs work. For upper body try and hit a PB for a Chest and Back exercise then do some supplemental work on the biceps, triceps, rear delts/rotator cuff abs and lower back. Power days are harder to judge as you use a load between 30-70% of max or body weight. If you don't have the snap in your efforts then pack up.

Most of this programme is based on my own understanding of cycling, physiology and sprinting. It includes elements from the new Aussie programme, a little of the old Gary West programme, some Charlie Francis from T&F sprinting (less the steroids), Louie Simmons conjugate method of training (less the steroids) for Powerlifters (which draws on Russian physiologist and biomechanist Yuri Verkoshansky), Mel Siff (strength/speed training expert, sadly deceased) and Peter Coe's (father of Seb Coe) multi tier training philosophy. Not much of the old East German programme as a lot of it is 3rd-4th hand information, it's 20 years old anyway and they took ****-loads of drugs.

Cheers

Hamish Ferguson
Christchurch, New Zealand

Originally Posted by Sam Armour

Hey everyone.

'fraid I'm a newbie, so apologies if my questions have missed the obvious.

Fergie, in your schedule (a large chunk of which I'm using, and have picked up a load of speed over the last 6 weeks - thanks!), you talk about reps of 6s max speed - is this a high cadence exercise with a moderate/low gear to develop leg speed, or should I be using a 'track' sized gear (eg 88 inches) to develop power?

Also, I don't have access to equipment/people (or money!) to test my VO2 max - is there any way I can use training levels based on heartrate or similar?

And does the 12 sets of 15s on, 15s off max VO2 actually mean a 6 minute training session (or am I being incredibly dumb)?

Would appreciate any help anyone can give me.
Cheers,
Sam.

Originally Posted by Billsworld

Are you doing the lifting in the routine? How long have you been racing? Nothing to add, just interested in the results.

Originally Posted by Sam Armour

Hey Bill.

I'm coming back to racing after 5 or 6 years off! I've kept fit during this time (fair amount of cyling, running, etc), but nothing in the explosive/power range, though this is what I was naturally better at when I was last racing.

Have started specific sprint training for this season pretty late - only about 6 or 7 weeks and have been concentrating on getting speed and cadence back. I don't really have the time to do the whole of Fergie's programme (nor the regular cash to get access to a gym with a decent squat bar or leg press), and if I did manage to follow it to the letter, I'd burn myself out after a month. (Given that I'm pretty undertrained at the moment.)

In addition to the bike stuff (which I've been doing, though more towards the max power end rather than an threshold stuff), I do some overgeared starts every other week. Also, from this week, I'm going to start doing some lower body plyometrics once a week.

Hard to gauge accurately quite how much faster I'm going - I'm now able to hold long (20s) sprints much easier and with faster average speed on the turbo. Can also now get a decent sized gear (48x15, outdoor concrete) to top speed and still have something left in the tank to hold it and then kick again.

Will be doing the local track league from Monday onwards, so I'll let you know how I do....

And if anyone knows the answers to my previous questions re Fergie's programme, it would be much appreciated!!

Cheers,
Sam.

Originally Posted by Sam Armour

Hey everyone.

'fraid I'm a newbie, so apologies if my questions have missed the obvious.

Fergie, in your schedule (a large chunk of which I'm using, and have picked up a load of speed over the last 6 weeks - thanks!), you talk about reps of 6s max speed - is this a high cadence exercise with a moderate/low gear to develop leg speed, or should I be using a 'track' sized gear (eg 88 inches) to develop power?

Also, I don't have access to equipment/people (or money!) to test my VO2 max - is there any way I can use training levels based on heartrate or similar?

And does the 12 sets of 15s on, 15s off max VO2 actually mean a 6 minute training session (or am I being incredibly dumb)?

Would appreciate any help anyone can give me.
Cheers,
Sam.

Originally Posted by Sam Armour

Fergie, in your schedule (a large chunk of which I'm using, and have picked up a load of speed over the last 6 weeks - thanks!), you talk about reps of 6s max speed - is this a high cadence exercise with a moderate/low gear to develop leg speed, or should I be using a 'track' sized gear (eg 88 inches) to develop power?

Originally Posted by Sam Armour

I'm coming back to racing after 5 or 6 years off! I've kept fit during this time (fair amount of cyling, running, etc), but nothing in the explosive/power range, though this is what I was naturally better at when I was last racing.

Originally Posted by fergie

Me too, did nothing for 5 years. I expect it to take me a good three years to gt back into any sort of fitness to tackle some challenging racing goals.



On reflection I would say halve the programme, either the volume each day or take 2-3 hard sessions out per week.



All good stuff.



Cool, keep us up to date.

Hamish Ferguson
Cycling Coach