400 Meter Training: Greater Strength = Faster Times (Part 3)

This article is guest blogged by Jim Hiserman, author of the books Program Design Method for Sprints & Hurdle Training and Strength and Power for Maximum Speed
GREATER STRENGTH = FASTER TIMES
Part 1 can be found here.  Part 2 can be found here.
Proper Cycle-Length Pattern plans for each phase of the training year and training method [...]

Vertical Jump and Sprinting: Training the Posterior Chain

One of the biggest fallacies in sprinting fast is the muscular legs and thighs in sprinters.  I recall watching a meet and someone said “look at the size of Dwain Chambers’ quads!”
I simply remind them to look Blanka Vlasic legs with her tiny calves… thus the power is in the hips.
Even the word “hips” is [...]

Strength and Power for Maximum Speed

I reviewed Jim Hiserman’s book Program Design Method for Sprints & Hurdle Training back in April 2009. You can read the review here. He has published a new book called Strength and Power for Maximum Speed which is now sold exclusively on the new Speedendurance Store.
I enjoy reading Coach Hiserman’s books because it’s written [...]

Linford Christie Advanced Plyometric Training

Linford Christie is the only British man to win a gold medal in the 100 meters at all four major competitions: the Olympic Games (1992), Worlds (1993), Commonwealth (1990, 94), and European championships (1986, 90, 94)
Here’s a poor quality video digitized  from analog tapes.
He does a variety of single leg and double leg hurdle hops, [...]

Vern Gambetta’s Reading List

This is part one of a series entitled, What’s on Your Bookshelf?
I’m always inspired by someone else’s reading list.  Or Bookshelf.
Have you ever watched a comedy movie with a group of people?  Do you notice how some people laugh at certain scenes, while others laugh at other scenes?
It’s the same with reading a book.  I [...]

What is DHEA? Benefits of DHEA Supplements (which is Banned in Track!)

Thanks to Ken Stone for pointing this out to me.
Masters [cycling] track racer Kenny Williams tested positive for the banned substance DHEA in a test taken at United States masters nationals in Colorado Springs.
 
In a letter first published at cycle-smart.com, Williams called the decision to take the drug a mistake and said that he [...]

Dwain Chambers, Ato Boldon and Box Jumping

Several years ago in the days before YouTube, there was a viral video of Ato Boldon doing a 60 inch or 1.50m box jump (approximately).  Obviously, people confused this with the vertical jump or vertical leap test, but it is a good indication of explosiveness.  And bravery.
I am a firm believer in plyometrics, and I [...]

Wrist Straps and Weight Belts – Good or Bad?

During my weight training days at McGill, I remember a lot of lifters were using wrist straps and weight belts, including myself.
The weight belt was good for the vanity – it tightened your waist and tucked in your beer belly, plus it inflated your chest, hence the inverted triangle appearance.  The 46” chest with 30” [...]

Why Sprinters should NOT do Double-Leg Squats

There’s an alarming trend of Coaches who do not like the conventional double leg squats with the bar behind your head.
But for those who like to do the double-legged squats, it is recommended to do “front squats” with the bar on your front shoulders and collar bone, because if you fail at a given weight, [...]

Weight Ratios for Power Clean, Bench Press & Squats

What are the recommended weight ratios for power clean, bench press and squats in terms of your bodyweight?  You can see my old weight training program, a discussion on how to determine 1 rep max (1 RM) and another sample weight training program from another coach.
I try not to get hung up on numbers in [...]

Analysis – Weight Training Program for Long Sprinters

Preamble: I posted my weight training routine from 1985-1992, followed by a lengthy discussion on how to calculate your 1 rep max (1RM) and weight percentages.

Here’s another weight training program for discussion.

This is a 15 – 30 week weight training program.

Each phase is 5 weeks long.

After 15 weeks, you adjust the weight after “determining” your [...]

Interval Circuit Training Examples and Routines

The limitation of the 400 meters is not lactic acid, or lactate for that matter. Rather, it’s acidosis, or the increase of positive H+ hydrogen items that limits the muscles.

How can you tolerate this? How can you build up a resistance to this, other than typical extensive tempo workouts or special endurance workouts?

Let’s [...]

Maximum One Rep Max (1RM) and Weight Percentages

A reader asked me how did I calculate my weights from the past article Weight Training Routine from the Archives?

Basically, you need to know your Maximum One Rep Max (or “1RM” in short) and the approximate percentages at the lower weights.

Below are my guidelines on weight percentages that worked for me for my different lifts.

1RM [...]

Other 30 Minute Circuit Training Workouts

If I was a comic book hero, I would call myself Lactic Man. To train for the 400m, one has to tolerate huge amounts of lactic acid.
Earlier, I posted a 30 minute workout. 31.5 minutes to be exact. Here is the other workout.
It comprises of 9 continuous exercises (3 non-stop sets of [...]

Sample Weight Training Routine from the Archives

People won’t believe this story, but when I first started running track at McGill University, I could not do 3 sets of 10 reps Bench Press with 70lbs (7, 10 lb plates) on the Universal stack machine. Being a machine and not free weights, you can argue it wasn’t even 70 lbs. I [...]

The 31.5 Minute Workout

They say Roger Banister, the first man to break the 4 minute mile in 1954, used to train hard 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week while in medical school. While training methods have advanced in the last 50 years, the one thing remains constant: time.
Some of us can only [...]