This can be answered two ways. First, it’s always best to lift after a track workout if you have high CNS value in your day ie speed day on track. That’s not always possible within a lot of programs. If you must lift before a track practice you can get your Olympic lifts out of the way and possibly regional lifts such as leg curls , lunges, etc. However your very large, very heavy Static Lifts that develop absolute strength should be saved for after practice because of the fatigue and degradation of coordination and skill.
As a general rule, I always lift hard in the indoor season and start to taper once the season progresses.
For sprinters, I would recommend 4 days per week from January until spring break. During those months, you can only do so much considering you may not be able to use an indoor track or the outdoor track due to weather. From April through the outdoor conference meet I recommend 3 days per week. Do not lift the day before a meet unless it is going to be light work. When your indoor season is going focus on explosive strength development by utilizing Olympic and power lifts like cleans, snatch, jerks, squat, and dead lift movements. During the outdoor season when the track workouts can get more intense focus on lighter weights to emphasize explosiveness. Now you can just use Olympic lifts.
Distance is much easier. 3 days per week all season. Utilize body weight movements like push ups, pull ups, prisoner squats, and lunges. You want use movements that focus on lengthening muscles. Single-leg dead lifts, weighted lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, bench press, and push press are all good lifts.
Lastly, working the core (abs, obliques, lower back muscles) should be a focus every day.
I hope this helps. Let me if know you need anything else.
Hi Anthony – I think it’s a matter of what time works best. Certainly, if they can complete a workout during the day in a PE Strength Training class, that would be ideal. I try to consider that our athletes already have long days and tru not to bring them in for a morning lift. If you have access to a weight room during your practice times, plan to lift 2-3 times per week. I’d limit the time 30-40 minutes and try to be as efficient as possible. You don’t need to have 10 “core” lifts. Integrate some body weight strength exercises into your daily warm-up.
The best time to lift would be last in the workout. The most important thing to sprinters/mid distance is the speed/running part so that should always come first. You are not going to add speed in a fatigued state. Athletes ground contact times will be increased if trying to sprint/run on legs that were just lifted. Lifting is the farthest thing from the specific demands the athletes will see on the track so I try to do the most specific things they need first for their event then go to the supporting things like lifting last.
If you are working technique then that should come first before lifting that day as well. Technical changes occur much faster in a non-fatigued state.
I would also advocate doing your plyometrics before lifting for the same reasons above with ground contact times.
It all depends of the needs of the workout with the athlete. When you put structure base system in the strength and conditioning program. Your program will be successful. You can not focus on sagittal plane movements all the time that is not going to cut it. You have to incorporate all the other planes of motions as well. Rest period is also key.
Comments 6
This can be answered two ways. First, it’s always best to lift after a track workout if you have high CNS value in your day ie speed day on track. That’s not always possible within a lot of programs. If you must lift before a track practice you can get your Olympic lifts out of the way and possibly regional lifts such as leg curls , lunges, etc. However your very large, very heavy Static Lifts that develop absolute strength should be saved for after practice because of the fatigue and degradation of coordination and skill.
Author
Anthony:
As a general rule, I always lift hard in the indoor season and start to taper once the season progresses.
For sprinters, I would recommend 4 days per week from January until spring break. During those months, you can only do so much considering you may not be able to use an indoor track or the outdoor track due to weather. From April through the outdoor conference meet I recommend 3 days per week. Do not lift the day before a meet unless it is going to be light work. When your indoor season is going focus on explosive strength development by utilizing Olympic and power lifts like cleans, snatch, jerks, squat, and dead lift movements. During the outdoor season when the track workouts can get more intense focus on lighter weights to emphasize explosiveness. Now you can just use Olympic lifts.
Distance is much easier. 3 days per week all season. Utilize body weight movements like push ups, pull ups, prisoner squats, and lunges. You want use movements that focus on lengthening muscles. Single-leg dead lifts, weighted lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, bench press, and push press are all good lifts.
Lastly, working the core (abs, obliques, lower back muscles) should be a focus every day.
I hope this helps. Let me if know you need anything else.
Ryan Crissey
Glenbard South
Author
Hi Anthony – I think it’s a matter of what time works best. Certainly, if they can complete a workout during the day in a PE Strength Training class, that would be ideal. I try to consider that our athletes already have long days and tru not to bring them in for a morning lift. If you have access to a weight room during your practice times, plan to lift 2-3 times per week. I’d limit the time 30-40 minutes and try to be as efficient as possible. You don’t need to have 10 “core” lifts. Integrate some body weight strength exercises into your daily warm-up.
Good luck
Mark Tacchi
Author
The best time to lift would be last in the workout. The most important thing to sprinters/mid distance is the speed/running part so that should always come first. You are not going to add speed in a fatigued state. Athletes ground contact times will be increased if trying to sprint/run on legs that were just lifted. Lifting is the farthest thing from the specific demands the athletes will see on the track so I try to do the most specific things they need first for their event then go to the supporting things like lifting last.
If you are working technique then that should come first before lifting that day as well. Technical changes occur much faster in a non-fatigued state.
I would also advocate doing your plyometrics before lifting for the same reasons above with ground contact times.
Just my .02.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Tom Kaberna
Lake Park High School
Thanks, everyone, for the great info!!! Big help and some other ideas or reason for what we do. Thanks again!
It all depends of the needs of the workout with the athlete. When you put structure base system in the strength and conditioning program. Your program will be successful. You can not focus on sagittal plane movements all the time that is not going to cut it. You have to incorporate all the other planes of motions as well. Rest period is also key.