Getting strength where you need it
Following the strength build-up phase, where the athlete should have built up good levels of strength and power, it is now time to enhance and channel that power into the movements and speed used in specific sports situations.
Get specific
It is important to select the most appropriate methods for your chosen sport, for the development and refinement of power, and to allow enough time for the training to take effect. This training phase should last 8-12 weeks – depending on competition needs. Remember that this type of training is the ‘icing on the cake’ and that it should follow the basic preparation and strength development phases – if maximum sports performance is to accrue.The components that need to be improved in this phase include the following:Starting strength – the ability to exert maximal forces instantly, required by a sprinter or field sport athlete, for example.Explosive strength – the rate at which the player develops force – a requirement of all athletes.Reactive strength – the combination of eccentric and concentric strength can be measured in the time it takes to reverse direction from an eccentric (braking) contraction to a concentric (accelerating) contraction.For example, rebound jumps in basketball or volleyball, or foot contacts when sprinting (this is less than 0.9 of a second at elite level). This combination of eccentric – concentric contractions is known as the stretch shortening cycle (SSC) and is the prime element of plyometric training.
What exercises are used?
The exercises used are more dynamic and specific. If the athlete only trained for maximum strength (using heavy weights) then he/she would only be capable of expressing large amounts of force and would not be able to do this quickly (they would not improve their speed of force production).
Endurance training: Peaking for a win
Specialist running journalist Andy Barber talks to top endurance coach Nick Anderson
Our understanding of the physiology of running is increasing all the time. Participation in running and large road races in the UK has risen, but winning times are not significantly improving. This implies that improved training knowledge and understanding is not reaching the training routines of most runners.
The importance of threshold training
Nick believes that runners don’t understand the need for threshold running and don’t spend enough time running at threshold – this is running at 80-85% of maximum heart rate (HRMax). Instead the coach believes that they spend a lot of less productive time running at 70-75% HRMax. And he sees too much high end anaerobic training done – quicker than 85% and up above 90% of HRMax.
Nick says the impact of these training flaws are obvious on the runners’ performance, "They are always tiring in the second half of their races, they are never fully recovered from their harder sessions, they can’t glue together interval after interval and they can’t run quick races"
Maximise your threshold
So what does Nick recommend? The coach has a strong belief in the need for running at ‘threshold’ (or the lactate turn point), the pace around which blood lactate levels go from being relatively stable to accumulating rapidly. “I believe the athletes should be doing blocks of threshold training that incorporate sessions of continuous running at threshold every week (this is because) … at threshold you don’t have such high lactate levels and the damage to the muscles is less, as the contractions are not as hard, so you can do it more regularly. If you increase the volume of work at this pace you are able to run faster for longer.”
Simple Sports Science - Training for Speed
Fast-twitch muscle fibres
Fast-twitch muscle fibres contract two to three times faster than slow-twitch muscle fibres. They have a ‘twitch rate’ of 30-70 twitches per second. These fibres are also known as white, or type II fibres. There are two types of fast-twitch fibre - Type IIa and Type IIbType IIa or ‘intermediate’ fast-twitch fibres are also termed, ‘fast oxidative glycolytic’ (FOG), because of their ability to display, when subject to the relevant training stimuli, a relatively high capacity to contract under conditions of aerobic or anaerobic energy production. This means they are relatively enduring and contribute to longer-lasting sports activities, such as 400 and 800m running, and tennis rallies.Type IIb fibres are the turbo charger muscle fibres. These fibres are also known as ‘fast glycogenolytic’ (FG) fibres. They rely, almost exclusively, on the immediate energy system to fire them up. Fast-twitch muscle fibre is thicker than slow-twitch fibre. And it’s these fibres that are primarily responsible for increases in muscle size when subject to the relevant training stimuli. Activating fast-twitch motor units is the key to improved strength, speed and power
Correctly and consistently training fast-twitch fibre is the key to improved strength, speed and power. Paradoxically, these fibres are quite lazy. They need to be prodded into action by considerable mental input. This ups the flow of electrical impulses to the motor units and literally switches them on. If you are really focused and in ‘the zone’ the flow of electrical impulses from the brain can be virtually continuous – this continuity results in target muscles being unable to relax, which in turn results in increased muscular tension and power capability. However, it should be noted that extreme levels of this ‘neuronal stimulation’ can lead to impaired sports performance. To clarify: if a golfer were to become overly aggressive in an attempt to drive the ball as far as they could from the tee, a poor stroke usually results. This is the result of increased tension and its impairment of skill.
Exercise tip of the week
Isotonic (exercises with movement) core exercises
Although these exercises are isotonic you must not swing or rock forward or backward when performing them. Instead, focus on initiating and completing the movement with your core muscles – this will ensure maximum muscle fibre recruitment. Lift and lower to a slow 3/4 count.
4) Active straight leg raise
Overview: Requires a strong static contraction of the abdominals to stabilise the lumbar spine against the load of the legs. It also requires a good active range of motion of the hamstrings.
Level: Intermediate/advanced
Muscles targeted:Rectus abdominisAbdominal wallHip flexors
Technique: Lie on your back with knees bent. Set your lumbar spine in neutral and brace your abs. Lift one leg up straight into the air and ensure that your back does not move. Lift the other leg up, again keeping your back in place (if the back cannot be stabilised during this movement, the exercise is too advanced for you, and more static transverse stability control work will be needed first). Keeping one leg in the air, slowly lower the other down to the floor. Only go as far as you can, until you feel the lumbar spine start to move. Placing your fingers under your back will help you to gauge when this happens. Keep bracing the abs and then lift your leg slowly back up. Repeat with your other leg.
Perform: 5-10 reps, alternating legs over 2-4 sets.
Focus on Upper Body Power
Upper body power is crucial for optimum performance in numerous sports. The arms and torso both generate and control power. A rugby hand off or boxing punch are obvious examples of the former, whilst the latter takes a little more explaining.
When performing a sports skill the torso acts as a transmission – controlling the forces that are generated. For example, if a sprinter does not have strong and relevantly conditioned abdominal and back muscles then power will be wasted in lateral movements as the athlete powers down the track. Additionally a weak and non-specifically conditioned core will reduce the risk of injury.
In the short video taster you’ll see a snap shot of upper body sports specific exercises aimed specifically – though not exclusively - at developing increased hitting and punching power:1) The high pulley cable chop2) The wrist curl3) The plyometric press-up 4) The medicine ball, wall chest passThese exercises display the range of conditioning exercises that can be applied to the pursuit of improved hitting, throwing and punching power, using fixed and free weights, body weight and medicine balls.You could combine the exercises into a single workout – suggested repetitions and loadings are provided for each exercise if you chose this option.
