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innovations in speed development
Plyo-Drills is a new approach of exercises with the use of low boxes (60cm x 60cm x 15cm) with the purpose of speed improvement. We use the boxes in a way that the athletes would be forced to better perform running phases (efforts, timing, technical skills). All exercises can significant improve running mechanics and affect speed of striding actions. The drills improve the main component of sprinting strides, the ground time.
Just after few weeks of application of plyo-drills, the ground time can be improved on average by 0.005sec per stride. Taking into consideration that a sprinter runs a 100m distance in approximately 50 steps, the total improvement can be within 0.25sec.
Bellow is an attempt to describe exercises and outline methodic of application of Plyo-Sprint.
1. Plyo - quick foot
8-12 boxes, 3-4 feet apart
3-4 reps each leg (with or without weight pants) From 2m approach execute short and fast steps on and between boxes. Emphasize on fast stepping downward on the ground between the boxes and minimize ground contact time. 2. Plyo – run 8-12 boxes, 8-10 feet apart 3-4 reps each leg (with or without weight pants) The runner accelerates for 10-15m to the first box and step on the top of it with one foot, he/she lands the other foot on the ground between the boxes and follows this rhythm continue running thru all the boxes. The step between the boxes should be executed very fast. Fast thigh rotation downward. Weight pants can be used for extra effort (200gr). 3. Plyo - sprint 8-12 boxes, 10-12 feet apart 3-4 reps each leg (with or without weight pants) The runner accelerates for 15-25m to the first box and step on the top of it with one foot, he/she lands the other foot on the ground between the boxes and follows this rhythm continue sprinting thru all the boxes. The step between the boxes should be executed very fast. Fast thigh rotation downward. Weight pants can be used for extra effort (200gr). 4. Plyo - bounding 8-12 boxes, 14-16 feet apart 3-4 reps each leg (with or without weight pants) This is not a running exercise but a jumping one. The distance of the boxes is very wide. The runner accelerates for 15-25m to the first box and step on the top of it with one foot, he/she lands the other foot on the ground between the boxes and follows this rhythm continue bounding thru all the boxes. Fast thigh rotation downward. Weight pants can be used for extra effort (200gr). Examination of the cadence of the world class sprinters, disclosed some common actions in force production, which can be taught to emerging athletes. The actions include fast hip flexion, which provides foot lift above the ground and lower leg forward recovery, so the athlete becomes able to execute fast and powerful foot landing, in front of the body’s center of gravity and simultaneously leg exchange. These actions lead to the constant increase of stride length, up to the 30m mark and to maximize frequency output within first 20m. Since within the first 20m the stride length is still less than optimal level, and is not yet demanding factor in effort productions, the athlete can manage frequency increase during this segment of acceleration. Studies have shown that elite male sprinters run the first 10m in 6.5-7.5 steps, 20m in 11.5-12 steps and 30m in 15-16 steps. Respectively for female sprinters these figures are as follows, 10m in 7-8 steps, 20m in 12-13 steps and 30m in 16.5-17.5 steps. However, the frequency for both sexes is very similar…first 10m – 4steps/sec, the second 10m – 4.7steps/sec and the third 10m – 4.8-5steps/sec. Plyo-sprint can be applied to train very effectively this task by placing the boxes on the track in such order that the distances between boxes would reflex progressive increase in stride length for the target cadence during early stage of acceleration (up to 30m). We place the boxes according to the bellow table, keeping in mind that the starting blocks have the front supporting pedal 45cm behind the starting line and the distance of the first stride is selected as 105cm.Since the box is 60m long and the foot should be placed in the middle of the box, it is placed at 75cm from the frond pedal. The distance should utilize 30cm on each side of the boxes plus increase for two consequent strides. While running, the athlete should execute each odd stride on the box and each even stride on the track. The table bellow demonstrates progression of strides and the corresponding distances between strides and boxes: Stride Stride length (cm) Total distance (m) Distance between 2 strides (cm) Distance between 2 boxes (cm) 1 61 .61 start line box 1 2 121 1.82 2 – 3 1 – 2 3 136 3.18 257 197 4 152 4.70 4 – 5 2 – 3 5 167 6.37 319 257 6 182 8.19 6 – 7 3 – 4 7 192 10.11 374 313 7 strides / 10m zone Stride Stride length (cm) Total distance (m) Distance between 2 strides (cm) Distance between 2 boxes (cm) 8 198 12.09 8 – 9 4 – 5 9 204 14.13 402 341 10 210 16.23 10 – 11 5 –6 11 216 18.39 426 365 12 223 20.62 12 – 13 6 – 7 12 strides / 20m zone 13 226 22.86 449 389 14 229 25.15 14 – 15 7 – 8 15 232 27.47 461 401 16 235 29.82 16 strides / 30m zone The athlete take a start position (3 point start or from blocks), placing the front foot the individually selected distance (in our example 45cm). From the set position, he / she dashes forward and stepping on the first and all consequent boxes with the rear leg (odd strides). The front leg (even strides will be stepping between the boxes. The progressively increasing distances between boxes will force the athletes to constantly increase stride length during the entire acceleration phase. After leaving the last box the athlete should maintain his stride length while attempting to increase stride frequency for another 20m. Also the steps on the ground, between the boxes, force the athletes to execute foot plant and further actions with increased speed and power which eventually improves the total turn over speed. The suggested training volume should be 3-4 repetitions followed by 2-3 without boxes. For balance and coordination the athlete should also train the opposite leg. A progression in the number of boxes to be used will be the proper way to correct execution and adaptation to this exercise.
Plyo-Acceleration
Execution of the excercise:
