AYEAR’STRAINING PROGRAM

FOR WOMEN SPRINTERS

By lrena Szewinska

lrena Szewinska, the legendary world record breaker and Olympic champion of
Pol and,pr esent sadet ailedyear ’
sspr inttrainingpr ogram inf i
vemai nphases
and their tasks for female sprinters. The article is based on a paper presented at
the Sportswomen Towards 2000 Conference in Adelaide, Australia in March
1988. Re-printed with permission from Modern Athlete and Coach.

Ay ear’str
aining program for sprinters is divided into the following five main
periods:

1. Winter preparation period (10 weeks).

 Cycle 1 — introduction to training (2 weeks).

 Cycle 2 — main preparation phase (6 weeks).

 Cycle 3 — pre-season training (2 weeks).

2. Indoor competition period (5 weeks).

3. Spring preparation period (10 weeks).

 Cycle 1 main preparation phase (6 weeks).

 Cycle 2 — pre-season training (4 weeks).

4. Summer competition period (18 weeks)

 Cycle 1 — first competition phase (6 weeks).

 Cycle 2 — training phase (3 weeks).

 Cycle 3 — second competition phase (9 weeks).

5. Transition — active rest period (6 weeks).

INTRODUCTION TO TRAINING

The weekly training program of this phase is based on the following: Monday —
general strength, Tuesday — endurance, Wednesday — general strength,
Thursday — endurance, Friday — general strength, Saturday —
endurance, Sunday — rest.

The general strength development program employs loads that do not exceed
60% of the at hlete’sbody weight (about 40kg.). The exercises are selected to
develop all major muscle groups. About 10 exercises are performed in one
training session in 6 series of 10 to 20 repetitions. A typical choice, for
example, is made up of the following: Bench press, abdominal exercises, clean,
half-squat, back, hamstring and quadriceps exercises, medicine ball work, squats
with 40kg, stretching exercises.

The development of endurance usually takes place outdoors and begins with an
approximately 30 min. warm-up. The main part of the workout consists of 8 to 10
repetitions of two-minute easy runs with 2 to 3 min. recoveries and is concluded
with 10 min. of jogging.

MAIN PREPARATION PHASE I

The weekly training program of this phase is based on the following nine units:
Monday — strength, Tuesday — speed and technique/general preparation,
Wednesday — endurance l / strength, Thursday — jumping exercises, Friday —
endurance Il / strength endurance, Saturday - endurance Ill, Sunday
— rest.

The strength development program employs loads up to 90% of maximal

strength, performed in 4 to 6 series or 3 to 20 repetitions. A typical workout
consists of the following:

Several changes in comparison to the previous period take place in speed

training. These include starts with the gun, time control in repetition runs and
increased recoveries between repetitions. A speed session, for example, can be
made up from 4 to 6 starts from the blocks over 20m without commands,
followed by 6 to 8 starts over 40 to 60m with the gun and 4 to 6 flying start sprints
over 40 to 60m.

Endurance development workouts are also changed. Endurance I sessions

consist of 6 to 8 series of 3 x l00m interval running with 3 to 4 min. recoveries
between the series. The second endurance session uses 4 to 6 repetitions of
timed 150m with 6 to 10 min. recoveries. Power speed training includes skipping,
bounding, high hopping and uphill accelerations.

The contents of training during the indoor competition season is similar to the
work employed during the pre-season period but the volume is reduced and tests
are replaced by competitions. The indoor competitions help to prepare for the
outdoor season and provide a break from intensive training. The races also help
to improve sprinting technique and the crouch start, as well as provide feed-back
on the efficiency of the training performed in the previous periods.

MAIN PREPARATION PHASE II

This training phase is divided into two cycles of which the first lasts six weeks
and employs a large training volume. The weekly training program is based on
the following nine units:

Monday — strength / endurance I, Tuesday — speed, Wednesday jumping /

general preparation, Thursday — endurance II, Friday — strength / strength
endurance, Saturday — endurance Ill, Sunday — rest.

The strength development program is similar to that used in the first main
preparation phase. The number of series and repetitions remain unchanged but
an effort is made to perform the exercises more dynamically. During the second
pre-season phase that follows, the number of repetitions is reduced and such
exercises as the squat and the half-squat are limited to only 1 to 3 repetitions
with a maximal or sub-maximal load.

Speed training concentrates on 40 to 60m sprints from a flying start, starting from
the blocks over 20 to 40m and technique development drills. General preparation
sessions include flexibility exercises, hurdling, medicine ball work and other track
and field events

In the three endurance development categories, endurance I is used as

relaxation running after strength training, it usually includes 6 series of 3 x l00m
with 3 to 4 min. recoveries between the series. Endurance II begins with 6 to 8
repetitions of 200m with 6 to 8 min. recoveries. The repetitions are timed and the
intensity is gradually increased. This routine is changed in the pre-season cycle
to 4 to 6 repetitions of timed 150m with 8 to 10 min. recoveries.

Endurance Ill sessions consists of 8 x 300m with 4 min. recoveries and 4 x 300m
with 10 min. recoveries. Time trials replace the 300m runs in the pre-season
cycle of this period. The time trials alternate between 2 x 300m in the first week
and 2 x 200m in the second week. The recovery for 300m is 30 mm., for 200m
45 mm.

Bench press, abdominal exercises, clean (up to 30kg), split jumps with a bar on
the shoulders (up to 30kg), half-squat jumps with a bar (up to 40kg), arm
technique work with dumbbells (2.5kg), squat (40 to 60kg), half-squat (70 to
100kg).

Speed and technique training employs sprints and drills to develop technique
with maximum relaxation. This includes relaxed accelerations, starts from
different positions, flying start sprints at 3/4 speed and several other technique
drills. Power speed exercises take place in the last phase of a warm-up and
include skipping, bounding, high skipping, hopping and high hopping over
distances of 20m. The running distances to developspeeddon’ texceed 60m and
are performed relaxed with gradually increased intensity but without timing. Full
recoveries are allowed between repetitions.

The general preparation sessions are made up from strengthening exercises,

specific flexibility exercises, medicine ball work, hurdling and so on. All these
exercises are performed in a dynamic rhythm.

The three endurance workouts are based on the following:

Endurance I — 8 x 250m varied speed (100m sprinting + 50m jogging + 100m

sprinting) at a comfortable speed with 3 min. recoveries. Endurance Il —8 x 1
min. runs (approximately 300m) with 2 min. recoveries after each repetition and a
4 mm. recovery after the fourth repetition. After three weeks the workouts are
changed to 300m repetitions with the same recoveries. Endurance Ill —8 series
of 5 x l00m interval running with 3 to 4 min. recoveries between the series.
Quantity and not quality is important in the development of endurance in this
training period. It is the number of repetitions that counts, not the intensity of the
work. Recoveries are short but the heart rate should not be higher than 120 to
130 beats a minute when the next repetition is started.

Jumping exercises include 6 x 10 repetitions of full squat jumps, 6 x 20 reps. of

bounding from one leg to the other, 6 x 20 hops on the right leg, 6 x 20 hops on
the left leg, 6 x 30m of high stepping (L-R) and 6 x 10 reps. of double legged
jumps.

Strength endurance training consists of skipping 2 x 40m, 2 x 60m, 2 x 80m, 2 x

l00m, 2 x 120m, 1 x l00m, 1 x 80m, 1 x 60m and 1 x 40m with short walk
recoveries. Emphasis is on the technique and rhythm of the performance.

PRE-SEASON TRAINING I

Prior to the start of the indoor competition season the weekly training units are
reduced to six: Monday — strength, Tuesday — speed, Wednesday —
endurance I, Thursday — speed, Friday — endurance II, Saturday — rest,
Sunday — time trial.

Strength training loads remain in the up to 90% of the maximum range,

performed in series of four with 3 to 10 repetitions. For example: abdominal
exercises, split jumps with up to 30kg, half-squat jumps with up to 25kg, hopping
over 20m with an up to 20kg bar, full squats with up to 60kg, half-squats with up
to 100kg. Easy running and stretching exercises complete the workout.
Strength endurance training follows closely the program employed in the first
main preparation and pre-season phases. Jumping training is reduced from 6
series in the first six weeks to 4 series in the pre-season cycle, using mainly 10
repetitions for each of the chosen exercises.

SUMMER COMPETITION PERIOD

As mentioned in the introduction, the 18-week long summer competition period is

divided into two competition cycles separated by a short 3-week training phase.
The following training programs are employed:

Competition phase I: Monday — endurance I, Tuesday — strength, Wednesday

— speed, Thursday — endurance II, Friday — rest, Saturday — rest, Sunday —
competition.

Strength training in these phases stresses dynamic exercises, using up to 12kg

heavy sand bags for hopping and bounding. Half-squats are performed with a
sub-maximal load in series from 5 to 1 with 4 to 2 repetitions. Jumping exercises
are performed in series reducing from 6 to 3 and include the standing long jump,
standing triple jump, standing five jumps, standing 10 jumps and the squat and
jump (10 reps.). All jumping workouts are completed with 4 series of 4 x 50m
sprints.

Speed training is similar to the pre-season cycle and usually consists of 6 to 8

repetitions of 20 to 40m starts from the blocks, followed by 4 to 6 repetitions of 20
to 60m sprints from a flying start. Some of the repetitions, but not all, are timed.
Endurance sessions usually include 6 to 4 series of 3 x l00m interval sprints with
10 to 15 min. recoveries between the series.

The weekly training plan in the short training cycle, sandwiched in between the
two competition phases, is based on the following eight training units:
Monday — strength / endurance I, Tuesday — speed, Wednesday — jumping
exercises / strength endurance, Thursday — endurance II, Friday — strength,
Saturday — endurance Ill, Sunday — rest.

The means of strength, speed, strength endurance and jumping development are
similar to those employed in the second main preparation phase in the spring
preparation period. However, there are some differences in the endurance
workouts. Endurance I consists of 6 to 8 series of 3 x 100m interval sprints with 3
min. recoveries. Endurance II employs 6 to 2 repetitions of timed 150m with
recoveries being increased from 10 min. to 15 min. and finally to 20 min.
Endurance Ill is made up from 4 to 2 timed 300m repetitions with 15 min., 20 min.
and 30 to 45 min. recoveries.