Saturday, December 17, 2011

Training during winter break

What you do for training during break is more about where you can train and what you have available than following some type of prescription I provide. So, the guidance here is general.

In a given week, it would be good to get a session of each of the following:
  • Speed (acceleration and/or max velocity)
  • Stamina (sprints of 20 to 40 seconds)
  • Strength (weights, bodyweight exercises)
  • Skill (blocks, hurdles, jumps)
Other days can be off days or recovery-type training (extensive tempo -- like the horseshoes; or cardio machine tempo -- 20 seconds fast, 40 seconds slow in sets of 5 with a minute or two between sets; or tabata sets, which are a 3-min warm up then 1 or 2 sets of 8x20 seconds fast, then 10 seconds rest) and 2-min cool down (can be on machines such as bike, elliptical, treadmill or rowing -- or just running (in place even) or just punching, jumping rope or doing jumping jax -- or some combination of those things. It's a great 9- or 17-min workout (if you do 2 sets -- in that case, rest 4-min between sets)).

You may not have access to a track, or a gym or even good enough weather to go outside, so you need to get a little creative. Here are some things to consider:
  • Medicine ball 
  • Jump rope
  • Bodyweight circuit (squats, lunges, pushups, hip thrusts, burpees, jump squats, planks, etc.)
  • Plyometrics (skips, hops, bounds, jumps)
  • Hills (short or long, both are good)
  • Stairs (inside or outside)
  • Other -- any equipment at home? (treadmill, weights, exercise bike or ?)
Note: if you have injuries or soreness (shins), choose activities wisely. For example, if your shins hurt, avoid high-impact activities on hard surfaces. 

Finally, whatever you do, get some type of training at least every other day. 

Enjoy your time at home.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Workout: 12/15

12/15  Heading into break, Jim ran 6x1H, starting low and working up to 42. Good improvements in start mechanics and sprint through H1. Best time at 42 was 2.28, only a few hundredths slower than reps at much lower heights. Worked next over 2-3 hurdles. Reps were uneven and trail leg posed some issues. Worked on corrections during 4x4H up/back (36 -4) 3-step on 45-sec recovery. Finished with an 8-min mini-circuit and stretching.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Workouts: 12/5, 12/6, 12/7, 12/8

12/05  Mike

12/06  Joe, Jim, Dan and Mike worked on backovers, circle runs/jumps, 4-step box jumps, 4-step ground jumps, run-throughs, full-approach jumps. Adjusted approach marks in previous post.

12/07  Emily did 3x3H (33) 5-step, 1/2-space and 1-step drills. Next, 1H (falling start), 2H (3pt), 3H (block) (33 -1). 4x3H followed. Auto-timed splits between H1 and H3 (1.34 down to PR 1.29). 3x2H were next, auto-timing start/H1 (ranging from 2.22 to 2.16). Finished with 4x4H up/back at 30 -4 on 45-sec recovery. Hurdle stretches. Good work with high focus and intensity throughout.

12/08  Aaron, Tim and Jim did 3x3x3H drills, 4x2H solo (42 -1), 4x2H pairs (42 R), 4x4H up/bk 5-step (39) 45-sec rec. Wall stretches. Auto-time start/H1 bests: Jim 2.18, Tim 2.21, Aaron 2.21. Hand-time touchdown averages:  Jim 1.29; Tim 1.22; Aaron 1.31.

HJ approach marks

Jim: 16, 8.1, 2.8
Joe: 16.7, 7.8, 3.1
Dan: 16, 7.8, 3.6
Mike: 16, 7.7, 3.7

Friday, December 2, 2011

Tight hamstrings

Hurdlers often have tight hamstrings, particularly with the lead leg, which gets an extreme stretch on every hurdle.

Lots of people, including hurdlers, have a hip tilt, which you can check by how much arch you have in your lower back while sitting back in a chair. The greater the tilt, the greater the pull on the hamstrings -- sort of a nonstop stretch. So when you do a hamstring stretch, you end up stretching an already tight muscle. 

So what to do about that? Stretch your hip flexors and quads, which helps get the hips to a more neutral position, allowing the hamstrings to get back to their normal length. You will feel better and likely improve your  running and recovery.

Whenever you feel your hamstrings or lower back are tight, stretch the hip flexor and quads first. Lengthening the muscles on your front side will help out the backside.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Workouts: 11/28, 11/29, 11/30

11/28  Tim, Jim, Mike and Aaron got things off to a great start. Good warm up, 4x3H (39/43) 5-step, 30m block acceleration (TL 4.03, AR 4.23, MC 4.23, JF 4.32), 8.5m fly (TL 9.55mps, JF 9.14, AR 8.85, MC 8.85). Next, 4x1H (33-42) solo and 4x1H (42-36) racing style. Ended with 4x4H up/back 5-step (36) on 45-sec rec. Wall stretches. Consistency and quality was good, particularly for the first night.

11/29  Jim, Mike, Joe and Dan determined approaches and practiced runthroughs. Marks in meters: Mike 16, 7.7, 3.7; Joe 16.7, 7.8, 3.1; Jim 16, 8.1, 2.8; Dan 16, 7.8, 3.6.  Approximate equivalents in feet: 16=52-6; 16.7=54-9; 8.4=27-7; 7.8=25-7; 7.7=25-3; 3.7=12-1; 3.6=11-10; 2.8=9-2; 2.6=8-7.

11/30  Emily ran 3x8.5m flys, with a very good best rep of 8.17 mps. Did 3x3H 5-step and then 1H, 2H, 3H, 4H (reg height/space) and then 4H-3H-2H (33 -1) 1H. Best splits around 1.2 ht. Some in mid-1.3s. Block/H1 auto times ranged from 2.51 to 2.68. Some work to do, especially with acceleration through H1 but overall a strong practice given race heights and spacings. Finished with 5x4H up/back 5-step on 45-sec recovery. Hurdle stretches.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

8 great bodyweight exercises

During vacation breaks, workouts can be hampered by lack of facilities and poor weather. Here are 8 great exercises you can do anywhere, anytime with no equipment and little space. One rotation takes about 5 min. If you do more than one rotation, rest about a minute or two between sets. Do 2 to 3 sets.

This is a minimal workout. Get outside or use whatever indoor facilities you can access for general fitness training. You also can expand this list, using some other exercises you know or can find online. 

Great 8
40x High knee run in place (count steps)
35x Pogos (legs straight, jump with ankle flexion, tapping down on ball of foot)
30x Hip bridges (15x with one leg up then the other leg)
25x Jumping jax, cross jax or stance jax (choose one)
20x Oblique high planks (alternate bringing knee toward elbow)
15x Pushup jax (legs go apart on way down, pull back in on way up)
10x Power jumps (feet wide, jump up, hands to knees, pause at bottom)
05x Burpees (squat down, push legs back, pull legs forward, jump up)

Jump rope, medicine ball throws, tempo runs on grass, hills, weights, sprints, etc., also are good strength/conditioning activities.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Workouts: 11/15, 11/16

11/15  Aaron warmed up and then ran about 10x 3H 5-step (39-39-42 for most). About 5x2H 3-step (42 -3). Hurdle stretches. Did well considering all the reps were done in trainers. Handled the higher hurdle heights well. Trail leg position was excellent. Lead leg tracked well. Just a bit of rotation causing the left arm to wrap behind the back slightly.

11/16  Emily did 3x20m falling start acceleration work, 2x3H 5-step, 1/2-space and 1-step drills and then: 2x1H, 2x2H, 2x3H, 2x2H (1st reps at 30, 2nd 33, ranging from -2 to -1). Good splits in 1.2 to 1.25 range. Worked some on lead arm and trail leg mechanics. Need to continue to work on power off the hurdle to close the distance between hurdles without reaching. Ended with 5x4H up and back 5-steps (33) and hurdle stretches.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Practice starts

10/31  Halloween and first day of practice. Jonathan came as a guy on crutches. Aaron showed up with a cast on his arm. Sadly, they weren't costumes. Emily, Tom, Mike and Aaron (with cast) did a full warm up plus 10 laps of ins and outs.

Keeping the emphasis on general conditioning the next few weeks. We will ease into hurdles and high jump over the next couple of weeks. After break, we will pick up intensity and specificity a bit.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Emily named Academic All-American

Emily was awarded second team Capital One Academic All-American status in the college division in District 5, sporting a very nifty 3.94 GPA in biomolecular engineering. Congratulations on dominating the track and the classroom!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Kevin breaks his own record in national decathlon

Kevin had a great performance, finishing 9th, just 8 points out of 8th, totaling a school record 6,431.
11.38 6.62m 12.06m 1.78m 53.15 15.24 38.91m 3.30m 48.93m 4:58.88
(778) (725) (610) (610) (675) (821) (642) (431) (573) (566)

Monday, May 16, 2011

Weekly highlights 5/11 - 5/22

5/11  Kevin lifted and then did hip mobility with high knee running into stride/pickup/sprint. Leg swings followed and 3x3H 5 step. Next, 1 (stand) -2 (3pt)-3-2-1H (blocks). Finished with 4H (-1/2). Hurdling was crisp and fast -- most ht splits sub-1.2.
5/12  Kevin  took about a dozen jumps at a variety of heights. Worked on keeping the curve more gradual to avoid a cut to the bar.
5/14  At Chicago. Nasty weather -- 40s, rain, wind.
Kevin ran 15.36/15.58 (6th).
5/17-18  Kevin ran 15.28 and high jumped 5-11.5 -- great performances en route to a national qualifying decathlon point total -- 6424!

11.41   6.83m  12.73m  1.82m   53.73  15.28   42.72m   2.99m  46.40m  5:09.38
(771)   (774)    (651)     (644)    (651)   (816)   (720)      (354)    (536)     (507)

5/22  Kevin did some combo hip mobility, high knee and jog/stride/pickup/sprint warm up routines. 3x3H 5-step, 1x1-2-3H (stand, 3 pt, block), 1x6H + finish. Stretch.
5/24  Kevin took about 9-10 jumps in 5-6 to 5-7 range.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Kevin and Emily win NAC titles in highs

At Benedictine. 50s and breezy.

Emily breezed to victory running the second fastest time in MSOE history while Kevin charged back over the last two hurdles to pass two en route to another win and meet record. After some struggles in the earlier rounds, Karly claimed second in the HJ and nearly pulled out a win with a strong jump on her third attempt at 4-11.5. Lots of others made their way into the scoring column.

Kevin 15.35/15.04 [1st]
Eric 17.12/17.14 [7th] 63.48
Mike 5-9.75 [T4th] 16.61/17.14 [6th PR #3 all time] 61.45 [4th  #10 all time]
Tom 63.48
Joe 5-7.75 [6th]
Alex NH
Emily 15.74/15.90 [1st PR #2 all time]
Mollie 4-1.5 18.31/18.52 [8th]
Leah 19.13
Karly 4-9.5 [2nd] 18.38/19.26 [#5 all time]
Carol 4-5.5 [7th] 1:13.57 [5th PR #2 all time]

Complete results





Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Weekly highlights 5/2 -5/3

5/2  Carol warmed up and worked 400H, going 2x 1 to 3 walk to 4, 5 to 7, walk to 8, run 9-10+finish; ended with some oppo work. Mike and Eric warmed up and worked 110H, 3x3 5-step, 1-2-3H, 1x6H+finish, 1x2H+finish.
5/3  Kevin, Joe, Alex, Carol, Karly and Mollie warmed up and worked at -4 inches off season best and then as high as season best.
5/4  Leah, Karly, Mollie and Emily did the workout Mike and Eric did Monday. Eric, Mike, Arthur, Tom did the workout Carol did Monday.

Friday, April 29, 2011

2011 performance list

2011 MSOE Outdoor Performance List


100H
15.74 Emily Dieringer
18.25 Mollie Zuberbier
18.38 Karly Nehls
19.13 Leah Pucek
110H
14.97 Kevin Diederich
16.61 Mike Cosentino
16.80 Eric Hein
400H
1:01.45 Mike Cosentino
1:01.69 Tom Monteverde
1:03.48 Eric Hein
1:10.43 Arthur Weborg
1:13.57 Carol Cayo
HJ
Joe Klimowicz 5-10.75
Mike Cosentino 5-10.75

Kevin Diederich 5-10.75
Alex Raver 5-10
Karly Nehls 4-10
Mollie Zuberbier 4-6
Carol Cayo 4-5.5


2011 Scoring
Kevin 89.9
Emily 64.5
Mike 48
Joe 38.5
Karly 34
Eric 24.5
Mollie 13.5
Alex 10
Tom 9
Carol 9
Arthur 2.5
Leah 2.5

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Weekly highlights 4/28 - 4/30

4/28  Mollie worked some highs. Hip mobility, high knee work into stride/pickup/sprint. 3x4H 5-step and then 3x4H 3-step (33 -1). Average split time on last rep -- 1.4. Good work on driving forward through hurdles rather than up and over.
4/30  
At Wisconsin Lutheran
Windy! 50s
Short-handed because of break, but those running hurdles with the wind ran some good times. Joe's HJ was notable given he ran steeplechase earlier in the day.

Joe 5-10 [5th]
Mollie 4-3.25 [8th] 18.29 [#4 all time]
Emily 16.02/15.97 [3rd]
Eric 16.93/16.80 [3rd] 66.94 [8th]
Arthur 70.43









Monday, April 18, 2011

Weekly highlights 4/18 - 4/21

4/18  Kevin, Mike and Eric did hip mobility, march+stride/pickup/sprint, 3x9.14m flys (bests: Kevin 9.52, Eric 8.87, Mike 8.79), 3x4H 5step, 3x4H (-1). Kevin worked well in getting a bit more upright before hurdles and getting lead leg pulled under on exit. Mike also worked on lead leg mechanics. Eric worked on arm action to go more linear, minimizing twisting. Also worked on keeping hips square on entry.
4/19  Kevin, Mike, Joe, Karly, Mollie and Carol all had some good jumps at some good heights. Guys jumped in the 5-7 to 5-10 area. Karly had some nice jumps at 4-8, including a clearance on her last attempt. Also some nice short approach jumps over 4-5. Mollie got a 4-5 clearance. Carol worked in the 4-3 to 4-7 range. Alex tried a couple and then rested his aching knee.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Emily wins HH; Joe takes HJ

At Wisconsin Lutheran

Sunny, mid- to upper 40s and breezy. Emily ran 16.21 into a slight wind and Joe topped 5-8 to win their respective events. Mike had a good debut in 400H, finishing second, with Tom taking fifth. Mollie jumped into 6th on the all-time HH list.

Emily 16.21 [1st]
Mollie 18.87 [6th #6 all-time] NH
Joe 5-8 [1st]
Mike 62.20 (21.2 H4) [2nd #10 all-time]
Tom 64.79 (27.1 H5) [5th]


Joe gets good rotation.



Mollie attempting 4-6.25.












Mollie and Emily driving through first hurdle.













Tom and Mike exit hurdle two.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Kevin finishes 4th at Drake

Kevin ran 15.16 for 4th at the Duncan Invite at Drake on day with temperatures only in the 40s.

Kevin named athlete of the week for April 4-10

Kevin was named Northern Athletics Conference track and field athlete of the week for his performance at the Carroll Invitational. He won the hurdles in school-record time, won the discus, was second in high jump and third in javelin.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Weekly highlights 4/11 - 4/13

4/11  Eric, Tom, Arthur and Carol warmed up and ran 2x6H... 1min rest + final 4H. Stretch.
4/12  Karly, Mollie, Carol warmed up, did some drills and took about a dozen jumps in 4-5 to 4-7 range. Kevin, Alex and Joe followed. Alex did a few jumps before getting knee treated. Kevin and Joe did box jumps at 5-9, 5-11, 6-1.
4/13  Tom, Arthur, Mike, Joe and Carol worked 5-4-3-2-1 400H at race pace. Everyone did well with pace and stride pattern. Emily, Karly, Mollie, Eric and Kevin worked 3x8H at reduced spacing (-1 for 3, -2 for 3 and -3 for 1). Everyone looked fairly sharp technically and were strong through all the reps. Planks and stretches followed.
4/15  Carol, Emily, Mollie and Leah did jogging, leg swings, mobility+hi knee+stride/pickup/sprint, 3x8.5m flys (bests: Emily 8.1mps, Leah 7.94, Carol 7.65, Mollie 7.39), 3x3H 5step, 1x1H-2H-3H block starts.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Kevin breaks record again; lots of group scoring

At Carroll University.

Good weather and good performances for nearly everyone. Top performance was Kevin's 14.97 PR, school and conference record. Tom and Carol picked up season bests in the 400H. Also had three places in men's HJ, including Mike's PR 1.80.

Kevin 15.10/14.97 [1st PR #1 all time] 5-10.75 [2nd]
Mike 16.93 5-10.75 [3rd PR #5 all time]
Eric 18.33/19.03 [3rd] 1:05.20 [5th]
Emily 16.27/15.92 [4th]
Karly 19.62 NH
Alex NH
Carol 1:14.70 [6th] 8.3  6  6.2  6.5  6.6  6.8  6.6  7  7  6.5  6.9
Tom 1:01.69 [4th] 7  4.7  5.1  5.1  5.35  5.5  5.6  5.8  5.8  5.8  
Joe 5-10.75 [4th]



Mike taking a shot at 1.85. Good speed but long strides into takeoff make it tough to get vertical. Still, a pretty good jump.



Here is Kevin at 1.85. Like Mike, a good effort. Keeping the head back a bit longer would help.



Jumpin' Joe giving 1.85 a good go.



Karly jumps at 1.40. Lead knee needs to rotate around to front to get perpendicular.



Karly looking pretty good on the hurdles but over striding between them, losing drive.



Kevin, Mike and Eric in prelims. Mike gets a bit too low and takes a beating. Need to attack from a higher angle.



Emily in the 100H final. Great race over all. Excellent work in getting the lead leg down, though it could be bent a bit to aid in that action. Other possible improvements: Get the arms moving more forward and back -- lead arm wrapping across the body too far and turning the shoulder, causing a twist. Right arm extending to side and not driving quite enough. 

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Are you eating well?


Even if you maintain a healthy weight, you may benefit in many ways by improving what you eat -- more energy, more alert mind, better sleep, improved athletic performance, etc. If you are overweight, these points will help you return to a weight that improves your long-term health and short-term performance.
It's not a diet, but a 12-prong approach to a lifestyle that doesn't really limit how much you eat as much as what you eat (though portion control is a good idea, too):
1. Weigh yourself at least weekly and write it down in a monthly calendar (you can use that to record workouts, too)
2. Start with a healthy breakfast every day -- whole grains, fruit, low-fat dairy, eggs, etc.
3. Eat 2 servings (at least a half cup) of fruit daily. Have these readily available -- even cut up and bagged for easy use.
4. Eat 3 servings (at least a half cup) of vegetables (especially leafy ones) daily. Have these readily available -- even cut up and bagged for easy use.
5. Get 25 grams of fiber daily. You will get this through fruit, vegetable, whole grains.
6. Get 1.5 grams of protein per pound bodyweight. This is tough; may require supplement (protein bar, protein shake, etc)
7. Limit sweetened drinks to 12 oz or less a day -- best to eliminate it and substitute a diet drink, but water would be better.
8. Eat 3 meals a day.
9. Eat 2 snacks a day. (Not junk -- fruit, peanut butter, yogurt, nuts, etc.)
10. Exercise at least 30 minutes 5 days a week. (You all get plenty of that.)
11. Get 20 to 80oz of water daily. (1/2 your bodyweight in ounces is good.)
12. Do strength training 2 times a week. 

Take one day a week to eat whatever you want but try not to over eat. Best to eat more stuff earlier in the day and lighter in the evening. Also good not to eat anything at least 3 hours before bedtime. Evening snacking will pack on the pounds because when you sleep you are not burning many calories, so they get stored (as fat, of course). I also suggest not drinking too many calories (juice, sugary sodas, beer, alcohol) -- you can consume a lot of calories quickly this way. If you are already overweight, watch the total carbs by focusing more on low-fat protein and leafy vegetables and getting bread, pasta, rice and potatoes mostly out of your meals. Eat colorful foods rather than the white (starchy) ones, which break down quickly into sugars.

Carrying a few pounds less can help you run faster and jump better. Pay attention your fuel.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Weekly highlights 4/4 - 4/7

4/4  Practiced at Kern. Kevin, Mike and Eric did hurdle mobility, marching + sprints, 3x9.14m flys (Kevin 9.42mps, Eric PR 9.14mps, Mike 8.87mps), 3x3H 5step (42), 3x4H (42 -1), 3x4H up/back (42 -1 up, 39 -2 back), stretch.
4/5  Alex, Joe, Kevin, Mollie, Karly and Carol did warm up exercises, jumping exercises and drills, followed by 3x run throughs and 3x3 jumps (women 4-2 to 4-8 range; men 5-8 to 5-11 range).
4/6  Molly, Karly and Emily did a workout similar to the men on Monday, all on 33s. Tom worked on 400H pacing.
4/7  Eric and Carol were at MU for 400H and did some up and back hurdles at 20y spacing for warm up and then 6H, 5H, 4H at race pace (Carol 39.5 / 32.6 / 26.6 - all on pace)(Eric 35 / 29 /24.1 - +1.5, +1, +1.5 pace).

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Kevin beats conference, school hurdle marks -- into headwind

At Carroll University.

Cloudy, windy and cold early but the sun broke through later, raising temperatures to upper 40s. Kevin set a new conference and school outdoor hurdle record, running a surprising 14.99, given less-than-ideal conditions. Mike overcame some warm up difficulties to finish fourth, while Eric maintained three steps to the finish, which was no easy task. On the women's side, Emily ran 16.94 for fifth. In high jump, Joe leaped 5-8.75 for sixth.

Kevin 14.99 (-w) [1st PR #1 all time] 
Mike 16.83 (-w) [4th #3 all time]Eric 18.43 (-w) [7th] 1:04.84 [8th]
Tom 1:02.02 [7th]
Joe 5-8.75 [6th]
Emily 16.94 [5th]
Mollie 19.92 4-5
Leah 19.98
Carol 1:18.51 4-5


Complete results



Kevin en route to his record breaking 14.99. Mike and Eric are seen here, too.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Weekly highlights 3/28 - 4/2

3/28  Cold day at MU track. in 33-degree weather, Kevin, Eric and Arthur did some hurdle warm up followed by 3x5H 5-step and then 3x10H (-2 and -3 last 3H at 39 then 42 then 39). Hurdle stretches.
3/29  HJ at KC. Mollie, Karly, Carol, Joe, Alex and Kevin jumped. After drills, we did jumps in sets of about 3, starting at 4-3/5-6 and then going up a couple of inches per set, topping out at about 12 total jumps.
3/30  Emily, Leah and Karly did workout similar as men on Monday, running 3x10H (33) (-2/-3/-4).

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Hurdlers get pair of wins at North Park Relays

At North Park University.

Not much competition, but we got a couple of wins and records in the men's and women's hurdle shuttle at North Park, running 1:03.49 (15.87 avg) and 1:12.43 (18.1 avg), respectively. Toughest part was the weather -- a shivering, windy 32 degrees. At least we had some sunshine. Leah brought some game, running well despite her illness. HJ was indoors, and performances were good there, too. Karly got a PR 4-10, taking second. Mike jumped 5-10 for fourth, and Alex and Joe also cleared 5-10.

Kevin 14.9 split (-w) [1st] 5-8 [8th]
Eric 16.2 split (+w) [1st]
Mike 15.4 split (-w) [1st] 5-10 [4th #5 all time]
Arthur 15.7 split (+w) [1st]
Alex 5-10 [6th]
Joe 5-10 [7th]
Karly 18.6 split (+w) [1st] 4-10 [2nd #3 all time]
Mollie 18.6 split (-w) [1st] 4-6 [4th]
Leah 18.3 split (-w) [1st]
Emily 16.7 split (+w) [1st]

Complete results

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Weekly highlights 3/21 - 3/26

3/21  First day outside. Warm up and then 4x3H up and back 5-step (36). Then, 4x3H (36) shuttles. Kevin ran splits around 1.2, Arthur and Mike around 1.25, Eric around 1.3.
3/22  HJ warm up drills, run throughs and jumps at low, high and moderate heights totaling about 9 attempts.
3/23  In Kern. Mollie, Karly, Emily, Leah. Hip mobility; 4-way leg swings; 3x hi knee + run; 4x3H up/back; 4x3H shuttle; stretch.
3/24  In Kern. Eric, Tom, Joe and Carol. Hip mobility; 4-way leg swings; 3x hi knee + run; 2x5x3H at relative spacing + jog turn + 1 random hurdle on backstretch.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Weekly highlights 3/14 -3/17

3/14  Hip mobility work, leg swings, hi-knee/sprints, hurdle drills, practice starts, 2x4H (36). Timed touchdown from H1 to H4. Best times: Mike 3.5, Arthur 3.85, Tom 4.1, Alex 4.4. Next week, Kevin, Eric, Mike and Arthur will prep for the 110H shuttle. Tom and Alex will provide backup. Finished with 4x4H up/back (39/36 8.5/8.5 -1). Eric joined later for hip mobility and 6x4H up/back. Stretched.
3/15  Sort of a back to basics HJ session. Bounding, double arm skips, figure 8 run, 2-step pop turns, floor arch, pit snaps, backovers off bench, full circle jumps, scissors plants, run throughs and 7-9 full jumps. Marks for Emily: 46-7/24/11-6. Margie 43-9/23/11-6.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Kevin finishes 10th at national pentathlon

Kevin ran 8.90 in 55H and jumped 5-9.25 at the NCAA Division III Indoor Pentathlon, finishing 10th overall.

Pentathlon results

Performance lists

School Indoor Records
60H 
Kevin Diederich 8.45 UW-Milwaukee 2/19/10 
Emily Dieringer 9.67 Grand Valley State 2/13/10
 
55H 
Kevin Diederich 7.72 North Central 2/27/11
Catherine Chappell 8.81 Northern MI 2/09/08

HJ
Alex Raver 6-1.5 Carthage 1/19/08, Chicago 1/31/09, Carthage 2/28/09
Catherine Chappell 5-3.75 Carthage 3/07/08


2011 Performance List
60H

Mike Cosentino 9.07
Eric Hein 9.48
Emily Dieringer 9.75
Karly Nehls 10.95
Mollie Zuberbier 11.32
55H 
Kevin Diederich 7.72
Mike Cosentino 8.34
Eric Hein 8.84

Emily Dieringer 8.89

Karly Nehls 9.71
Mollie Zuberbier 10.18
HJ
Alex Raver 6-0 7.5

Kevin Diederich 6-0 7.5
Joe Klimowicz 5-10.75

Mike Cosentino 5-9.75 
Aaron Choate 5-3.75
Karly Nehls 4-9
Mollie Zuberbier 4-7.75





Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Weekly highlights 3/07

3/07  Kevin did 3 warm up exercises then 2x620 and 3x580 deadlifts with box jumps after sets and leg swings between sets. Did one set of hurdle mobility drills, 2 sets of 3 hurdle drills, a pickup, 3x2H, 2x3H. Eric came in later and did a warm up followed by 2 sets of 3 hurdle drills and 5x4H up and back (42 8.5 / 39 8.3). Roll and stretch. Mike lifted the new strength series and ran ins/outs.
3/08  Good day of high jumping. Some nice consistency on approach and really hitting the plant with some authority and going vertical. Even some good inversion on the layouts at times. Nice to have Carol back with us.
3/09  Emily, Karly and Mollie did a warm up, 3 sets of 3 different hurdle drills, then 5x4H up and back (30 -- 8.5 -3 / 8.5 -4). Technically, mostly sound, even in later reps and hurdles. Mollie drifted in and out of 4-stepping at times, Emily dropped the trail knee a few times, but arms, alignment and everything was good. Good quick workout that accomplished what we wanted to get some volume and hurdle conditioning. Tom did 10x3H at relative spacing on his own earlier in the day. Arthur worked late on his 3-stepping over 36s, which went very well. Arthur, Tom and Alex will do some ongoing hurdle work in preparation for the North Park Relays.
3/10  Carol and Eric warmed up, did hurdle mobility or drills and then 10x3H at 17-step relative spacing (30/33, respectively). Carol made a few and added a step on the others. Need to gain some confidence on taking off 5 to 6 feet out. Eric easily did all the reps. Worked on running relaxed and in rhythm. Stretched.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Relay meet planning

We will need four hurdlers and high jumpers for the meet at North Park Relays later this month.

The men's race will be 4x110 at 36-inch height.
Kevin, Mike and Eric likely will be in. Tom is next most likely. Arthur and Alex in reserve.

The women's race will be 4x100 at 30-inch height.
Emily, Mollie, Leah and Karly likely will be in.

Men's HJ: Alex, Kevin, Joe, Mike. Arthur in reserve.
Women's HJ: Karly, Mollie and either Leah, Emily or Margie.

Should be fun.

Help your CNS recovery

Your central nervous system (CNS) plays a key role in determining how well you sprint, hurdle, jump, etc. High numbers of reps in the weight room or high numbers of sprints on the track can cause the CNS to fatigue. That's OK, but it takes time and proper care to recover. If you don't take time and steps to recover, you won't run as fast in your next high-intensity session.

CNS recovery is needed whenever you lift heavy weights or sprint your fastest. To lift and sprint well, your CNS must be in an excited state to maximize performance. Too much CNS excitement causes CNS fatigue. Some people have more excitable CNS than others. That's why some athletes can generate more power and knock out fast reps repeatedly while others may struggle at times.

CNS recovery mostly takes time -- about 48 hours typically is enough. Sometimes more is needed, sometimes less. The best ways to aid recovery are sleeping and relaxing. I often remind you to sleep. Without it, you won't run your fastest. Lots of things can keep you away from sleep: social media, online video games, late-night movies, friends and studying to name a few. Eight hours of sleep are needed for CNS and muscle recovery. Don't cut it short and expect to perform well. The more relaxed and calm you are, the faster your CNS recovers.

When you are not training, you should be actively looking to reduce your excitement levels the rest of the day. Meditation and massage are two good ways. Listening to relaxing music, doing yoga, a warm bath and stretching are some others.

Nutrition is another way to achieve a more relaxed state. Certain foods contain vitamins and minerals that help put you into a relaxed mood. Turkey for example is high in tryptophan which encourages the production of serotonin, which helps you sleep. Herbal teas, such as camomile, can also help you relax, and a zinc, magnesium and B12 complex (called ZMA) is a supplement that helps you relax and achieve a better quality of sleep. I have used this for many years and can attest to its effectiveness.

Removing the things in your life that are stressing you out can aid your CNS to recover. For example some highly stressful events are moving to a new residence, exams, deadlines, bad relationships, family losses, and other events that take you out of daily routines. Routines help you better manage your life better and give you time for things that are not routine, such as hobbies and sports (including training and recovery).

Developing good routines with your diet, sleep and training are all great ways, believe it or not to assist your rate of recovery. If your life feels chaotic, then the chances are your body is constantly in a heightened state of readiness. This is not good if you want to train and perform well.

Planning is another way to avoid stress because it helps you get things done while avoiding last-minute, stressful situations. Eliminating the unnecessary hassles in your life will go a long way to improving how much you get out of your work on the track.

CNS recovery plays a huge role in determining how much you gain from your training efforts. Take the steps and see immediate and measurable differences in your performance. If you are up late reading this, I hope you turn of your computer right now and go to bed.

Put your foot down!

Hurdlers, it's time to put your foot down as you pass the hurdle. You can't let it float out past the hurdle. You need to push it the heel down as soon as it passes the rail. But it doesn't stop there. You need to push it down all the way to touchdown -- no soft landings and no taking a break by letting it float down.

If you float past or float down, you are losing speed. You also are landing further beyond the hurdle, which is a problem if you are tall and/or fast since you need all the space possible so you don't get in too close on the next hurdle takeoff. Keep the lead leg moving -- no fixed or frozen positions. When the lead leg descends, you don't want to poke it forward or act like you are putting a toe in the water. Instead, you want to cycle it -- keep the heel tucked under as long as you can on entry, then extend the lower leg quickly but keeping it slightly bent with the toe pointing up (not forward) and then start the leg down as the heel passes the hurdle and work to pull the foot back under you, so it's under your hip at landing -- same as sprinting. When you do this correctly, you will feel like you are leaning forward at landing -- same as when you push out of the blocks -- and that's good because you want to be in a slight lean off the hurdle to be able to re-accelerate. You can't do that if your foot lands ahead of your hips. When that happens, you lose the smooth transitions that enable you to maintain more momentum and convert more of your max speed to hurdle speed.
Remember that your hurdle clearance is not complete until that lead foot gets to the ground. You must stay focused all the time and not float off the hurdles. The 1/2-space and 1-step drills are good for getting that quick and continuous lead leg action. If you float these drills, you hit hurdles. When you master the drills, take it into the full-speed, regular-height hurdles -- and keep that lead leg moving!


Friday, March 4, 2011

Kevin sets pentathlon record in Whitewater win

Hard fought win for Kevin at UW-Whitewater. Opened with a good hurdle race (7.85) and then leaped 21-1.25 in long jump. In his third attempt, he had a foul of about 1/2-inch on a jump that reached well over 22-6. Shot was next, and he PR'd 42-7 on his second attempt, with a longer throw but sector foul on the third attempt. In HJ, he soared over 5-11.25 with several inches to spare. Then a big PR in the 1000 at 2:59.43, getting him a point total of 3,526, breaking his own school record and improving his standing among the national leaders in Division III where he ranks ninth going into next weekend's national meet.

Here's a compilation of the 3-1/2 hour competition in just a minute.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Weekly highlights 31 - 3/5

3/1  Kevin did warm up exercises and lifted 2x600, 5x550 followed by short accelerations and leg swings. Next, 3x8 accelerated step ups on each leg. Then, hurdle mobility; 2x 1/2-space lows, 1/2-hurdle trail legs, 5-steppers. Finished with 1H-2H-3H-4H. Starts through H1: 2.10. Split: 1.24. Continued to work on left side mechanics: bent and lower arm, tighter trail leg tuck. Also gave some attention to maintaining a high attack angle and toe up on lead leg.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Kevin, Emily back to back NAC champs

Tremendous performance for this dynamic duo, winning NAC titles in the 55H and setting conference records. This was Emily's second conference indoor title and Kevin's third gold -- to go along with a silver in 2009.

Kevin gets win, records, qualifies for nationals; Emily wins, sets NAC record

Great day for Kevin and Emily, repeating as NAC 55H indoor champions in the meet held at North Central College. In addition to Kevin and Emily PRs, Karly PR'd in both her races, finishing 6th and missing 5th by just .01. Mike fought off injury to gut out a great 4th-place finish. In the high jump, Karly got off to a rough start, missing opening height but regained form and jumped into 4th place. Winners in pizza challenge: Kevin, Emily, Joe, Karly, Mike.

Kevin 7.85/7.72 [1st PR SR CR NQ #1 all time] 5-9.75 [7th]
Mike 8.43/8.40 [4th]
Eric 8.88
Joe 5-9.75 [6th]
Alex 5-7.75
Emily 9.01/8.89 [1st PR CR #2 all time]
Karly 9.74/9.71 [6th PR #3 all time] 4-7.5 [4th]
Mollie 10.64 NH

Complete results


Kevin holds off Vinny. Tightening up the trail leg side by keeping the lower leg folded and arm swinging back bent and lower will help Kevin go even faster.


Emily leads it from start to finish.


Emily and Mollie start in prelims.


Karly's start in prelims.


Eric, Kevin and Mike start in prelims.


Karly with some good vertical. Down the road, need to get a lead arm block and bring the lead knee around to the front -- and then hold the layout a bit longer. Nearly folded on this bar.


Joe with a very good attempt at this nearly 6-foot bar.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Weekly highlights 2/21 - 2/25

2/21  After warm up, Kevin and Eric lifted 3x550, 5x530; Mike 3x490, 5x460. 1 set of hurdle mobility. 4x3H 5-step tech run. 1x1-2-3-4H + mulligans. Mike starts for H1: 2.07, 2.10. Kevin's splits 1.23, 1.23. Eric's splits 1.42, 1.38, 1.38.
2/23  Exercises followed by deadlifts. Emily, Mollie and Karly lifted 2x400, 5x350 followed by box jumps and leg swings. One set of hurdle mobility drills followed and then 3x3H 5-steppers. Finished with 1x1H-2H-3H-4H. Best starts: Emily 2.27, Karly and Mollie 2.44. Best splits: Emily PR 1.30, Karly 1.36, Mollie 1.45.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Results 2/18: Karly PRs 60H

At UW-Milwaukee.

While some group members sat this one out to rest or rehab for conference, Joe, Alex, Eric, Karly and Mollie competed. Joe had another solid outing at 5-10.75, finishing fourth. Karly broke the 11-second barrier in the 60H and into second on the all-time list, Mollie three-stepped through hurdle 3 for the first time.

Eric 9.57
Alex NH (5-8.75)
Joe 5-10.75 [4th =SB]
Karly 10.95 [PR 5th #2 all-time]
Mollie 11.41 [5th]


Alex with a good foot plant and layout but take off is toward the bar rather than maintaining lean in the curve and looking for more vertical before layout.


Joe clearing 5-10.75 with room to spare. Foot plant parallel. Better to keep somean angle there. Excellent layout -- as usual.


Eric good clearance technique but getting back on heels too much between hurdles.


Mollie's hips are behind her landing foot, causing braking after each hurdle. Karly continues to improve, getting a bit better lean into hurdle, a little less "air" and better lead leg cut down. Still some upper body twisting coming off the hurdles, but everything is getting better.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Weekly highlights 2/14 - 2/18

2/14  Kevin, Eric and Aaron did 6 warm up exercises followed by 2x550, 3x530, 5x510. Box jumps and leg swings. 3x4H (39) 5-step. 2x9.14m flys. Bests: Kevin 9.53mps, Eric PR 8.96, Aaron 8.96. 3x1H (36). 3x4H (42 -1). Focus was more on technical improvements than time. Kevin focused mostly on left side -- trail leg tightness and lower and bent left arm sweep. Eric worked on running with more power to try to avoid overstriding; he also worked on the left arm sweep, making lower and more bent. Aaron had some good 1H reps. 4H reps were a bit erratic.
2/16  Emily, Karly and Mollie did warm up exercises and then lifted 2x390, 3x370, 5x350 followed by box jumps and leg swings. Next, acceleration and block work followed by 3x4H 5-step. Then, 2x8.5m flys. Bests: Emily 7.73mps, Karly 7.66, Mollie 7.52. Ended with 2x2H, 2x4H, 2x4H extended start. Best auto splits: Emily PR 1.31, Karly 1.44, Mollie 1.48. Extended start auto bests: Emily 1.25, Karly 1.38, Mollie 1.43.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Results 2/12: Mike, Mollie enter 60H lists at #2

At Grand Valley State.

We don't contest the 60mH often, but Mike's time was the second fastest ever for MSOE and superior to his 55H PR set last week. Eric's race also was superior to his season best at Point last week. Both Mike and Eric won their heats. Emily's time also was superior to her season PR in the 55H and just a tenth off her PR last year. Compared to her 60 time, her hurdle time was 87.2%. Mollie's 60H time moved her just ahead of Karly on the all-time list.

Joe 5-10.5
Mike 9.07 [#2 all time]
Eric 9.48
Emily 9.75
Mollie 11.32 [#2 all time]

Complete results

Monday, February 7, 2011

Weekly highlights 2/7 - 2/10

2/7  Bodyweight exercises then Kevin, Eric, Aaron and Mike lifted 2x550, 3x530. 2 sets of hurdle mobility drills followed and then 2 pickups and 2 flys. Bests: Kevin 9.14mps, Mike 8.96, Eric 8.70, Aaron 8.46. Ended with 2x1H, 2x2H, 2x3H (-1). Best times from start to H1 touchdown: Kevin PR 2.02, Mike PR 2.07, Eric =PR 2.20, Aaron 2.23. Best times on split around H2: Kevin 1.21, Mike 1.31, Eric PR 1.44.
2/9  Emily, Mollie and Karly did the same workout but at different times. Started with plate exercises and then lifted 2x380, 3x370, 5x350 followed a variety of plyos. 2 sets of hurdle drills followed and then 2x8.5m flys. Bests: Emily 7.8mps, Karly 7.72, Mollie 7.59. Next, 2x1H, 2H, 3H (-1). Auto-timed start bests: Emily 2.16, Karly PR 2.23, Mollie 2.26. Auto-timed hurdle split bests: Emily PR 1.33, Karly PR 1.34, Mollie PR 1.43. Good progress tonight. Karly and Mollie crushed their previous hurdle split PRs.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Robles video

In Spanish, but there are some cool angles and slow-mos of Dayron Robles, world recordholder, here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y28VTckmeDE

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Kevin equals record; Mike, Emily, Eric get season bests at Stevens Point

Mike set a PR 8.34 in the trials and made the final, finishing seventh in 8.47. Emily ran a season best 9.04 in prelims and got off to a good start in the finals before hammering hurdle 4 and finishing eighth in 9.51. Eric showed signs of regaining form, running a season best 8.84. On Friday, Kevin equaled his school and conference record in the hurdles with his 7.81 race in setting a school record in the pentathlon.

Kevin 7.81 [=PR=SR] 5-11.5 (in pentathlon) [3rd SR]
Eric 8.84 [SB]
Mike 8.34 [PR #2 all-time] /8.47 [7th PR]
Joe 5-8.75
Emily 9.04 [SB] /9.51 [8th]
Karly 4-6 10.16


Karly turning head toward bar, leaning into the bar (and back) at takeoff. Need to work at driving up and waiting to rotate at the top. Lead knee could turn more to the front and away from the bar. A bit too far out, so the highest point is out away from the bar and on descent here nearly comes down on bar. On the upside, plant is good, arms are better and rotation around the bar is as well.


Eric looking good here. Overstriding a bit but staying on the ball of foot. Arms are much better here -- lower and more bent than typical. Lead leg action is good, too.


Emily a bit tardy at the start but the greatest concern here is backing off a bit a couple of steps prior to hurdle one. After that, the attack and clearances on subsequent hurdles are crisp.


Karly's getting a bit too close to the hurdle forcing her up and moving her trajectory well beyond the hurdle. Need to drive forward into hurdle one rather than reaching out, getting too close and leaning back into hurdle rather than forward when the takeoff foot hits the ground. Action in the air is good -- arms are getting much better. A bit of a twist as the arm folds and comes across the body on the getaway step. And then the lower portion of the trail leg is extending rather than staying folded and driving down to the ground under the hip.


Here you see that backing off the hurdle again, but it could be that Emily is aware she is getting too close and is adjusting to the hurdle. Need to either ignore that and push through quickly or go for more turnover in the middle strides on the approach to hurdle one.


On this start, Mike actually pulls his lead foot of the block and then start pushing back, rather than loading that lead foot against block and pushing back hard. After that, he drives through hurdle one well with a nice, low arm drive.


Joe leans in a bit on this one, but his rotations and layout are great as usual.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Weekly highlights 1/31 - 2/6

1/31 The extra day off helped. After warm up exercises, Kevin, Eric and Aaron lifted 2x530, 3x510, 5x490. Mike lifted 2x440, 3x420, 5x400. Hurdle mobility drills followed, a couple pickups and then 3x9.14m flys. Bests: Kevin and Aaron PR 9.14mps, Mike =PR 9.05, Eric 8.62. Next, 1H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 3H, 2H. Timed start to H1 clearance. Bests: Kevin PR 2.06, Mike PR 2.12, Aaron PR 2.18, Eric 2.25. Later reps included time for 9.14m with H2 in the middle. Bests: Kevin PR 1.20, Mike 1.31, Eric PR 1.39, Aaron 1.47.
2/1  Some HJ reps -- about a dozen jumps at challenging heights. Mollie also did some hurdle reps, working over 1, 2 and 3 hurdles. Successfully three-stepped all the sets without overstriding with hurdles pulled in just 1/2 foot.
2/2  Snow day!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Kevin sets 55H school record in win

At Carthage.

Great evening with multiple PRs, and Kevin broke his school record in the 55H, running 7.81, which also set a conference record. He also PR'd in the HJ as did Molly. Karly and Molly both PR'd their 55H. Joe and Alex also performed well in the HJ, reaching season bests.

Kevin 7.90/7.81 [1st PR SR #1 all-time] 6-0.75 [PR]
Alex 6-0.75 [SB]
Joe 5-10.75 [=SB]
Eric 9.34
Aaron NH
Molly 10.18 [PR #4 all-time] 4-7.75 [PR #4 all-time]
Karly 10.00 [PR #3 all-time] 4-6


Complete results


Karly's PR 10.00 is going to get better. Here you can see the lead leg is improved but still floating past the hurdle a while. The other major issue is the trail leg. The knee is pulling through well, but the lower leg is poking out in front of the knee, acting as a brake rather pushing down and back to aid acceleration off the hurdle. Also running a bit flat footed as opposed to remaining high on the ball of foot. There is a little twisting coming off the hurdle, too, as you see the arm crossing over. Lots of improvements were visible in this race, but there's still lots of upside as more improvements can be made.


Kevin's 8.90 prelim has a bit of lead leg swing, toe point and lead leg float. On the upside, the lean and toe off is excellent at takeoff.


Eric is hampered with overstriding. You can see his lead foot landing well ahead of the hip, in effect braking him on every step. Won't be hard to correct. Hurdle clearance and lead leg cut down is very good. Arm action is pretty good, too, though it follows through to the back a bit too far and a bit too straight. Head could be angled downward a bit during hurdle entry and clearance.


Kevin's record-breaking race. Excellent, not perfect. There are some corrections that could bring the time down further. Good start in this one -- though it's hard to see here because of the vault.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Kevin's turn for NAC award

Kevin was named the Northern Athletics Conference Student Athlete of the Week for his outstanding performance at the Whitewater Invitational last week, winning the highs and finishing fourth in long jump. With Emily winning it last week, we are dominating this award. Congratulations!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Weekly highlights 1/24 - 1/26

1/24  After 6 bodyweight exercises, Kevin, Eric and Aaron deadlifted 2-3x530, 3-4x510, 4-5x490; Mike did 3x440, 4x420, 4x400. 1 set of mobility hurdles followed and 2 pickups. Then 2x9.14m flys: Kevin 9.23mps, Aaron 8.87, Mike 8.70, Eric 8.01. Next, 1x30m accel from blocks: Kevin 3.88, Mike 4.05, Aaron 4.25, Eric 4.33. Some 5-step reps over 3H, then 3x1H+finish. Auto time bests: Kevin 2.10, Mike 2.16, Aaron 2.19, Eric 2.20. Ended with 2x3H+finish side by side. Stretched.
1/26  Warm up then 2x370, 3x350, 5x330 deads and single leg hops. 1 set of mobility drills, 2 pickups followed by a 30m acceleration. Auto bests: Emily 4.63, Karly 4.85, Molly 4.85. Next, 2x8.5m flys. Bests: Emily 7.94mps, Karly 7.65, Molly 7.33. Then, 3x1H. Emily made a major improvement, running all 3 at 2.11 or faster, including a PR 2.08. Molly and Karly also PR'd at 2.25 and 2.26. Finished with 3x3H (-1). Auto timed the 8.5m segment around H2. Bests: Emily 1.34, Karly 1.41, Molly 1.52. Conversion (fly/h): Emily 79.9%, Karly 78.7%, Molly 76.3%. Over time, you look to convert a higher percentage by improving hurdle technique. Very good practice. Very good performance.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Results 1/22

At Whitewater.

Kevin nearly equaled his school record in the 55H, posting a 7.83 in the win. Emily also ran her best of the year, running 9.08 in the 55H final. The men's high jumpers also performed well, with Alex and Joe both scoring and Aaron reaching a season best. Karly 3-stepped the whole rack for the first time and ran a PR 10.18 in the 55H.



Kevin 7.93/7.83 [1st]
Mike 9.90
Eric 8.96
Aaron 5-3
Alex 5-10.75 [T5]
Joe 5-10.75 [T5]
Emily 9.22/9.08 [2nd]
Karly 10.18 [PR #3 all time] 4-5
Molly 10.60 4-3

Complete results