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by Petros Kyprianou MA, USAT&F, USAW When designing a technical model for the combined events, the coach must be able to apply, besides his coaching talent or drill inventory, basic sports science principles. Fields of science such as physics, anatomy and physiology provide a base of information from which the coach draws when developing technical models. In addition, motor learning and control contributes to the skill acquisition and best identification of skill patterns. There is an emphasis on the speed and power events within the decathlon. The Table shows exactly the performance standards matching 800pts.
Table 2. Average scores in each event among ten random Decathletes that scored 8000 points
Those tables clearly show the need for establishing a speed/power training background. Point table examination further shows that sprints/hurdles/jumps appear to offer the best opportunities for point accumulation. Great performances in the 1500m offer great opportunity for point total improvement as well. However, the training for the 1500m is quite different than that required for the speed and power oriented events. Excessive 1500m training could negatively interfere on the performance in other areas. Elite decathletes show remarkable similarities in the percentages of total points received from sprint/hurdles, jumps, throws and endurance event groups. This would lead us to believe that to prepare an athlete for elite level competition; we should attempt to design training to accomplish similar distributions. The aforementioned philosophy of Commonality falls into the principles of Specificity along with Compatibility, Complementary and Transference principles. Compatibility deals with the work perform in a unit and its purpose of working together in a harmonious manner. Bonding the events it is a great way of achieving the ultimate goal in a decathlon training unit: conserve energy with the greatest effect on neuromuscular system. That is when 2 or more events or Biomotor abilities are mixed together without interfering each other. Complimentary principle introduces to the training plan the notion of performing the events in a manner that the events act mutually to make up any deficiencies and promote performance. Therefore, units must be bond in a way that can create a sequence of work to complete a skill acquisition. Commonality comes to play a role of being the ice on the cake! Biomechanics can be of a great use if the coach and/or the athlete can understand its basic principles. In order to train the decathlete based on biomechanical monitoring of the events, training units must share common biomechanical properties of the given activity or the event combination. It is important for the given technical training unit to connect the drill or exercises to the technique and make sure that this simulation of actions can be transferred into the technique. Consequently, commonality training supports the understanding and positive use of the energy systems. The coach must be able to distribute loads based on neuromuscular-to-metabolic combinations; units should be designed in a way that has comparatively equal demands on the system. The Neuromuscular-to-Metabolic training structure slots perfectly into a cycle, if of course, are being used in a work-rest ratio type of training unit or into a 2-1-1 cycles. The neuromuscular work refers to the speed-power events training and the metabolic to the aerobic and/or VO2max, lactate work training units. Having 2 days in a row 400m workouts will not be very effective in a program; or having a 2 day in a row pole vault workout. The energy systems must be trained as well as the psychological parameters of a decathlete. Cardiovascular Endurance or aerobic power plays a very significant role in a decathlete’s plan in terms of: a) efficiency of the energy systems, b) recovery, c) injury prevention and d) overall fitness. It is important for the coach to understand that the aerobic power for the decathlete it should be specifically related to technical training and recovery procedures. Excessive aerobic training should be avoided due to lack of influence on speed-power development (commonality philosophy). Flexibility: Flexibility is another factor that a decathlete must pay attention to. Increasing the range of motion will result in to a positive transition to any technical event. Based on basic biomechanical concepts, range of motion is a factor in accumulating elastic energy use in a throw or a jump (Achilles tendon, pole, etc). It must be developed in the early stages of training in both static and dynamic stretch exercises. Coordination: is the concept of developing mobility complimenting flexibility, dynamic strength and balance. It is related to static or dynamic short movements within a proper spatial position. It is closely related to the biomechanical principle of summation of forces (applying forces in a restricted but effective range of motion plane) Strength: it is scientifically known as mass times acceleration (F= m x a). Strength can be introduced to the athlete after mastering coordination and flexibility. The reason for that is that strength training can be used to develop all the aforementioned Biomotor abilities. Therefore, a good base of coordination, flexibility and aerobic power must be acquired before entering the strength techniques. There are several types of strength that a decathlete must incorporate into his plan: absolute strength, maximum strength, relative strength, power, strength endurance and special strength. Power is the best utilization of a decathlete’s time in the weight room. Learning the snatch, clean and jerk, squatting and pressing can positively affect a decathlete’s performance. All in all, strength training as well as the whole training plan must follow the principle of complimentary overload to avoid overtraining symptoms and unwanted technical habits. Speed: is the most important tool for a decathlete. Without speed a decathlete cannot advance to the next level of competition. Speed of movement in the proper sequence over duration of time is the ultimate part of reaching optimum performance. Speed and acceleration progressions must be developed prior to speed endurance. According to the theory of specificity speed is considered to be a skill not a training method at that point; it becomes a metabolic work when it reaches the speed endurance threshold. In a training plan the must be identified: the goals for the season, open events that a decathletes should be focusing on in order to help his transitional modalities in the decathlon. Define how many peaking seasons a decathlete has as well as number of decathlons he will be competing in. After we designed the annual template, we just fill in with ‘’coaching art’’ the tables of each cycle and identify the goals for each season, making sure that we used at least one super compensation week per cycle and avoid any over achievers thinking when writing. Designing of the decathlon program can change any time during the season. That is something that a coach will have to monitor according to his athletes needs analysis and weekly maximum effort. For example a decathletes maximum effort will not be the same every week (especially in the weight room). That is why we try to use actual numbers instead of percentages. That’s how you will be able to argue on somebody’s program by saying: ‘’85% of what? Maximum speed or maximum strength ia a variable that changes every week’’ Here is sample of a training cycle that we use here at Boise State University to train our decathletes. This cycle is designed specifically for my decathletes based on their needs analysis and includes percentages based on that given week. Cycle 1 (2-1-1) - Preseason, Month of April - Weeks 1 and 2
Week 3 Super-compensation week
Week 4 Transitional week (to the next cycle)
to be continued... Comments (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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