ATTN Maurizio

[Zircon]

Hey, just to make sure you see this. I have posted the same under another topic.


I will look into plyometrics. Sounds worthwhile inverstigating.

Maurizio, for interests sake, what are your physical stats?

I used to be a road cyclists until I realised I was fighting a losing battle . My hr would be 190 while other ppl would cruise on 175 or 170. And it's not as if my hr is very high, My lactate threshhold is around 180 resting hr 45 and max hr 203.

So I turned to track cycling where I though I could make good use of my sprinting abilities. I can generate about 1000 watt for 15 seconds which is considered pretty good (considering my size). So now I'm trying to reach a new level and I believe starting out with bigger legs will give me an advantage.

I would consider longer events although I would have to work a lot on endurance (which is shocking).

Thanks, looking forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Zircon]

I've read up on plyometrics and it sounds like pretty good relevant sh1t.

Can you give me exact exampes of what you are doing regarding plyometrics?

cheers

 

[Maurizio]

Mainly just two excercises:

1 - Depth Jumps onto and off of an elevated platform. I use some steps in front of my house that are about 18" high. I get into a squating possition and explode up onto the steps, land in a squating possition, and as quickly as possible explode up and backwards back onto the sidewalk I started from. One rep = once up and once back down. I'll do 3 sets of 10, with at least 90 secconds between sets. Absorbing the impact of your landings with your muscles and not your joints is key to not hurting yourself.

2 - Running start long jumps. At a not very fast pace (7-8 ish mph) I do five jumps, as long (distance) and as quick as I can make them (that would equal one set). I do the jumps with my feet together, rather than one foot in front of another. The purpose of running into this exercise is to increase the intensity. If you want it harder you can run faster, but be careful to not land on your face! I'll do three to five sets.

With regards to when in the season I would do these types of exercises: I use them as the begining of the season is approaching and I'm tappering off of my weights progam. I lift from November to February, and then do plyometrics in February March, and up until mid April.

Here in New England, I can't ride outside from December until Mid March, so I have to use an indoor trainer which really sucks. My sanity prevents me from spending more than 3 hours on a trainer at a time. So during those winter months I do Weights / Plyometrics on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (with at least 1 - 1.5 hours easy riding to loosen up your legs). Longer (2.5 - 3 hours) interval days on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Mondays are just an hour easy. Once I can ride outside again in mid March, I stop lifting / plyometrics on saturdays, and start doing 5 - 6 hour rides on BOTH Saturday and Sunday. Although small unimportant races start in March, there are no big races that I do until late April. I suggest stopping any weight training or plyometrics when it comes time to do the events that matter most to you.

I divide my season into two six week periods where I want to be in-form. Mid April and May, and then July through mid August. All of my important races fall into these periods, July being the most important, when I have three stage races (one is a Junior World Cup event thats nine days long: Le Tour de L'Abitibi) and the National Championships. I take June races, less seriously, and tend to train right through them. In June I'll also go back to the gym to lift / do plyometrics twice a week and try to get back any strength I lost in the previous six weeks. In June although I'll still have very hard days (6 hours with intervals), I have a lot more easy days, to try and rest up so that I'm fresh for July.

So... I do plyometrics in February, March, some of April and June. But when you do them depends on when your own season starts, and when your main goals of the season happen.

Note: I did post a response last night in the other thread you put up.

Hope some of this is of relevance to you.

- Maurizio