Start Here!

I got my first light workout in today and will start vaulting and running tomorrow.  Each year around May Kris and I get together and talk about what we want to do in training for the next year.  Sometimes we find we can incorporate it right away but most times it's a new project so we wait.

This year I will vault at least 15 jumps two days a week (Sunday/Thursday).  For the first month I will complete at least 5 jumps each from 2, 4 and 6 steps.  I will start on whatever pole is most comfortable for how I feel on that day.  Maybe be a 13' 1" (4m), 14' 1" (4.30m) or a 14' 7" (4.45m); I don't care.  Whatever won't get me hurt to get a lot of jumps on.

On that day I will also do short sprints and lift legs.  The objective is to beat my legs up all in one day so they have a chance to recover for the next vault session.  The next day will be active rest and upper lifting.  The active rest includes a full warm up followed by speed endurance training (100, 150, 200, etc).  I don't ever run anything for time but rather for my highest sustainable rhythm.  I have found that timing my running and recording my lifting PRs caused me to force me into injuries.  I HAD to get a PR every day so at some point you get hurt.  On this day I will also do a big series of heavy pole drills.  This puts me running, lifting, bars and having contact with the pole four days a week.

In the beginning I will not run more than 20-50% because I have no experience running without a sled.  The warm up alone will be a challenge - 1/2 mile (2 laps) of striding the straights and jogging the curves, followed by 1/2 mile of striding the straights and walking the curves.  THEN, seven sprint drills and  4 X 50m build ups.

I learned a long time ago that low level rhythmical work translates into high powered and fast running in a fairly short time period.  Similar to lifting, if I go to high intensity for too long I lose my base and my overall fitness begins to slide.  So I will work ramp ups and taper downs between the base and raw speed as I go.  Both running programs at 14 weeks in length and I will repeat it three times with different variations.  Here is the speed piece - http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/speed.htm  I don't do the rest between reps and very little between sets.  At our age, and because it is far less than maximal effort, I just walk back and go again.  This may be a little more taxing on the breathing but it teaches the body to recover and you feel faster quicker.

There will be more as I go but this is the overview.  As always, thank you for being here!!  Bubba

PS - we have meets all year long so I expect to get a 13'+ (3.97m) outdoors before the end of the year.  Hopefully 4m+ (13' 1 1/2").