Applying principles to track and field

[Richard A]

I have been using some of the bodyflow techniques for about two weeks now and have noticed that my static stretching has improved tremendously by actual stretching when competing as in ballistic movements and trying to reprogram joints and muscles is either still limited or I find myself doing unusual things that I never did before, sometimes good sometimes bad. Is this normal???

Also to the coaches and people who are much more advanced in Coach Sonnon's training techniques what would be your suggestion for a track and field athlete my field being decathlon. From reading and also watching some clubbell exercises, I think they would be very useful in the throwing events for track and field.

Basically any information that anyone thinks is useful for my training nutrition and recovery would be appreciated as one of the most important things as I have discovered in decathlon is recovery. Thanks for your time.

Richard A

[Scott Sonnon]

Richard,
As soon as I grab some extra time, I'll offer some suggestions.

[Richard A]

Thanks for your reply Coach Sonnon, I look forward to reading your thoughts. My colleague at work has started my on the warrior wellness exercises and I have found these very interesting and rewarding all ready experiencing some area which need special attention in terms of joint mobility and core strength.


Richard A

[Scott Sonnon]

Richard,

You have stated your sport - decathalon.
Your preconditions - chronic asthma, hip dislocation at birth and tightness/inflexibility.

Please detail the specific skills with which you're having performance issues. Try and be as detailed as possible.

In reviewing your several posts, a generalized response to your request would not do you justice. Idiosyncratic specificity rules.

[Richard A]

Coach Sonnon,
For many seasons I have heard coaches saying to me that all my testing for power and strength are already at levels of some other Olympians but still in the actual event my performances are not the same. One major factor has been my limited flexibility and to be honest my displeasure in stretching as I often feel sore after a stretching session.

Specifically it is my Russian coach who has noticed and pointed out to me that my upper back and shoulders are very tight and unable to have any stretch when I plant the pole in pole vault. What I mean by stretch is when you plant the pole with two arms straight, your shoulders are meant to roll and relax letting you maintain plant position but also charge the pole creating enough pressure to bend the pole so the vaulter can move to an inverted position to clear the bar. At my stage I'm getting away with being very fast and getting onto poles, but this technique will not let me advance to upper levels in pole vault unless my shoulder range improves.

As for my lower body, in my teenage years I suffered from hamstring and quadriceps tears all in which some way or form were related to my back or hips. When I hurdle my limited hip range does not allow my trail leg to get parallel with the hurdle and causes my to clear the hurdle allot higher that normal, which in turn causes slower clearance time and overall times in the race.

They are two specific issues that I’m having trouble with but really as in other sports and situations flexibility is evident in all events in Decathlon and being able to perform movements through the correct range takes pressure of joints and muscles that try to compensate for lack of technical proficiency.

On the conditioning side, after reading body flow and reading about you running up the mountain and getting into the zone, I have attempted to try and find that place where everything flows in the 1500m. To me this event poses the biggest mental challenge of all the events because there is so much time to think and after 9 other events the mind starts to play tricks with you.

Thanks for your time i'm very grateful

Richard A