Fast Twitch Training

Below is a workout I had a client of mine do yesterday.  She is a marathon runner...a GREAT marathon runner (headed to the Chicago Marathon in October)...who has found that she has very limited jumping and sprinting capabilities these days. Did you know that marathon runners tend to run 10x slower than sprinters and have a vertical jump of 12 inches or less (http://verticaljumpzone.com/speed-training/the-6-fatal-speed-training-mistakes)?!  This is simply because they've over trained their slow twitch muscle fibers (built for endurance) to the detriment of their fast twitch muscle fibers (built for quick bursts of speed and power).  How do you train your fast twitch fibers?...lift heavy (> 60% of your 1RM (1 repetition maximum), use quick movements in your lifting (power lifting!), force yourself to sprint, and do plyometrics (1 - 2 x /week max) (http://www.verticaljumping.com/fast_twitch.html).  The below workout sample for my marathoner consists of a plyo set, followed by a power lifting set.  Happy fast twitching to you all!

PLYOS:

4 Rounds -

*20 ea. x Single-Leg Push-Offs (w/ one R foot atop low box and L foot on ground, push off of R foot into a single-leg jump, land R foot atop box, put L foot back on floor, repeat)

*10 x Squat-Touch Box Jump (to low box) - step up to medium box - to Depth Jump (squat and touch fingers to floor, jump and open hips up all the way (no pike/ angle in hips), land atop low box in a squat position w/ fingers touching box, then step up to a medium box, step off of that box and absorb the landing in a deep squat)

*5 ea. x Single-Leg Tuck Jumps (take off on one foot, land on that same foot, get as high as possible, tuck knee up to belly button)

*10 x MB Plyo Push-Ups (modification: push-up on knees)(in plank w/ hands atop a medicine ball, hop hands off of and to side of MB, push-up w/ sternum hitting MB, push-up and hop hands off of floor and back up onto MB)

*20 x MB OH Bosu Sit-Ups + Partner Toss (w/ MB overhead, lay back on bosu, MB touches floor, quick crunch up w/ ab muscles and toss MB to partner, catch and repeat, w/ speed!)

POWER WORK:

strength and speed

3 Rounds -

*5 x Heavy Dumbbell Squat Power Clean

*10 x Heavy Dumbbell Jerk (shoulder press w/ a slight jump, land w/ dumbbells overhead)

*15 x Double-Arm Dumbbell Snatch (medium DBs) (sumo dead lift high pull all the way to overhead w/ dumbbells)