Need to increase sprinting power/speed

[KeSs]

For some reason I suck at sprinting. In races I can always stay with the lead group but i never have enough power/speed to place because my sprinting sucks. Right now I have reached a maximum. I do club races here and the races are held on a .5 mile banked closed track (outside). Coming out of corner 4 (last corner) there is a slight uphill and then the final finish is on top of a bump 100 ft 12% grade. Well I can never get my speed over 34mph on this final sprint!! Its really getting to me because I would like to actually win some races.

Here is one reason I think there is something wrong. Today there was a break and 2 groups formed. I was in the chase group.....anyways we werent gaining on them so i decided to come up and pull through to close this gap. This was on the same back stretch that the final sprint is on.....i was able to pull doing 29mph sitting down and completely relaxed! ...I dunno.... any advice would be much appreciated...

-sam

 

[ed073]

to sprint better in races you need to do 2 things...sprint in training and develop more power.

I suggest....

small chainring all out efforts for 200-300m. Concentrate on form, not speed. Davis Phinney was a big advocate of these....and he knows a trick or two about the bunch gallop.

sprints amongst your training buddies. Town limit signs, bridges, etc etc. Will bring you up in no time.


for power....

seated, big-ring (start with 53x15 then move down the cogs as you get stronger) repeated hill efforts of 1000m-1500m length. Can't be beat.

motorpacing at race pace. (if you have access to it as a training tool) You can also take flyers off the bike in the 11 to simulate the final.

 

[RapDaddyo]

Some of my former training mates would be rolling on the floor with laughter if they knew I was giving anybody advice on sprinting -- because I was initially the original 98-lb weakling as a sprinter -- truly pathetic. But, I got better, in part because I figured out that speed comes from resistance and cadence. I used to do lots of high cadence drills, to develop a smoother stroke. I got pretty good at spinning it up to >150rpm. But, for some unknown reason, when it came time to sprint, I would get in a big gear and try to generate speed with brute force. I wasn't very good because I don't generate a lot of brute force. Then, one day I figured out that I could also generate speed with a high spin rate. I used to basically try to get in the right gear in the lead out, with a cadence of ~90-100. From there, I knew I had another 40-60rpm in me, so instead of gearing up like I used to do, I just accelerated and maintained top speed with spin. I got better and actually became marginally feared for my sprint. Now, you may not be a spinner and this may not be a good idea for you. I'm just saying, don't ignore cadence because there's more than one way to go fast.

 

[frenchyge]

Coming out of corner 4 (last corner) there is a slight uphill and then the final finish is on top of a bump 100 ft 12% grade. Well I can never get my speed over 34mph on this final sprint!! Its really getting to me because I would like to actually win some races.

You can't even break 34mph up a 12% grade? Sheesh!

 

[KeSs]

Is it to late for me to start these drills and see some improvement? I have a race every weekend till September 18th......

 

[RapDaddyo]

Is it to late for me to start these drills and see some improvement? I have a race every weekend till September 18th......

There are studies of high-intensity workout programs that suggest one can attain increases in peak power output (PPO) of up to 4% in 2 weeks and up to 6% in 4 weeks (http://www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2001/acsms/papers/LAUR.pdf), depending on your starting point, so that will give you an idea of the potential for power improvement in a short time.

What you can definitely do right away is to do some testing to determine your own personal optimal sprint gearing and cadence. If you have a bike computer with downloadable speed and cadence data, go out and find a flat section of road for testing. Most sprints begin with a lead-out up to ~30mph, then the sprint really begins. So, I would suggest that you test two things: (1) your optimal gearing and cadence for acceleration from 30-36mph and (2) your optimal cadence for top end speed. I would say to start off in your largest gear at 30mph (hence, lowest cadence), then accelerate at your maximum rate to 36mph and keep accelerating until you max out your speed. Recover for a few minutes and run the test again (same course and direction, of course) in your next gear (higher cadence). Continue to repeat this test until you can't reach 36mph (due to the cadence is too high). Go back and analyze the data. You may find distinct differences in the acceleration time from 30-36mph and also in top speed. For example, I accelerate much faster in smaller gears and I reach my max speed when my cadence is >150rpm. If I start my acceleration in too large a gear, I both accelerate more slowly and don't reach the same top speed. Of course, this is not only a test but also a sprint drill. You will attain a higher top speed in a race because of the motivation and adrenaline factor, but your test data are still valid as to your optimal gearing and cadence for acceleration from 30 and your optimal cadence for top speed.

 

[ron19]

You can't even break 34mph up a 12% grade? Sheesh!

Call me a novice but I managed 37 once on a 5% (downhill !!!!)

 

[Phil Stone]

Try making an effort to pedal in a way that builds fast twitch muscles. Punch your torque out on the down stroke even if riding steady distance. Over the months your top end speed will be better & your still getting your aerobic training done!

 

[Billsworld]

Call me a novice but I managed 37 once on a 5% (downhill !!!!)

LOL Thats good

 

[robkit]

weight is such a factor in an uphill sprint, doubly so because you need to both climb and accellerate. can you trim that?

i would say practise,practise, paractise. 15s all out efforts, 6-10 through a training ride.

 

[whoawhoa]

weight is such a factor in an uphill sprint, doubly so because you need to both climb and accellerate. can you trim that?

i would say practise,practise, paractise. 15s all out efforts, 6-10 through a training ride.

This makes since but how often? More than twice per week and it would be hard to keep up longer intervals. Can you do these as part of an endurance ride, like at the beggining?

 

[robkit]

This makes since but how often? More than twice per week and it would be hard to keep up longer intervals. Can you do these as part of an endurance ride, like at the beggining?

because sprinting uses different energy systems to the other kinds of training I find they can be integrated into another training ride no problem, probably into the first hour of a base training ride is best. Even 10 x 15s sprints is of course only 2.5 mins.

There are probably 2 variations - similated sprints, where you find a downhill gradient and start from circa 30mph, sprinting in a realistic gear. And then sprint drills just for form - whatever gear you can spin from your starting speed, to simulate a sprint.

The latter would be easiest to integrate into any route, the former you might want to dedicate an hour to on a circuit of stretch of road that you can keep repeating.

i dont think it would be overcooking it to do one or two lots of sprint intervals within base training rides, during a week that also has 2 serious interval sessions.

 

[Billsworld]

LOL Thats good

I am sorry, I ws reading the back and forth, and saw the 37mph downhill remark. I thought it was funny. Frankly , I am a sprinter wannabe. I live in mass havever, and I am way to busy to travel to Ttown, or other tracks. I have spent a lot of years doing heavy weight training, and dont respond well to miles on the bike.I also am 194 lbs and very lean, I dont want to get too skinny. I like being strong and fit . I ride a road bike and a Biancci Pista fixed with a 48x14. I can get up to 38mph on a flat. I also and do some short time trials 8-10 miles on my own. I have managed one 8.5 mile ride at 22mph average. They have some short crits in the boston area, I guess thats my thing. I would rather try a track but thats ok. I am going to try my first crit on Sunday. Any hoo........I dont have much of aproblem with power, but endurance is quite another story Thanks Bill P