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ajepym · Post by **ajepym** » Dec 12, 2003 21:03

Thomas or anyone,

Thomas Kurz talks about a 'speed barrier' and how this is developed with speed training.
I think the period you mention is 2 weeks off to make the nervous system forget its barrier.

However most sprinters do not take rest weeks of 2 weeks. If 2 weeks off speed is taken, it is generally considered that muscle tone and considition will start to fall off.

Are there any recommendations for retraining the Central Nervous system to break the speed barrier while under a heavy training regime?

eg taking 1 week off and then doing slower work for a week to ease into a cycle.

UKfightfreak · Post by **UKfightfreak** » Dec 13, 2003 07:22

I don't think Tom Kurz meant stop training for 2 weeks, I think he meant don't train trying for top speed for 2 weeks.

So you can still do general exercise, strenth training etc. But just don't train for that 100 m sprint as fast as you can for 2 weeks.

I really don't think that muscle tone etc. would be effected.

legend1@cinci.rr.com · Post by **legend1@cinci.rr.com** » Dec 16, 2003 22:27

It is my understanding that the speed barrier is developed by the time/distance relationship. This association grows stronger with more repetition. From my reading of Thomas's book and many others I might recommend overspeed traing or sprint loading in distances that are slightly longer or shorter than the distance the barrier has been developed in. You will no longer be running at speed - you will be running a touch faster or slower. I also like the idea of a metronome that speeds up to just a touch over your top end stride frequency. The association/focus is now on a sound, not on the temporal and spacial connection.

The speed barrier concept is strange, but I have seen it and I know it is very real.