GENERAL PREPERATION - GPP PHASE
Introduction to GPP
The GPP Phase will continue for 2-3 weeks developing some form of general capacity work, not at fast speeds but getting back into swing of running again and lifting. This is also a stage where we can develop capacity and adaptations to cope with forces into the ground when doing plyometrics. The weights sessions will be to develop cross sectional muscle and with some athletes this maybe longer than 2 weeks for sufficient time to add some mass before going into the faster, power lifts. During the winter months with it being a short to long approach, a big emphasis will be on developing acceleration skills and strength and power. Jumps / plyometrics will be more power based and so will be longer foot contacts and a higher impact and power as a result. Before this can take place it’s important to progress these impacts so as to minimise injury. in the GPP introducing foot contact jumps on a low level in important.
Recovery runs on off days (after high intensity day) will start. The structure will be 3 high intensity days and 3 low level days and a complete day off. The general idea is to get a feeling for getting back into running and preparing for the work that will take place for the next block of training that will last 6 weeks. Circuits will also be introduced to help build capacity, general strength and strength endurance. Usually added to the track session that is more general in nature. It’s worth noting that each session should complement each other. If higher in intensity on the track keep the gym work on same day high intensity. Mixing from high intensity and general on same day will confuse the body and may interfere with adaptation.
General or HIGH INTENSITY
High Intensity
Block Starts
Max Velocity
Ins and Outs
Med Ball Throws
Single leg bounds
Power 3 Rep Lifts
General
Up Backs
Recovery Runs
Circuits
Body Building Weights (10 rep+)
Technical Runs
For example if on a Monday block starts are on the menu then select a weights or plyometric session from the same type. On Wednesday its more general Circuits and more technical runs or up backs would be appropriate. During GPP Phase however you will be looking at more of a general type of training.
GPP Session Structure
Navigate through the buttons on the left to give you ideas on how to structure your GPP phase. Remember there is no perfect or right way to deliver sessions but by following principles and ideas you can make sessions structured and with some purpose to the path in which you are trying to follow and end up. Remember a Sat Nav isn’t a device that tells you where to go but a device that tells you where you are. Think about that for a second….. how can you get to your destination if you don’t know where you are? Hopefully from last year you would have gathered some results and tested areas in which are your strong and weak areas. It’s from these results you can start to plan your focus on areas to improve throughout the winter period going into the Acceleration Phase. However The main focus of the winter period is to build strength and acceleration. Individual focus can be bolted on per individual.
It’s worth mentioning here that we follow a principle of not adding high intensity days back to back. So we wouldn’t do a max velocity session on a Monday and repeat something High intensity again on Tuesdays. The nervous system would get over fatigued and cause problems in short. To overcome this issue we program our sessions with recovery days of low intensity or general work between the high intensity days. Although in the General Preparation Phase (GPP) we are not doing high intensity work its important to understand this principle now.
It’s important to understand that we want to get better and improve. This is by doing meaningful training rather than unnecessary training. Training hard doesn’t necessarily make it work, will the body adapt? will it over fatigue the athlete and then layer that fatigue so that the body doesn’t adapt.
The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
This graph shows how when done correctly training will not keep you under your original baseline (performance level). Recovery being so important and if the work being done is keeping you under that level of performance and the rest or lack of rest layers that fatigue you will see dips in performance as it shows with the red curve in chart shown. We want to see good recovery so the work we do is meaningful and increases in adaptation are then able to take place. Only then will we see improvements taking place. It’s very easy to think by working harder than everyone else this will result in better performances. This is not always the case.
The GPP will gradually increase in volume although intensity will remain low. This is to get us to that stage where we are comfortable moving to the bulk of our preperation for the indoor season. Here we will be calling it out Acceleration Phase. Having now the understanding of what we are trying to achieve is important on basic level. More detail will be included in the Acceleration Phase through general testing to see if our SAT NAV is on track and taking us on the right route to our destination!!
Finding Where We Are
First off make a list of where you are at from last year. If you do not have these figures then during the Acceleration Phase you will be recording them.
For example:- flying 10m, flying 30m times, block start time to 10m, 20m, 30m. Hex Bar lift 1RM (via estimating through 3 rep adding 5% onto) 60m, 100m, 200m pbs and so on. These will help you progress through the year. Keeping a spreadsheet of these figures are important.
Important Equipment to have
This is not imperative to have the equipment that I would recommend but equipment on this list will certainly help and if on a budget there will be alternatives suggested. The one device I cannot recommend enough is the Enode Pro. Only because there is no free way to get around this devices benefits.
Equipment Recommendations
Enode Pro
Exer Genie or equivalent like YoYo Sprint Speed Resister
Freelap Time Gates
