Peaking before season?

[Split]

I feel like I am about to peak. (Don't ask how I know, I just have this odd feeling that I am.) Yet we have yet to put up the standards so we could vault. I'm currently PR'ing every week in the long jump and 400m. I don't want to be peaking right now as I would be in decline by the time we begin track season.
So here's my question:
Should I try to slow myself down so that I can hit my peak later on in the year?
OR
Continue working the same way, and hope I peak again later on in the season?

I would also like to know if it's possible to re-peak in such a short period of time.

[KirkB]

Your question is rather odd, but I'll try to answer it ...

I don't think you can "feel" that you're about to peak if you have yet to put the bar up.

Just because you're doing well in LJ and 400 doesn't mean you're going to PR soon in the PV. And even if you ARE going to PR in PV soon, you shouldn't hold it back. Who knows ... you could get several PRs this season!

The fact that you're doing well in LJ and 400 means that your run and jump are going well. That's a good start for PV, but it's less than half the battle. In LJ, once you take off, your distance is pretty much pre-determined. In PV, there's so many more gymnastic manouvers that you need to do that are (at this polnt in your season) unpredictable.

You should NOT try to slow yourself down! You should strive for a PR in EVERY meet of the season.

... hope I peak again later on in the season?

Don't just HOPE! Work hard on improving your PR throughout the entire season!

You seem to have the false impression that PRs occur rarely, and you should "save" your PR for later in the season, or else it will be "spent". This logic is totally false.

The more you PR in early season, the easier it is later in the season to jump higher than your previous PR. Your opening height later in the season might be your early season PR.

Why hold back in the early season? Unlike distance runners, pole vaulters don't burn out if they progress too fast early in the season.

Can you see the flaws in your logic? You really need to talk to a coach about your misconceptions.

Kirk

[Split]

Im only concerned because it seemed to happen last year. I started the season with a big PR in the Long and 100m. As the season progressed I began getting slower and couldn't jump as far, despite still regularly PR'ing in the Vault. (Which could be attributed more to technical advances rather than getting stronger in the season.) I'll have to talk to my coach and trainer about this tomorrow too.

[powerplant42]

Do you train year round?

[Split]

I keep myself in decent shape during the summer, and get by during the fall. No everyday training in the fall, but I train 5 days a week in the summer.
This season I wanted to stay healthy so I never really went hard training until January, despite beginning track practice back in November.

[powerplant42]

But you did cross country if I remember correctly...

I'm just thinking you might be burning out for whatever reason.

[KirkB]

... This season I wanted to stay healthy so I never really went hard training until January, despite beginning track practice back in November.

Split, I hope you don't mind me pressing you on your misconceptions, so here's another one ...

Why do you think that training hard will injure you? I agree that you MIGHT open yourself up for more injuries if you really press hard (i.e. TOO HARD) in your training, but do you understand that if you train SMART, you CAN train HARD without INJURIES?

Between not wanting to peak too early, and not wanting to get injured, I wonder how much REAL training you're doing?

You could wait until the outdoor season to start vaulting, but then your technique will suck. EDIT: Fixed a typo.

I just want to shed you of your misconceptions and get to the facts.

Kirk

[Split]

Last year I as I was declining I tore my quad trying to maintain my body at the same level it had been before the season started. I started training seriously starting January (after the MT SAC camp) and immediately began to get in shape. I knew something was wrong this week when I ran a 3-4-5 hundred meter ladder, took 8 long jumps, vaulted for an hour, and then ran a mile all in the same day and barely got tired. It seems nothing fazes me now and I KNOW that it shouldn't be happening this soon in the season. Due to the lack of a coach this season, we haven't been vaulting until 3 weeks ago, although we have (as I said before) to put the standards up.

[powerplant42]

I'm becoming lost too now KB...

Split, I'd stop worrying about it. I think you are WAY over analyzing your training cycle... Remember, you are still in the 'training to compete' phase! Did you ever think you might just be GETTING BETTER?

[Split]

I talked to my coach about it and he said I'm just overreacting.
I hope so, because while I trust what he and everyone on here says, I still fear that I'll burn out before league and miss my first chance at CIF.

[rainbowgirl28]

Last year I as I was declining I tore my quad trying to maintain my body at the same level it had been before the season started. I started training seriously starting January (after the MT SAC camp) and immediately began to get in shape. I knew something was wrong this week when I ran a 3-4-5 hundred meter ladder, took 8 long jumps, vaulted for an hour, and then ran a mile all in the same day and barely got tired. It seems nothing fazes me now and I KNOW that it shouldn't be happening this soon in the season. Due to the lack of a coach this season, we haven't been vaulting until 3 weeks ago, although we have (as I said before) to put the standards up.

Just listen to your body. The important thing is that you are recovering, so make sure you are sleeping a lot at night, eating enough (quality food) and taking it easy when your body starts to feel less good. Make sure you are taking days off and that you have easy days mixed in with the training.

You're young, still growing, and you're a guy so the growing is all in positive ways. It's normal for you to be seeing big improvements. Don't psych yourself out! Just relax and enjoy being young.

[Lax PV]

Last year I as I was declining I tore my quad trying to maintain my body at the same level it had been before the season started. I started training seriously starting January (after the MT SAC camp) and immediately began to get in shape. I knew something was wrong this week when I ran a 3-4-5 hundred meter ladder, took 8 long jumps, vaulted for an hour, and then ran a mile all in the same day and barely got tired. It seems nothing fazes me now and I KNOW that it shouldn't be happening this soon in the season. Due to the lack of a coach this season, we haven't been vaulting until 3 weeks ago, although we have (as I said before) to put the standards up.

Just listen to your body. The important thing is that you are recovering, so make sure you are sleeping a lot at night, eating enough (quality food) and taking it easy when your body starts to feel less good. Make sure you are taking days off and that you have easy days mixed in with the training.

You're young, still growing, and you're a guy so the growing is all in positive ways. It's normal for you to be seeing big improvements. Don't psych yourself out! Just relax and enjoy being young.

I guess I through something in. I agree with Kirk, training hard is totally cool if it is done intelligently. If performance UNINTENTIONALLY falls, start backing off on traing volume and intensity quick. There is something to be said for intentional over reaching, but over-training and being over-trained (described by the unintentional fall in performance) can lead to injury due to over stimulus of bone, tissue, CNS... all across the board. If your marks are going up, and you are not feeling anything pre-cursor to an injury, keep rolling with it. You see guys go on tears all the time--their body just starts reacting well to training, and the guy/girl gets hot and hits every bar the jump at...maybe that's you...

PS... I would not suggest doing "3-4-5 hundred meter ladder, took 8 long jumps, vaulted for an hour, and then ran a mile all in the same day and barely got tired" in one day ever again.