Inside the Ferdinand Omanyala intense training program
Ferdinand Omanyala has yet again achieved another milestone in his superb career after defeating South Africa’s Akani Simbine by milliseconds to clinch the prestigious 100M Africa Senior Championship title.
With his accolades constantly on the rise, what many are still yet to fully grasp is the unbelievable hard work Ferdinand Omanyala has to put in day in – day out to achieve such incredible results. Here is a complete breakdown of his workout regimen.
During the off-season period (away from major competitions) Ferdinand Omanyala, trains three times a day from Monday to Saturday
Training:
Monday:
On Mondays, the top sprinter will have a morning session in the gym then train on the track till lunchtime. In the afternoon, he will go back to the gym, and follow it up with another track session.
Strength training is an essential supplement to a sprinter’s roadwork because it strengthens muscles and joints, which can improve race times and decrease injury risk.
Tuesday:
This is a day of 250-meter hill runs 18 times in the morning, then he will perfect his mobility in the afternoons.
Hill running is the most specific form of strength training that a runner can do. We can do squats, lunges, and hamstring curls until our muscles sear but nothing compares exactly to running.When you run up a hill there is an increased resistance and thereby an increase in specific running strength.
The explosive reaction caused by the lifting of the hips, glutes and quads up the hill utilizes the same principal mechanics behind doing plyometrics.
Wednesday:
On this day, Ferdinand Omanyala will perform core work-outs that involve strength training. Training the core is an important element in strength training when the required outcome is increased speed.
The main role of the core whilst sprinting is to transfer force from the lower extremities upon ground contact to your center of mass.
This force is what gives off a “bouncing effect” or feeling of flight during maximum velocity sprinting.Athletes who have strong cores can react quicker, have more control over their center of gravity, and generate more power out of the blocks.
Thursday:
Thursdays are for sled pulls (pulling heavy, weighted sleds tied to the waist by a rope), and training on hip mobility. The workout routine itself is perfect for improving mobility.
Acceleration is important for most sports, and sled pulls are commonly used to improve it. In applied sport science and strength and conditioning contexts, sled pulls are used to improve the acceleration mechanics of your sprint, with theoretical and applied models showing that they allow you to generate more horizontal ground reaction force.
Friday:
A repeat of Monday's training regime
Saturday:
Saturdays are for block starts and perfecting speedwork on the track.
Starting blocks are a device used in the sport of track and field by sprint athletes to brace their feet against at the start of a race so they do not slip as they stride forward at the sound of the starter's pistol.
During busy competition days, the daily program changes significantly depending on what is being aimed at for the season.
“During the season, we reduce the workload and train two sessions a day. The difference is that I rest on Wednesdays, and have speed training on Saturdays. Mondays and Fridays are for 30 to 60-metre sled pulls, while Tuesdays and Thursdays are for training in the gym and on the track,” Omanyala said during an interview.
What shouldn’t be forgotten is the support Omanyala gets from his technical team. The fastest man in Africa is managed by Marcel Viljoen of Johannesburg-based company Fitness From Africa.
