In every season there comes a point where you realize your group might not have enough fuel to make it to the runway, so to speak.
For me, there is always a meet relatively late in the season where athletes under-perform so hard I’m not sure why I got out of bed.
The moment arrived this past weekend.
In situations like this, I dive back into the programs from coaches whose experience and success I trust and believe in. Inevitably, I correct the course and we (more often than not) get where we’re trying to go.
I am an unapologetic thief of superior ideas.
If you’re looking for input and workouts to help keep you on course as you barrel toward Championship Season, here are my Top 5 Programs (that I didn’t create) to Save Your Season (in no particular order) considering I am only responsible for sprints/hurdles/jumps (so nothing over 400m).
Complete Program Design for 400/600/800 runners with Ron Grigg (Jacksonville University)
I’ve leaned hard on this program this season, especially for planning training for my more ‘pacer’ or ‘endurance-y’ 400 types.
The results have been outstanding. It’s facilitated a significant evolution in my approach to certain types of long sprinters.
If you coach primarily, um, suburban type kids, especially girls, add this to your library.
Complete 100 Meter Training with Marc Mangiacotti (Harvard University)
If you have a bunch of freaks on your team, you probably don’t need this.
I don’t have freaks.
I have kids who don’t even realize they’re at track practice. So, I need as much information on teaching and programming sprinting as I can get.
My 4×1 needs to out-execute teams with faster kids because to win we have to beat teams with faster kids.
If you live in this world, add this to your library.
MultiEvent Training and Practice Organization with Boo Schexnayder (SAC Speed)
Once you unload your JV kids, it clears you up to fine tune on your top talent so they’re at their best, mentally and physically, when it’s Go Time.
Even though their are far fewer athletes, they require individualized workouts. And you still have kids competing in the full range of event groups.
Managing these practices in a way that allows you to give individual attention in every event group all at the same time is a challenge for even the most seasoned coach.
There is a way to run ‘group individualized’ workouts and training sessions when you take a commonalities based approach to training.
If you are responsible for a large number of event groups and you’re not staffed like the football team, add this program to your library.
Advanced Sprint Hurdle Development with Tony Veney
Sigh. Why, hurdlers, why? If I bring the hurdles and lower and closer it would be a wicket drill.
Your third step is right where the takeoff should be yet, surprise, you keep taking an extra step just to crush my soul.
If I remediated this drill any further, we’d be crawling back inside the womb.
If your hurdlers are on the verge of putting it together, but aren’t, add this program to your library.
Good luck with the rest of your season!
To your success,
Latif Thomas
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