Archives for coaching sprints

Why You Need to Develop Speed Reserve

Developing a ‘speed reserve’ through a well designed speed development program is essential to success in any sport where combating fatigue is a requirement for success. Though we look at this term primarily when discussing track and field sprints, it’s applications apply to a range of sports. Speed reserve is, essentially, the difference between an…

Race Modeling

Over the 40+ years of my coaching career, I have had the good and bad fortune to have mentors who have filled my coaching data base with a litany of training approaches to make my sprint/hurdlers the best they can be. The good part was in the form of drills, workouts and “mother-wit” (Tony Wells)…

“Take A Week Off”

Despite access to trainers who specialize in athletic healthcare, when athletes sustain injuries, they almost always turn to their primary care physician for diagnosis.  And the instruction is invariably the same no matter the injury… “Take a week off.” But some injuries require rehabilitation that includes a range of exercises to help push the recovery…

Science vs Art

What is the difference between the science vs art of coaching? The science of coaching consists of understanding workouts, progressions, biomechanics, energy systems and other essential factors that influence ones ability to teach. The art of coaching encompasses more depth and understanding of an athlete’s emotions, external stress levels and a host of other social…

Accelerate Daily

Student-athletes have returned from summer break, are settled into classes and are anxious about getting back on the track. Freshmen athletes are especially eager to begin their first collegiate season. The other day, one of the freshman athletes asked me, “When we will start doing speed work?”  I responded, “Speed workouts start the very first…

Measuring what Matters Part 3 – Maximal Speed

The 100m and 200m sprint events are more maximally speed related, and measuring / testing maximum velocity improvement year to year can shed some light on actual progress in training that meet performance may not be able to provide.  It is widely accepted that the ultimate test is the competition itself, but when the meet has…