The 200 meter sprint is the Rodney Dangerfield of the sprint events. It gets no respect. When we commonly think of the sprint events, the 100 meter dash gets all the glory and the 400 meter dash gets all the respect. That leaves the middle child, the 200, left out in the cold. As…
Archives for sprint training
Supplemental Lifts for Athletes and Sprinters
I’m pretty certain that a majority of coaches and trainers at this point can appreciate the benefits associated with “Supplemental Exercises” in their comprehensive strength training program. I adopted this term from mastermind Louie Simmons and Westside Barbell because I think their terminology is the most logical of all the variations of the word I’ve…
Top 5 Posts of the Week (4/12-4/18)
If I send out too many emails, people start losing their minds. So, unless you visit the site a few times a week, you’re missing some great (free) information. Here, then, are the Top 5 Most Viewed posts from CompleteTrackandField.com over the last 7 days: 5: Speed Training Starts Early by Marc Mangiacotti (Harvard University)…
Do Your Sprinters Have a Fumbling Problem?
I coach at a distance school where the distance coaches love watching sprinters do (what appears to be) aerobic work. I’m pretty sure it’s a commonly held belief among distance coaches that doing long repeats/intervals make sprinters ‘mentally tough’. It doesn’t. Special Endurance does. But, when structured correctly, it does improve anaerobic threshold and that’s…
Long Slow Running Builds Long Slow Sprinters
Many college coaches are perplexed with the short amount of time they are able to spend with their athletes during the fall months. Typically, coaches get to work with their sprinters and hurdlers for 6 to 8 hours per week, depending on their conference or other institutional factors. Though this time is limited, it is…
Every Sprinter Needs to Fix *This*…
Earlier this season we were doing race pace 50m starts as part of our 400m training. Obviously, these are submaximal runs. However, my top 400m runner said that it felt like she had to go ‘all out’ to hit her times, and she was using starting blocks. Why does it feel like this? Like most…
Great 400 Meter Workout – 133’s
Even though I have been making hurdle contributions, I have had some success at 400 meters, and 400 meter workout. I wanted to share one of the more useful 400 meter sprint drills I have come across in the last 10-15 years. I got it from the “Gopher State”, and former head Minnesota University Track…
“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…
“Your Focus Needs More Focus”
Each year I notice that midway through the indoor season the focus of the sprints group starts to dwindle. After the initial excitement of getting acclimated to the team setting and traveling to meets fades, athletes have adapted to a routine that might not seem as appealing as before. But this time of the season…
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…
Floating
As I often reflect on my days at the University of Houston, I can recall a number of valuable coaching lessons I learned while under the tutelage of Mike Takaha and Tom Tellez. The cue “fast relax” or floating, is a term I became all too familiar with as Takaha and Tellez shouted the phrase…
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…