Before
You Start
Prior to starting any
training, it is recommended you have a medical examination to ensure it is safe
for you to do so. Any application of this training program is at the athlete's
own discretion and risk.
Coaching Points
When
coaching the sprints with young athletes focus on the following points:
- Running tall
- Arms (elbows) are driven back - not across the body
- Shoulders are relaxed
- Drive and land on the ball of the foot
Year Training Program
The
plan is based on three training sessions per week with the major competition
being in phase 5. The duration of each phase could be as follows:
- Phase 1 - 4 weeks
- Phase 2 - 2 weeks
- Phase 3 - 2 weeks
- Phase 4 - 2 weeks
- Phase 5 - 2 weeks
- Phase 6 - 1 weeks
The
objective of each phase is as follows:
- Phase 1 -
General development of strength, mobility, endurance and basic technique
- Phase 2 -
Development of specific fitness and advanced technical skills
- Phase 3 -
Competition experience - achievement of qualification times for main
competition
- Phase 4 -
Adjustment of technical model, preparation for the main competition
- Phase 5 - Competition
experience and achievement of outdoor objectives
- Phase 6 - Active
recovery - planning preparation for next season
Suggestions
as to the sessions for each phase are detailed below. I leave the content of
each four week cycle to you.
Key to notations and terms used
2-5 × 3-6 × 30-100m
- 2 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 repetitions of a distance between 30 and 100 metres
Phase 1
Tuesday
- Technique runs 4-6 x 5-7 x 30m-70m
- General strength
- Circuit or Weight training
Thursday
- Special
exercises - combining specific strength, mobility and coordination. 30-60
minutes
- Repetition runs 2-4 x 4-6 x 100-150m, good running technique
Sunday
- 2nd event
technique
- 20-30 minutes.
special exercises for 2nd event
- Repetition runs 2-3 x 4-7 x 200-300m
Notes
- Hurdles are used
in the technique runs and special exercises for hurdlers
- 400m athletes -
their repetition runs are 2-3 x 4-5 x 300-400m on Sunday
- Each training
session to include an appropriate warm
up and cool down
Phase 2
Tuesday
- Sprint speed 4-6 x 4-7 x 20-40m rolling startor Start technique 2-3 x 5-7 x 30-40mor Acceleration 2-3 x 4-5 x 50-80mor 2-3 x 4-5 x 30m accelerate, 30m decelerate, 30m accelerate
- General strength
- Circuit or Weight
training
Thursday
- Special
exercises - combining specific strength, mobility and coordination. 30-60
minutes
- Repetition runs 2-4 x 3-5 x 120-150mor 3-5 x (150m, 120m, 90m)or 3-5 x (120m, 90m, 60m)
Sunday
- 2nd event
technique
- Sprint technique
or 20 minutes special exercises for 2nd event
- Repetition runs 2-3 x 3-5 x 200-300mor 100m, 200m, 300m, 200m, 100mor 300m, 250m, 200m, 150m, 100m
Notes
- Hurdlers use
hurdles wherever possible
- 400m athletes
- Thursday 2nd session. 2-4 x 4-6 x 120-200mor 4-6 x (180m, 150m, 120m)or 4-6 x (150m, 120m, 150m)
- Sunday 3rd session. 3-4 x 3-5 x 300-500mor 250m, 350m, 450m, 350m, 250mor 600m, 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m
- Hurdlers use
runs over sections of the 'race' e.g. 200m hurdles and 300m hurdles for
400m hurdler; 3 hurdles, 5 hurdles, 7 hurdles for 'high' hurdler. These
are built into repetition runs, technique runs or special exercises
- Each training
session to include an appropriate warm
up and cool down
Phase 3
Tuesday
- Technique
practices as required, including relays practice
- Special endurance (Speed) 3-5 x full recovery runs over racing distance + 20% (100, 200 High Hurdles)or 4-5 x full recovery runs over 350m or 300m or 250m (400m and low/intermediate hurdles)or 4-5 x full recovery special task runs e.g. 300m at 70% racing pace - then as fast as possible for 150m (400m and 400 Hurdles)or 4-5 x full recovery sub-maximum runs over 300m (100, 200m athletes)or 500m (400m and 400 Hurdles athletes)
Thursday
- Special
exercises and drills for speed and elastic strength
- Sprint speed 4-5 x 4-5 x 20-60m from blocks (100m, 200m, High Hurdles)or 4-5 x 4-5 x 20-40m rolling (100, 200m, High Hurdles)or 3-5 x 150-250m from blocks (400m and 400 Hurdles)
Sunday
- Competition or
- Technique practices as requiredor 8-14 x 150m stride, 250m walk recovery
Notes
- Hurdlers will
use hurdles in most sprint practices. When 'rolling start' work is used,
the hurdles may be brought slightly closer to simulate the 'late race'
situation in high hurdles. The 400m hurdler may work on stride
change-downs on Tuesdays
- Each training
session to include an appropriate warm up and cool down
Phase 4
Tuesday
- Sprint speed 4-6 x 4-7 x 20m-40m rolling startor Start technique 3-5 x 5-7 x 30m-40mor Acceleration 3-5 x 4-5 x 50m-80mor 3-4 x 4-5 x 30m accelerate, 30m decelerate, 30m accelerate
- General strength
- Circuit or Weight training
Thursday
- Special
exercises - combining specific strength, mobility and coordination. 30-60
minutes
- Repetition runs 3-5 x 3-5 x 120m-150mor 4-6 x (150m, 120m, 90m)or 4-6 x (120m, 90m, 60m)
Sunday
- 2nd event
technique
- Sprint technique
or 20 minutes special exercises for 2nd event
- Repetition runs 3-5 x 3-5 x 200-300mor 100m, 200m, 300m, 200m, 100mor 300m, 250m, 200m, 150m, 100m
Notes
- Hurdlers use
hurdles wherever possible
- 400m athletes
- Thursday 2nd session. 2-4 x 4-6 x 120-200mor 4-6 x (180-150-120m)or 4-6 x (150-120-150m)
- Sunday 3rd session. 2-3 x 2-4 x 300-500mor 250m, 350m, 450m, 350m, 250mor 600m, 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m
- Hurdlers use
runs over sections of the 'race' e.g. 200m hurdles and 300m hurdles for
400m hurdler; 3 hurdles, 5 hurdles, 7 hurdles for 'high' hurdler. These
are built into repetition runs, technique runs or special exercises
- Each training
session to include an appropriate warm up and cool down
Phase 5
Tuesday
- Technique
practices as required, including relays practice
- Special endurance (Speed) 4-5 x full recovery runs over racing distance + 20% (100, 200 High Hurdles)or 3-4 x full recovery runs over 350m or 300m or 250m (400m and low/intermediate hurdles)or 4-5 x full recovery special task runs e.g. 300m at 70% racing pace - then as fast as possible for 150m (400m and 400 Hurdles)or 4-5 x full recovery sub-maximum runs over 300m (100, 200m)or 500m (400m and 400 Hurdles athletes)
Thursday
- Special
exercises and drills for speed and elastic strength
- Sprint speed 4-5 x 5-6 x 20-60m from blocks (100m, 200m, High Hurdles)or 4-5 x 5-6 x 20-40m rolling (100, 200m, High Hurdles)or 4-5 x 150-250m from blocks (400m and 400 Hurdles)
Sunday
- Competition or
- Technique practices as requiredor 8-14 x 150m stride, 250m walk recovery
Notes
- Hurdlers will
use hurdles in most sprint practices. When 'rolling start' work is used,
the hurdles may be brought slightly closer to simulate the 'late race'
situation in high hurdles. The 400m hurdler may work on stride
change-downs on Tuesdays
- Each training
session to include an appropriate warm up and cool down