For years I’ve been saying:

“Yes! Speed *can* be taught.”

And I believe most people would agree with
that statement.

Now I could talk, for the billionth time,
about developing biomotor skill,
neuromuscular efficiency, force application,
etc.

And I could rehash the fact that, in the
end, results are directly proportional to
your ability to conduct the right workouts
at the right time with the most efficient
structure.

But, if you’re anything like me, you’re more
likely to be buy into an idea if you can
see actual proof that these ideas and
concepts really work.

So I put together this video showing you
exactly the kind of abuse your athletes
will inflict once they start running more
efficient workouts.

Before you watch this video, consider the
rate of improvement these girls experienced.

Their lifetime bests coming into the season
were, in the order they run:

13.0, 12.5, 13.1, 12.8

The bottom line:

Speed can be taught.

Here are the tools serving as the foundation
of my athletic programs:

Complete Speed Training - all the speed drills,
exercises, weight room work, plyometrics
and core training exercises I use to develop
my athletes.

Complete Program Design for Sprinters -
a step by step blueprint showing you the
most effective way to write workouts that
will ensure your sprinters peak at the
right time.

Questions? Comments? Leave a reply below.

Latif Thomas
 

Here are the questions I’ve answered about
training for the sprint events, so
you can follow along or skip through the
audio to hear what you want.

1. On Fridays workout i can’t do push-ups
because of my shoulder. Is their anything
else i could do instead?

2. My question is which video shows you
doing a speed drill for running faster.
Your demo of the speed drill is awesome.
May I get you to send that video to me
again or tell me the title of it. Thanks ,
Louis

3. My son is a freshman at a college this
fall. The track coach said he could be a
walk on if he ran a 48.5 (400) at a try
out. We have set this for second week in
Dec at a all comers meet. He ran a 50.67
in May of last year at state. He is now
running the third week of your workout.
Should he be doing any extra as it is a
college level.

4. What are your 400 training models for
older Masters Track competitors (65 and up)
 who will compete in national and world
class meets?

5. what is (10 exercises @30″ on 30″ off)
 
6. Our season begins in February. Should
I begin the 12 week program now, or wait
till November and what should I do with
the two week winter break in December
before the season? If I wait till November
to begin the 12 week program, what should
I have my athletes do till then? I have
purchased both programs from you (and love
them)!
Thanks!

7. Would you use this 400m program for
athletes that do 300m because they are too
young to do 400m?

8. What is the deal with isometric band
exercises fact or crap or something in
between they are being sold at
athleticquickness.com? Good Scientific
American study shows a loss of type 2x
fibers with conventional speed and
strength work to a slower 2a variety (also
type I to 2a) then a amazing increase to
2x fastest with lots of rest (like 3 months) after the initial hard work. What do these findings mean? Work hard in the off season and hit auto pilot mid way through to peak at the right time?

9. Do have idea’s on how to get out of
the starting blocks faster? Alex

10. what is the formular used to come up
with the time needed to run your reps.
e.g. say my best time is 23.0 for 200m how
would I figure 70% of that. Thank You
Winston

11. was wondering what the purpose of
running barefoot was? Also, what is the
intensity of the 250 hills on day three of
the first week?

12. I was wondering if your program comes
with strength program designs

13. mister Latif, i am a trainer from
Greece. I have an athlete (girl), who is
the better athlete in her age (1995) in
Greece in 300m. 43.56 is her record. The
next year she will run 300m.and 400m. with
hurdles.I would like to have your advice,
what i must do to be in high form.

14. Can you give some examples of the
Bodyweight Circuit exercises that you
refer to in your training plan?

15. I am a 59yr old 800m athlete with
59sec 400 speed.I use to run the 1500.Not
working for me anymore.I ran 27.3 for 200
last summer.I would like to train for the
400 and still be able to run a decent 800.
I will be 60 in june 2010.I have a chance
on being ranked in the top 3 in the U.S.
and possibly win a national title if the
training goes right.Can you help.I will
also be doing some volunteer coaching
with a age group track team. We are just
starting our x-c training.Thanks.God Bless.

16. HELLO, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU THAT IN
THE COMPETITION PREIOD, AFTER THREE WEEKS
LOADING WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND ME TO DO
DURING FOURTH WEEK FOR THE RECOVERY.

17. Hi Latif, In your experience is it
likely that someone who ran fast 400m
times before puberty/ rapid growth will
regain those times with an appropriate
training program such as the one you outline,
or do you often see kids running slower after
puberty & not able to re develop such speed
for sprints up to 400m? (e.g. 56.1 best time
as 14yr old girl/ 58.9 best time as 17 yr old)
She is much stronger now, but still running
slow times. Her training program includes
aerobic foundation pre season, core strength,
bodyweight exercises, tempo runs & interval
training, & speed work pre season & throughout
competition.
Thanks,
Ali

18. MY NAME IS GIOVANNI AND I AM 10YRS OLD.I
DO NOT HAVE A COACH YET, BUT I LIKE TO RUN
THE 400 METER.WHAT SHOULD I DO TO TRAIN FOR
RACING THIS YEAR.

19. my question is……in 2007 as a 11yr old
 my son finished 5th in country with a time
of 12.87 in 100. he’s 13yr old now and is
bigger and stronger but just has PR of 12.64.
what is going on? PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Latif Thomas, CSCS, USATF II
2005 MSTCA Coach of the Year
Complete Speed Training
Complete Program Design for Sprinters

The Top Ten Muscle Building Tips

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I received this question from a reader the
other day. It’s an excellent question and
I thought you (and your sprinters) would
benefit from hearing the answer:

Latif,

I have observed coaches who have more of a
aerobic based program train their 100,
200, and 400 runners together. I had one
of them tell me that when Michael
Johnson was at Baylor that it wasn’t
unusual for them to do 6 mile runs in
the fall? The 400 runners seem to improve
with the extra running but I
didn’t see the same improvements in the
short sprinters. Should long and
short sprinters be trained separately?

David

I have historically run two separate programs
for my short sprinters (55-200 runners)
and long sprinters (200-400) with great
success. In my experience this is standard
for highly successful HS programs and any
collegiate program worth its salt.

The energy system demands for these two event
groups require differentiated training *if*
your goal is to get your athletes to run the
fastest possible times during the biggest
meets of the season.

Over the years I have begun adding some mileage
to my 400m training during the General Prep
Period. I have found this to be an effective
method of building aerobic capacity and power,
thus improving the athletes’ ability to
handle greater volumes and intensities of
lactic work later in the Special Prep and
Competitive Periods (Intensive tempo,
special endurance runs, speed endurance, etc.).

However, this type of training - from an
energy system demands standpoint - has no
direct (or indirect) benefit for your
short sprinters.

Therefore, you must run different workouts
focusing on developing different qualities
for your short sprinters and your long sprinters.

I understand you might be saying:

‘Sounds good in theory, Latif. But I have
40 kids and minimal staffing. I don’t have
the resources to run two different programs
for my sprinters.’

Believe me, I understand your plight. In the
spring, for example, I am responsible for
boys and girls 100m-400m, both hurdle distances
and long jump. Last year that consisted of
over 40 kids and just me to implement that
program (plus the weight room).

So it can be done and done well.

The key to successfully doing this boils down
to one base element:

Your understanding of periodization (program
design) and how different workouts affect
athletes’ bodies.

When you understand the difference in
physiological effect between:

8 x 30m with 3 minutes rest

and

8 x 30m with 1 minute rest

OR

6 x 200 @ 70% with 2 minutes rest

and

2 x 3 x 200 @ 85% with 5 minutes between
intervals and 8-10 minutes between sets

…you can structure your short and long
sprint programs to appropriately overlap
where necessary.

So just because you’re running two different
programs doesn’t mean that everything your
groups do requires segregated practices.

I do speed work on Mondays. Everyone can do
that together because everyone needs speed
work.

Tuesday is a recovery day. Energy system wise,
we’re doing the same things with both groups.

But my long sprinters need more volume and,
generally, runs of longer duration.

If I want to break them up, the day might
look like:

Short sprints: 10 x 100 @ 70%ish (run the
straights, jog the runs) and 1-2x body
weight circuits with 40m jog between
exercises.

They don’t need me to time their 10×100 and
circuits can be run by group leaders. It’s
so general, I can focus on my long sprinters.

Long sprints: 6 x 300 @ 75% with 3′ rest

Now I can focus on recording this groups’
times, cue rhythm running and see what
kind of shape they’re in.

But, since it’s all aerobic work, if I
understand what the work does to the body
and I need to keep the groups together, I
can always do one workout such as:

6-10 x 200 @ 75% w/2′ rest

I’ll cut my short sprinters off at 6 and
have them go do a circuit or something
along those lines and then try to get my
long sprinters to finish 10.

(I’m speaking in general terms. There are
other variables I consider such as training
age, talent, experience, etc. But these
are things to consider once you have a solid
foundation and system already in place.)

And so on through the week.

They key is to understand how all the
training fits together based on your
understanding of training phases, energy
systems and the physiological requirements
of the individual events.

Set up and run your short and long sprint
programs like this and you’ll get optimal
results!

If you want to see a full workout by workout
12 week programs for both short sprinters
and long sprinters, I provide both as just
one part of your Complete Program Design
for Sprinters resource.

To your success,

Latif Thomas CSCS, USATF II
Complete Speed Training
Complete Program Design for Sprinters

P.S. Click here to see the first 4 weeks
of my offseason 400m training program.