This is a Terrible workout for sprinters!
When I was growing up, I was raised to respect adults and do whatever they said, even if I strongly believed they were wrong. So, as a kid, I always thought that once you became an adult, you just magically knew how to behave and had all the answers.
When I became an adult I realized how completely off base I was!
When I was a young coach, I believed that if you were a college coach, especially at the Division I level, you must *really* know what you are doing. Otherwise, how could you get a job like that?
When I went to USA Track and Field Level II school, the college coaches had a distinct ‘high and mighty’ attitude toward us mere high school coaches. Then final projects had to be presented and we realized, very clearly, that not all college coaches knew what they were doing. It was, quite literally, a jaw dropping realization.
This past weekend I was working with a Division I collegiate sprinter with terrible coaching. I’m not going to get into the mechanical and technical issues we worked on. For more information on that topic, check out this 82 minute webinar I recently conducted:
http://www.athletesacceleration.com/stslides
Look at the workout, in the order it was run. Then I’ll break it down. Remember, this is a primary event 200m runner (who never runs the 55) less than 4 weeks out from their Conference Championship:
1. 2 x ladder accelerations
2. 2 x 40m starts out of blocks
3. 200 – 150 – 150 @ roughly 80%, R = 2’
4. 4 x fly 40m
—————
2 x ladder accelerations
Unless your entire team consists of identical clones, don’t use an acceleration ladder. This simply teaches your sprinters a restricted acceleration pattern/drive phase based on….nothing. A tall athlete will have different stride length than a short athlete. Same for a 400m runner vs a 55m runner. Same for a strong athlete vs a weak athlete. Experienced vs. inexperienced. Biodiversity is so great from athlete to athlete that forcing sprinters into an arbitrarily established acceleration pattern is a sure way to keep your athletes from getting faster. Additionally, as your sprinters get stronger and more explosive from their time in the weight room and doing plyos, their acceleration pattern is going to change.
2 x 40m starts from blocks
I have no problem with this in and of itself. However, their starts are going to be all screwed up based on ineffective and inefficient acceleration ladder work they finished a few minutes earlier.
200 – 150 – 150, R= 2’
Obviously, with 2’ rest, these can’t be all that fast. So why do intensive tempo/middle intensity runs in the middle of a speed day? There’s no specific value in doing this type of training for a short sprinter. The volume is too low to get any particular physiological improvement for a D-1 level athlete and the intensity is too low (especially at this point of the season) to do anything relevant as well. You have the athletes running at full speed out of blocks then you slow them down and create lactic acid in an extremely easy workout. The problem is that you can’t expect athletes to make improvements in any high intensity work for the rest of the session because they are now in a state of fatigue. Well, this is OK as long as the coach isn’t going to do anything like maximum velocity work after….Oh.
4 x Fly 40m (aka Maximum Velocity)
I would be all about this portion of the training session if the athletes didn’t just run a few intervals of middle intensity lactic acid work. As we all should know by now, to make improvements to speed of efficient acceleration and maintenance of maximum velocity (click above link for more information on this critical topic) athletes can not be in a state of fatigue. But they are here. So athletes won’t be efficient from a neuromuscular standpoint, they won’t hit top speed and they’re more likely to get injured.
What’s the moral of this story? (Besides the fact that, like at the subcollegiate level, there are some extremely excellent college coaches and some that should be fired)
Take out the middle intensity work and ladder runs and this workout is pretty standard.
So here are a few pointers:
1. Don’t use acceleration ladders unless you’ve carefully set up the distance between each rung based on a specific line of logic
2. Don’t do lactic work on the same day you you’re doing full speed work. Also, don’t give your sprinters a ‘booty lock’ workout the day *before* a speed day.
3. Middle intensity work (80-89% intensity) has little value for a short (55-200m) sprinter. So do more speed sessions each week and less tempo work. Just lower the volume per session.
Got questions? Ask them below.
Latif Thomas
Complete Speed Training
Workout Planning for Sprinters (55-400m)
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:58 am
have read your comments on acceleration ladder; agree — the device never seemed right for entire team. Where and how do you like agility ladders used, esp. in the training of soccer players and football offensive and defensive backs ( high school and D-1 NCAA ). Thanks.
>>> I like agility ladders for field/court sports either as part of the warmup, as part of recovery day or as part of multidirectional speed/agility day. Does it develop specific coordination and movement skill that they’ll take to the field/court like a lateral shuffle, plyo step, etc? Probably not. And that’s what anti-agility ladder people point out. But that’s not what you’re using it for. It’s for general coordination, body awareness, etc. I absolutely think it has a place from youth to professional. Coaches just have to realize it’s not a replacement for movement skills, but a supplement to it.
LT
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
What are your thoughts on the use of agility ladder when training for a sport other than a sprinter in track? (specifically, lacrosse).
>>>I like agility ladders for field/court sports either as part of the warmup, as part of recovery day or as part of multidirectional speed/agility day. Does it develop specific coordination and movement skill that they’ll take to the field/court like a lateral shuffle, plyo step, etc? Probably not. And that’s what anti-agility ladder people point out. But that’s not what you’re using it for. It’s for general coordination, body awareness, etc. I absolutely think it has a place from youth to professional. Coaches just have to realize it’s not a replacement for movement skills, but a supplement to it.
LT
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:11 pm
I am an old guy who has been coaching T&F athletes privately since the late 60s. I has been my experience that there are few coaches at any level, college or high school, who know what they are doing. Most things these folks do is like a cook who has many recipes but they all turn out to be the same lame stew. They are either quite uneducated or quite over educated falling for the over scientificated nonsense that has permeated the sport for several decades. Latif’s approach is validated through the success he has had. I have come to many of the same conclusions regarding developing athletes as he has. I even occasionally steal from him.
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Latif that is why I love your stuff. I still don’t think people understand energy systems and basically how those systems work based on events. That is a perfect example to verify that they don’t and easy ways to get their athletes hurt. Keep up the godd work.
PReneau,
Sprint Coach
Frenchtown High School
Frenchtown,Mt.
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:37 pm
I understand your criticism of the ladder work in general but I think your assertion about “identical clones” is a bit off the mark. If one looks at the best 100 meter sprinters in the world, it’s easy to see that they cover the first 10 meters in 6.5-7.0 steps. These athletes can range from 5′8″-6′4″, be tremendously strong in the weightroom or not lift that much at all. Interestingly enough, there’s plenty of guys who can cover 10 meters in 7.0 steps but how many can do it in less than 1.90 seconds?
>>> Fair point Rich. But neither I, nor 99.8% of the people who read/purchase/coach are dealing with sub 10 100m runners. At the developmental levels, which is where I spend the majority of my time, I think you are limiting an athlete’s development by restricting stride length during the early part of their race by forcing them onto an acceleration ladder. But, my mind is always open to opposing viewpoints.
LT
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:52 pm
As always your analysis is excellent and easy to follow. There are so many places to take this conversation as it pertains to coaches and there lack of understanding of training athletes at any level. Great Stuff Latif!
>>>Thank you! There are many directions to take it and I’m planning to do so over the coming weeks and months!
LT
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I train athlete’s from a wide range of different sports and found the use of the agility ladder invaluable,i sometimes mix it up with short hurdles at different stations to create multidirectional skills all in a small area,starting low intensity and adequate rest,and then building the effort from there,my main concern is that coaches i have watched who use the ladder don’t check/analyse their athlete’s when their form breaks down,the athlete has no idea,and he/she never fully benefit,thanks!
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I can’t believe this workout even exists. The fact that people need to be told not to do middle intensity work on the same day as speed boggles my mind. Then again, maybe that’s why you get a zillion guys going into college running 10.4 FAT and only a few coming out running 10.0 FAT. They get run into the ground and hurt by workouts like this!
>>> THis is a bad workout at the HS level. Problem is that I’m not making things up when I say that this is from a Division I Track Program. And, based on what I’ve seen, kids should consider themselves lucky if they go into some colleges running 10.4 and come out running 10.0. It seems like a lot of people don’t get faster at all in college. The majority of athletes I send to college come out only marginally faster than they were when I had them in HS, if they get faster at all. And that is unacceptable.
LT
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Mr. Thomas,
It appears your are very knowledgeable of track and field especially the sprints. I do beleive in your sprint philosophy. Have you considered coaching at the high school or collegiate level?
Thanks, GP
Sumer Leauge Track Coach
Columbus, OH
>>> I do coach at the HS level here in New England.
LT
January 22nd, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Latif, you are so right. When I train absolute speed, I like to walk recovery or do some type of corework between reps. Is that okay ?
Mick Louck
Track coach
Mercer County H.S.
Aledo,IL
>>> We walk or sprinter jog (which is slower than a walk) between reps so I can give feedback. I don’t do core work because I want complete recovery. Or, at the very least, I don’t want the core, which transfers power when running, to become fatigued and compromise the technical elements of training we are working on.
LT
January 23rd, 2010 at 4:05 am
Hi Latif
I am just writing to say thank you for the speed webinar I have just finished watching it here in Ireland and it is excellent I have been to many speed workshops with different coaches in the uk and Ireland and this is by far the best some excellent points thank you again keep up the good work.
Adrian
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:20 am
Latif,
How do you feel about about having your athletes running a stride pattern at “max velocity”? I’ve seen and heard sprint coaches use this drill to work on stride frequency: They place sticks (or tape) 5 feet apart for approximately 20 to 30 meters, then they have the athletes complete a 30meter flying run stepping between the sticks. As the season and/or athletes progress the coach moves the marks further apart. They alternate the “stick runs” with flying 30 without the sticks.
Thanks,
JD
>>> I’ve sat here for 5 minutes trying to figure out how I would justify that workout and can’t do it. That’s trying to be complicated just for the sake of being complicated. And it’s going to confuse any normal kid. I could say, when talking about arm action during sprinting, ‘don’t cross the midline of your body’ or I could say ‘avoid lateral deviation across the sagittal plane’. The former is just trying to get results, the latter is trying to sound smart for no reason. I always choose the former.
LT
January 23rd, 2010 at 10:55 am
LT,
I understand training for different power systems. When working with a multi-event athlete that does the 200,400,TJ,LJ, & HJ, which system should be the focus? This athlete’s main focuses are TJ & 400 in that order.
>>> Speed, strength and power should be the focus. Anaerobic alactic and then Anaerobic glycolytic. Get them faster and stronger and they’ll run faster and jump further. Don’t make it complicated.
LT
January 23rd, 2010 at 11:51 am
After listening to your web seminar,
I m curious what speed work you’s recommend for jumpers. Jumper unlike sprinters can not cheat on strides and depend on power acceleration. The force generated in simulating a down start while standing is vital for them to power and speed to generate torque need to go from horizontal to vertical power.
I usually like to do pure speed work 6×20 full recovery (8-10R) (15min R then 4X40 (8-10R) full recovery and finishing it off with 110 accelerators from the LJ start position where we concentrate on power generation for the first 8-10 strides before they stnd straight up and get into their full speed and maximal acceleration.
My speed work drills for jumpers is based on the jumper knowing when he/she can reaches the maximal point that they can control the force exchange. I’d like to know what speed work you’d recommend to get there
>>> Speed work for jumpers is the same for speed work for sprinters, except we do more accel work and do more specific approach work. An LJ approach has a drive phase just like 100m, it’s just shorter. But conceptually it’s the same. My sprinters don’t ‘cheat’ their strides, though I don’t know what you mean by that. I don’t wait 8-10′ between 40m sprints as I think that is a bit long. I also coach primarily at the HS level and we don’t have jump specialists. Nonetheless, collegiate jumpers still need traditional sprint work.
I would say, based on the very limited information you provided, that you make speed work (and technical elements of it) for jumpers more complicated than I do. I look for commonalities between sprint and jump requirements and try to line them up for workouts so athletes who jump and sprint (which is all of them) stay within the confines of the volume I want for that particular training session.
LT
January 23rd, 2010 at 11:53 am
Hi Latif…i have already buy complete program design for sprinters and my question is if is posible to give me an example of a premeet day!
>>> As a former sprinter, I am very sensitive to peoples’ individual premeet processes. Some athletes like to go through a long, extended routine the day before a meet, getting up to full speed, blocks,etc. Some athletes don’t like to do much of anything at all. So for premeet, it really depends on what athletes want to do. The main purpose is to prepare the athlete for tomorrow’s competition. You don’t want to do anything resembling a workout (unless it is early season and you are training through the meet). So I try to keep it low key – no more than 45-60 minutes from start to going home. So here is the premeet day that I did when I was competing:
1. Meet day warm up (which is longer and more drawn out than a ’speed day’ warm up. My meet day warmup takes roughly 60 minutes.)
2. 2-3 x 30m accelerations building up to topspeed with the last one
3. 2-3 x 10m block starts or handoffs
4. Light stretch
5. Go home
LT
January 24th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Hello Latif, interesting interpretation of your observations although I’m not certain I’d want to be too critical of another coach’s workout without having all the facts of the athlete’s Long Term Athlete Developmental Plan [LTAD]. If you were working with another coach’s athlete I’m curious, did the athlete approach you because he or she was not satisfied, or you made the approach? With the limited info available, based on the description you’ve provided of the work-rest ratios and the 80% effort being applied, this workout does meet the test for the energy systems required of a physically mature athlete[anaerobic lactic/alactic]. Is there anything you can offer about the LTAD that might help to better understand how this workout might fit into the program?
Regards,
Tom
>>>THanks for the post, Tom. Truth is, I’m not one to mince words. Not really my style. This turns some people off. I wish them the best of luck, but I have no intention of changing. That is why there is a link at the bottom of every email I send that allows you to unsubscribe from my newsletters. I hope you choose to stay, but understand that I might be too politically incorrect for your tastes. That said:
With this athlete (and most) there is no LTAD. At all. None. It’s another example of a distance coach using a distance philosophy with sprinters. And that is a crime at the collegiate level. The athlete approached me. I do not approach athletes for a number of reasons. First, it is (arguably) disrespectful and secondly – I turn away more people than I can possibly help, so adding more responsibility to my life is a poor use of time I don’t have. In the context of time of year, this athlete’s individual ability and experience and my knowledge of this particular program, I disagree that it was an appropriate workout for developing a 200m runner in their Competitive Phase of training. Where does 200-150-150, R=2′ fit into the competitive phase training of a D1 200m runner, particularly in the middle of a speed workout? Forget LTAD, just speak in general terms. What is the justification for that workout because I can’t find one.
LT
January 24th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Thanks again Latif,
you did answer some key questions that came to mind, and if the coach you refer to is indeed primarily a distance coach then I can see the thought process in that type of workout, including the use of ladders to work on agility. Some gaps perhaps in the thinking for a pure sprinter. Unfortunatley I can’t speak for the justification of that particular workout, that’s something the coach himself would have to come up with. As you said, if there isn’t any kind of long term developmental plan for this collegiate runner, whether Freshman or Senior, then it doesn’t really matter what kind of workout your throw at an athlete does it? Failing to plan is planning to fail so kudos to this fellow who went to you, to have enough sense to reach out on his own behalf.
All the best,
Tom
>>> Where I live, the distance model bleeds into too many sprint programs, though I’d say that’s fairly common everywhere. You must be on the right track, however, because the first thing that came to your mind was trying to figure out how to consider that workout as part of a bigger 4 year development cycle. That type of long term thinking makes you the exception and not the rule because most coaches and programs don’t think or plan that far ahead. IT was the right point/question to raise.
LT
January 25th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
I’ve listened to a lot of your webinars. Most recently both the 400m and short sprints. And I’ve purchased Complete Program Design. All good stuff and I like to listen to it more than once. Any chance you could make the audio portion available to be put on an ipod? Then I could take it with me in the car, listen during a workout, etc.
Thanks for everything. Keep up the good work.
Coach C
>>> That’s a good idea. I will put that on my list and see about changing the format so you can do that.
LT
January 27th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Latif
I could not agree more with your analysis. Too many coaches simply adapt models, whether they are distance methodologies used in training distance runners and applying them to sprinters, or even worse taking College workouts and trying to modify and apply them to HS athletes. Keep doing what you are doing and I look forward to keeping in touch with what you are doing.
January 28th, 2010 at 2:14 am
hi man
when we can do short hill sprint, parachute or harness training in season?
How much & when during the week? distance should be increase or decrease during the season?
tanx
>>> You can do that training on speed days. I wouldn’t do it more than once per week. Theoretically the distance should increase, but it depends on the specific goals you are trying to achieve with the resistance work.
LT
January 28th, 2010 at 2:28 am
hi
I’m mohammad barrangi:
http://athletics.iwasf.com/athletes/ath0000014447.asp
http://www.paralympians.com/worldseries/ViewAthlete.aspx?AthleteID=2780
I need a coach for 100m & 200M for london 2012 paralympic.u are a great coach latif,can u help me?
>>> I commend you for your efforts. However, I am not taking on any clients at this time as I have my hands full with my current athletes and other obligations. I recommend absorbing as much information as possible and applying what makes sense to your own training.
LT
January 28th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
If someone all ready has some sprinting ability,strength trains, and wants to compete with their age level (for fun) how would you suggest they start training? times per week, etc..thanks so much!
K
>>>That’s a far more complicated question than it appears at first glance. But in short, start doing acceleration (10-30m) work 2-3 days per week and some tempo work another couple days per week.
LT
January 29th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
LT, you hit it right on the head with your response to Jimmy Jack…when you said this work out was from a D 1 Track program. I was a Div 1 track runner and we did work outs like this every week, sometimes the day before a meet! I would estimate that 40% of our sprinters pulled hamstrings every year I was there; myself included.
PS. The Coach who “wrote” these work outs for over 40yrs is in the Hall of Fame at the Univ she spent the majority of her coaching career.
>>> Yet another reason why track is a joke on many levels.
LT
January 29th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
What do you reccommend to improve a girls softball speed 60 feet from out of the batters box to 1st base? Out of the box 2 or 3 short driving down steps then long strides? I teach proper technique like 90 degree arm angle, hip to chin arm swing, don’t cross center line, don’t overstride.
>>> I recommend speed work, technical feedback and weight room. If I were to critique what you teach, such as the ‘don’t overstride’ statement, I would say that this says what to do, but not how to do it.
But, in essence, what you are saying is correct.
LT
January 30th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Hi Latif Thomas
I’m a 100m 200m sprinter.
Personal Bests: 100m: 10.90s 200m: 22.60s
I passed 16weeks full general preparation and 12 weeks remain to my competition phase & first competition.
What’s your opinion about below program for this remain 12 weeks?
Weeks 1-4:
Monday: sprint from various position, ploys, weight (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts)
Tuesday: speed endurance, weight (upper body strength)
Wednesday: sprint from starting block, ploys
Thursday: short hill sprint, weight (squat, deadlift, Olympic lifts)
Friday: speed endurance, weight (upper body strength)
Saturday: sprint from starting block, ploys
Sunday: Off
Weeks 5-8:
Monday: sprint from various position, ploys, weight (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts)
Tuesday: speed endurance, weight (upper body strength)
Wednesday: sprint from starting block, ploys
Thursday: short hill sprint, weight (squat, deadlifts, Olympic lifts)
Friday: speed endurance, weight (upper body strength)
Saturday: sprint from starting block, ploys
Sunday: Off
Weeks 9-12:
Monday: sprint from starting block, Maximum Velocity, weight (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts)
Tuesday: speed endurance, weight (upper body strength)
Wednesday: sprint from starting block, ploys
Thursday: Maximum Velocity (down hill), weight (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts)
Friday: speed endurance, weight (upper body strength)
Saturday: sprint from starting block, Maximum Velocity, ploys, weight (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts)
Sunday: Off
*track training at morning & weight training at evening
>>> you will cripple yourself if you attempt to do that much speed work. In fact, God Himself would tear a hamstring on that program.
LT
February 5th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
>>> you will cripple yourself if you attempt to do that much speed work. In fact, God Himself would tear a hamstring on that program.
LT
>>> plz fix my program latif,tanx
February 11th, 2010 at 10:46 am
Hey Latif,
I have been reading through the articles and put together a program. Would something like this fit for 100/200 runners for preseason.
Mon:
Warmup
Drills-a skip, fast leg
Speed Work: reps from 30m-60m up to 300m total
Plyos: Bounds, LLRR… bounds, and powerskips 3 sets 30m each
Weights: Deadlift sets of 3
Tues:
Warmup
Easy tempo runs
Core circuits
Wed:
Warmup
Drills
Acceleration work: 5×10m, 5×20m, 5×30m
1 Speed endurance run (150m-300m) at 90%
Weights:Jumpsquats, lunges, pullups, jerks
Thurs:
Same as Tues:
Friday:
Same as Monday
Sat:
Same as Tues/Thurs
Sun: nothing
After 3 weeks have a rest/time trial week.
Any advide would be very much appreciated. Is this too much? too little? should i take away certain things or add certain things?
>>> I don’t have a problem with this plan except I probably wouldn’t start off so heavy in the weight room (reps of more than 3).
LT
February 20th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Dear coach Thomas,
I eat, sleep, and breathe track and field and do everything to learn anything to make my kids better, which is why I plan on buying your program. I am just an assistant but I control the sprinters and I am having trouble getting our head guy to see that our warm-up is hurting our kids. We do bounding and power skips and single leg hops everyday, which I thought was plyometrics. I am only 24 and he is 55 so I am young to coaching . Am I wrong on this point?
>>>You are completely correct. The warm up you describe is a devastating injury waiting to happen and is a crime against children.
LT
August 24th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Hi Latif,
I’m training for the 100m metres, and I’m doing max velocity sprints twice a week. Should I concentrate on short sprints at 90% such as fly 30’s and fly 60’s, or should I add a tempo session on some weeks ?
Thanks.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Hi Latif
Our season started 3 weeks ago My 15 year daughter is following your Complete Program Design for Sprinters
we have tweaked it so she does weights in the morning of speed work Mondays and Wednesdays run in the afternoon, Sunday & Thursday are the speed endurance days. Fridays and Tuesdays are rest days. I was thinking of having a 3rd weight session Saturday Mornings, but she does compete in quickfire interclub meetings ie 100 at 3pm 200 at 4pm. We would not do the weight session on big meet Saturdays. But are building towards a peak Mid December and then End of March.