I will be coaching middle school track this year and need some help on coaching the sprinters and distance runners develop running skills and improve there P. R. times.
Can you help me?
Sprint Workouts
Moderator: George Payan
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George Payan
- Posts: 401
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2002 9:07 am
Sprint Workouts
From the Sprints button on the web site, refer to the article "A General Workout For Sprinters". Follow this program but do not give as much volume to the sprinters because they are younger.
The general rule for total distance in workouts for the 100 meter sprinter is 300 to 900 meters and for the 200 meter sprinter it is 300 to 1200 meters. The workouts are high-intensity.
Decide the four fastest sprinters as early as possible. Then decide, of the four fastest, which athletes will run the 100, 200, 400, hurdles and 4 x 100 relay. One of the fastest athletes will be in the 100, one will be in the 200, one will be in the 400 and one will be in the hurdles. They will all be in the 4 x 100 relay. The second group of fast runners is spread out among the races. Continue to do the same with the third group of fast runners.
Practice the same athletes in the 4 x 100 from the start of the season to the end of the season in the same position, one, two, three or four. Each of the four fastest runners will also compete in a field event. The second group of fast runners is also spread out among the field events.
With regard to distance runners, the slowest runners are in the shortest distance race. If there is a mile event, put the slowest runners in the half mile and quarter mile races. After athletes from the fastest groups are placed, fill all the lanes with the slowest runners from the distance group. Use the same format with the distance groups as with the sprint groups. Put the fastest distance runner in the mile and the next fastest distance runner in the 800. Alternate athletes until there are three or four in each event. Put the remaining slowest runners in the 800 and the 400. Fill up the 400-meter race first. If you have a large number of athletes, open another 400-meter race.
Stick to this format regardless of what athletes, parents or anyone says. The biggest mistake is to ask athletes what event they want to compete in. The coach decides the events. By each Monday know which events the athletes will compete in and begin coaching technique right away. You might want to have a lunch meeting to strategize before Mondays’ practice. Train to compete. On the day before the meet, everyone should know what he or she would be doing on the day of the meet. This includes the warm up. Communicate to athletes what is expected of them from the beginning to the end of the meet. If there is no communication, the athletes are not focused on their events on the day of the meet. The coaches should also be focused on taking the athletes through their events before the meet starts on the day of the meet.
On the day of the meet, be prepared for the worst. Some athletes may not show up for the meet so bring up the next fastest athlete to fill in. Do not place an athlete in an event he has not been trained for. The consequences are injury to the athlete.
If you have not decided which are your fastest sprinters, time them in the 40. Another test is a chin up test. Be sure everyone is tested the same way. The athletes that can do the most chin ups are the fastest and strongest athletes because they can lift their body weight. If you do the chin up test, the back of the hands are facing the athlete, and they have to go all the down and all the way up. Their chin should be above the bar.
Coach Payan
www.CoachesEducation.com
The general rule for total distance in workouts for the 100 meter sprinter is 300 to 900 meters and for the 200 meter sprinter it is 300 to 1200 meters. The workouts are high-intensity.
Decide the four fastest sprinters as early as possible. Then decide, of the four fastest, which athletes will run the 100, 200, 400, hurdles and 4 x 100 relay. One of the fastest athletes will be in the 100, one will be in the 200, one will be in the 400 and one will be in the hurdles. They will all be in the 4 x 100 relay. The second group of fast runners is spread out among the races. Continue to do the same with the third group of fast runners.
Practice the same athletes in the 4 x 100 from the start of the season to the end of the season in the same position, one, two, three or four. Each of the four fastest runners will also compete in a field event. The second group of fast runners is also spread out among the field events.
With regard to distance runners, the slowest runners are in the shortest distance race. If there is a mile event, put the slowest runners in the half mile and quarter mile races. After athletes from the fastest groups are placed, fill all the lanes with the slowest runners from the distance group. Use the same format with the distance groups as with the sprint groups. Put the fastest distance runner in the mile and the next fastest distance runner in the 800. Alternate athletes until there are three or four in each event. Put the remaining slowest runners in the 800 and the 400. Fill up the 400-meter race first. If you have a large number of athletes, open another 400-meter race.
Stick to this format regardless of what athletes, parents or anyone says. The biggest mistake is to ask athletes what event they want to compete in. The coach decides the events. By each Monday know which events the athletes will compete in and begin coaching technique right away. You might want to have a lunch meeting to strategize before Mondays’ practice. Train to compete. On the day before the meet, everyone should know what he or she would be doing on the day of the meet. This includes the warm up. Communicate to athletes what is expected of them from the beginning to the end of the meet. If there is no communication, the athletes are not focused on their events on the day of the meet. The coaches should also be focused on taking the athletes through their events before the meet starts on the day of the meet.
On the day of the meet, be prepared for the worst. Some athletes may not show up for the meet so bring up the next fastest athlete to fill in. Do not place an athlete in an event he has not been trained for. The consequences are injury to the athlete.
If you have not decided which are your fastest sprinters, time them in the 40. Another test is a chin up test. Be sure everyone is tested the same way. The athletes that can do the most chin ups are the fastest and strongest athletes because they can lift their body weight. If you do the chin up test, the back of the hands are facing the athlete, and they have to go all the down and all the way up. Their chin should be above the bar.
Coach Payan
www.CoachesEducation.com