Mike Holloway: 25 Tips & Drills for the Sprint Events (DVD)
Since I am on a roll discussing the various 3×300, 2×350, or 352 yard workouts, I have another one to discuss.
Mike Holloway, head Track and Field coach at the University of Florida, believes in a 14 day taper from a major Championship.
For example, 12 days out from the big meet, he has his 400 meter and 400 meter hurdlers run a 2 x 320 meters near full effort with full recovery between (20-30 minutes). His logic is adding 10 seconds for men at this level to extrapolate a 400 meter time.
I personally like to use 2 x 325 meters because 325 meters is the 9th hurdle mark on the track. It is clearly marked. It also practices race simulation as you start at the normal 400 meter stagger. (By the way, 310 meters is the end of the 4x100m relay zone). Also, my athletes are not 44 sec 400m runners (I wish!), so I usually add 10 seconds for the last 75 meters.
For example, when I was M40 eight years ago, I did this workout in 42.4 and 42.5 and ran 52.64 for 400 meters. And yes, those last 75 meters in approx. 10 seconds were hell.
This workout gave me the confidence I needed as well as set me up for expectations.
For youth athletes, you may consider doing 2 x 255m or 2 x 290m as those are the 7th and 8th hurdle marks.
The Problem with Taper
… just going slightly off topic here…
The problem with the taper is, when do you start it? For an elite runner, they may run 3 rounds on Day 1, 2, and 4. (rest day on Day 3) . Is Day 1 considered a warm-up if your PR is 43 point?
If you are Jeremy Wariner, the first round is usually easy in a mid-45 whereas other people will need to run a PB just to advance to the next round.
To get an idea of elite athletes running the rounds, check out my article on the Berlin 2009: IAAF Biomechanical Analysis
The solution for the early rounds?
Run the first 280-300 meters at real race pace, as if it’s the finals, and jog (checking side to side) the last 100m and make absolutely sure you qualify for the next round. If you want lessons on how to do this, just go to Youtube and watch any of Michael Johnson early rounds of a 400 meters.
Mike Holloway: 25 Tips & Drills for the Sprint Events (DVD)
I have never understood taper and peaking, Why spend 8 to 10 months training to tone it down? Why rest up all of a sudden, haven’t you been training to perform?
Stephen Francis (aka Asafa Powell’s coach) doesn’t believe in peaking either.
If I am training you to run your fastest, then any day should do.
If I am training you to run around a certain time, then guessing is all I can do about when you should be ready.
Peaking is not toning it down. Peaking is adjusting the training so that an athlete is at peak physical fitness and withut any form off fatigue to perform. That is a fine line to walk indeed.
With regard to Stephen Francis, maybe that is why Asafa Powell never won a major championship?
Why does it take so long to reach peak physical fitness?
I understand in a sport like boxing, but I don’t see why peak physical fitness is the goal in track. Peak physical fitness does not equate to best performance.
Ok, I understand I wasn’t complete. With peak physical fitness I mean the situation where all the basic motor skills (strength, speed, endurance) are at their optimum mix, which then does coincide with peak performance. This of course leaving out the whole mental process. And reaching that point actually takes a lot longer that 8 months. It takes at least four years for an athlete to even reach his or hers basic performance level. Once at that level, it takes about 8 months to reach your seasonal peak. It then usually takes another four year to reach your maximum potential, barring injuries etc, etc.
And why does it take so long? Because sprinters, like no other athlete in any other sport, are operating at the very limit of what a neuromusculair system can handle.
Maybe it is the inefficient sprinting style that is being used that puts the neuromuscular system at operating limits.
As we truly have no idea what the human body is capable of.
We only know the limits of current training modalities.
By definition an ineffecient style cannot put the neuromusculair system at its operating limit. It can, though, put musclesfibres at their operating limits and it can also put energy systems at their eneregy limits .
I do agree with you that we truly have no idea what the human body’s maximum potential is.