1. OATCCC 2015 TRACK AND FIELD CLINIC Rod O’Donnell
THE 400
OATCCC 2015
TRACK AND FIELD CLINIC
Rod O’Donnell

2. “The heart of a great track team is built around the 400
“The heart of a great track team is built around the 400. If you can run a 400, you’ll be able to succeed in the shorter sprints, the 300 hurdles, the sprint relays, and maybe even the 800.” Carl Dupler, Former Cambridge Coach

3. MAJOR POINTS OF PRESENTATION
Importance of 400 in your program
Important general facts for 400 success
Key workouts
Resources that will help
Questions

4. GENERAL FACTS Predicted time for the 400 is to take the
athlete’s 200 time and double his/her best 200 and add 3.5 seconds.
Another predictor is to take the 200 time,
multiply by for a high school boy and
2.234 for a high school girl.

5. STRENGTH ENDURANCE A successful 400 training program
will include training comprised of
STRENGTH ENDURANCE
SPEED ENDURANCE
TEMPO ENDURANCE
STRENGTH TRAINING
POWER
SKILL (Event Running)
FLEXIBILITY
MENTAL TRAINING

6. PROPER SPRINT
MECHANICS IS A
CRITICAL PART OF THE
SUCCESS IN THE 400
AND SHOULD BE
INCLUDED IN ALL
PHASES OF THE
TRAINING FOR THE
EVENT

7. CORE STRENGTH IS A KEY TO 400 SUCCESS

8. Building a base of aerobic and anaerobic work, especially in the early season, will allow athletes to perform over a long season.

9. PRESEASON CONDITIONING SHOULD INCLUDE ONE DAY PER WEEK OF HILL WORK
PRESEASON CONDITIONING SHOULD INCLUDE ONE DAY PER WEEK OF HILL WORK. SUGGESTED DISTANCE: METERS

10. THE AMOUNT OF WORK DONE DURING THE PEAK PHASE OF TRAINING WILL DEPEND ON THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF WORK DONE IN THE BASE PERIOD.

11. TRUE SPEED WORK IS ANY DISTANCE RUN UNDER :08, USING MAXIMUM EFFORT
TRUE SPEED WORK IS ANY DISTANCE RUN UNDER :08, USING MAXIMUM EFFORT. Tony Venay, OATCCC Clinic

12. 400 BREAKDOWN
The first 70 meters – SPRINT The next 130 meters – FLOAT The next 100 meters – BUILD The final 100 meters – LIFT

13. The opening 200 of a 400 meter race should be one to two seconds slower than the athlete’s best 200 time, according to the athlete’s experience, with the second 200, one-two seconds slower than the first.

14. WEIGHT TRAINING
Wt Training is important, using 3-4 sets of 8-9 reps for 4-6 weeks, then 4-5 sets of 5 reps for 6 weeks. If lifting during peak phase, 3 sets of 5 reps are recommended.

15. PERCENTAGE OF EMPHASIS CHART FOR WORKOUTS
TYPES OF WORKOUTS FALL EARLY MID LATE
Speed Endurance
Tempo Endurance
Strength Endurance
Endurance Training
Power Speed
Event Runs
Strength

16. SAMPLE WORKOUTS
THE PACE OF THE WORK-OUT SHOULD BE ADJUSTED TO THE ATHLETE, BY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT AGE, GENDER, BACKGROUND, CURRENT INFORMATION, TRAINING SEGMENT (early, mid, late season), CURRENT BEST TIME

17. 12 SAMPLE WORKOUTS
8 x 200 in :28 on 2:00 – Recover 8:00 – 400 – Go! Tempo Endurance
4 x 500 – Go through 400 at assigned pace, then pick up tempo for the final 100 – 5:00 active rest recovery. Tempo Endurance
4-8 x 400 – 85-95% effort with a recovery of 3:00 or less
Tempo Endurance
Running in place on the high jump pit. Ex.: 4 x :30 as hard as
possible. Work up to more reps. Strength Endurance
– 90% with 10:00 recovery between each one. Speed Endurance

18. 25:00 continuous run – alternating :90 at 80% with :60 jog –
good during base period. Endurance Running
6 x (300:30 jog-100) – 90% - 10:00 RI – Speed Endurance
10 x flying 100 at 400 pace with 5-10:00 recovery. Speed Endurance
6 x 130 meter hill – Walk back recovery – emphasize correct form - push off, lift knees, don’t shuffle - Strength Endurance
x 30 meter hill - Power Speed
4 x 20, 3 x 30, 3 x 40, 2 x 50, 1 x 60 – Rest 4:00 on reps –
500 on set - Speed
- Meets during the week can be used as speed and speed endurance workouts

19. THE 400 10 RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP
Track and Field Omnibook, 5th edition, Ken Doherty, Chapter 7 – pgs
Running Trax – J. Gerry Purdy
Speed Improvement for Young Athletes – 2nd Edition, George Dintiman
Track Technique – Speed Training – Dare and Kearney, Spring 1988 – Older article but very relevant
“400 Meter Training” – Clyde Hart – NACACTFCA.org/articles
6. “400 Meter Training: Ideas for Training Design” – Jim Hiserman – Coaching Athletes Quarterly – Spring 2010

20. 7. 400 Meter Training – Ron Parker – Clinic Presentation 8
Meter Training – Ron Parker – Clinic Presentation 8. “Building Strength” – Vern Gambetta – Techniques, Nov “Sprinting the Florida Way” – Mike Holloway – Coachesdirectory.com 10. World Class “All Sports” Speed Development Program, Second Edition: April 2011, Steve Silvey

21. SPRINT CAMP EARLY-SEASON SAMPLE PRACTICE PLAN
1. Active Warm-Up
A. Jog 10:00
B. Jumping jacks, Down-up-Wayback, Chop Wood, Squat Thrusts (:30 each)
2.Neural Pathway
A. Quick feet – 4 square hop (:30)
B. Karaoke (:30)

22. 3. Tech Development – Form Drills – Cone to Cone x 3
High knee
Butt kicks
Skips
High knee wall
Wall hold

23. 4. Max Speed Work – Outdoor - 90 M – 30 stride, 30 faster, 30 fastest -60 M – 20 sprint, 20 float, 20 sprint Indoor - 15 M from 3 pt - 20 M from 3 pt

24. 5. Sprint loading
- 2 resisted followed by 1 unassisted
- Resisted sprinting – against partners or tow rope
Hills – 8-10% angle
Plyometrics – contacts

25. 6. Specific Sport Drills Starts/Exchanges

26. Endurance
7. 2 x 200 -:60 RI (10:00) 3 x 100- :60 Outdoor 4 x 4 x 60 – (2:00) and (4:00) Indoor

27. QUESTIONS?