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USATrack&FieldCoachingManual
USATrack&Field
JosephL.Rogers
ProjectCoordinator
Pageii
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ISBN0880116048
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ISBN:0880116048
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Pageiii
AMESSAGETOCOACHESFROMUSATRACK&FIELD
OnbehalfofUSATrack&Field,wehopeyoufindthisUSATrack&FieldCoachingManualausefultool.ThisbookfeaturescontributionsfromUSATF's
Development,CoachingEducation,andSportsScienceCommitteesandhighlightstechniquesanddrillsthatshouldprovehelpfultobeginningandveterancoaches
alike.
ThemissionofUSATFistoprovidevisionandleadershipinathleticsintheUnitedStates,andtopromotethepursuitofexcellencefromyouthtomasters,fromthe
grassrootstotheOlympicGames.TheUSATrack&FieldCoachingManualembodiesthatvisionandleadership,andwearegratefultothemanycoacheswho
havecontributedtheirexpertisetothisproject.Yourongoingcontributionswhetheryoucoachayouthcluboratamajoruniversityareverymuchappreciated.
Wehopethispublicationbecomesavaluableresourceforyou,andwewishyoucontinuedsuccessinyourcoachingcareers.
PatriciaF.Rico
President
CraigA.Masback
ChiefExecutiveOfficer
Pageiv
CONTENTS
Preface
vii
Credits
ix
PartI
CoachingEssentials
Chapter1
OrganizingaSuccessfulProgram
JosephL.Rogers
Chapter2
PredictiveTestingofAthletes
PhilHensonandPaulTurner
19
PartII
RunningEvents
Chapter3
100and200Meters
CurtisFrye
35
Chapter4
400Meters
ClydeHart
51
Chapter5
100and110MeterHurdles
RalphLindemanandJohnMillar
63
Chapter6
400MeterHurdles
GaryWinckler
75
Chapter7
800MeterstoMile
MikePoehlein
93
Chapter8
3000to10,000Meters
LanceHarterandHarryGroves
109
Chapter9
Relays
RobJohnsonandKarenDennis
123
PartIII
JumpingEvents
Chapter10
LongJump
KyleTellezandKathyJames
141
Chapter11
TripleJump
DeanHayes
159
Pagev
Chapter12
HighJump
SueHumphreyandDougNordquist
173
Chapter13
PoleVault
JimBemiller
199
PartIV
ThrowingEvents
Chapter14
ShotPut
BillGodinaandRonBackes
219
Chapter15
Discus
DonBabbitt
235
Chapter16
Javelin
C.HarmonBrown,BillWebb,andBobSing
249
Chapter17
Hammer
KenBantum
265
PartV
RacewalkingandMultipleEvents
Chapter18
Racewalking
JeffSalvage,BohdanBolwicaski,GwenRobertson,lanWhatley,and
GaryWesterfield
281
Chapter19
Heptathlon
CliffRovelto
287
Chapter20
Decathlon
HarryMarra
299
Bibliography
309
AboutUSATrack&Field
312
AbouttheContributors
313
Pagevii
PREFACE
Asthenationalgoverningbodyforthesport,USATrack&Fieldhaspromoted,incurred,andwitnesseditsshareofchangesduringthedecadeplussincepublishinga
previousversionofthisbook.ThenameoftheorganizationhaschangedfromTheAthleticsCongress.Anewdirectorhasbeenselected.Women'sparticipationand
performanceshaverisentonewheights.Continuedrefinementsinconditioningprogramshaveproducedmorepowerfulandfinelyhonedphysicalspecimensthanever
inthesport'shistory.
ThisUSATrack&FieldCoachingManual(2000)reflectstheinnovations,emphases,andimprovementsinoursportsinceTheAthleticsCongress'sTrackand
FieldCoachingManualwaspublishedin1989.Thebookfeaturesanoutstandingcastofcontributors33ofthesport'smostsuccessfulcoachespresentingthe
latestandbestinformationontesting,teaching,training,andcompetingineveryeventforbothmenandwomen.
Thisbookisdividedintofiveparts,allowingyoutoturnstraighttoaneventofinterestforcomprehensivecoverage.PartI,CoachingEssentials,presentsmanyofthe
mostimportantfacetsofmanagingasuccessfulprogramwithusefulinsightsonplanning,promoting,andrecruiting.Aspecialchapteronpredictivetestingofathletes
willhelpyoumoreobjectivelyandaccuratelydeterminethepotentialofdevelopingathletesandprojecttheirperformancesinvarioustrackandfieldevents.
PartII,RunningEvents,containssevenchaptersloadedwithmaterialonpropermechanics,trainingregimens,andcompetitivestrategiesforthesprints,hurdles,
distanceraces,andrelays.
ThenextfourchaptersformPartIIIJumpingEvents.Inthissectionyou'llfindextensiveinformationontechniqueandtrainingforthelongjump,triplejump,high
jump,andpolevault.
ThrowingEvents,PartIV,consistsofchaptersontheshotput,discus,javelin,andhammer.Twokeystosuccessforathletesintheseeventsareefficientmechanical
formandgeneratingmaximumpower.
PartVcoversracewalkingandthemultieventsofheptathlonanddecathlon.Thesechaptersareespeciallyhelpfulwhenyouhaveathleteswhomaynotshineina
singlerunning,jumping,orthrowingevent,butwhohaveagreatworkethic,arehighlyconditioned,andhaveawilltowin.
Thisbookisthemostauthoritativeandcomprehensiveguidetocoachingthesport.Readandrefertoitoftenasyouworktodevelopandimproveyourprogram.
You'llbenefitfromtheexpertiseandexperienceofthemanyexcellentcoacheswhocontributedtothiswork.Yourathleteswillbenefitfromyourbetterinstructionand
training.Bothyouandyourathleteswillseetheresultswhenyoucompeteinforthcomingseasons.
Pageix
CREDITS
FiguresandText
Figures3.3,3.4,5.4,6.1,6.7,6.8,7.1,9.1,9.2,and14.11reprinted,bypermission,fromG.A.Carr,1999,FundamentalsofTrackandField,2ded.
(Champaign,IL:HumanKinetics),4,158,56,67,54,56,75,28,29,and201.
Table3.1reprinted,bypermission,fromUSATrack&Field,Inc.,"USATrack&FieldLevelIICoachingEducationProgram."
Chapter11portionsoftextreprinted,bypermission,fromD.Hayes,1981,PracticalCoachingTechniquesTheTripleJump,(Ames,IA:ChampionshipBooks
&VideoProductions).
Figure11.2reprinted,bypermission,fromJ.Hay,UniversityofIowa,ExerciseScienceDepartment,IowaCity,IA.
Chapter16portionsoftextreprinted,bypermission,fromB.WebbandB.Sing,1989,TheJavelin.InTheAthleticsCongress'sTrackandFieldCoaching
Manual,2ded.,editedbyV.Gambetta(Champaign,IL:LeisurePress),189199.
Figure16.2reprinted,bypermission,fromT.Naclerio,1988,TheTeachingProgressionsintheShotPut,Discus,andJavelin,(Rockaway,NJ:TonyNaclerio),
279.
Figures18.1,18.2,18.3,18.4,18.5,18.6,18.7,and18.8reprinted,bypermission,fromJ.SalvageandG.Westerfield,1996,WalkLikeanAthlete,(Marlton,NJ:
WalkingPromotions).
Photos
Pages249and299:ActiveImages.
Page1:1996RichCruse.
Pages11,19,33,51,and109:BrianMeyer/PhotoRun.
Page113:AnthonyNeste.
Pages75,173,and256:ByTomRoberts.
Pages141,281,296,and302:JoeRogate.
Pages63,136,and217:VictahSailer/PhotoRun.
Page235:SportsChrome.
Pagesiii,3,35,61,93,98,106,123,139,159,199,219,248,265,279,286,287:CourtesyofUSATrack&Field.
Page1
PARTI
COACHINGESSENTIALS
Page3
1
OrganizingaSuccessfulProgram
JosephL.Rogers
Toorganizeasuccessfultrackandfieldprogram,acoachshouldbegin,notbyplacingthesoleemphasisonwinning,butbyfirstlayingthenecessaryfoundationfor
success.Coachesatalllevelsshouldfosterapositiveenvironmentbydevelopingacoachingphilosophythattakestheathletes'bestintereststoheart.Ofequal
importanceisthehiringandtrainingofcoachestomakeitthemostknowledgeablestaffpossible.Asuccessfulprogramonethatstandsthetestoftimedependson
effectivelyorganizingpracticesandputtingtogetherwellrunmeets.Inotherwords,planningiscritical.Tokeeptheprogramatthesamelevelofsuccessyearafter
year,coachesmustalsolearnthebestwaystopromotetheirprogramsandrecruitthemosttalentedathletes.Takethetimetolaythegroundwork,andwinningwillbe
thenaturalbyproductofyourefforts.
Page4
Philosophy
Coaches'philosophiesaredictatedbytheirobjectives.Acoachshouldanswerthequestions,''WhydoIwanttobeacoach,andwhataremyobjectives?"Many
factorsmaymotivateonetobecomeandcontinueasacoach.Often,coacheshavebeenathleteswhowanttocontinuetobeinvolvedwiththesportthattheylove.
Thereisalsomuchsatisfactioninwatchingyoungerathletesdevelopandachieve,andincontributingtothegrowthanddevelopmentofyounglives.Coachesmaylive
vicariouslythroughtheathletestheyhelp.Orcoachesmaybelievethattheyarethemainreasontheirathletessucceedandwanttotakemostofthecreditforthat
success.Someofthereasonsforbeingacoachareveryselfservinganddonothavethebestinterestsoftheathleteinmind.Theguidingprinciplefordevelopinga
coachingphilosophyshouldbeconcernfortheathletes'bestinterests.Acoachhasthepotentialtobecomeaverypositiveforceinthephysicalandpsychological
developmentoftheathlete.Itisoftensaidthatathleticsdevelopcharacter.However,wehaveallseensuccessfulathleteswhodemonstratepoorcharacter.Athletics
doprovideanenvironmentforpositivecharacterdevelopmentwhentheleadershipthatis,thecoachesprovidestherightattitudesandexpectationsforitscharges.
Iftheleadershipdemonstratesunethicalbehavior,awillingnesstobendtherules,orageneraldishonestyinordertopursuesuccess,theathletewillbelievethat
winningatallcostsisthecorrectphilosophyoflife.
Allcoachingdecisionsshouldbeguidedbyconsideringtheeffectsthedecisionswillhaveontheathletesaswellastheirperformance.Thosedecisionsabouttraining,
competition,andathletebehaviormustplacethewellbeingoftheathleteaheadofwinningorsuccess.Thisdoesnotmeanthatachievingsuccessshouldnotbea
priority.Whatitmeansisthatthewellbeingoftheathletemustnotbesacrificedforthegloryofwinning.
CoachingKnowledgeandBackground
Successfulcoachingrequiresabasicunderstandingofseveraldifferentdisciplines.Whilefewcoachescanbeamasterinalloftheareas,themorethatyoucan
absorb,thegreaterwillbeyourabilitytoteachtheneededskillsandtotrainandmotivatetheathletetobesuccessful.
Physiology
Thestudyofthevarioussystemsofthebodyisimportantinunderstandinghowtrainingaffectsthesystemstoimproveperformances.Thefollowingarekeysystemsto
learnabout.
MusculoskeletalsystemStrength/powerdevelopment
NervoussystemSpeed,coordination,skilldevelopment
CardiopulmonarysystemEndurance
VascularsystemEndurance
NutritionFuelforenergyproduction
Page5
MotorLearning
Motorlearningisthestudyofhowhumanslearnskills.Itincludesanunderstandingoftherelationshipofthebraintothenervousproprioception,andofhow
kinestheticfeelingisdevelopedthroughpractice.Thebodycanlearnbyvisualcues(sight),verbaldescription(hearing),andfeeling(kinestheticawareness).An
individualmaylearnbestbyonecueratherthananotherandatadifferentratethananotherindividual.Thematurationoflearnersplaysamajorroleintheirabilityto
learn,sincethebrainandnervoussystemmayormaynotbeadequatelydevelopedtomasteracomplicatedskill.
Psychology
Thestudyofhumanbehavioriscriticalindevelopingacoachathleterelationshipthatallowsathletestohaveconfidenceinyou,thecoach.Motivationisavitalaspect
ofgettingathletestopushthroughthepainbarrierthatbringsthemtoahigherlevelofcapacityandachievement.Thecoachmustbeabletoidentifytheneedsand
desiresofyouthofdifferentages.Whenathletesdesiretouseathleticstoachievetheirneeds,yourjobofgettingtheathletestodedicatethemselvestothetaskis
mucheasier.
Biomechanics
Biomechanicsisthestudyofphysicalmechanicsrelativetomotionandskillperformance.Itinvolvesunderstandingbalance,leverage,angularmotion,linearmotion,
velocity,andacceleration.
FirstAid
Acertifiedtrainerisnotalwaysonsiteatpracticesorcompetitions.Socoachesshouldhaveabasicunderstandingoffirstaidinordertoprovideimmediateprotection
fortheathletesintheircharge.Itisimportanttotreataninjurywithappropriateactionuntilmedicalhelpisavailable.Thecoachshouldusetreatmentmodalitiesthat
protectathleteswhiletheyrecover,andallowformaximumrecoverybeforetheathletesreturntopracticeandcompetition.
Communication
Thecoachneedstounderstandhowtogetacrossthenecessaryinformationforlearningtotakeplace.Coachesalsoneedtounderstandhowtolistentotheathletes
tolearnoftheirneeds.Thiscriticalabilitygivesvitalfeedbacktothecoachinthelearningprocess.Italsoshowsarespectfortheathletes,whichhelpsdevelopgood
coachathletecommunication.Thecoachalsoneedstobeabletocommunicatewithcommunitygroupswhohelpsupporttheprogram.Communicationwithparentsis
alsoaverycriticalskill.
Publicspeakingisanimportantskill,sincecoachesarecommonlyaskedtospeakatvariouscommunityserviceorganizationsandathleticbanquets.Writingskillsare
alsoimportant.Youmaybeaskedtowriteastoryforthelocalpaperabouthowyourteamsucceeded,whichwillensureapositivestoryandhelpbringrecognitionto
yourteam.
Page6
OrganizingPractices
Theabilitytoeffectivelycoachyourathletesandteamwillbedeterminedbyseveralfactors.Somefactors,likethequalityoffacilitiesandequipment,thesizeofthe
coachingstaff,andtheamountofinvestedtimemayliesomewhatoutsideofyourcontrol.Therewillalwaysbefinancialconstraintsdictatedbyyourinstitution.
However,thekeyislearninghowtomakeeffectiveuseofwhattimeandstaffyoudohave.
UsingTimeEfficiently
Akeyelementineffectivecoachingisassigningcoachingdutiestoyourassistantsinamannerthatallowsthemtospendtheirtimewithalltheirresponsibleareasmost
effectively.Youwanttogiveanadequateamountoftimeandefforttoeachevent.Acommonproblemforcoachesistoshyawayfromthoseeventswheretheydon't
feelknowledgeableorcompetent.Often,thatleavesathletestofendforthemselves,whichresultsininjury,poordevelopment,orlossofinterest.Asacoach,itisvery
importanttolearnasmuchaspossibleaboutthoseeventsinwhichyouareweakinbackgroundknowledge.Atleastlearnenoughtoteachgoodfundamentalsand
safeprocedures.Evenifoneofyourassistantsdoesthecoachingforanunfamiliarevent,asheadcoachyoushouldhaveanunderstandingofthefundamentals.After
all,youmayhavetogroomanotherassistantinthenearfuture.
Learningtheproperfundamentalsnowwillsaveyoutimeinthelongrun.Ifyoudon'tstrivetogainasmuchbackgroundknowledgeaspossible,youcouldbeteaching
yourathletesimpropertechnique,andittakesmuchlongertocorrectbadtechniqueonceitbecomesahabit.Takethetimetolearnthefundamentalsupfront.
Howdoyougaininformation?Therearemanyresources.Thelibraryisagoodplacetostart.Booksontrackandfieldaswellasindividualeventsareavailable.If
yourlocallibraryislackinginsuchbooks,seeifinterlibraryloansarepossible.Auniversitylibraryisanexcellentresource,ifthereisonenearyou.Numerous
publicationscontainingtechnicalinformationabouttheeventsarealsoavailable.Talktoothercoachesyouknowwhohavebeensuccessful.Theyprobablyhave
accesstomanygoodresources.Joinyourstatecoachesassociation.Associationsputonmanyclinicsannuallywherealotofinformationcanbegained.Many
universitycoachesinyourareaalsoofferclinicsandcamps.Contactthem.CheckwithyourlocalUSATFassociationforadditionalavailableclinicsandcoaching
educationprograms.
OrganizingYourStaff
Whetheryou'rethesolecoachforyourathletesortheheadofateamofcoaches,thefollowingareeffectivewaystoorganizeallevents.Ateamofsixknowledgeable
coacheswouldbegreat,butofteneconomicallyunfeasible.Keepinmindthatevenifyouhavelittlehelp,youarenotdoomed.Wherethere'sawill,there'saway!
OnePersonCoachingStaff
Insomesmallschools,thelackoffinancialresourcesmayforceyoutoworkwithnohelpatall.Thisisnotascommonasitusedtobe,butitcanstillhappen.Ifyou
Page7
findyourselfinthissituation,trytorecruitsomevolunteerhelpfromcoworkers,friends,orparentsofsomeofyourathletes.Ifyoulackvolunteerhelp,youmaybe
abletorecruitsomegoodmanagersfromthestudentbody.Tryingtocoach15or16eventsbyyourselfwillcertainlychallengeyoureffectiveness,butyoucanstill
haveaprogramthatproducesathleteswholearn,havefun,andexperiencethethrillofcompetition.Youwillneedtodecidehowtodivideyourtimewithallevents
andtrytohavepersonalcontactwitheacheventatleasttwiceaweek.Table1.1showshowthatmightbedonewithinafivedayperiod.
Thescheduleshownintable1.1doesrequirethatathleteswhoarenotcoachedonacertaindaywillhavetopracticeontheirown.Thisrequiresthatyougivethem
activitiesthatyoucanrelyonthemtocarryoutsafelyandeffectively.Keepthemoccupiedwiththingsthatdon'trequirealargeamountofdifficulteffort,anddon't
placethemindangeroussituations.Olderandmoreexperiencedathleteswhoactasteamleaderscanhelpmotivateteammatestoworkindependently.Goodteam
managerscanalsoactasextraeyesandearswhileyouworkwithotherevents.Themostimportantpointhereistobeorganized.Haveplannedtrainingscheduledso
thatallathleteskeepactive.Unsupervisedperiodswiththefreedomtopracticeastheathleteswishoftenleadstohorseplayand/ornoproductivetime.
TwoPersonCoachingStaff
Withatwopersoncoachingstaff,youcanvirtuallydoubletheamountoftimespentperevent.Howyoudivideupresponsibilityforeventsshoulddependuponeach
coach'sknowledgeandinterest.
Example
CoachA:Allrunningevents
CoachB:Allfieldevents
Whilethisdivisionrequiresemphasizingdifferenteventsondifferentdays,itworksverywellfortherunningevents.However,becauseofthetechnicalcomplexityof
thedifferentfieldevents,thefieldeventcoachmaybeonthetrackforseveralhourslongerthantherunningcoachinordertocoverallaspectsoffieldeventtraining.
Sotherunningcoachmaywanttodirectafieldevent.Sincethe
TABLE1.1DIVISIONOFTIMEFORAONEPERSONCOACHINGSTAFF
Monday
Tuesday
Distance
runners
Secondhour
Verticaljumpers Throwers
Thirdhour
Weighttrainingandconditioningbyevents
Distance
runnersand
throwers
Sprinters
Wednesday
Firsthour
Sprintersand
jumpers
Thursday
Friday
Hurdlers
Distance
runners
Hurdlersand
sprinters
Horizontal
jumpers
Throwers
Alljumpers
Sprintersand
jumpers
Throwers
Distance
runnersand
throwers
Page8
sprintersandhurdlersoftenparticipateinajumpingevent,thecoachwhoworkswiththesprintersorhurdlerscouldcoveroneofthoseevents.
ThreePersonCoachingStaff
Forathreepersoncoachingstaff,theoptionsfordividingresponsibilitiesexpandtoamuchmoreeffectiveapproach:
Example1
CoachA:Distanceevents,andonejumpingevent
CoachB:Sprints,hurdles,andtwojumpingevents
CoachC:Throws,weighttrainingforallevents
Example2
CoachA:Distanceevents,hurdles
CoachB:Sprints,relays,andjumpingevents
CoachC:Throws,polevault
Example3
CoachA:Distance,polevault
CoachB:Sprints,hurdles,longjump
CoachC:Throws,highjump
Therearemanyotherpossiblecombinations.Thenumberofjumpingeventsorthrowingeventsvariesfromstatetostate.Somestatesincludethejavelinorhammer,
whileothersmayincludeonlytheshotputanddiscus.Inotherstates,thetraditionallongjump,highjump,andpolevaulteventsarejoinedbythetriplejump.
Thepolevaultisaverycomplexanddifficulteventtomaster,requiringmorecoachingtimetoensureproperinstructionandsafety.Thesamepointcanbemadeabout
thejavelin,discus,andhammer.Whiletheshotputrequiresconcernaboutsafety,itislesscomplexthantheotherthrows,andthelearningtimemaybeless.Allof
thesefactorsshouldbetakenintoconsiderationwhileassigningcoachingresponsibilities.
FourPersonCoachingStaff
Forafourpersoncoachingstaff,theoptionsfordividingresponsibilitiesexpandevenfurther.
Example1
CoachA:Distance,middledistance
CoachB:Jumps
CoachC:Throws
CoachD:Sprints,hurdles,relays
Thishasbecomeoneofthemostcommonapproaches,allowingthecoachingstafftimetoworkwithallgroupsdaily.Butothervariationsarepossible,suchasthe
following:
Example2
CoachA:Distance,middledistance
Page9
CoachB:Hurdles,polevault
CoachC:Sprints,relays
CoachD:Throws,allgroups'weighttraining
Example3
CoachA:Distance,middledistance,highjump
CoachB:Sprints,relays,longjump
CoachC:Hurdles,polevault
CoachD:Throws
FivePersonCoachingStaff
Withafivepersoncoachingstaff,youmightuseoneofthefollowingdivisions:
Example1
CoachA:Distance,middledistance
CoachB:Sprintsandrelays
CoachC:Hurdles
CoachD:Throws
CoachE:Jumps
Example2
CoachA:Distance,middledistance
CoachB:400meters,4400meterrelay,andlongerdistancehurdles
CoachC:Sprints,4100meterrelay,andshorterdistancehurdles
CoachD:Throws
CoachE:Jumps
SixPersonCoachingStaff
Forasixpersoncoachingstaff,youcouldadoptoneofthefollowingdivisions.
Example1
CoachA:Distance,middledistance
CoachB:Sprints,longjump,triplejump
CoachC:Hurdles,relays
CoachD:Throws
CoachE:Highjump
CoachF:Polevault
Example2
CoachA:Distance,highjumpers
CoachB:Sprints,relays
CoachC:Hurdles,longjump,triplejump
CoachD:Polevault
CoachE:Throws
CoachF:Middledistance,longerdistancehurdles
Page10
PromotingYourProgram
Oneofthewaystodevelopasuccessfulprogramistohavelargenumbersfromwhichtodevelopyourathletesintoacompetitiveteam.Togetstudentstocomeout
foryourteam,itisimportanttosellyourprogram.Foranindividualtogetinterestedinbeingonateam,theremustbesomethingtodrawhimorher.Thestatusof
beingontheteamwilldrawsomepeople.Ifyourteamhasbeensuccessful,youhaveabuiltinadvantage,becauselotsofprospectiveathleteswanttobeapartofa
winningteam.Therearemanyotheraspectsofsportthatdrawtheinterestofyoungpeople:havingfun,beingwiththeirfriends,socialinteraction,belongingtoa
group,individualachievement,awards,letterjackets,andothers.Themostimportantmotivatingfactorforalmosteveryoneisindividualrecognition.Themoreways
thatyoucandrawindividualattentiontoyourteammembers,themorelikelyyouwillstimulateinterestinbeingapartofyourprogram.
Waystocreaterecognition:
Announcetheathletes'achievementsontheschoolPAsystem.
Getmeetresultsandtopperformancesintothelocalpapers.
Putupabulletinboardtohighlightteamandindividualachievements.
Createanathleteoftheweekaward.
Holdapostseasonbanquettohonortheteam.
Postschoolrecordsinaprominentlocationintheschoolorgym.
Developalltimeperformanceliststhatgiveathletesgoalstotarget.
Drawattentiontotheoutstandingacademicachievementsofteammembers.
Createtrophycasedisplaysinschooltoshowofftrophiesandawards.
Takeindividualpicturesofyourathletes,andpostthepicturesofthosewhomadethatweek'sbestefforts.
Writeyourownnewslettertopassoutinschoolexpoundingontheachievementsofindividualathletesortheteam.
Puttogetherabrochureofyourteamthathighlightsindividuals,yourschedule,andrecordholders.
Createavideotapeofyourteam'scompetitions,successes,andoftheteamhavingfun.Thiswillbeanexcellentrecruitingtool.
Promoteintramuraltrackmeetstoinvolvethewholeschoolandcreatemoreinterestinthesport.
Createsummerclinicsandorganizeallcomermeetsforcommunityyouth.
Wheneveryourathletescanhearorseeinformationaboutthemselvesthatgivesthemasenseofaccomplishmentamongtheirpeers,theywillbecomemoremotivated.
AgoodwaytoincreaseattendanceathometrackmeetsistoholdthemeetonaFridayeveningoraweekendevening.Getanotherschoolorganizationtohosta
dancefollowingthemeetattheschool.Tohelpincreaseattendanceatthecollegiatelevel,considerinvitingfraternitiesandsororities,ormakethemeetpartofan
alumnicelebration.Especiallyinthespring,therearenotmanycompetingschoolsocialactivities.Manystudentswillcomeouttoseetheteaminactionprior
Page11
tothedance.Manyathleticeventsatalllevelsaretiedtoasocialevent.Doingthishelpstoappealtoawideaudience.
Individualrecognitionisakeyfactorinkeepingathletes
motivated.HereMarkCrearisrecognizedbytheentireworld
forhisperformanceinthe1996OlympicGames.
Bypromotingyourprogram,youwillattractmanyathletesmotivationiswhatwillkeepthemthere.Motivationisakeyrequirementforsuccessfulcoaching.
Challengingyourathletesisoneformofmotivation.Givethemchallenginggoals,showthemhowtopursuethosegoals,andhelpthemgetthere.Asmentionedearlier,
goodcommunicationskillsareanecessityforacoach.Youmustshowyourathletesthatyoucareaboutthemaswellaswantthemtosucceedathletically.Youmust
recognizethattheyareeachimportant.Youdothatwhenyouacknowledgethemandshowthemtheyareimportanttoyouwhethertheyarethetopperformersorthe
lowestontheteam.Youmustlearntolistencarefullytoeachathlete.Youneedtobeableto"read"yourathletesrecognizetheirabilitytoworkhardandtopursue
goals,andwhentheyarementallydownandshouldnotbecriticized.Often,wetakeforgrantedthatanathleteismotivatedandneedsnoencouragementbut
everyoneneedsencouragement.Yourabilitytoreadyourathleteswillensurethatyoupushthemintherightdirection.YoudonothavetobesomesortofPollyanna,
butapositive,encouragingpersonalitydoesgoalongwaytoboosttheathletes'motivation.Behonestinyourevaluationsandcriticisms.Letthemknowthatwhen
youcriticizethemitishonestanddonetohelpthemimprove.Besuretheyunderstandyourcriticismisfortheperformanceandnottheperson.Motivationisalmosta
promotionaltechniqueinitself.Seeingahappygroupofathleteswillencourageotherstojoin.
Recruiting
Wheredoyoulookfortalent?Obviously,looktoathleteswhocompeteinothersportsinotherseasons.Football,soccer,basketball,swimming,diving,gymnastics,
andwrestlingallhavestrength,endurance,andskillrequirementsthataresimilartothosefortrackandfield.Also,youmayfindsometrackandfieldtalentinathletes
whoarecutfromotherteams.
Speaktothephysicaleducationteachersinyourschoolsystemandseeiftheyofferaunitoftrackandfieldintheircurriculum.Iftheydonot,offertohelpdevelop
onewiththem.Also,findoutiftheydofitnesstestingforstrength,power,endurance,andagility.Evaluatingthosetestscanrevealtalent.(Seechapter2on
Page12
predictivetesting.)Ifyouareahighschoolcoach,contactphysicaleducationteachersinthejuniorhighormiddleschoolsthatfeedintoyourhighschool.Askifyou
mightcometotheirschoolsandgiveapresentationtotheirclassesaboutyourteamandtheopportunitiesthatareavailabletotheminthefuture.Thisprovidesan
excellentopportunitytopresentthevideotapethatyouproducedshowingyourteamatpractice,atmeets,successfulevents,andyourathleteshavingfun.Seekout
opportunitiestoalsospeaktoparentandcommunitygroupssuchastheParentTeacherOrganization(PTO).Themoreyoucangetthewordoutthatyourprogram
provideschallenges,recognition,andfun,themoreyouincreasethechanceforgreaterparticipation.
OrganizingHomeMeets
Onewayofdevelopingspectatorinterestinyourteamistoputonwellrunmeetswhereyourathletescandisplaytheirtalents.Itiscriticalthatyourmeetdisplays
competitionthatisexcitingandunderstandable.Onethingthatcancausespectatorstoloseinterestduringtrackmeetsisalackofinformation,suchasnotknowingthe
heightofthecrossbarorwhoisleadinginanevent.Havingenoughgoodofficialsiskeytohostingeffectivemeets.Therearethreevitalofficialswhosetasksare
criticaltoawellrunmeet.Firstandforemost,haveaknowledgeableannouncerwhokeepsthespectatorsinformed.Usedisplayboardsateachfieldeventsitetolist
theperformer,theperformance,ortheheightofthecrossbar.Keepthemeetmovingonatighttimeschedule.Meetsthatlastlongerthantwohoursmaynothold
spectatorinterest.Thesecondkeyofficial,whomaintainsthemeetschedule,istheclerkofcourse.Thethirdandequallyimportantofficialistheheadtimer/headfinish
judge.
1.Announcer:Oneofthekeywaystointerestspectatorsistohaveagoodannouncerwhocankeepeveryoneinformedofthewholecompetition.Theannouncer
shouldhavealltheinformationavailableaboutallcompetitorsinallevents.Toprovidecurrentinformation,anofficialwithawalkietalkiemovesaroundtothevarious
fieldevents,informingtheannounceroftheheightofthecrossbars,thebestjumpsorthrows,andhowmanycompetitorsarestillleftinthecompetition.Theannouncer
shouldhaveacompletelistoflaneassignmentsofeveryathletecompetingineachrunningevent.Anassistantannouncerwhocanhelpkeepallofthisinformation
currentwillhelpproduceaveryinterestingmeet.Personalizingtheperformerstothefanscreatesadditionalinterest.
2.ClerkofCourse:Thisisanofficialtowhomallrunnersreportpriortotherace.Theclerkcheckstoseeifallcompetitorsarewearingtheappropriatenumbers.
Heorshetakesthecompetitorstotheassignedstartingpositionsandgivesfinalinstructionsaboutrunninginlanes,breakpoints,andexchangezones,beforeturning
therunnersovertothestarter.Theclerkisthepersonwhokeepsthemeetonscheduleandpreventsdelaysbyathleteswhoprocrastinate.Itisveryimportanttohave
communicationsbetweentheclerkandtheannouncerbywalkietalkie.
3.HeadFinishJudge:Insmallermeets,theheadtimerandheadfinishjudgemaybethesameofficial.However,inmeetswheretherewillbeeightormorefinish
places,itisbettertodividethetasksbetweentwopeople.Theheadfinishjudgeassignstheplacepickerstoeachrace'sfinish,thenrecordstheorderoffinishfrom
thosedecisions.Theheadtimerassignseachtimeraplacetotime,then
Page13
recordstheirresultsanddeterminesallofficialtimes.Theheadfinishjudgethengetsthedatafromtheheadtimertobeplacedontheeventresultformandsendsthe
formtothescorekeeperandannouncer.
Theefficientcompletionofthedutiesoftheabovethreeofficialsdeterminesifameetstaysonschedule.Ifyoudonothaveanyonetoofficiatetheseduties,youshould
trainseveralpeopleuponwhomyoucanrelytoworkyourhomemeets.Manyotherofficialsarecriticaltotherunningofameet.Thefollowingisachecklistofthe
officialsneededforlargeinvitationalsorchampionshipmeets.
ListofOfficialsforChampionshipMeets
__Meetdirector
__Starter(s)
__Referee
__Headfieldjudge
__Clerk(s)ofcourse(twoforsinglegendermeet,threeorfourforbothgendermeets)
__Headfinishjudge
__Headtimer
__Runnerforheadjudgeandheadtimer
__Lapcounter
__Timers(threeonfirstplace,andenoughtotimeallscoringplaces)(Whereverpossible,usetwoorthreetimersperplacetimed.)
__Judges(sameaswithtimers)
__Inspectors(umpires)(6to10areneeded)
__Windgaugeoperator(s)(oneforrunningeventsandoneforhorizontaljumps)
__Weightsandmeasuresjudge
__Phototimeroperator(onerunnerishelpful)
__Filmreader(personwhoevaluatesresultsfromphototimer)
__Scorer
__Startingblockclerk(movestheblockstotherightstartingline)
__Typist(s)
__Scorer'sassistanttopostresults
__Announcer(s)
__Announcer'sassistant
__Hurdlecrew(oneperflightofhurdles)
__Awardsclerk
__Headofficialforeachfieldevent
Page14
__Oneperformanceindicatorboardofficialforeachfieldevent
__Twomeasurerstoassistheadofficialateachthrowingevent
__Oneimplementretrieverforeachthrowingevent
__Twomeasurerstoassistheadofficialathorizontaljumps
__Onepitrakerateachhorizontaljump
__Onecrossbarreplacerateachverticaljump
__Marshal(s)(officialswhokeepallcompetitionareasclearofnoncompetitors,coaches,andspectators)
__Physicianand/orathletictrainers
Inorderforperformancestoberecognizedasrecords,certifiedofficialsareamust.Forhighschoolchampionships,thestateathleticassociationprovidesforthe
testingandcertificationofofficials.Othercertificationisdonebythenationalgoverningbody,USATrack&Field.Eachfieldeventshouldberunbyatleastone
certifiedofficial.Thatofficialcanbeassistedbynoncertifiedpersonnel.Fordualmeets,itisnotalwayspossibletogetasmanycertifiedofficialsasyouneed.For
thosesituations,youshouldhaveofficiatingclinicsforthosepeoplewhowillbehelpingyou.Youmustensurethattheofficialsthatyouputinplaceknowtherulesof
competition,andtheproceduresformeasuring,timing,orcallingtheorderofcompetitors.
Toputonagoodshow,youneedalotofhelp.Youshouldlineitupwellinadvance,inordertobeconfidentthateverythingwillworksmoothly.Otherkeypeople
thatareneededarescorekeepers,typists,andmarshals.Astheheadcoach,youwilloftenfindyourselfintheroleofmeetdirector.Itisvitaltohavethemeet
operationsorganizedaheadoftimeandwellplanned.Oncealltheofficialsandoperationalhelpareinplace,themeetcanalmostrunitself.Ifyouarenotwell
organized,youwillfindyourselfrunningaroundthroughoutthemeet,solvingproblemsandcarryingoutdutiesthatsomeoneelseshouldbedoing.Thiswillleavelittle
timeforyoutocoachorobserveyourteam.
Priortothestartoftheseason,youshouldwritetoallpersonswhopotentiallycanworkasofficialsatyourmeets.Sendthemascheduleofthehomemeetswithdates
andstartandfinishtimes.Askthemtoreturnaformonwhichtheycheckoffthemeetsthattheycanworkandtheofficiatingdutiesthattheyprefertodo.Also,make
suretheygiveyouupdatedaddressandphoneinformation.
Groupsfromwhichtosecureofficiatinghelp:
Statehighschoolassociation(askforalistofcertifiedofficials)
USATrack&FieldAssociation(askfortheirlistofofficials)
Offseasoncoachesfromyourschool
Otherinterestedteachersandschoolstaffmembers
Parentsofyourathletes(useinrolesthatdonotinvolvedecisionmakingorrulesinterpretation)
BoosterClubmembers
Formerathletesandalumni
Physicaleducationmajorsatlocaluniversitiesorcommunitycolleges
Page15
Puttingtogetheralistoftaskstodobefore,during,andafterthemeetwillhelpyoukeeptrackofwhatneedstobedonetopulloffawellrunmeet.Usethefollowing
checklistsortailorthemtofityourneeds.
MeetChecklists
Severaldayspriortomeet:
__Contactbyphoneorinpersonallneededofficials.
__Assignpreandpostmeetdutiestoteammembers.
Noncompetingathletes.
Premeetdutiesforthosecompetinglateinmeet.
Postmeetdutiesforthosecompetingearlyinmeet.
Allteammemberscanassistwithpostmeetcleanup.
__Filloutyourownteamentries.
__Postameettimescheduleforyourteam.
__Checktrackfacilityandequipmentforanyneededrepair.
__Preparemeetoperationalformsonclipboardsforthefollowing:
Headfinishjudge
Headtimer
Clerkofcourse
Announcer'stimeschedule
Windgaugeoperator'sreportform
Individualfieldeventscoresheets
Meetscoresheetsforofficialscorer
__Placebriefsynopsisofrulesforeventonbackofclipboards.
__Checkphotoelectrictimingdeviceforbatterychargeandreadiness.
__Checkfilmforphotoelectrictimingdevice.
Daybeforemeet:
__Lineallsectorsforthrowingfieldevents.
__Ropeoffalllandingareaswelloutsidethesectorlinesforthethrowingevents.Usepennantsorothercolorfulmaterials.
__Turnandlevelsandinjumpingpits.
__Placetrashbarrelsinkeylocations.
__Rollgrasslandingforthethrowsusingheavylawnrollingdeviceandtractor.
__Stackhurdlesneatlyneareachlocationandsetthecrossbarattheproperheightforthefirsthurdlerace.Settheadjustablehurdleweights(whereapplicable)atthe
properlocationpriortothefirstrace.
__Posttheorderofeventsandmeetentriesatkeylocationsaroundthetrack.
Page16
__Checkpolevaultandhighjumpstandardstoseeiftheyarefunctioningproperly.
__Lubricateanyequipmentwhosemovingpartsmaybefrozenorsticking.
Ifyourtrackisnotallweather,withpermanentmarkingsforallstart,finish,orexchangezonelines:
__Dragandrollcinderstrack.
__Linealllanes.
__Markthefollowing:
Finishlines
Startlines
Staggeredstartlinesforracesinlanes
Exchangezonesandflyzonemarks
Curvedstartlineforracesover800meters
Hurdlepositionmarks
__Setupcheckinareaforathletestoreporttotheclerks.
__Setupawardsarea.
__Setupasecureareawherecompetingathletescanleavetheirwarmupclothingduringtheirevents.
__Setupthestandforfinishjudgesinproperarea.
Thedayofthemeet:
__Setoutcrossbars,standards,startingblockcart,rakes,shovels,andbrooms.
__Setupperformanceindicatorboards.
__Setupallelectronicequipmentandneededextensioncords.
Photoelectrictimer
Windgauges
Fieldeventtimingdevices
__Placefilmforphototimer.
__Setoutandcheckstopwatches.
__Placelapcounterandindicatornearfinishline.
__SetupandcheckPAsystem.
__Setuptapeplayerfornationalanthem.
__Checkoutwalkietalkiesandmakesuretheyfunction.
__Checkdistanceindicatingmarkersforthrowingevents.
Page17
__Setoutwhistlesforstarterandheadfinishjudge.
__Setoutbatons.
__Setoutscorecardforofficialscorer.
__Setouttypewriter,paper,stapler,adhesivetapeforproducingofficialresults.
__Setoutcopymachine.
__Setupfordistributionofawardsandrecordingofdistribution.
__Setupanofficials'checkinareawhereyouwilldistributethefollowing:
Fieldeventclipboards
Tapemeasures
Pencilsforrecordingdata
Basketsinwhichclipboards,tapemeasures,andpencilscanbeplaced.Oneforeachevent.
Allotherformsforofficialsmentionedearlier
Redandwhiteflagsforinspectors(umpires)
Rulebooks
__Setupimplementweighinareawithmeasuringandweighingdevices.
Afterthemeet:
__Distributemeetresultstoallvisitingcoaches.
__Distributemeetresultstoallmediapresent.
__Supervisesitecleanup.
__Callinorfaxresultstolocalpaperifreportersarenotpresent.
__Callinorfaxresultstolocalradiostation.
__Postmeetresults,individualscoringtotals,competitionsplits,fieldeventperformanceseries,meetorschoolrecords,personalbests.
__Writeabriefcritiqueofyourteam'sperformance.
Summary
Implementingthestepsoutlinedinthischaptermayseemlikeadauntingtask.However,takingthetimeinthebeginningtoplan,promote,organize,andrecruitwill
makeyourjobduringeachseasonmucheasier.Itwillalsocreateasolidfoundationonwhichtobuildawinningteam.
Page19
2
PredictiveTestingofAthletes
PhilHenson
PaulTurner
TheUnitedStateshasneverhadanorganizedsystemofidentifyingandselectingpotentialOlympicathletesatayoungage.Duetothevastsizeanddiversityofthe
UnitedStatesandthelackofdirectcontroloveryoungathletes,thistypeofprogramhasbeenviewedbytheUnitedStatesOlympicCommittee(USOC)as
unfeasible.Also,aslongastheUnitedStateswaswinningthebulkofOlympicmedalssimplyby''showingup,"mostpeopleconsideredtalentselectionunnecessary.
Times,however,havechanged.NolongerisitpossibletodominateOlympicandWorldChampionshipcompetitionsbysimply"showingup"andbringingthosewho
havefilteredtothetopofaneventontheirown.Othernationshaveimprovedtheirselectionandtrainingprogramstothepointthattheyaremuchmorecompetitive.
Page20
TheUnitedStatesisnolongerthedominantpowerthatitoncewas.Canada,GreatBritain,andseveralCaribbeanandWestAfricannationsnowprovidereal
challengesinthesprints,onceaU.S.monopoly.Germany,therepublicsoftheformerSovietUnion,andseveralemergingnationsremainstronginthefieldevents.The
mostdramaticpowershift,ofcourse,isinthedistanceevents,whereKenya,Ethiopia,andMoroccohavenearlyeliminatedtheUnitedStatesfromcontentionin
majorinternationalmeetings.
Inthe1970sand1980s,itwasobviousthattheSovietUnionandEastGermanybecameveryefficientinutilizingtheircountries'talent,particularlyintheexplosive
events.Duringthesetwodecades,thetwocountriesdominatedthethrowingandjumpingevents,especiallyinthewomen'scompetition.Didtheyhavebettertalent
thantheUnitedStates,ordidtheysimplydoabetterjobofidentifyingtheathleteswithtalentandinvolvingtheminsportatyoungerages?Itisobviousthatthetalent
pooloftheUnitedStateswasgreaterthanthatofEastGermany,andthatthetalentlevelsintheUnitedStatesprobablywerehigherduetoitshigherstandardofliving,
whencomparedwiththatintheSovietUnionortheGermanDemocraticRepublic.Therefore,wecanassumethatonekeyareawheretheUnitedStatesfalteredwas
inidentifyingtalentedathletesanddirectingthem.
OneofthegreathistoricalstrengthsofU.S.trackandfieldhasbeenitscloseconnectionswiththeeducationsystem.Mostyoungstersbecomeinvolvedduringtheir
juniorhighschoolorseniorhighschooldaysandthencontinueonthroughcollegeoruniversityandontothenationalteams.
AlthoughtheU.S.educationsystemhasservedthesportoftrackandfieldwellduringthiscenturybyprovidingcompetitiveopportunities,facilities,professional
coaching,andevencollegescholarships,thesecontributionsalsocanbeasourceofweaknessforthesport,forthefollowingreasons:
Highschoolorevenjuniorhighschoolmaybetoolateinsomesportsoreventstoinitiateinvolvement.Wherewouldgymnasticsorswimmingbeifathletes'first
competitiveopportunitycameatthehighschoollevel?
TheschoolcalendarusuallyendsinMayorearlyJune,whichoftenresultsinshortcompetitiveseasons.Whathappensduringtheremainderoftheyear?
Whathappenswhenathletesfinishtheireducationorcompletetheireligibility?Unlesstheyhaveachievedaworldclasslevelofperformancealready,theyprobably
faceanearlyendtotheircompetitivecareers.
Mostimportantly,whathappenstothoseyoungpeoplewhodonotmigratenaturallytowardtrackandfield?Howmanyyoungpeoplebecomeinvolvedindrugs,
gangs,orevenmenialparttimejobsinplaceofathletics?
The15yearoldboywhois6feet,8inches(about203cm)tallwillprobablybedirectedintobasketballinmostschools.Likewise,theyoungmanwhois6feet,2
inches(about188cm)tallandweighs240pounds(about109kg)willprobablybeencouragedtoplayfootballbycoachesandpeers.However,whataboutthe
averagesizedboysandgirlswalkingthehallsofU.S.elementaryandsecondaryschools?Withoutdailyphysicaleducation,mostyoungsterswithexceptionalphysical
talentsimplygounnoticedintheschoolsystems.Thereisanalarmingtrendtoabolishphysicaleducationatthislevel.Unlessyoungpeopleortheirparentsinitiate
involvementintheschool'strackandfieldteam,mostcoacheshavenowayofidentifyingthetalentattheirdisposal.TheproblemintheUnited
Page21
Stateshasbeenmagnifiedinrecentyearsbyanincreasingrelianceuponparttimecoaches.Juniorhighandseniorhighschoolcoacheswhodonotteachinthesame
buildingoreveninthesamesystemastheircoachingassignmentareatadistinctdisadvantagewhenitcomestorecognizingandrecruitingyoungstudentathletes.This
situationisfurthercomplicatedbythefactthattheUnitedStates,unlikemanyEuropeancountries,doesnothaveastrongsystemofsportsclubstoaugmenttheroleof
theeducationsysteminprovidingtrackandfieldopportunities.
TalentEvaluationProgram
WhattheUnitedStatesneedsisanorganized,broadbasedsystemofidentifyingyoungpeoplewithexceptionaltalentatanearlyage.Obviously,someareassuchas
enduranceandstaticstrengthcanbedevelopedthroughtrainingandhardwork.However,otherareassuchasspeedandexplosivepowerarelargelyinnateandmay
becloselyrelatedtomusclefibertypecannotbereadilychangedthroughtraining.Musclefibertypemaybeadeterminingfactorineventsrequiringspeedand
explosiveability.Performancepotentialcanbeidentifiedthrough11fairlysimplemeasurementsandfieldtests.(Seepage22.)
TheUnitedStateshasseveralwidespreadtestingprogramsthatencouragephysicalfitness.TheAmericanAssociationofHealth,PhysicalEducation,Recreationand
Dance(AAHPERD)testandthePresident'sTestforPhysicalFitnessarethemostcommon.Thesetests,however,arenotdesignedtodetectexplosivestrength,the
mainingredientinmosttrackandfieldeventsandtheonemostcloselyassociatedwithmusclefibertype.
Theproposedtalentevaluationprogramwouldbeadministeredmuchlikeaphysicalfitnesstestandwoulduseexistingsportsclubs,parksandrecreationprograms,
sportscamps,andschoolphysicaleducationclassesastestingvenues.Thetestresultswouldbecompiledandstandardsestablishedforgenderandageineachtest
category.Youngboysandgirlswhoscoredwellonthefieldtestwouldbeencouragedtobecomeinvolvedintrackandfield.Thetestresultsalsowouldbeusedto
recommendtheeventareainwhichanindividualshouldconcentrate.Thesetestshavebeenshowntopredictactualperformancelevels,onceyoungstershavelearned
basictechnique.Thisphasehasbeenparticularlyusefulinmotivatingyoungathletestostrivetoachievetheirtheoreticalpotential.
RecentstudiesconductedatIndianaUniversitywiththehelpofaUSATrack&Fieldgrantrevealedthatitispossibletoaccuratelypredictperformanceinselected
trackandfieldeventsusingrelativelysimplefieldtests.Theresultsaremostaccuratewhentheathletealreadyhassomeexperienceinthecompetitioneventthatheor
sheisexpectedtoperform.Furtherstudiesusingthesamefieldtestsshouldhelpidentifywhatadditionaleventswouldbebestfortheathlete.
PerformanceTests
Thetestsusedinthefollowingtalentevaluationprocedureswereselectedbothfortheirabilitytoeffectivelyhelppredictfuturetrackandfieldperformance(s)andfor
theireaseofapplication.Thesetestsgenerallyarewellknownandcanbereadilyexecutedusingaminimumofequipmentandevaluators.Thisenhancestheuseofthis
testbatteryinthefield.
Page22
Elevencriteriaareevaluatedduringthetesting.
1.Height
2.Weight
3.Bodycomposition
4.Standinglongjump
5.Verticaljump
6.Fiveboundsfordistance
7.Sixtymeterdashfromastandingstart
8.Thirtymeterdashfromastandingstart
9.Thirtymeterdashfromamovingstart
10.Stridefrequencyduring30meterdashfromamovingstart
11.Stridelengthduring30meterdashfromamovingstart
Equipment
Toperformthetrackandfieldpredictiontests,thefollowingequipmentisneeded:
Clipboards
Pencils
Datarecordingforms
Measuringtapesforimperialandmetricsystems
Fourstopwatches
Skinfoldcalipers
Verticaljumpboard
Scales
TestingProcedures
Performancetestsaregiveninthesameorderforallathletestoeliminateanypossibleordereffect.Exceptfortheanthropometricmeasures(height,weight,%body
fat),alltestsaregiventwiceandthebesttrialisusedinthecalculation.Thefollowingoutlinestheproperproceduresforperformingeachtest.
Height
Measureheightinincheswiththeathletestandingflushagainstaverticalsurface.
Weight
Measureeachathlete'sweightinpounds.Theirshoesshouldbetakenoffpriortothetest.
BodyComposition
Eachathlete'sbodyfatpercentagewillbedeterminedbyskinfoldmeasurementsusingcalipers.Forfemaleathletes,measurementsaremadeattheiliaccrestandatthe
tricep.Formales,themeasurementsareonthequadricepandsubscapular.Thefollowingarethespecificproceduresforthistest:
1.Placethethumbandforefingerofthelefthandfarenoughapartthatafoldofskincanbepinchedupfirmlyandclearlyfromtheunderlyingtissue.
Page23
2.Firmlyholdthefoldbetweenthefingerswhilethemeasurementisbeingmadewiththecalipers.
3.Applythecaliperstothefoldbelowthefingerssothatthepressureatthepointisexertedbythecaliperfaces,notthefingers.Readingstothenearesthalfmillimeter
areadequate.
Bodyfatcanbedeterminedbythefollowingformula:
Sincethesecalculationsareratherlong,atableofbodyfatpercentageshasbeenderivedfromtheaboveequations.(Seepages2932.)
StandingLongJump
Thesubjectbeginsfromastationarypositionwithbothfeetsquareagainstapredeterminedstartingline.Measurement(ininches)ismadefromthestartingpointtothe
landingpointclosesttothestartingpoint(e.g.,wheretheheelofthefootlanded).Twotrialsareperformed,andthebestperformanceisusedinthecalculations.
Equipmentneededisalongjumppitandatapemeasure.
VerticalJump
Usingajumpboard,theathlete'sstandingreachisascertained.Then,fromastationaryposition,theathletejumpsandtouchesashighaspossibleonthejumpboard.
Twotrialsaregiven,andtheathlete'sverticaljumpisdeterminedbysubtractingthestandingheightfromthehighestjumpingheight.Allmeasurementsshouldbe
recordedininches.Equipmentneededisawallatleast11feethighandatapemeasure.Commercialadjustableverticaljumpstandsarehelpful,butnotnecessary.
FiveBoundsforDistance
Fromastationarypositionwithbothfeetsquareagainstapredeterminedstartingline,thesubjectexecutesfivebounds(actuallyfourboundsandajump)endingina
longjumppit.Therefore,thepatternwouldbeRLRLjump,orviceversa.Twotrialsaregiven,andthebestdistanceisused.Measurementismadefromstarting
pointtolandingpointclosesttothestartingpoint.Recordthisnumberininches.Thisisalsoanexcellentpredictoroftriplejumpability,andthedistancewillbesimilar.
Equipmentneededisalongjumppitandatapemeasure.
Page24
SixtyMeterDash
Fromastandingposition,theathletestartsatwillandtwotimersarepositionedat60meters.Thefastestofthetwotimesisused,andisrecordedto.1second.
Equipmentneededisstopwatches.
Standing30MeterDash
Duringthe60meterdash(above),twotimersarepositionedat30meters.Thefastestofthetwotimesisused.
Flying30MeterDash
Thismeasurementistaken"onthefly,"orfromamovingstart.Thetimefromtheabove30meterdashissubtractedfromthefinal60metertimeandisrecordedto.1
second.
StrideFrequency
Thenumberoftimesastepistakenwithaparticularlegbetween30metersand60metersisascertained,usingtwocounters(onecounterperleg).Addnumberof
stepstakenforeachleganddividetotalbyflying30meterdashtime.
Forexample,8withrightleg+7withleftleg=15strides.
15stridesdividedby5.0secondsbetween30and60meters=3.00stridespersecond.
CaseStudy
Tobetterunderstandthetestingprotocol,ahypotheticalsituationwillbepresented.JohnDoeof
StateUniversityisbeingtestedbythecoachingstafftoevaluatehispotential.Thefollowingare
theresultsofhistesting:
Height:6feet,3inches=75inches
Weight:200pounds
BodyComposition:subscapular:12millimeters,quadricep:9millimeters.Estimatedbodyfat
fromtables=10.2%
StandingLongJump:Trial1:9feet=108inches,Trial2:9feet,1inch=109inches(use109
inches)
VerticalJump:Trial1:28inches,Trial2:30inches(use30inches)
FiveBoundsforDistance:Trial1:50feet,1inch=601inches,Trial2:49feet,10inches=
598inches(use601inches)
SixtyMeterDash:Trial1:7.5seconds,Trial2:7.4seconds(use7.4seconds)
Standing30MeterDash:Trial1:4.0seconds,Trial2:3.9seconds(use3.9seconds)
Flying30MeterDash:7.4seconds3.9seconds=3.5seconds
StrideFrequency:15stridesdividedby3.5seconds=4.29stridespersecond
StrideLength:30metersdividedby15strides=2.00meters=78.75inches
Page25
StrideLength
Thestridelengthistakenfromtheflying30meterdash.Itisthenumberofstridesfrom30metersto60metersdividedinto30.
Forexample,8withrightleg+7withleftleg=15strides.
30metersdividedby15strides=2.00meters=78.75inchstridelength.
Calculations
Thefollowingformulaswillhelpdeterminepotentialintrackandfieldeventsformalesandfemales.
Males
Thebasicformulaformalesfollows:
FortheJohnDoeinthecasestudythecalculationswouldbe:
Onceapointtotalisgenerated,multieventtablesareusedtoestimateperformanceintheselectedevent.Thesetablesareusedforscoringthedecathlon,heptathlon,
andothercommontrackandfieldevents.IfJohnDoeisalongjumper,thatpointtotalwouldequatetoapredictedperformanceof7.42meters.Yousimplygotothe
decathlontables(orheptathlontablesforwomen)andlookuptheeventforwhichtheathleteisbeingevaluated.(Seetable2.1.)Inthiscase,thecoachwouldlookat
thelongjumpcategoryandfindJohnDoe'stestscoreof915points.Theperformancenexttothatscoreisthepredictedperformancefortheathlete7.42meters.
Statistically,onecanbeconfidentthatthetruepotentialis110pointsand90%confidentthatJohnDoe'spotentiallieswithin141points.Inotherwords,onecanbe
90%confidentthatDoecanjumpbetween6.83metersand7.98meters.
Theformulajustexplainedobviouslyisunwieldy.Amoreefficientbutlessaccurateequationformaleathletesisthefollowing:
Thisequationyieldsa68%confidencelevelof118pointsanda90%levelof151points.
Page26
TABLE2.1SAMPLEDECATHLONTABLE
Men
LongJump
Meters
Points
Meters
Points
Meters
Points
Meters
Points
Meters
Points
8.99
1323
8.49
1188
7.99
1058
7.49
932
6.99
811
8.98
1320
8.48
1186
7.98
1056
7.48
930
6.98
809
8.97
1317
8.47
1183
7.97
1053
7.47
927
6.97
807
8.96
1314
8.46
1180
7.96
1050
7.46
925
6.96
804
8.95
1312
8.45
1178
7.95
1048
7.45
922
6.95
802
8.94
1309
8.44
1175
7.94
1045
7.44
920
6.94
799
8.93
1306
8.43
1172
7.93
1043
7.43
918
6.93
797
8.92
1304
8.42
1170
7.92
1040
7.42
915
6.92
795
8.91
1301
8.41
1167
7.91
1038
7.41
913
6.91
792
8.90
1298
8.40
1164
7.90
1035
7.40
910
6.90
790
8.89
1295
8.39
1162
7.89
1033
7.39
908
6.89
788
8.88
1293
8.38
1159
7.88
1030
7.38
905
6.88
785
8.87
1290
8.37
1157
7.87
1027
7.37
903
6.87
783
8.86
1287
8.36
1154
7.86
1025
7.36
900
6.86
781
8.85
1285
8.35
1151
7.85
1022
7.35
898
6.85
778
8.84
1282
8.34
1149
7.84
1020
7.34
896
6.84
776
8.83
1279
8.33
1146
7.83
1017
7.33
893
6.83
774
8.82
1276
8.32
1143
7.82
1015
7.32
891
6.82
771
8.81
1274
8.31
1141
7.81
1012
7.31
888
6.81
769
8.80
1271
8.30
1138
7.80
1010
7.30
886
6.80
767
8.79
1268
8.29
1136
7.79
1007
7.29
883
6.79
764
8.78
1266
8.28
1133
7.78
1005
7.28
881
6.78
762
8.77
1263
8.27
1130
7.77
1002
7.27
878
6.77
760
8.76
1260
8.26
1128
7.76
1000
7.26
876
6.76
757
8.75
1258
8.25
1125
7.75
997
7.25
874
6.75
755
8.74
1255
8.24
1123
7.74
995
7.24
871
6.74
753
8.73
1252
8.23
1120
7.73
992
7.23
869
6.73
750
8.72
1250
8.22
1117
7.72
990
7.22
866
6.72
748
8.71
1247
8.21
1115
7.71
987
7.21
864
6.71
746
8.70
1244
8.20
1112
7.70
985
7.20
862
6.70
743
8.69
1241
8.19
1110
7.69
982
7.19
859
6.69
741
8.68
1239
8.18
1107
7.68
980
7.18
857
6.68
739
8.67
1236
8.17
1104
7.67
977
7.17
854
6.67
736
8.66
1233
8.16
1102
7.66
975
7.16
852
6.66
734
8.65
1231
8.15
1099
7.65
972
7.15
850
6.65
732
8.64
1228
8.14
1097
7.64
970
7.14
847
6.64
729
8.63
1225
8.13
1094
7.63
967
7.13
845
6.63
727
8.62
1223
8.12
1092
7.62
965
7.12
842
6.62
725
8.61
1220
8.11
1089
7.61
962
7.11
840
6.61
723
8.60
1217
8.10
1086
7.60
960
7.10
838
6.60
720
8.59
1215
8.09
1084
7.59
957
7.09
835
6.59
718
8.58
1212
8.08
1081
7.58
955
7.08
833
6.58
716
8.57
1209
8.07
1079
7.57
952
7.07
830
6.57
713
8.56
1207
8.06
1076
7.56
950
7.06
828
6.56
711
8.55
1204
8.05
1073
7.55
947
7.05
826
6.55
709
8.54
1201
8.04
1071
7.54
945
7.04
823
6.54
707
8.53
1199
8.03
1068
7.53
942
7.03
821
6.53
704
8.52
1196
8.02
1066
7.52
940
7.02
818
6.52
702
8.51
1194
8.01
1063
7.51
937
7.01
816
6.51
700
8.50
1191
8.00
1061
7.50
935
7.00
814
6.50
697
Page27
Females
Forfemaleathletes,themostefficaciousformulaisthefollowing:
The68%confidencelevelforthisequationis113points,andthe90%levelis145points.AthleteJaneDoehasachievedthefollowingtestperformances:135
poundsinWeight,96inchesintheStandingLongJump,aStrideLengthof75inches,andaStrideFrequencyofthreestridespersecond.Theresultswouldbe673
points.IfJaneDoeisalongjumper,herpredictedperformancewouldbe5.40meters,or17feet,8.5inches.Her68%rangewouldbefrom5.00metersto5.79
meters,andher90%rangewouldbefrom4.88metersto5.89meters.
ExplosiveEventPerformance
Regardingtheformulae,itisapparentthatthemosteffectivewaytoimproveperformanceinexplosiveeventsisbyincreaseddynamiclegpower(dynamicpower
beingtheabilitytogeneratelargeamountsofmuscularforcewhilemoving).Thisisevidentbythefactthatstridelength,stridefrequency,andfiveboundsfordistance
factorintotheequationssignificantly.Likewise,researchinthedevelopmentoftheseformulaesuggeststhatimprovementsinspeedresultprimarilyfromincreasesin
stridelengthratherthanfromimprovementsinstridefrequency.Sinceincreasesinspeedat30metersand60meterswerefoundtobeaccompaniedbyimprovements
inverticaljump,standinglongjump,andfive
TABLE2.2EXPLOSIVEPERFORMANCESUMMARY
Males
1314yrs.
Females
1516yrs.
1314yrs.
1516yrs.
Percentbodyfat
7.08.5
7.08.0
14.016.0
14.015.5
Standinglongjump
2.402.55m
2.502.65m
2.092.21m
2.112.22m
Verticaljump
.56.61m
.61.69m
.43.50m
.46.52m
Fivebounds
11.3011.80m
12.2012.70m
9.8010.40m
10.2010.80m
60m
8.07.6sec.
7.87.4sec.
8.78.3sec.
8.58.1sec.
Standing30m
4.54.3sec.
4.44.2sec.
4.74.5sec.
4.64.4sec.
Flying30m
3.53.3sec.
3.43.2sec.
4.03.8sec.
3.93.7sec.
Stridefrequency
4.34.7strides/sec.
4.34.7strides/sec.
4.04.4strides/sec.
4.14.5strides/sec.
Stridelength
2.092.15m
2.132.20m
1.901.95m
2.052.13m
Page28
bounds,itwouldappearthatincreasedexplosivestrengthandthesubsequentincreaseinstridelengtharethebestmeanstogreaterrunningspeed.Asanexample,if
JaneDoeimprovedherstridefrequencyfrom3.0to3.5stridespersecond,herpredictedlongjumpperformancewouldimproveapproximatelysixinches(about15
cm).
Table2.2indicatesexceptionalperformanceintheexplosivetestsforages1316(seepage27).Athletesachievingthesemarksshouldrankinthetop10percentfor
theseagegroups.Thistypeofrankingwouldindicateastrongpossibilityforfuturesuccessintrackandfieldeventsrequiringspeedandexplosiveness.
Summary
RegardlessofthesizeanddiversityoftheUnitedStates,itispossibletocreatethekindofpredictivetestingprogramsthathavemadeothercountriesmuchmore
competitive.Theprogramoutlinedinthischapterwascreatedinanefforttostopyoungsterswithexceptionalphysicaltalentfromgoingunnoticed.Itenablescoaches
torecognizepotentialOlympicathletesatayoungageandpredicttheirperformanceintrackandfieldevents.Timehasshownthatsuchaprogramisessentialto
remainingcompetitive.
Page29
APPENDIXBODYFATESTIMATIONTABLES
FEMALE
Iliac
Tricep
crest
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
12.1
12.4
12.7
13.0
13.4
13.7
14.0
14.4
14.7
15.0
15.3
15.7
16.0
12.4
12.7
13.0
13.4
13.7
14.0
14.3
14.7
15.0
15.3
15.6
16.0
16.3
12.7
13.0
13.3
13.6
14.0
14.3
14.6
14.9
15.3
15.6
15.9
16.3
16.6
13.0
13.3
13.6
13.9
14.3
14.6
14.9
15.3
15.6
15.9
16.3
16.6
16.9
13.3
13.6
13.9
14.2
14.6
14.9
15.2
15.6
15.9
16.2
16.6
16.9
17.2
10
13.6
13.9
14.2
14.6
14.9
15.2
16.1
15.9
16.2
16.5
16.9
17.2
17.5
11
13.9
14.2
14.5
14.9
15.2
15.5
15.8
16.2
16.5
16.8
17.1
17.5
17.8
12
14.2
14.5
14.8
15.2
15.5
15.8
16.1
16.5
16.8
17.1
17.5
17.8
18.1
13
14.5
14.8
15.1
15.5
15.8
16.1
16.5
16.8
17.1
17.4
17.8
18.1
18.4
14
14.8
15.1
15.4
15.8
16.1
16.4
16.8
17.1
17.4
17.7
18.1
18.4
18.8
15
15.1
15.4
15.7
16.1
16.4
16.7
17.1
17.4
17.7
18.1
18.4
18.7
19.1
16
15.4
15.7
16.0
16.4
16.7
17.0
17.4
17.7
18.0
18.4
18.7
19.0
19.4
17
15.7
16.0
16.3
16.7
17.0
17.4
17.7
18.0
18.3
18.7
19.0
19.3
19.7
18
16.0
16.3
16.7
17.0
17.3
17.6
18.0
18.3
18.6
19.0
19.3
19.7
20.0
19
16.3
16.6
17.0
17.3
17.6
18.0
18.3
18.6
19.0
19.3
19.6
20.0
20.3
20
16.6
16.9
17.3
17.6
17.9
18.2
18.6
18.9
19.3
19.6
19.9
20.3
20.6
21
16.9
17.2
17.6
17.9
18.2
18.6
18.9
19.2
19.6
19.9
20.3
20.6
20.9
22
17.2
17.5
17.9
18.2
18.5
18.9
19.2
19.6
19.9
20.2
20.5
20.9
21.2
23
17.5
17.8
18.2
18.5
18.9
19.2
19.5
19.9
20.2
20.5
20.9
21.2
21.6
24
17.8
18.2
18.5
18.8
19.2
19.5
19.8
20.2
20.5
20.8
21.2
21.5
21.9
25
18.1
18.5
18.8
19.1
19.5
19.8
20.1
20.5
20.8
21.2
21.5
21.8
22.2
26
18.4
18.8
19.1
19.4
19.8
20.1
20.5
20.8
21.1
21.5
21.8
22.2
22.5
27
18.7
19.1
19.4
19.8
20.1
20.4
20.8
21.1
21.4
21.8
22.2
22.5
22.8
28
19.1
19.4
19.7
20.1
20.4
20.7
21.1
21.4
21.8
22.1
22.4
22.8
23.1
29
19.4
19.7
20.0
20.4
20.7
21.1
21.4
21.7
22.1
22.4
22.8
23.1
23.4
30
19.7
20.0
20.3
20.7
21.0
21.4
21.7
22.0
22.4
22.7
23.1
23.4
23.8
(continued)
Page30
APPENDIXBODYFATESTIMATIONTABLES(continued)
FEMALE
lliac
Tricep
crest
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
16.3
16.7
17.0
17.3
17.7
18.0
18.3
18.7
19.0
19.3
19.7
20.0
20.3
16.6
17.0
17.3
17.6
18.0
18.3
18.6
19.0
19.3
19.6
20.0
20.3
20.7
16.9
17.3
17.6
17.9
18.3
18.6
18.9
19.3
19.6
19.9
20.2
20.6
21.0
17.2
17.6
17.9
18.2
18.6
18.9
19.3
19.6
19.9
20.3
20.6
20.9
21.3
17.6
17.9
18.2
18.6
18.9
19.2
19.6
19.9
20.2
20.6
20.9
21.3
21.6
10
17.9
18.2
18.5
18.9
19.2
19.5
19.8
20.2
20.5
20.9
21.2
21.6
21.9
11
18.2
18.5
18.8
19.2
19.5
19.8
20.2
20.5
20.9
21.2
21.5
21.9
22.2
12
18.5
18.8
19.1
19.5
19.8
20.1
20.5
20.8
21.2
21.5
21.8
22.2
22.5
13
18.8
19.1
19.5
19.8
20.1
20.5
20.8
21.2
21.5
21.9
22.2
22.5
22.8
14
19.1
19.4
19.8
20.1
20.4
20.8
21.1
21.5
21.8
22.1
22.5
22.8
23.8
15
19.4
19.7
20.1
20.4
20.8
21.1
21.4
21.8
22.1
22.5
22.8
23.1
23.5
16
19.7
20.0
20.4
20.7
21.1
21.4
21.7
22.1
22.4
22.8
23.1
23.5
23.8
17
20.0
20.4
20.7
21.0
21.4
21.7
22.1
22.4
22.8
23.1
23.4
23.8
24.1
18
20.3
20.7
21.0
21.3
21.6
22.0
22.4
22.7
23.1
23.4
23.7
24.1
24.4
19
20.6
21.0
21.3
21.7
22.0
22.3
22.7
23.0
23.4
23.7
24.1
24.4
24.7
20
21.0
21.3
21.6
22.0
22.3
22.7
23.0
23.4
23.7
24.0
24.4
24.7
25.1
21
21.3
21.6
21.9
22.3
22.6
23.0
23.3
23.7
24.0
24.3
24.7
25.0
25.4
22
21.6
21.9
22.3
22.6
22.9
23.3
23.6
24.0
24.3
24.7
25.0
25.4
25.7
23
21.9
22.2
22.6
22.9
23.3
23.6
23.9
24.3
24.6
25.0
25.3
25.7
26.0
24
22.2
22.5
22.9
23.2
23.6
23.9
24.3
24.6
25.0
25.3
25.6
26.0
26.3
25
22.5
22.9
23.2
23.5
23.9
24.2
24.6
24.9
25.3
25.6
26.0
26.3
26.7
26
22.8
23.2
23.5
23.9
24.2
24.6
24.9
25.2
25.6
25.9
26.3
26.6
27.0
27
23.2
23.5
23.8
24.2
24.5
24.9
25.2
25.6
25.9
26.3
26.6
27.0
27.3
28
23.5
23.8
24.2
24.5
24.8
25.2
25.5
25.9
26.2
26.6
26.9
27.3
27.6
29
23.8
24.1
24.5
24.8
25.2
25.5
25.9
26.2
26.6
26.9
27.3
27.6
28.0
30
24.1
24.4
24.8
25.1
25.5
25.8
26.2
26.5
26.9
27.2
27.6
27.9
28.3
Page31
APPENDIXBODYFATESTIMATIONTABLES
MALE
Thigh
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
3.6
4.1
4.6
5.1
5.6
6.1
6.7
7.2
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.7
4.1
4.6
5.1
5.6
6.1
6.7
7.2
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.7
10.2
4.6
5.1
5.6
6.1
6.7
7.2
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.7
10.2
10.8
5.1
5.6
6.1
6.7
7.2
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.7
10.3
10.8
11.3
5.6
6.1
6.7
7.2
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.7
10.2
10.8
11.3
11.8
6.1
6.6
7.2
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.7
10.2
10.7
11.3
11.8
12.4
10
6.6
7.2
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.7
10.3
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
11
7.2
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.7
10.3
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
12
7.7
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.8
10.3
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
14.0
13
8.2
8.7
9.2
9.8
10.3
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
14.0
14.5
14
8.8
9.3
9.8
10.3
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
14.0
14.5
15.0
15
9.3
9.8
10.3
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.5
16
9.8
10.3
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.5
16.1
17
10.3
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.5
16.1
16.6
18
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.5
16.1
16.6
17.2
19
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.5
16.1
16.6
17.2
17.7
20
11.9
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.6
16.1
16.6
17.2
17.7
18.2
21
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.6
16.1
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
22
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.6
16.1
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
23
13.4
13.9
14.5
15.0
15.6
16.1
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
20.0
24
14.0
14.5
15.1
15.6
16.1
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
20.0
20.4
25
14.5
15.1
15.6
16.1
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.4
20.9
26
15.1
15.6
16.1
16.6
17.2
17.7
18.3
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.4
21.0
21.5
27
15.6
16.1
16.6
17.2
17.7
18.3
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.4
21.0
21.5
22.1
28
16.1
16.6
17.2
17.7
18.3
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.4
21.0
21.5
22.1
22.6
29
16.6
17.2
17.7
18.3
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.4
21.0
21.5
22.1
22.6
23.1
30
17.2
17.7
18.3
18.8
19.4
19.9
20.4
21.0
21.5
22.1
22.6
23.1
23.7
(continued)
Subscapula
Page32
APPENDIXBODYFATESTIMATIONTABLES(continued)
MALE
Thigh
Subscapula
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
10.2
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.3
12.8
13.4
13.9
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.8
13.4
13.9
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.6
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.6
17.1
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.6
17.1
17.7
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
10
13.4
13.9
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
11
14.0
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
19.9
12
14.5
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.5
13
15.0
15.5
16.1
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.5
21.0
14
15.5
16.1
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.5
21.0
21.6
15
16.1
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.5
21.0
21.6
22.1
16
16.6
17.1
17.7
18.2
18.8
19.3
19.9
20.5
21.0
21.6
22.1
22.7
17
17.2
17.7
18.2
18.7
19.3
19.9
20.5
21.0
21.6
22.1
22.7
23.2
18
17.7
18.2
18.7
19.3
19.9
20.4
20.9
21.6
22.1
22.7
23.2
23.8
19
18.2
18.7
19.3
19.9
20.4
20.9
21.5
22.0
22.7
23.2
23.8
24.3
20
18.7
19.3
19.9
20.4
20.9
21.5
22.1
22.7
23.2
23.8
24.3
24.9
21
19.3
19.9
20.4
20.9
21.5
22.0
22.6
23.2
23.8
24.3
24.9
25.4
22
20.0
20.4
20.9
21.5
22.0
22.6
23.2
23.8
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
23
20.4
20.9
21.5
22.0
22.6
23.1
23.8
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
26.5
24
20.9
21.5
22.0
22.6
23.1
23.7
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
26.5
27.1
25
21.5
22.0
22.6
23.1
23.7
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
26.5
27.1
27.6
26
22.1
22.7
23.2
23.8
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
26.5
27.1
27.6
28.2
27
22.7
23.2
23.8
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
26.5
27.1
27.6
28.2
29.3
28
23.2
23.8
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
26.5
27.1
27.6
28.2
28.7
29.3
29
23.8
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
26.5
27.1
27.6
28.2
28.7
29.3
29.8
30
24.3
24.9
25.4
26.0
26.5
27.1
27.6
28.2
28.7
29.3
29.8
30.4
Page33
PARTII
RUNNINGEVENTS
Page35
3
100and200Meters
CurtisFrye
Tomaketheswitchfrommerelyrunningtorunningfasttimesinthe100and200meters,bothcoachesandathletesmustunderstandtheobjectivestheyareshooting
for.Theprimarygoalforallsprintersshouldbetoimprovetheircapacitytohandletheincreasingmusculardemandsoffasterrunning.Thischapterholdsthat
conditioningandmechanicsareimportantbutthatbothfactorsaresecondarytospeeddevelopment.Allathleteshavespeedpotentialsomemorethanothersbased
upontheirgeneticmakeupbutnoathleteusesallofhisorherpotential.Coachescannolongerjustprepareworkouts.Toactualizetheirathletes'potentialand
improvetheirperformance,coachesmustnowoverseeeveryaspectoftheirathletes'training.
Page36
SprintingMechanics
Understandingpropersprintingmechanics,however,willhelpcontributetospeeddevelopment.Mechanicshastodowiththeeffectsofenergyandforcesonthe
body.Forsprinters,musclepower,neurologicalinnervation,andlengthoflimbsarethemostimportantfactorstoconsider.Thesefactorsinfluencethetwomain
componentsthataffectspeed:stridelengthandstridefrequency.
Stridelengthisgovernedbythepowerthesprinterputsintothestride,orthegroundcontacttime.Stridelengthalsohasaneffectontheangleoftheforcetothe
ground.Whenathletesoverstride,orplacethelandingfoottoofarforwardoftheircenterofmass,theycreatebrakingforcesthatslowthemdown.Whiletryingto
lengthentheirstride,byoverstridingathletesmayactuallycausetheirstridetoshorten.Thebestwaytoimprovestrideisnotbychangingtechniquebutratherby
improvingtheabilitytoproducepower(i.e.,speedandstrength).Naturalincreasesinstridelengthoccurwhengreaterpowerisappliedtothegrounddueto
improvementsinstridefrequency.
Stridefrequencyislimitedbythephysiologicalmakeupofeachathlete.Itisgovernedbythefiringabilityofthenervesstimulatingthemuscles,thefibertypethe
musclesaremadeupof,andthelengthofthelimbs.Themorefasttwitchfibersonehas,thegreaterstridefrequencyonecanattain.Shorterlimbsrotatewithgreater
frequency.Longerlimbshavealowerstridefrequency.Shortsprintersthereforetypicallyrunwithaverypowerfulstrideandonaverageruntheshortraces(60to
100meters)faster.Tallsprintersrunfasterinthelongersprintracesinwhichbothspeedandenduranceareneeded.
Technique
Anathlete'smechanicalpotentialismeasuredbytheabilitytoplaceeachbodysegmentincertainrequiredpositionstoreducegroundtime,improvestridefrequency
andstridelength,andreducetheairtimeofeachstride.Allofthis,inturn,willcontributetofasterspeeds.Coachesmustdevelopatechnicalmodelforeachoftheir
athletesthatdisplaystheirstridepattern.Coachesmustthenwork
Figure3.1
Sprintstridingtechnique.
Page37
onmodifyingeachathlete'smovementpatternstohelptheathletesimprovetheirsprintingtechnique(thusimprovingtheirtechnicalmodel).
SprintStridingPhase
Analysisofanathlete'stechnicalmodelwillrevealaspectsofthestridethatshowgoodtechniqueorthatneedimprovement.Herearesomegoodstridingtechniques
tolookfor:
1.Afootthatismovingbackwardunderthebodyuponlanding(sometimesreferredtoasactivefootplantornegativefootspeed).Seefigure3.1a.
2.Highheelrecoveryasthedrivefootleavestheground(figure3.1a).
3.Asupportfootlandingthattouchesdownascloseaspossibletoapointunderthecenterofmass(figure3.1b).
4.Theankleoftheforwardswinginglegshouldcrossthesupportlegabovetheknee(figure3.1c).
5.Averytallposturewithaslightforwardleanfromtheground,notfromthewaist(leanwillbedirectlyproportionaltoaccelerationthegreatertheaccelerationthe
greaterthelean,sooncetopspeedisachievedforwardleanshouldnotbeverynoticeable).
6.Armsthatswingbackwardasifreachingforthehippocket(figure3.1c).
7.Armsbentattheelbows(bentlessthan90degreesontheupswingbutgreaterthan90degreesonthedownswing).(Seefigure3.1d).
8.Relaxedhands(somecoachesadvocateextendedfingerstocreatealongerleverofthemovingforearm.Thislongerlevercreatesalargermomentofinertiaofthe
movingforearmthathelpstoputmoreforceintothegroundastheathletedrivesoff.Besurenottocreatetension,however.)
9.Armsthatswingforwardtoachinhighpositionintothemidlineofthetorsobutdonotcrossthemidline(figure3.1d).
10.Relaxedshoulders,neck,jaw,andface.
11.Adorsallyflexedanklejoint(toeup)justpriortothefootlanding(figure3.1e).
Figure3.1(continued)
Page38
12.Headiserectandeyesarefocusedonthefinishline(figure3.1f,page37).
13.Sprinterrunsinastraightlinethroughouttheracewithverysmallamountoflateralmovement.
AccelerationPhase
Thetechnicalmodelduringtheaccelerationphaseofthesprint,includingthestart,shouldhavethefollowingcharacteristics:
1.Accelerationisachievedbydrivingorpushingwiththedriveleg.Thisrequiresagoodforwardleanfromthegroundup,notthewaist.Rememberthattheamount
ofleananathleteexhibitswillbedirectlyproportionaltoacceleration.Alsorememberthataccelerationdoesnotmeanspeedbuttherateofincreasingspeed.Ifaline
isdrawnfromthefootofthedrivelegthroughthecenterofmass,thatlinealsoshouldextendthroughtheshoulderjointandhead(figure3.2a).Thatlineshouldbeat
approximatelya45degreeanglefromtheground.
2.Thefreelegwilldrivelowandfasttoplacethefootdownunderthebodyandmayevenfallbehindthecenterofmassdependingonhowquicklytheathlete
accelerates.Withoutproperaccelerationtheathleteswillstumblesincetheyareleaningsofarforward.
3.Theheelrecoveryofthedrivelegwillbeverylowcomingoutoftheblocksinordertogetthefootdownfastinordertodriveagainandovercomeinertia.
4.Witheachsucceedingdrivestep,theathletes'speedgrowsuntiltheyreachtheirtopspeed.Asspeedincreasesaccelerationdecreases,soyoushouldobservea
continuouslesseningofbodylean.(Seefigure3.2b.)Uponreachingtopspeed,postureshouldbeveryerect.
5.Alongwiththestridebystridedecreaseinacceleration,youshouldobservetheathletes'heelsrisehigherastheygetintotheirnormalsprintstride.
6.Thearmactionduringtheaccelerationphaseissimilartothesprintstridingphase.However,intheearlyphasesofthestartthehandswillbedrivenveryhighand
forwardrelativetotheathlete'storso.Thearmsplayaveryimportantroleinmaintainingbalance,rhythm,andrelaxation,soyoushouldhavetheathleteconsciously
workthemvigorously.
Figure3.2
Accelerationmechanics:thegreatertheacceleration,thegreaterthelean.
Page39
7.Astheathletemovesfromtheaccelerationphaseintothenormalstride,youwillwanttofocusuponthetechnicalmodelforthesprintstridingphasediscussed
above.
FinishPhase
Thepropertechniqueforasprintfinishrequiresconcentrationandtiming.Amistimedlungeatthefinishlineislikelytocausetheathletetoloseacloserace.Hereare
examplesofproperfinishingtechnique:
Figure3.3
Theleanatthefinish.
1.Theathletemaintainsgoodsprintpostureandanormalstrideactionthroughthefinishline.
2.Theathletemaintainsthesamesprintstrideasinthemiddleoftherace(it'scommonforsprinterstobreakdownandstartoverstridingatthefinishofaracewhen
fatiguecausesthemtolosetheabilitytomaintaingoodstridefrequencyifathletesoverstride,theywillcreatebrakingforcesthatwillcausethemtoslowdown).
3.Goodankledorsalflexionismaintained.
4.Thelandingfootismovedbackwardunderthecenterofmass.
5.Theathleteskeeptheirstridesquick,notlong.Speedenduranceallowstheathletestobeabletomaintainthebeststridefrequencytheyhave.Wheneverasprinter
haslowspeedendurance,stridefrequencyisdiminishedasfatiguesetsinregardlessoflimblength.
6.Theathletecontinuestovigorouslydrivethearms.
7.Astheathletereachesthefinishline,heorshelungesforwardinordertoleanatthetape.Thisisaneffectivetechnique,butitmustbedonejustastheathletetakes
hisorherlaststridethroughthefinishline.Therearetwotypesofleaningmodels:
Theathletestepsontothefinishlinewiththeheadloweredandbotharmsthrustbackwardtocreateaforwardfallingaction.(Seefigure3.3.)
Theathletedrivestheforwardmovingarmthroughthelineanddrivestheoppositearmbackandaroundtorotatethetrunk.Thistechniqueturnstheshoulder
forwardfast,helpingtheathletetoaccelerateforward.
DevelopingStrength,Power,andSpeed
Conditioningiswhatstrengthenssprinters,andpoweristhemostimportantcomponentofsprinterstrength.Togetthemostoutofconditioning,workduringthe
seasonmustproceedfromlowvolumetohighvolumeandfromlowintensitytohighintensitybeforefinallyreturningtolowvolumeandlowintensitybeforemajor
competitions.
Youngathletesrequiremoreoverallbodyconditioningthandotheiradultcounterparts.Theirbodiesmustgetaccustomedtolowerintensitiesandvolumesoftraining
beforetheyarephysiologicallypreparedtotrainharderanddomore.Bringingyoungathletesalongslowlyallowsthemtofullyandproperlydevelop.Youshould
thereforeemphasizeoverallphysicaldevelopmentratherthanspecificsprinttraining.Astheyoungathletematuresandherorhissprintingability
Page40
becomesmoreapparent,youandtheathletewillthenbeabletodecidewhicheventstheathleteisbestsuitedforshortsprintslikethe100and200metersor
endurancesprintslikethe400meters.Butkeepinmindthatwhentrainingyoungathletes,thelessspecializationthebetter.Waituntiltheyarephysicallyandmentally
readytodomorespecializedwork.Onlythenshouldtheyspendthebulkoftheirtrainingtimespecificallyonspeedcomponents.
Generalconditioningentailsimprovingstrengthandflexibilityinallmusclegroupsandimprovinglungandheartcapacities.Examplesofstrengthtraininginclude
boundingweighttraining,towing,hillrunning,andresistancerunning.Respiratoryandcardiovascularcapacitiesareincreasedusingrunsoflongerdistanceswithlow
intensity.Morespecificconditioninginvolvesdevelopingstrengthandpowerinthemusclegroupsprimarilyusedinsprinting:gluteals,hamstrings,quadriceps,
gastrocnemiusandsoleus(Achillescomplex),dorsiflexorsorankles,flexorsortoes,andshoulderjointdevelopmentforarmaction.Advancedconditioningalso
involvesacclimatingthebodytothespecificenergyrequirementssprintersneed.Theyareasfollows:
100meter95%anaerobic
200meter90%anaerobic,10%aerobic
Table3.1listsvarioustypesoftrainingexercisesbasedontheenergydemandsofsprinters.Itcanbeusedasaguidewhenpreparingworkoutsforeachpartofthe
season.Columnoneliststhetypeoftraining.Columntwogivesthelengthoftherun(inmeters)toachievethattypeoftraining.Thethirdcolumndefinestheenergy
systemthatischallengedbythetypeoftraining.Columnfourgivestheamountofintensityneededtoachievethedesiredeffectforthetrainingtype.Theintensityis
giveninpercentageofmaximumspeed.Thefifthcolumngivestheamountofrestrecoveryneededbeforeattemptinganotherrepeatinordertoaccomplishthetraining
objectivesofthattypeoftraining.Columnsixgivesthetotalamountofdistancetoberuninaworkoutofthestatedtype.Thetotalvolumeofdistanceiscalculatedby
addingupallthedistancesoftherepeatsrun.Thisistherecommendedvolumeoftrainingforthe100metersprinter.Columnsevenprovidesthesameinformationas
columnsixbutforthe200metersprinter.
WeightTraining
Itiscrucialthatastrengthbasebeinplacepriortospeedworkandplyometrictraining.Thisisespeciallyimportantforyoungerathletes.Theworkintheweightroom
tendstobemoregeneral,yethassomespecificcarryover.Properequipmentisimportantinweighttraining,includingbarbells,dumbbells,squatrack,Olympic
platforms,andfreeweightapparatusequipment.Typesofliftsthatsprintersshoulddoincludepowercleans,snatches,squats,singlelegsquats,stepuplunges,lunges
withweights,hangcleans,andbenchpress(athletesshouldbeabletosquatoneandahalftotwotimestheirbodyweightpriortohighintensitytraining).Itisalso
importanttodotherightamountoftheseexerciseswiththerightintensityattherighttimeoftheyear.
Fortheearlypartoftheyear,itisimportanttoworkonendurance,startingwithlightweightsatthreesetsof10to15repetitionsandovertimeincreasingtheweight
andreducingthenumberofrepetitions.Thisallowsthemusclestoworkatahigherrate,thusdevelopingalargerworkcapacitythroughouttheseason.
Muscleenduranceshouldalsobedevelopedastheyeargoeson.Agoodformoftrainingtoimprovemuscleenduranceiscircuittraining.Thisinvolvesworking
Page41
TABLE3.1CATEGORIESOFTRAININGRUNSANDHOWTHEYADDRESSTHEENERGY
SYSTEMS
Typeof
training
Lengthof
run
(multiple
reps)
Energy
system
trained
Percentof
max.speed
Recovery
Total
distancefor
100m
sprinters
Total
distancefor
200m
sprinters
Extensive
tempo
>100m
Aerobic
6970%
3090sec.
1400
3000m
1800
3000m
Extensive
tempo
>200m
Aerobic
7079%
30sec.2
min.
1400
2000m
1800
2500m
Intensivetempo >80m
Aerobicand 8090%
anaerobic
mixed
30sec.5
min.
800
1800m
800
2000m
Speed
2080m
Anaerobic
9095%
35min.
300800m
300800m
Speed
2080m
Alactic
95100%
35min.
300500m
300600m
Speed
endurance
3080m
Anaerobic
9095%
12min.
300800m
300800m
Speed
endurance
3080m
Alactic
95100%
23min.
300800m
300800m
Speed
endurance
80150m
Anaerobic
9095%
56min.
300900m
6001200m
Speed
endurance
80150m
Glycolytic
95100%
610min.
300600m
400800m
Special
enduranceI
150300m
Anaerobic
9095%
1012min.
600900m
6001200m
Special
enduranceI
150300m
Glycolytic
95100%
1215min.
300900m
3001000m
Special
enduranceII
300600m
Lacticacid
tolerance
9095%
1520min.
600900m
6001200m
themuscleswhentheyareinoxygendebt.Itcanbedonewithweights,medicineballexercises,orwithisometricexercises,whichinvolveplacingmaximumforce
againstimmovableresistance.Applyeffortforfourtoeightsecondsduring5to10exercises.Restfortwotothreeminutesinbetweensets.
Dynamicstrengthisdevelopedpredominantlythroughballistic/explosiveweighttraining,soitshouldlikewisebeincorporatedintotheathlete'strainingregimen
throughouttheseason.Thisformoftrainingenhancesexplosivestrength,theabilitytomobilizemuscularforceveryquickly.Explosiveliftingisdonewithalower
volumebutatahigherspeed.Itisimportanttocontinueexplosivelifting
Page42
TABLE3.2SAMPLEWEIGHTTRAININGPLAN
Phase
Day1
Day2
Day3
Preseason
Dothreesetsof1015
reps.Addweightifyou
candomorethan15reps.
Lightenweightifyou
cannotexecuteatleast10
reps.
Squats
Stepups
Benchpress
Dumbbellarmswings
Lunges
Singlelegsquats
Militarypress
Powercleans
Squats
Stepups
Benchpress
Snatch
Earlysason
Ondays1and2,dothree
setsof810repsof
cleansandsnatches.Do
threesetsof35repsfor
everythingelse.Don't
overloadbettertogotoo
lightthantooheavy.
Powercleans
Benchpress
Stepups
Dumbbellarmswings
Abdominalexercises
Snatch
Militarypress
Singlelegsquats
Dumbbellarmswings
Lungeswithdumbbells
Squats(twosetsof
3repsat70%ofmax.)
Lateseason
Ondays1and2,dothree
setsof36repswitha
heavierloadthaninearly
season.Thelasttwo
weekspriortopeak
meets,dotwosetsof25
repsat80%ofmax.Lift
onlytwotimesduringthe
week.
Powercleans
Benchpress
Stepups
Dumbbellarmswings
Abdominalexercises
Snatch
Militarypress
Singlelegsquats
Dumbbellarmswings
Lungeswithdumbbells
Rest
Benchpress(threesets
of5repsat80%of
max.)
throughouttheentireseason,butathletesshouldreducesuchtraining(onetotwoweeksrecovery,dependingonindividualdifferences)beforedesiredpeak
performance.Themainemphasisinthepeakingperiodistomaximizerestandrecoverywithoutlosingstrengthdevelopment.Reduceloadbycuttingthenumberof
setsand/orreducingthepercentageofmaximumweight.
Table3.2presentsasampleweighttrainingplanforsprinters.
Plyometrics
Dynamicandexplosivestrengthisalsodevelopedthroughplyometrics.Plyometricexercisesinvolvehavinganathleterepeataseriesofjumpsofvaryingheightsand
distances,onandoffboxes,upanddowninclines,withsingleanddoublelegactions.Thisenhancestheathlete'sneuromuscularstretchreflex.Eccentricloading
occurswhilethemuscleislengthening,andconcentricloadingoccurswhile
Page43
themuscleshortens.Jumpsshouldbedonewithboxesrangingfrom6to36inches(about15to91cm)inheight.Youcanvarytheheightsoftheboxesandtheir
distancesapartandthenhavetheathletejumpon,off,and/oroverthem.Boundingexercisesincludesingleanddoublelegjumpsforwardandbackward.
Resistancerunningandassistedrunningareotherformsofplyometrictraining.Theycanbedonebyrunningorjumpingwithaweightedvestorbyhavingtheathlete
toworpullaperson(preferablyacoach)30to60meterswithrubbersurgicaltubing.Neverstretchthetubingmorethandoubleitslength.
Aswithothermethodsoftraining,itisimportanttoknowwhentouseplyometricsandhowmuchtodo.Jumpingshouldstartearlyintraining.Specifically,inthe
secondweekofpracticegroundboundsneedtostart.(Seefigure3.4.)Forexample,onTuesdaysandFridays,havetheathletedothefollowingfivejumpsfivetimes
each:doublelegforward,doublelegforheight,singlelegstandingforwardfordistance(fivetimeseachleg),andalternatelegbounds(10totaltakeoffs).Increasethe
weight,time,ordistanceofthejumpsastheathletematures.However,increaseonlyoneparameterweight,time,ordistanceatatime.
Thistypeofworkshouldfollowtheintensityandvolumeprotocolusedintheathlete'sweighttrainingprogram.Changetrainingloadsthroughouttheseasontoshock
thesystem.Thebodyneedschangeeveryfewweeks,andincreasesorreductionsofloadwillhelptheathleteavoidbecomingstaleandunabletoimprovetheirspeed
development.Italsoimprovestheathlete'sabilitytoadapttodifferenttypes,volumes,andintensitiesoftraining.Thesameroutinemustberehearsedatleastsixto
eightpracticesessionsinordertoallowthebodytoremembertheaction.Forexample,aftertwoweeksofhavingtheathletetrainatareducedload,youshouldhave
himorherreturntoanincreasedload.Thus,youmightdosixweeksat90%,twoweeksat75%,andthenthreeweeksat98%.Reducethetrainingloadasthe
athletenearsdesiredpeakperformance.
Figure3.4
Groundbounds.
SpeedTraining
Oneofthemostmisunderstoodconceptsintrainingforsprintersisspeedendurance.Itreferstotheabilityofanathletetomoveattheirmaximumrateforanextended
distance.Itdoesnothaveanythingtodowithhowefficientlyoneusesoxygen.
Page44
Firstfindathlete'smaximumspeed.Agoodwaytodothisistotimeeachforafull60meterdash.Besurealsotogetanintermediate30metersplittime.Thisdivides
theevaluationintoacceleration(thefirst30meters)andspeed(thelast30meters).Timethefirst10metersandthelast20metersthentimethefirst20meters,and
thelast10meters.Youwillthenhavetheinformationyouneedtohelptheathleteimproveeachoftheir10metersplits.Astheseasongoeson,workonimprovingthe
20metersplits.Finally,workonimprovingthe30meterfly.Tomaximizespeedpotential,firstincreasethenumberofrepetitionswithlowintensity.Laterdecrease
thenumberofrepetitionsandincreasetheintensity.
TrainingDrills
Thefollowingdrillswillhelppromoteandenhanceyourathletes'speeddevelopment.
InsandOuts
Insandoutsattrainingdistancesof20to60metersareanoutstandingwaytodevelopspeedandrelaxation.Herearetwoexamplesofworkouts:
20metersfast+20meterseasy+20metersfast=60meterstotalrepeatthreetimes
Afterthreeweekschangetothefollowing:
30metersfast+30meterseasy+30metersfast=90meterstotalrepeatfivetimes
BlockStarts
Fullspeedblockstartshelpdevelopreactiontimeatthestartofarace.Startsshouldberunonly10metersatfirst,then20meters,30meters,andfinally60meters.
Useastartingsignal(e.g.,apistolshotorspokenword)orarollingstart.Theathleteshouldmaintainahighrateofaccelerationthroughouttherunandshould
eventuallytrainattheracedistance(s)atracepaceinordertogetusedtostartingundertheseconditions.
StickDrill
Thestickdrillisveryeffectiveinhelpingsprintersimprovetheirstridefrequencyanddecreasetheirgroundcontacttime.Youwillneedseveral4inch18inch(about
10cm46cm)sticks.
1.Formen,placethesticksfivefeet(about1.5m)apart.Startwithfourfeet(about1.2m)forwomenandadjustdownwardforyouths.Placeupto20sticksonthe
groundforatotaldistanceofapproximately30yards(about27.4m)formenand25yards(about22.9m)forwomen.
2.Fromarunningstart,havetheathleterunoverthesticks,avoidingcontactwiththem.Dothistwotimesperweek,fourtofivetimesperworkout.Astheseason
progresseswaitingatleastfourweeksextendthelengthbetweensticksanothersixinches(about15cm).Maintainthislengthforanothertwotofourweeks,then
extendthedistanceanothersixinches(about15cm).Ifatanytimetheathletehastoreachouttocrossthesticks,theyaretoofarapart.Theemphasisofthisdrillis
onimprovingfrequency,notstridelength(althoughtheirstridelengthshouldnaturallyimprove).
Page45
3.Timemaleathletesat30,34,andfinallyat38yards(about27,31,and35m)timefemaleathletesat25,29,andthen33yards(about23,26.5,and30m).The
maximumdistancetheathleteshouldrunforthisdrillis38yards(about35m)formen[whenthesticksareatsixfoot(about1.8m)intervals]and33yards(about30
m)forwomen[whenthesticksareatfivefoot(about1.5m)intervals].
ContinuousAccelerationDrill
Thecontinuousaccelerationdrillisforgoodstartersandpoorfinishers.Workonrepeat100s(perhapsthreetofiverepetitions),timingthelast50meters.Thenafter
threetofourweeksoftimingthelast50meters,increasethetimedzoneto60meters,thento70meters,andfinallyallthewayto90meters.Emphasizetotheathlete
thattheymustmakeaconsciousefforttoincreasespeedinthelaterstagesofthe100meterdash.
DistanceDrill
Totrainspeedenduranceintheearlyseason,doaveryrelaxed280,2100,2140,and2150.Increasethevolumeatmidseasonto33150,andafter
thesecondweekatthisvolumechangeto24150.Inlateseason,do3150atabout98%,550easy,and550at100%.
Keepinmind,though,thatbeforefocusingonspeedenduranceyoushouldemphasizegeneralspeeddevelopment.Thisimprovestheathlete'soverallracingability.
Aftertakingintoconsiderationthevarioustypesoftrainingthatshouldbepartofasprinter'sregimen,andfactoringinthevolumeandintensitythatisappropriatefor
eachseason,table3.3presentssampleworkoutsforthepreseason,earlyseason,andlateseason.Youcanusethemasis,ortailorthemtomeettheneedsofyour
athletes.
PerformanceFactors
Toavoidinjuryandmeetthedemandsoftrainingdayafterday,factorslikediet,rest,andproperwarmupandstretchingmustcomeintoplay.Athleteswillnotbe
abletosustainahighlevelofperformancethroughoutalongseasonwithouttakingpropercareoftheirbodiesat,andawayfrom,thetrack.
Flexibility
Flexibilityisacomponentofsprintmechanics.Itcorrespondstotheelasticityofanathlete'smuscle,tendons,andjoints.Therearedifferentwaystoincreaseflexibility,
includingstaticstretching,resistancestretching,proprioceptiveneuromuscularfacilitation(PNF),anddynamicexercises.Ropesorrubbertubingareusefultoolsin
stretching,andpartnerstretchingisagreatwaytocreateresistancestretching.
Stresstotheathletesthattheyneedtostretchduringtheirwarmups.Butbemoreadamantthattheystretchduringtheircooldowns.Emphasizedevelopingflexibility
ofthehipjoints,ankles,andlumbarsacraljointsbydoingstretchesinvolvingthegroin,hamstring,quadriceps,lowerback,gastrocnemius,andanteriorshinmuscles.
Page46
TABLE3.3SAMPLEWORKOUTSFOR100AND200METERS
Preseason
Monday
Warmup
Sprintdrills
Speeddevelopmentwork
Turnaround40mor50msprints
Fallingaccelerationstarts
Plyometrictraining
Cooldown
Stretch
Tuesday
Warmup
Intervaltraining
4400m(jogcurve,stridestraights)
4200m@7580%ofmax.(6090sec.recoverybetweensets)
Circuittraining
Cooldown
Stretch
Wednesday
Warmup
Sprintdrills
Technicalpractice(modelingrotaryrunning)
Blockstartsandstartdrillsto30m
Stickdrillrunning
Cooldown
Stretch
Thursday
Warmup
15min.aerobicrun
Circuittraining
Cooldown
Stretch
Friday
Warmup
Sprintdrills
Technicalpractice
Modeling
Rotaryrunning
Speeddevelopmentwork
Stickdrillrunning
Rolloverstarts
4150minsandouts
Saturday
Warmup
2300m@8085%ofmax.
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
Page47
(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
Preseason
46100muphillruns
Circuittraining
Cooldown
Stretch
EarlySeason
Monday
Warmup
Sprintdrills
Speeddevelopmentwork
Turnaround40mor50msprints(eitherincreasespeedorincrease
distanceto100m).
Cooldown
Stretch
Tuesday
Warmup
Sprintdrills
Technicalpractice(modelingrotaryrunning)
Speedstickrunning
460mblockstarts
430mflyingstarts(workonfinishingattape)
Boundingwithaweightedvest
Cooldown
Stretch
Wednesday
Warmup
Technicalpractice
4100mrelaxationstrides(easypace,focusongoodform)
Cooldown
Stretch
Thursday
Warmup
Sprintdrills(emphasizerotaryrunning)
4120m(speedendurance)
650mweightedsledpulls
Cooldown
Stretch
Friday
Warmup
Sprintdrills
Rotaryrunning
3420mstarts
2100msmoothstriding
Cooldown
Stretch
(continued)
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(continued)
EarlySeason
Saturday
Warmup
Earlycompetition
LateSeason
Monday
Warmup
For100mathletes:5200m@90%ofmax.
3min.recoverybetweensets
For200mathletes:4300m@8590%ofmax.
1012min.recoverybetweensets
Cooldown
Stretch
Tuesday
Warmup
Sprintdrills
Technicalpractice(modelingrotaryrunning)
Speedstickdrill
2100mcontinuousaccelerationdrill
2120m(speedendurance)
Plyometrictraining
Cooldown
Stretch
Wednesday
Warmup
6100mrelaxationstrides(easypace,focusongoodform)
Cooldown
Stretch
Thursday
Warmup
Sprintdrills
Technicalmodeling(emphasizerotaryrunning)
2330mblockstarts
1150m@100%ofmax.
Cooldown
Stretch
Friday
Warmuponly
Saturday
Warmup
Mostimportantcompetition
Diet
Theathlete'sdietaffectshisorherperformancedirectly.Competitiveathletesmusteatabalanceddietcontainingallfourfoodgroups,andeatingavarietyoffoods
withineachgroupisessential.Forexample,inthevegetablegroupitis
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beneficialtoeatallofthedifferentcolorsofvegetablesinordertoreceiveeverytypeofvitaminandmineral,aswellasantioxidants.Powerathletesshouldfollowa
404020ratiothatis,adietcomposedof40percentprotein,40percentcarbohydrates,and20percentfats.
RestandRecovery
Alongwitheatingright,anathleteshouldrestandrecoverproperly.Therearedifferentwaystohelpthebodyrecover,andit'simportanttouseavarietyofrecovery
approachesinordertodeterminewhichoneseachathleterespondstothebest.Completerestmeansnotperforminganyphysicalactivity,whileactiverestinvolves
maintainingsomelevelofphysicalactivitythatdoesnotpertaintotheathlete'sevent.Othertechniquesthathelprecoveryincludepooltherapy,massage,acupuncture,
chiropracticadjustments,andphysicaltherapy.Icemassageandiceapplication,coldhotcontrast,andhydrotherapyaremorespecificrecoverytools.Iceapplication
isalwaysahelpfulwaytoflushthebodyafterfatiguingexercise.Coldwhirlpooltreatmentsareanothergoodoption.
Competition
Beingmentallyreadyforacompetitionisjustasimportantasbeingphysicallyready.Thetwogohandinhand.Settinggoalsandpracticingmentaltrainingtechniques
willhelpathletescompeteattheleveloftheirpotential.
GoalSetting
Animportantpartofcompetingisbeingabletosetgoalsandacceptchallenges.Shouldyou,thecoach,setgoals,orshouldgoalsettingbedonetogetherwiththe
athlete?Iftherelationshipbetweenyouandtheathleteisstronglyauthorityoriented,youwillmostlikelyassigngoals.Ontheotherhand,iftheathletehaspersonal
experiencethatmakesherorhisinputveryvaluable,anathleteandcoachcansetgoalstogether.Ineithercase,thegoalsmustbechallengingbutrealistic.Ifathletes
seetheirgoalsasunattainable,theywillreducetheireffort,thusreducingtheirchancesforsuccess.Throughoutthecompetitiveseasonitisimportanttoreevaluatethe
athletes'goalsusingtheirresultsintrainingandcompetitions.
MentalToughness
Mentaltoughnessenablesyourathletestoreachtheirgoals.Astrongmentaldispositionallowstheathletestoacceptchallenges,handlestress,andassume
responsibilityforsuccessesandfailures.Thebestwaytoputyourathletesintherightframeofmindandtoreducetheirstressistoadequatelypreparethemforevery
aspectofcompetition.Thebestwaysforathletestoprepareincludebeingingoodphysicalshape,planningwhichcompetitionstheywillparticipateinandfocustheir
trainingaround,evaluatingperformanceandprogress,settinggoals,creatingtrainingtimetables,andlearningtoholdthemselvesaccountable.
Alargefactorintheabilitytocopewithstressisselfconfidence.Thisisdevelopedthroughfitnesspreparation,skilldevelopment,andimprovedperformance.You
mustplayanimportantroleinbuildingupyourathletes'confidence
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withoutcreatingoverconfidence,whichcanleadtoatotallossofconfidencewhenunrealisticgoalsarenotmet.Youmustthereforeworkonbuildingupathletes'
confidenceyethelpthemrealizetheirpresentlimitations.Thenhelpsetapathforeachathletetofollowtogaintheskillsnecessarytobreakthroughtheselimitations.
ImageryandVisualization
Theathlete'spsychedirectlyaffectshisorherperformance,andcoachesmustlearnhowtoutilizesportpsychologytechniquestobenefittheirathletes.Mentalimagery
andvisualizationtechniquescanhelpanathletelearnthenecessaryskillsofsprinting.Mentalimageryisassistedwhentheathletescanviewfilmorvideoofcorrect
technique.Thishelpstodevelopamentalpicturefortheathlete.Afilmorvideowillalsohelpathletesrecognizeflawsintheirtechnique.Theycanthenvisualizehowto
achievethedesiredtechnicalmodel.Thisprocessinvolvestheathleteseeingthemselvesexecutingthecorrecttechnicalmodelintheirmindpriortoattemptingtheskill
ineitherpracticeorcompetition.
Beforeapracticesessionorcompetition,theathletesshouldtakeafewmomentstomentallyrehearsethetechnicalmodel.Theathletesshouldnotonlyseethemodel
intheirmindbutshouldsensetherhythmoftheeffortintheirnerves.Whenanathletedoesthiseffectively,youcanseemovementsinthebodythatarerespondingto
thementalprocess.Athletesshouldalsorehearsetheskillsawayfrompracticeinaveryquietandundisturbedsetting.Theyshouldclosetheireyesandconcentrateon
seeingthemselvesexecutingaperfectperformance.Repeatingthisprocessgreatlyenhancestheirabilitytoperformwell.Otheraspectsofcompetitionshouldalsobe
visualized,suchascrossingthefinishingtapeandbeingontheawardstand.Thishelpsmotivateandmoveathletestowardtheirgoals.
Summary
Mygoalinthischapterhasbeentomakeyouawareofandtohelpyouunderstandthemanysignificanttrainingcomponentsthatgointodevelopinggoodsprinters.
Coachescannolongersimplyprepareworkouts.Theyneedtobepartofeveryaspectoftheirathletes'training.
Yetthischapterisnotintendedtogeteveryonetoagreeonasingleplanfordevelopingallsprinters.Itsimplyshowshowpreparation,consideration,discussion,and
reviewcanbeusedtoconstructanathlete'strainingprogramandhowyoucanpreventproblemsbeforetheyoccur.Preparationrequiresaplan.Considerationentails
rememberingthateachathleteisapersonwithspecificfeelings,needs,beliefs,andopinions.Discussionbasedcommunicationwithyourathletesabouttheirprogram,
whatworks,andwhatneedstobechangedisanecessity.Anditisimportanttoreviewandevaluatetheprogramwithyourathletesandtoassesstheirprogressin
ordertohelpthemimprovetheirtechniqueandperformance.Thisincludesdevelopingagoodstartandaccelerationpattern,goodrunningmechanicsforhighspeed
performance,andtopspeedendurancethatallowsforthebestfinishpossible.Eachstageofyourathletes'developmentnecessitatescarefulreviewoftheirpast
traininghistory.Andyourathletes'emotional,physical,andsocialdevelopmentcannotbeignored.Youmaynothavealltheanswers,andthisisnotwrong.Butnot
consulting,reading,andinvestigatingtofindtheansweris!Keepinmindthatyourathletes'wellbeingisinyourhands.
Page51
4
400Meters
ClydeHart
The400meterdashisanendurancesprintincorporatingthespeedofthesprinterandtheenduranceofthehalfmiler.Itisconsideredbymanytobeoneofthemost
demandingandgruelingofcompetitiveevents.Usuallythe400meterrunnerisoneoftwodistincttypesthesprintertypeorhalfmilertype.Bothofthesetypeshave
hadtheirshareofsuccessovertheyears.Occasionallyyouwillfindanathletewhopossessessomecharacteristicsofbothsprinterandhalfmiler.
MichaelJohnson,aworldandOlympicchampioninboththe200and400meters,isaprimeexampleofthesprintertype400runner.However,hehasdevelopedhis
strengthandenduranceovertheyearstothepointthathecanbettermaintainhissuperiorspeedoveralongerdistancethanhiscompetitors.
Page52
DistributionofSpeed
Theabilitytodistributeone'sspeedandenergiesinthemostefficientmanneroverthetotalracingdistanceistheprimarymeansofachievingsuccessinthe400meter
dash.Nooneiscapableofrunningthe400metersalloutfromstarttofinish.Judgingpacewellineffortanddistributionisamust.Remember,the400metersisnota
fullsprint.Outstandingspeedat100and200meterscanbeatremendousadvantagetothe400meterrunnersbutonlyiftheylearntodistributetheseenergies
properly.Generally,theoutstanding400meterrunnerwillhaveapproximatelyaoneseconddifferentialbetweentheirbestopen200metersandthetimeittakesthem
torunthefirst200metersofthe400meterdash.Thelessexperienced400meterrunnerhasapproximatelyatwoseconddifferential.
Agoodformulaforpredictingthepotential400metertimefor200meterrunners,providedtheyarewillingtotrainandtogivealltheycantobecomeatop400
meterrunner,istodoublethetimeoftheirbestopen200meters,thenadd3.5seconds.Obviouslythesprintertypehastheadvantagethroughtheearlystagesofthe
400metershowever,ifheorsheisnottrainedproperly,thisadvantagecanmeltawayinahurrytowardtheendoftherace.Thehalfmilertypewilldefinitelyhavean
advantagefromthe300metersmarktothefinish.Weareseeingmoreofthesprintertypesucceedinthe400meterstodaylargelybecausestaminaandendurance
canbedevelopedmoreeffectivelythancanthesprintingabilitiesofthemiddledistancerunner.
Training
The400metersisanoxygendeficientevent.ThismeansthatthelevelofoxygenabsorptionisbelowthatwhichisnecessarytosupplytheATP(adenosine
triphosphate)requirement.Theenergyusedduringthe400meterdashisderivedfromthebreakdownofhighenergyphosphatecompoundsandfromthesplittingof
glycogentolacticacid.ThiseventwillrelyprimarilyontwoanaerobicsystemstheATPPCandlacticacidsystems.Physiologistshavenotfoundagoodwayto
measureanaerobicpower,andthismakesitverydifficulttoknowifoneisincreasingtheanaerobicreservesornot.Wemustrelyonwhatwehavelearnedfrom
physiologistsconcerningthecomponentsoffatigueduringtherunningofthe400meterdash.Thistellsuswhattypesofstresswemustdealwithduringboth400
metertrainingandcompetition.
Propertrainingwillhelpathleteslearntodealwiththestressthattheywillfacetowardtheendofthe400meterdash.Weknowthatsevereexercisingimposesgreat
stressonthebody,anditmustlearntoadapttothisstressoritwillbreakdown.Wealsoknowthatwhenthebodyisgraduallyputunderstress,itwilldowhateveris
necessaryforitsownwellbeingtoadjusttothisnewenvironment.Whenanorganismisconditionedtothestressofathleticcompetition,itwillbeabletoperformin
thatenvironmentwhencalledupon.
TrainingSegments
Thetrainingyearofthe400meterrunnerwillbedividedintofoursegments:
1.offseason(summerandSeptemberDecember),
2.earlycompetitiveseason(JanuaryFebruary),
Page53
3.midseason(MarchApril),and
4.lateseason(MayJune).
TypesofWorkouts
Basedonthedemandsofthe400meterevent,thefollowingtrainingworkoutsarerecommendedinvaryingdegreesofemphasisduringthetrainingyear.Thetime
frameinwhicheachworkoutisusedinthecourseofthetrainingyearisofvitalimportance.Toderivethemostfromanytrainingprogram,thecoachandrunnermust
paycloseattentiontotheproperintroductionofaspecificworkout.
SpeedEndurance
Inspeedendurancerunningtherunnerincursahighoxygendebt,andthereisadefinitelacticacidbuildup.Thistypeofworkoutisvitaltogood400meterrunning.
Thedistancesruncanvaryfrom100to600meters.Thenumberofrepetitionsisfiguredbymultiplyingtheracedistancetwoandahalftimesinthecaseofthe400
meterdash,thiswouldbeabout1000meters.Therecoveryperiodwillusuallybearound10minutes,whichgivestherunneralmostfullrecoverysothattherewillbe
qualityintheruns.Thefollowingspeedenduranceworkoutsaredesignedtohelpthelacticacidenergysystem.
Repsm
Rest(min.)
10100
510
6150
510
5200
10
4300
10
3350
10
2450
10
TempoEndurance
Tempoendurance,anaerobicworkout,willpaygreatdividendsto400meterrunners.Notonlywillithelpthemtoincreasetheiroxygenuptake,whichwillhelpto
shortentheirrecoverytime,butitwillenablethemtoaccomplishmoreandlongerworkouts.Sincetherunsaredoneataslowerpace,thisworkouthelpstherunners
learnrhythm,and,asthenamesuggests,tempo.Anothervitalbyproductofthisworkoutisthatithelpstotrainthebodytoincreaseproductionofphosphate,which
isaprimaryenergysource.Theemphasisinthefollowingworkouts,aswithspeedenduranceworkouts,shouldbeonquantityandnotonquality.Therestfactoris
generallykeptshortusuallytwotothreeminutes.
Repsm
Rest
8200
2min.
6300
2min.
50100150200300 Walkthesamedistance
350
forrest
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StrengthEndurance
Thesestrengthenduranceworkoutsinvolveactivitiesthatwilllastlongerthan10seconds.Suchactivitieswillincluderesistancerunning,longhillrunning,andstadium
stepruns.
6150muphill
660stadiumsteps(figure4.1)
615sec.roperesistanceruns
Figure4.1
Stadiumstepruns.
EnduranceRunning
Theendurancerunningworkoutispureaerobicrunning.Itconsistsofcontinuousrunsof15to45minutesatasteadystatespeed.Althoughthe400metersrequires
onlyabout5%aerobicrunning,itisimportantto400meterrunnerstogetagoodbaseofaerobicrunningtoimprovetheiroxygenuptakesothattheirrecoverytime
betweeneffortsiscuttoaminimum.
15min.atsteadystatespeed
30min.offartlekrunning
6800moncrosscountrycoursewith3min.recovery
PowerSpeed
Thefollowingpowerspeedworkoutsemphasizespeedofmusclecontraction.Thisisusuallydonewithfewerthan10repetitionsandnomorethan10secondsper
repetition.
Shorthillrunsofabout60m
1030mharnessruns
1010sec.fastropejumps
EventRunning
Theeventrunningworkoutdoesexactlywhatthenameimplies.Therunnerrunsdifferentdistancesatapredeterminedracestrategyinordertolearntoworkon
differentaspectsofrunningthe400meters.Wealsorefertothisassegmentrunning.
Workout
Description
3300m
First50m,runallout.Next150m,runwitharelaxed,floatingaction.
Runalloutonthelast100m.Timeandrecordeachrun.
2450m
Thefirst200m,300m,400m,andfinal50marealltimedandrecorded.
1350m
Qualityrun,witheachsegmentrunasifinthe400mrace.
Page55
Speed
Speedworkoutswillusedistancesvaryingfrom30metersto150meters.Workwillbedoneatfullspeedeitheronthestraightawayorcurve.Restbetweenrunsis
usuallylong,allowingfullrecoveryandqualityperformances.Relayhandoffworkwillcountasdoingspeedworkouts.
640mstarts
660mflyingstarts
660msprintrelayhandoffs
Strength
Strengthworkoutsconsistofbothgeneralandspecificstrengthdevelopment.Ourgeneralstrengthdevelopmentisdonethroughthetraditionalweightliftingprograms
ofbothfreeweightsandmachines.Wealsorecommendtheuseofplyometricdrillstogiveusourspecificweightwork.
30min.traditionalweightliftingworkout(1set,13reps)
Explosivejumpsforthedevelopmentofstartingpowerandacceleration
3setsof10hops,eachleg
Fast50mboundingrunswithbarbell
Table4.1indicatesthepercentageofemphasis,bysegmentoftrainingyear,tobegiventotheaboveworkouts.Alteringtheemphasisofdifferentworkoutsthroughout
trainingwillenhanceyourathletes'performanceswhenitcomestimeforcompetition.
Inadditiontotheworkoutspresentedthusfar,table4.2presentsvariousrunningexercisesthatwillimproveeverythingfromenduranceandspeedtooveralltechnique
andrunningefficiency.Thebesttrainingsegmentorseasoninwhichtopracticetheseexercisesisalsogiven.Manyoftheserunningexercisesarealsofoundinthe
comprehensivesampleworkoutsintable4.3(seepage57).
TABLE4.1PERCENTAGEOFMAX.EMPHASISFORWORKOUTS
Typesofworkouts
Fall
Early
Mid
Late
Speedendurance
75
90
100
100
Tempoendurance
100
100
100
75
Strengthendurance
100
90
80
70
Endurancerunning
100
20
10
Powerspeed
20
60
70
80
Eventruns
25
90
100
100
Strength
100
100
100
100
Page56
TABLE4.2RUNNINGEXERCISESFORSPRINTERS
Exercise
Description
Benefits
Season
Endlessrelay
Batoniskeptmoving,
restandrunare
controlled
Endurance,stamina,
andexchangework
Australianpursuits
Sprintsandslow
joggingfortotalof3
min.
Endurance,speed,and All
kickingdrill
Longhill
100mormore,slow
runs
Endurance,stamina,
andkneelift
600m
Pacefirst400,pickup
last200m
Enduranceandstamina Fall/early
500m
Pacefirst400,pickup
last100m
Endurance,stamina,
andkneelift
350m
Qualityandtraining
Mentalpreparation,
Early/midandlate
distance,all5.57sec. endurance,andstamina
under400time
300mevent
200mslowpace,last
100mfaster
450m
Pacefirst400andpick Mentalpreparation,
uplast50m
endurance,stamina,
andkneelift
Mid/late
Shorthill
Lessthan100mfast
runs
Speed,legdrive,and
stamina
Mid/late
Flyingbears
Repeat100swith
jogging
Speed,strength,and
runningefficiency
Mid/late
320m
Qualitydistance,add
1012sec.for400time
Mentalpreparation,
speed,andrunning
efficiency
Mid/late
Speedmaker
Short50msprints,
jogging
Speed,strength,and
runningefficiency
Mid/late
150mbuildups
50mat1/2speed,50m Runningefficiency,
Early/midandlate
at3/4speed,50mat
speed,endurance,and
nearfullspeed
mentalpreparation
Mentalpreparation,
endurance,and
runningefficiency
All
Fall/early
Early/mid
Early/midandlate
DesigningaTrainingProgram
Beforecoachesplantheir400meterworkouts,theyshouldponderseveralconcepts:
Page57
Thebasicconceptofgoingfromquantitytoqualityhasnotchangedoverthepastseveraldecades.
Allworkoutsshouldfollowaprogressivepatternyoushouldstandardizeyourworkoutssothatspeedoftherunningdistanceisprogressivelyshortenedandinsome
casestheamountofrestaswell.
Theconceptofoverloadingpaysdividends.Thefollowingisanexample:Havethe400meterrunnerrun2600s,comingthroughthe400metersataveryslow
pace.Asthetimeofthefirst400metersisgraduallyloweredtothepointthattherunnerhasdifficultymaintainingpace,thedistanceislowered.Atthenextdistance,
500meters,therunnersrunatthesamepacethroughthefirst400metersasiftheywererunningatthepreviousdistance.Theathletescontinuethisworkoutdrilluntil
thedistanceisreducedto450meters.Trytoreachthisfinaldistancebymidseasonandcontinueittotheendoftheyear.Wesuggesthavingtheathletesdoonerun,
ratherthantwo,beforeamajorcompetition.Althoughtherunnersaregettinglessdistance,theirefforthasincreasedwithmorestressbeingputonthebody.
Anotherfactortoconsiderinplanning400meterworkoutsisthatittakesahardrunofaround40secondstoincurasignificantlacticacidbuildup.Thisbeingthe
case,theidealdistanceis300metersforwomenand350metersformen.Sincemostquality400meterrunnerswillcoverthisdistanceinslightlyover40seconds,
theyareworkingacoupleofsecondsintolacticacidbuildup.Byrunningthisdistance,therunnercanaccomplishseveraloftheserunsinaworkoutsession.
Keepingthesepointsinmind,acompletetrainingprogramthatfeaturessampleworkoutsforeachseasonispresentedintable4.3.
TABLE4.3SAMPLEWORKOUTSFOR400METERS
Theseworkoutscanbeappliedtoalllevelsof400meterrunners,butperformancetimes
giveninthissampleareforapotential46secondquartermilersoadjustaccordingly.
TheResttimesapplytoeachrun.Forexample,3300.Speed:50sec.Rest:1min.means:
1.1300
2.Restfor1min.
3.1300
4.Restfor1min.
5.1300
Fall(SeptemberDecember)
Monday
(continued)
1.Warmup:1milecrosscountryrun
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.2600Speed:90sec.(60sec./400mpace)Rest:15min.
4.3300Speed:50sec.Rest:1min.
5.3300Speed:40sec.Rest:5min.
6.Cooldown:1milecrosscountryrun
7.Weights
Page58
(continued)
Fall(SeptemberDecember)
Tuesday
1.Warmup:1milecrosscountryrun
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.10200Speed:30sec.Rest:3min.
4.6150longhillruns.Speed:fastRest:jogback
5.Cooldown:1milecrosscountryrun
Wednesday 1.Warmup:1milecrosscountryrun
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.4350(eventrun).Speed:48sec.Rest:10min.
50fast150relaxed(200timeof28sec.)100pickedupfastlast50steadyandkeepinggood
form
4.3200Speed:302928sec.Rest:3min.
5.Cooldown:1milecrosscountryrun
6.Weights
Thursday
1.Warmup:1milecrosscountryrun
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.600400200400600Speed:30sec.paceRest:5min.
4.6100strides.Speed:mediumRest:1min.
5.Cooldown:1milecrosscountryrun
Friday
1.Warmup:1/2milecrosscountryrun
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.Twomilecrosscountrytimedrun
4.Weights
Saturday
Noorganizedpractice,encouragedtodo3milesrunning.
Sunday
Noorganizedpractice,encouragedtodo20min.fartlek.
EarlySeason(JanuaryFebruary)
Monday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts(100sprint/100walk,3laps,fastereachlap,4thlaprunof200
in26sec.)
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.2500Speed:70sec.(56sec./400mpace)Rest:15min.
4.3200Speed:302928sec.Rest:3min.
5.810sec.ropejumps.Rest:10sec.Repeat
Tuesday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.8200Speed:28sec.Rest:3min.
4.6150longhillruns.Speed:fastRest:jogback
5.Weights
Wednesday 1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
Page59
(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
EarlySeason(JanuaryFebruary)
3.4300(eventrun).Speed:42sec.Rest:5min.
4.3200Speed:302928sec.Rest:3min.
5.610sec.roperesistancerun.Speed:fast.Rest:10sec.
Thursday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.1350Speed:fast.Rest:15min.
4.4200Speed:26sec.Rest:5min.
5.Weights
Friday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.3200Speed:302928sec.Rest:3min.
4.1600relayhandoffwork
Saturday
Meet
Sunday
Noorganizedworkoutencouragedtodosomelightcrosscountryrunning,
about20m.
Midseason(MarchApril)
Monday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.2450Speed:58.5sec.(52sec./400mpace).Rest:15min.
4.3200Speed:282726sec.Rest:3min.
Tuesday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.6200Speed:26sec.Rest:3min.
4.520sec.roperesistanceruns.Speed:slow.Rest:3min.
5.Weights
Wednesday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.4300(eventrun).Speed:42sec.Rest:5min.
4.8100shorthillruns.Speed:fast.Rest:walkback.
Thursday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.3200Speed:262524sec.Rest:walk200.
4.3150(buildups).Speed:fast.slowmediumfast.Rest:walkback.
5.Weights
Friday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.3200Speed:26sec.Rest:walk200.
4.1600relayhandoffs
(continued)
Page60
(continued)
Midseason(MarchApril)
Saturday
Meet
Sunday
Noorganizedpracticeencouragedtodosomecrosscountryrunning,about20min.
LateSeason(MayJune)
Monday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.1450Speed:50sec.400.Rest:15min.
4.3200Speed:262524sec.Rest:walk200.
Tuesday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.4300Speed:42sec.Rest:5min.
4.4200Speed:28272625sec.Rest:3min.
5.Weights
Wednesday 1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.1320(qualityrun).Speed:fast.Rest:15min.
4.3200Speed:262524sec.Rest:walk200.
5.880shorthillruns.Speed:fast.Rest:walkback.
Thursday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.3setsofspeedmakers.Speed:fast.Rest:jog.
50meteralloutsprint,50meterswingdown,50meterslowjog.Repeatuntilfourallout
sprintsaredone.Threeminutesrestbetweensets.
4.Weights
Friday
1.Warmup:1mileofinandouts
2.Flexibilityexercises
3.2200Speed:26sec.Rest:walk200.
4.1600relayhandoffs
Saturday
Meet
Sunday
Noorganizedpracticeencouragedtodosomecrosscountryrunning,about20min.
Competition
Theidealracepatternconsistsofsmoothdeceleration,iftheathleteshavedispersedtheirenergiesproperly,withaslittletighteningupatthefinishaspossible.Runners
shouldtrytocoverthefirst50metersatneartopspeed.Atthispointtheyshouldrelaxtheactionsoftheupperbodywhilemaintainingtheirlegspeed.Theirminds
shouldsettleintotherhythmoftheraceandgetafeelfortheir
Page61
competition.Theyshouldalsobeginthinkingaboutthenextbigefforttheywillmake,whichwillbeatthe200metermark.Theyshouldbetrainedandconditionedto
knowthatatthispointintheirraceplan,theywillmakeadeterminedefforttoincreasetheactionsoftheirarmsandtobegindrivingandliftingtheirknees,tryingto
resumemoreofasprintingaction.Therunnerswholearntoworktheturnfromthe200tothe300metermarkwillusuallyfindthemselvesingoodpositiontowinthe
race.Itisacontrolledpickup,onethatshouldallowtherunnerstocomeoffthefinalcurveevenoraheadoftheiropponents.Duringthefinal100metersoftherace,
therunnersmuststayrelaxedwhilefightingtheeffectsoffatigue.Oneofthebestwaystodothisisbyconcentratingontheproperrunningtechniqueandgoodform
theyhavebeentaught.
IngerMiller'scompetitiveexperienceandeffectiveraceplanput
heraheadofheropponentsduringthefinalcurve.
Summary
Thecoachmustbecomemorethanjustatrainerbybecomingpersonallyinvolvedintheracestrategyofthe400meterrunners.Timethedifferentsegmentsof
workoutrunsaswellascompetitiveraces.Lettherunnersknowbeforehandwhatyouexpecttheir200metersplit,oreven300metersplit,tobesothatyouand
theyknowwhatkindofpacetheyarekeeping.Oftentimes,theracewilldictatewhatpacetherunnerswillhavetocarrytobecompetitive,butthisisnoexcusefornot
havingthemmentallyreadytoperformatacertainlevel.Iftheyknowtheyhavebeenthroughdifferentcheckpointsatacertaintimeinpractice,theywillnothavea
fearofdoingthisinactualcompetition.
Page63
5
100and110MeterHurdles
RalphLindeman
JohnMillar
Wanted:Highlymotivatedsprinterstoattemptoneoftrackandfield'smostdynamicevents.Mustbeextremelyrhythmicandhighlycoordinatedto
hurdle10barriersina110metersprintrace.Competitivesprintingspeedisaprerequisite.Explosivestrengthanddynamicflexibilityrequiredto
sprintoverhurdles3942inches(about99107cm)high.Tallstaturecanbeanadvantageduringthedevelopingyears(butmaycauseproblemsat
elitelevels).Determination,mentaltoughness,andabilitytoconcentratenecessarytolearnthetechniquesanddevelopspeedendurance.Terrific
opportunitiesforsuccess.
Thecoachwhoactivelyrecruitsathleteswiththesecharacteristicsforthe110meterhurdleeventhasabaseofathleticindividualsaroundwhichtodevelophisorher
team.Bytheseveryqualifications,hurdlershavetheversatilitytocompeteinotherexplosivespeedevents(sprints,verticalandhorizontaljumps,relays)andenhance
theteam.
Page64
Technique
Manycoachesteachthehighhurdlesasahighlytechnicalevent,spendingmuchoftheirtime(andtheathlete'senergy)measuringandanalyzingaspectsofhurdling
suchasnumberofstridestothefirsthurdle,takeoffdistance,landingdistance,hurdleclearancetechniques,andtouchdowntimes,whileneglectingthebasicpremiseof
theeventthe110meterhighhurdleraceisasprintevent.Themajorityofthecoach's(andathlete's)energyshouldbespentonteachingtheconceptofsprinting
overthehurdles.
Theathlete'sspeedisafunctionofhisstridelengthandstridefrequency.Thehurdler'sstridelengthisforthemostpartpredeterminedbythesetdistancefromthe
startinglinetothefirsthurdle,inbetweeneachofthe10hurdles,andthentothefinish.Ideally,thereareeightstridestothefirsthurdleandthreestridesinbetween.
Thismeansthattheyounghighschoolhurdlertakesthesamenumberofstridesastheeliteinternationalcaliberhurdler.Thedifferencebetweenthemisthehurdler's
stridefrequency.Thecoach,then,needstodeveloptheathlete'sstridefrequency,anddoesthisbytraininghimwithfastrhythmicrepetitionsoverthehurdlessoasto
adapttheathlete'sspeedtohurdling.
StartandApproachtoFirstHurdle
Thestartingpositionandblockclearancearethesameforthehurdlerasforthe100metersprinter.Thehurdlermakesatransitiontoerectsprintingposture(''running
tall")morequicklythanthesprintertopreparefortakeoffoverthefirsthurdle.
Thehighhurdlershouldstriveforeightstridestothefirsthurdle.Eightstrideswillgivethehurdlerastridelengthduringthethreestridespriortothehurdlethatwillbe
similartothestridelengththatwillberequiredonthethreestridesbetweeneachofthesubsequenthurdles.Toeffecteightstridestothehurdle,thehurdlermusthave
theleadleginthebackblockatthestartingline.
Takeoff
Asthehurdlerplantsontheeighthstepfromtheblocks,hemustdrivetheleadkneeofthefreeleglinearlytowardthehashmarkontheleadlegsideofthehurdle.
(Seefigure5.1aandb.)Afastleadkneeiscriticaltohurdlingefficiency.
Figure5.1
Theathletemustdrivetheleadkneeofthefreelegattakeoff.
Page65
Thetakeoffdistancefromthehurdledependsonthehurdler'shorizontalvelocityattakeoff.Ifthehurdlertakesofftooclosetothehurdle,theresultwillusuallybe
excessiveclearanceheightoverthehurdle.Thecenterofmassshouldberaisedonlyashighasneededfortheathletetoclearthehurdleefficiently(figure5.1c).
Theheadleadsthebodyoverthehurdle.Thisresultsinleanoftheupperbodyintothehurdle.Thetrunkleanmakesitpossibletominimallyraisethecenterofmass
foreffectivehurdleclearance.
Thetakeoffleg,whichwillserveasthe"trailleg,"mustfullyextendattakeoff.Thisissometimesreferredtoasa"delayedtrailleg,"althoughithappensnaturallyifthe
driveoftheleadkneeissufficient.
Thehipsandshouldersmuststay"square"tothehurdle.Thehurdlershouldcoordinateliftingtheelbowoftheleadarmwithdrivingtheleadknee.Theleadarmcomes
uptoapositionwherethehandisinfrontofthesternum.Thehurdlershouldnever"reach"theleadarmtoofarinfrontofthebodyoracrossthemidlineofthe
bodythisresultsinexcessiverotationasthehurdlerclearsthebarrier.
HurdleClearance
Properlegandarmactionisessentialtofastandefficienthurdleclearance.
LeadLeg
Whenthethighoftheleadlegdrivesuptoapositionparalleltothetrack,momentumistransferredtothelowerleg,whichextendsnaturally.Thefootoftheleadleg
reachesitsapexoftheflightcurvepriortoclearingthehurdle.Thefootisalwaysdorsiflexedwiththetoeup.(Seefigure5.2a.)Thehurdlershouldnever"swing"the
leadfootupandtowardthehurdle.
Thehurdler"paws"theleadfootdowntothetrackafterclearingthehurdle,withthefootstilldorsiflexed.Never"snap"theleadlegdownthisjerksthetrunkback
(actionreaction)andoutofgoodsprintposition.Thehurdlershould"holdthelean"ofthetrunkthroughouthurdleclearance(figure5.2b).
TrailLeg
Immediatelyaftertakeoff,thefootofthetraillegshould"tuckin"or"foldup"behindthehipandfollowthekneeoverthehurdleasinfigure5.2c.Thehips
Figure5.2
Properleadandtraillegpositionsduringhurdleclearance.
Page66
precedethekneeoverthehurdle,andthehurdlershould"pull"thetraillegthroughoverthehurdleinacontinuousacceleratingmotion(withno"posed"position).
ArmAction
Theleadarmshould"sweep"backinawidearc.Thisisnecessarytoincreasethemomentofinertiaofthearmtobalancethegreatermassofthetraillegmovingin
theoppositedirection.Assoonastheleadarmpassesthetrailleg,theradiusshortenstoresumesprintingaction.Thetrailarmstaysrelaxedwiththehandnearthehip
(ontheleadlegside).Itshoulddeviateaslittleaspossiblefromnormalsprintingaction.
Landing
Thehurdlershouldstriveforan"active"landing,withtheleadlegpawingbackatthegroundwiththefootstilldorsiflexedasinfigure5.3a.Thefootoftheleadleg
shouldlanddirectlybeneaththehurdler'scenterofmass(figure5.3bandc).Afastgetawaystrideistheresultofhighandeffectivetraillegtechnique.
Figure5.3
Thetouchdownandgetawaystride.
CorrectingCommonFaults
Inanalyzinghurdlers'technique,itisoftenadvantageoustoviewthehurdler,eitheractivelyorviavideotape,fromaheadonposition.Mostofthefaultslistedbelow
canbespottedfromsuchaviewingposition.
Fault:Takingofftoofarfromthefirsthurdle.
Causes:
a.Blocksmaybetoobunched.
b.Initialstridesaretooshort.
Corrections:
a.Spacetheblocksfartherapart.
b.Acceleratemoreexplosively.
Fault:Excessiveheightoverthehurdle.
Cause:Takingofftooclose/jumpingoverthehurdle.
Correction:Uselowerhurdleheightsinpractice.
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Fault:Lockingtheleadknee.
Cause:Swingingthefootupinsteadofdrivingtheknee.
Correction:Performskippingdrillsonthesidesofandoverthehurdles.
Fault:Offbalancelanding.
Cause:Excessiverotationaroundtheverticalaxis.
Correction:Avoidreachingtheleftelbowoftheleadarm.
Fault:Landingonheel.
Cause:Snappingleadlegdownstraighteningtrunk.
Correction:Holdtheleanthroughouthurdleclearance.
Fault:Serpentinestridepatternbetweenhurdles.
Cause:Excessiverotationaroundtheverticalaxis.
Correction:Drivethekneeattakeoffkeephipsandshoulderssquare.
Inadditiontotroubleshootingtechniquevisually,thecoachcanalsoanalyzetouchdowntimestoevaluateperformancebothintrainingandcompetition.Thecoachcan
manually(orbyviewingvideotapeplayedatactualspeed)timethetouchdownoftheleadfootovereachhurdle,andbyplottingthedata,haveaneffectivemodelof
eachrepetitionandrace.
Drills
Sequencesofprogressivedrillscanbeusedbothtoteachhurdletechniqueinintroductorysessionsaswellastopreparethehurdlerfortrainingorcompetitionaspart
ofawarmup.Drillsmaybedoneatlowerthanstandardheightstoincreaseefficiency.Forexample,highschoolboysmaydothedrillsover3336inch(about84
91cm)hurdlesandadvancedhurdlersover3639inch(about9199cm)hurdles.
AMarch
Withthehurdlesset46feet(about1.21.8m)apart,theathletestepsinamarchingrhythmoverthetopsofthehurdles,exaggeratingkneeup/toeup/heelupaction
anderectposture.Thisisillustratedinfigure5.4.
Figure5.4
Amarchdrill.
Page68
ASkips
Withthehurdlesset68feet(about1.82.4m)apart,theathleteskipsoverthetopofthehurdles,againemphasizingkneeup/toeup/heelupactionintheskipping
rhythm.
BSkips
Withthesamesetupandsameskippingrhythm,theathletecastshisleadlegoutandoverthehurdleoneveryotherskip,pawingtheleadlegbacktothegroundafter
clearingthehurdle.
CSkips
Withthesamesetupandsameskippingrhythm,theathleteraiseshistrailleglaterallyoneveryotherskip,clearingthesideofthehurdle.
FastLegDrill
Withseveralhurdlesset8.58.8metersapart,theathleteperformsafastlegdrillovertheleadlegsideofhurdlethatis,pullingtheheeltightlytothebuttinan
acceleratingmotion,simulatingasprintstrideatmaximumvelocityoneveryfourthstride.
HalfHurdlingLeadLeg
Withsamesetup,theathletesprintsovertheleadlegsideofthehurdle,executingtheleadlegaction.Efficientexecutionmayrequiresettingthehurdlesasmuchas9
inches(about23cm)belowstandardhurdleheight.
HalfHurdlingTrailLeg
Withsamesetup,theathletesprintsoverthetraillegsideofthehurdle,executingthetraillegaction.Thisrequiresan"airstep,"withtheleadlegcoordinatedwith
traillegaction.Toavoidoverrotationaroundverticalaxis,theleadlegshouldland612inches(about1530cm)beyondthehurdle.
Althoughthissequenceofdrillsisnotacompletelistofdrills,performingthesedrillsinsequencepreparestheathleteforhurdlingatfastervelocities.Additionaldrills
thatproducestrengthanddynamicflexibilityintherangeofmotionusedinhurdlingincludethefollowing:
GroundHurdling
Seatedontheground,theathleteimitatesthearmaction,leaninghistrunkforwardoneveryfourtharmpumpandliftingtheelbowoftheleadarm,thensweepingit
backwhilekeepingtheshoulderssquare.
WallHurdling
Theathleteleadswiththekneewhileliftingtheelbowoftheleadarmand"landing"thedorsiflexedfootoftheleadkneeagainstthewall.
Page69
FenceDrillforTrailLeg
Whilebalancingbybracingwiththearmsagainstafenceoranotherhurdletosupportaleaningtrunk,theathleterepetitiouslycirclesthetraillegcontinuallyoverthe
hurdle,asdemonstratedinfigure5.5.
Figure5.5
Fencedrillforthetrailleg.
ResistedTrailLeg
Inthesamepositionasthepreviousdrill,theathletecirclesthetraillegagainsttheresistanceofapartnerholdingthefootofthetrailleg.
Inteachingthebeginninghurdler,don'thesitatetolowerthehurdlesormovethemcloser.Theobjectiveshouldbetoteachefficienthurdleclearancetechniqueatafast
rhythm,andnotnecessarilytonegotiatethehurdlesattheirstandardheightanddistances.
Itcanalsobeadvantageoustoteachthebeginninghurdlertotakefourstepsbetweenhurdles.Thiswillallowthehurdlertomaintainefficientsprinttechniquewithout
"reaching"forthehurdles,andwillforcehimorhertodevelopambidextroushurdlingability,anadvantageiftheathletewillalsocompeteinthe300meteror400
meterhurdlerace.
100MeterHurdles
JohnMillar
Thewomen's100meterhurdlesemergedfromthe80meterhurdleswhen,in1968,theIAAF
changedtheeventtoitspresentdistance.The100metereventwasfirstcontestedthefollowing
year.Thechangewasmadebecauseofincreasesinthespeedandstrengthoffemaleathletes,along
withimprovementsintracksurfacesandequipment.
Theeventconsistsof10hurdlesspacedat8.5meters,withastartingdistanceof13.0metersanda
finishingdistanceof10.5meters.Theheightofthehurdlesis33inches(.84meters).Thesesegments
determinethenumberofstridestakenbytheathlete.Thestartingdistancetothefirsthurdleisusually
coveredineightstrides,withthreestridestakenbetweenhurdles.
Muchofthetechniquedescribedforthe110meterhighhurdlescanbeappliedtothe100meter
hurdlerace.However,therearedistincttechnicaldifferencesinthewomen's
(continued)
Page70
100MeterHurdles(continued)
hurdleeventbasedonthelowerhurdleheightsandthedecreaseddistancesbetweenhurdles.The
mostevidentdifferencesbetweentheeventsarethehurdleclearanceandtraillegmechanics.
HurdleClearance
Thelowerhurdleheightinthe100meterhurdleraceaffectstheclearancestride,orthedistancethe
hurdlertravelsfromtakeoffintothehurdleuntiltouchdownoverthehurdle.Anaggressiveleadleg
resultingfromashortenedtakeoffstrideallowstheathletetoattackthehurdlemorequickly,thereby
minimizingthelossofhorizontalvelocityoverthehurdle.Thisactionandthelowerhurdleheight
enablethehurdlertokeeptheflightpathofthecenterofgravityasflataspossible,allowingherto
touchdownclosertothehurdlethanhermalecounterpartandresultinginashorterclearancestride
overthehurdle.
TrailLegMechanics
Thetraillegofthefemalehurdlerisbroughtthroughinamuchlesspronouncedmannerthanthe
"ascendingkneeunderthearm"positionusedinthemen's110meterhurdles.Thetraillegfootis
foldedtightlyagainstthebuttockasthetraillegispulledacrossthehurdle(seefigure5.6).Thelower
hurdleheightpermitswomenhurdlerstoallowthethighofthetraillegtohangdownasitcrossesthe
hurdlerailthedegreeofhangdependsontheheightoftheathlete.Shorterfemalehurdlerswillalso
bendthetraillegawayfromthepelvismorethantheirtallercounterparts.
Drills
Tomasterhurdlingtechnique,athleteslearnanumberofspecificdrillsthatnotonlyisolatethevarious
hurdlemovementsbutalsoteachthedifferentphasesandeventuallythewholemovement.Stationary
drillsarethemainsourceofteachingbeginnersthebasichurdlemovements,asthesedrillsisolatethe
differentpositionsofthelegs,arms,andbodyaswellashelptodevelopspecifichurdlingflexibility.
Oncethevariousstationarydrillshavebeenmastered,theindividualmovesontothemorecomplex
walking,skipping,andrunningdrills.
Thefollowingteachingprogressioncanbeusedindevelopingthehurdlingtechniqueandrhythmof
thenovice100meterhurdler.
Figure5.6
Traillegpositionduringhurdleclearancefor100meterhurdlers.Thelowerhurdleheightallowsforthe
thighofthetraillegtohangdownasitcrossesthehurdle.
Page71
MarchingandSkippingExercises
Sixlowhurdlesareplaced1.5metersapart.Theathletebeginsbyisolatingthetraillegandleadleg
overtheirrespectivesidesofthehurdle,andfinallycombinesbothactionsoverthecenterofthe
hurdles.
OneStepHurdling
Thehurdlesarenowplaced3.03.5metersapart.Thesamesequenceisusedasintheprevious
drills,beginningwiththetrailleg,exceptthattheathletenowtakesonestepbetweenhurdles.
ThreeStepHurdling
Thehurdlesaremovedouttoadistanceof6.5meters,allowingtheathletetobegintoestablishthe
threesteprhythmthatissocriticaltosuccessinthe100meterhurdlerace.Onceagain,thetrailleg
andleadlegactionsaredoneinisolationbeforethewholetechniqueisestablishedoverthecenterof
thehurdle.
Training
Drillscanbeofvalueforteachinghurdlingtechnique,andasawarmupmethod,butthemajorityofpracticetimeandenergyshouldbespentonfasthurdling.
Repetitionsoverhurdlescanbedoneusingseveraldifferentmethodstoaccomplishvariedtrainingobjectives,sometimeswithinthesameworkout(seetable5.1).
Theprimaryobjectivesduringthepreseasonshouldbedevelopingexplosivestrengthandlearninghurdletechnique.Explosivestrengthcanbeincreasedbydoing
exerciseslikehillrunning,boundingdrills,andplyometrics.Techniquecanbelearnedwithdrillprogressionsandvideoanalysis.Theearlypartoftheseasonshould
focusonimprovingspeedendurance.Thiscanbedonewithahigh
TABLE5.1HURDLEREPETITIONS
Method
Objectives
Starts Startingmechanicsaccelerationpattern
over2
3
hurdles
Reps
Transitionfromaccelerationphasetomaintenance
over4
6
hurdles
Reps
Speedendurance
over8
12
hurdles
Reps
3stridesinreduceddistanceforcesfasterstride
over6 frequencyquickrhythmbetweenhurdles
10
hurdles,
8.58.8
mapart
formen,
6.57m
apart
for
women
Reps
5stridesoverincreaseddistanceallowsathletetosprint
over4 overhurdlesatfastervelocity
6
hurdles,
12.513
mapart
formen,
11.512
mapart
for
women
Page72
volumeofrepetitionsatlongerdistances.Duringthemidseason,themainobjectiveshouldbeongainingracingexperience.Ahighvolumeofraceswillhelphurdlers
gaintheexperiencetheyneedtocompeteconsistentlyandintelligently.Duringthepeakseason,thefocusshouldswitchtorefiningspeed.Thisiswhenhighintensity
repetitionsandqualityracescomeintoplay.Keepingtheseobjectivesinmind,thefollowingtable(table5.2)separatesthehurdler'strainingyearintopreseason,early
season,andlateseason,andpresentsasampleweeklytrainingplanforeach.
TABLE5.2SAMPLEWORKOUTSFOR100AND110METERHURDLES
Preseason
Monday
Warmup
6100measystrides
Hurdleflexibilityexercises
530mbounduphill
Cooldown
Tuesday
Warmup
15min.continuousrun
Circuittraining
Wednesday
Warmup
25100m@1516sec.with45sec.recovery
650muphillruns
Cooldown
Stretch
Thursday
Warmup
6100m@80%
Relaxationstrides
Hurdleflexibilityexercises
Walkinghurdledrills
Cooldown
Stretch
Friday
Warmup
6300@4550sec.
35min.rest
Plyometricjumptraining
Cooldown
Stretch
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
Page73
(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
Preseason
Saturday
Warmup
Hurdleflexibilitydrills
Harnesssledpullsfor50m
Circuittraining
Cooldown
Stretch
EarlySeason
Monday
Warmup
Hurdledrills
Lowhurdletechniquepractice(gradullyworkinguptocompetitiveheights)
1300m
1250m
1200m
1150m
Cooldown
Stretch
Tuesday
Warmup
Hurdledrills
Sprintdrillsoveradjustedheightsandspacings
Plyometrictraining
Wednesday
Warmup
Nohurdling
Flexibilitydrills
1520min.aerobicrun
Thursday
Warmup
Hurdledrills
Techniquepractice
Startsover34hurdles(adjustheightsandspacing)whiledeveloping4120mspeed
endurance
Cooldown
Stretch
Friday
Warmup
Hurdledrillsandflexibility
34startsover3hurdles
2100mrelaxedstriding
Cooldown
Stretch
Saturday
Earlycompetition
(continued)
Page74
(continued)
LateSeason
Monday
Warmup
Hurdleflexibilitydrills
Hurdletechniquedrills
38hurdles,plusrunallthewayto150m
Cooldown
Stretch
Tuesday
Warmup
Hurdleflexibilitydrills
Speedhurdletraining(movehurdlesclosetogethertoemphasizefastfrequency)
Plyometrics
Cooldown
Wednesday
Warmup
Nohurdles
Flexibilitydrills
68100measystriding
Thursday
Warmup
Hurdleflexibilitydrills
Techniquepractice
34startsover5hurdles
3120mwith11hurdlesspaced1ft.(about30.4cm)closerthannormal
Cooldown
Friday
Warmuponly
Saturday
Mostimportantcompetition
Summary
Despitethefinetechnicaldifferencesbetweenthe110meterhighhurdlesandthe100meterhurdles,theybothdemandthefundamentalqualitiesofexplosivestrength
anddynamicflexibility.Attentionmustalsobegiventothepropertechniqueforeachphaseoftherace.Drillsthataccentuatetheaboveessentials,alongwithawell
thoughtouttrainingprogram,areparamountforachievingsuccessinbothraces.
Page75
6
400MeterHurdles
GaryWinckler
The400meterhurdlesisadistinctiveandchallengingevent.The400meterhurdlerneedsthestrengthabilitiesofan800meterrunner,thehurdlingabilityofthesprint
hurdler,andthevisualsteeringabilityofthehorizontaljumper.Successfulcompetitorsintheeventhavecomefromthesprint,hurdle,jump,andmiddledistanceranks.
Theeventitselfiscomposedof10hurdlesspacedat35meters,withastartingdistanceof45metersandfinishingdistanceof40meters.Thehurdlesare30inches
(about76cm)highforwomenand36inches(about91.5cm)highformen.Inselectingathletesfortheevent,oneshouldlookforthefollowing:
SprintabilitySpeedisalwaystheprimarylimitingfactorinanyspeedandpowerevent.
AggressivementalattitudeandconcentrationBythenatureoftheevent,hurdlersmustbeaggressiveandbeabletoconcentrateonnegotiatingthebarriers.
CompetitivenatureAnyathletemustbecompetitivetosucceed.
Page76
StrengthHighlevelsofbothmaximalstrengthandstrengthendurancearerequisiteforgoodperformances.Notonlymustathletesbefastover400meters,but
theymustbeabletoperformthepowerfulactionofhurdlinginahighlyfatiguedstate.
DynamicmobilityMobilitywithinthehipstoefficientlyperformthehurdlingmotionwillbecriticaloverthecourseofa10hurdleeventof400meters.
Thecoachshouldattempttoingrainthefollowingperformancequalities(inorderofimportance).
1.Abilitytoapplyforceattakeofftomovethroughthehurdleandminimizedeceleration.Applicationoftherightkindofforcesattakeoffultimatelydetermines
theefficiencyofone'shurdlingskills.Thisapplicationrequiresstrength,power,andspeedaswellasgoodtechnique.
2.Abilitytoperformeffectiveandefficienthurdlingskillswithbothlegs.Thebesthurdlerstodayandcertainlythechampionsoftomorrowwillbeathleteswho
canmastertheskillofhurdlingwitheitherleg.
3.Abilitytomaintainaconsistentrhythmfor10hurdles.Thebesthurdlerinthelongrunhasthespecialstrengthandconsistenttechniquetorunover10hurdles
withtheleastamountoftechnicaldecrementfromstarttofinish.
4.Abilitytomanageracedistributionefficiently.Knowledgeandexperienceof400meterracingbuildsasolidfoundationofracemanagementskills,whichcanbe
carriedovertothehurdlesevent.
Technique
Particularimportanceshouldbeplacedonexecutingprecisetechniqueduringdifferentphasesofthe400meterhurdles.
StartandApproachtoFirstHurdle
Figure6.1
(a)Pullingthetraillegovertheinsideofthehurdle
duringclearancewillresultindisqualification.(b)
Athleteswhousearightleadonthecurvemust
insteadruntowardthemiddleoroutsidepart
ofthelane.
Astridepatternof2225stepsistypicallyusedtothefirsthurdleforwomenand2023stepsformen.Thisispredicatedbythespeedandstrengthoftheathleteand
bywhichlegtheyprefertouseatthefirsthurdle.Mosthurdlerswillusetheleftlegforhurdlesonthecurve,asthisallowsthemtorunontheinsideofthelanewithout
fearofpullingthetraillegovertheinsideofthehurdleduringclearance.Arightlegleadonthecurvemustallowforthetraillegtoclearthehurdlewithoutbeingoffto
theinsideofthelane,asthisresultsindisqualification.(Seefigure6.1a).Anathletewhousestherightleadonthecurveshouldruntowardthemiddletooutside
portionofthelanetoallowspaceforthetraillegtoclearoverthehurdle
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(figure6.1b).Thisalsomeansthattheathletewillrunfartherthanifheorshewereontheinsideofthelane.
1.Attackthefirstfourtofivestrideswiththecharacteristicinclinationofthebodyfoundinthenormalaccelerationfromblocks.
2.Attackthehurdlefromabout10metersaway.Thiswillensureanaggressiverun,whichwillminimizethedecelerationthatnormallyoccursatthispoint.Minimize
heightandincreasespeedoverthehurdleby''sprintingthroughthehurdle"asshowninfigure6.2.
Figure6.2
Minimizedecelerationby"sprintingthroughthehurdle."
Takeoff
Thetermtakeofffootwillrefertothetraillegfoot.Thisisthefootfromwhichthehurdlerwillpropelhimselforherselfintothehurdle.Theplacementofthisfootto
thetrackshouldbeactive(i.e.,pullingbackwardfromthehipwiththefootindorsiflexionandtheanklejointstrongandstable).Byactivelandingwemeananactive,
quickplacingofthetraillegintothetakeoffpositionsomewhatfasterthaninthepreviousrunningstride.Thisactivelandingactionwill"cut"orshortenthelaststride,
preventingplantingorbrakingactionandminimizinglossofvelocitygoingintothehurdle.(Seefigure6.3.)Thisplacementshouldbeontheforefootandoccurs
approximately2.0metersfromthehurdle.Anthropometricsmustbeconsideredindeterminingcorrectdistancefromthehurdle.
Figure6.3
Plantingactiononthetakeoff:(a)toomuchplantingaction,whichincreasestheheightoverthehurdle.
(b)Activefootplantandgoodsprintingactionintothehurdle,whichkeepsthemomentummovingforward.
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HurdleClearance
Toachieveefficienthurdleclearance,theathletemustcomprehendtheinterplayoftheleadleg,trailleg,andarmactions.
LeadLeg
Toagreatextent,theleadleginitiatesandcontrolsthehurdleclearance.Efficientclearancebeginsinthestridesbeforethehurdle.Oncetheleadlegfinishesits
lastgroundcontactbeforethehurdle,itimmediatelyisrecovered,heeltobutt,asthekneeisdrivenuptoapointoverthehurdlerail.Thisrequiresflexionatthehip
andtheknee.Thelowerpartoftheleadlegremainstuckedunderthethighuntilthethighhasreachedparalleltothegroundorabove.Whenthethighreachesitsapex,
momentumisthentransferredtothelowerlegbyrelaxingthehamstringandallowingthekneejointtoopen.Thekneedoesnotlock.(Anotherreasonforflexingthe
hipandthenextendingthelowerlegasatwostepsequenceisthattherectusfemorisandhamstringmusclesaremultiplejointedmusclesthatcrossoverthehipand
knee,andacharacteristicofsuchmusclesisthattheydonotpermitcompletemovementinbothjointssimultaneously.)Itisnotamistaketonotfullystraightenthelead
legatthekneejoint.
ArmAction
Theleadleganditsopposingarmmustmoveinaparallelmanner.Ifthearmisdirectedinwardtowardtheleg,thenthelegwillalsomoveinward,crossingtowardthe
arm,andtheforwardmotionofthebodywillbedisturbed.Thevelocityofbotharmsmustcoincidewiththatoftheleadleg.
TrailLeg
Thetraillegmustworkinconcertwiththeleadlegandleadarmactions.Thetraillegshouldbeactivethroughoutitsrangeofmovement.Asthetrailfootleavesthe
ground,thelegisdrawnvigorouslyforwardandupward,tuckingtheheeltightlytothebuttandtherebyshorteningthetraillegleverasmuchaspossible.(Seefigure
6.4.)Thisenablesthelegtopassoverthehurdlewithgreaterspeedandreducesthedegreeofcompensatingrotationintherestofthebody.Thefootofthetrailleg
shouldneverrisehigherthanitsknee.Thetraillegiskepttightlyfoldeduntilthekneehasreachedthefrontofthebodyandisreadytoacceleratedownwardtothe
trackonceagain.Theathleteshouldattempttosprintoffthehurdle,withthetraillegcomingdownquicklyandgrabbingthetrack.
Figure6.4
Thetraillegshouldbekepttightly
foldedtowardthebodyduring
hurdleclearance.
SequencingofActions
Problemsforthecoachandathleteaspiringtoelitelevelsariselargelyfromestablishedmotorandneuralpatternswithintheathlete.Especiallywithathleteswhohave
beenhurdlingformanyyears,thereisaningrainedrhythmicpattern,
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whichmayultimatelybethegreatesthindrancetobreakthroughperformances.Theathletemustbeabletodothefollowing:
Adapttoperformingsequencesofhurdlingactionsatvariedspeeds.
Anticipatethehurdlecomingupmorequickly.
Breakingrainedmentalandphysicalrhythmsfrompastracesthatwerenotofahighperformancestandard.
Understandtheinterplayoftheleadleg,trailleg,andarmactionsinhurdleclearanceandrunningbetween.Becausebalanceisakeyingredientinhurdling,these
leversmustworkathighlycorrespondingvelocitiesthatarewellcoordinated.Whenanathleteisairborne,theleadlegcannotbeforcedtocometothetrackifthetrail
legisnotcomingthroughatthesametime.Thetraillegshouldnotcomethroughuntiltheleadlegisatthepointwherethehurdlerwantsittocomebacktothetrack.
CorrectingCommonFaults
Fault:Takeoffistoofarfromthefirsthurdle.
Causes:
a.Sprintstridesduringinitialaccelerationfromblocksaretooshort.
b.Armactioninaccelerationtofirsthurdlemaybetoopassive.
Corrections:
a.Athletelackscontractivestrengthnecessarytodrivefromtheblockswithsufficientstridelength.
b.Lengthenarmactionandincreasetheamplitudeofarmmovementduringtheruntothefirsthurdleandattackthelast10meterspriortothehurdle.
Fault:Clearanceistoohighoverthehurdle.
Causes:
a.Tooclosetothehurdleattakeoff.
b.Takeofffootplantedonheeltoofaraheadofcenterofmass.
c.Nonexistentornonactivetakeoff.
d.Leadlegnotfoldedtightlyuntilthighreachesparallelorabove.
e.Athleteafraidofhurdle.
Corrections:
a.Keepathleteinsprintaccelerationposturelonger.Thiskeepsstridesshorterandhelpstheathleteattainhighervelocity.Makesuretheathleteisacceleratingina
patternandnotoverstriding.Iftheathleteisplantingthetakeofffootlikealongjumper,thiswillmakethelaststridebeforethehurdletoolongandresultinplacement
tooclosetothehurdle.
b.Practiceatallposture,makingthetakeoffstepactiveandonthefrontofthefoot.
c.Again,practiceatallposture.
d.Rehearseproperleadlegmechanicsandbodyposturegoingintohurdle.Alsoexaminewhatthetakeofffootisdoing.Ifitisplantedontheheel,thentheleadleg
willtendtoopenuptoosoon.
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e.Inpracticeusehurdlesconstructedofsoft,flexiblematerialsorconstructedtobeforgiving.Ifthehurdleisnotathreattolifeandlimb,theathletewillgainthe
necessaryconfidencetorunthroughthehurdlewiththevelocitynecessarytoperformefficienttechnique.
Fault:Hittingtrailkneeonthehurdle.
Causes:
a.Rushingtakeoff(jumpingthroughthehurdleratherthanrunningofftheground).
Corrections:
a.Focusonanactivetakeoffstepanddonotrushtheforceapplicationofthetrailleg.Also,leavethetraillegbackuntilfeelingapushoffofthetoe.Thiswillcausea
stretchinthethighmusclesthatwillsnapthetraillegthroughwithlittleornoeffort.
Fault:Offbalancecomingoffthehurdle.
Causes:
a.Leadlegandoppositearmaredriveninwardandnotparalleltothedirectionoftravel.
b.Traillegopeninguptoosoonasitclearsthehurdle.
Corrections:
a.Workonkeepingtheleadlegmechanicsasdescribedabovetoenabletheathletetomoreeasilykeepactionsinlinewiththedirectionoftherun.Usesprintarm
actionintothehurdleandnotacrossthebody.Also,theathletemaybetooclosetothehurdle.
b.Doasignificantamountofworkontraillegmechanicstokeepthelegfoldeduntilthethighhasreachedapositionwherethekneeispointinginthedirectionof
travelbeforeopeninguptowardtheground.Thisproblemoftenoccurswhentheathleteistryingtorushthetraillegtotheground.
Fault:Hittinghurdleslateintherace.
Causes:
a.Lossofrhythm.
b.Tooclosetohurdles.
c.Lossofconcentration.
Corrections:
a.Athletefailstomaintainahipstallposition,whichmaycausehimorhertositandtherebynotmaintaingoodsprintmechanics.
b.Makeeyecontactwiththenexthurdleatleast15metersawayandrunaggressivelytothehurdle.
c.Thinkofthehurdleraceas400meterslongand48incheswide.Learntolimitattentiontowhat'shappeninginyourownlaneandtoconcentrateonyourown
rhythm.
Training
Trainingforthe400meterhurdleseventwillhavemanyofthesamecharacteristicsasthetrainingforthe200meterand400meterdashes.Refertothosechapters
forspecificsuggestionsaboutenergysystemtraining.WhatIlistbelowareevent
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specificconsiderationsindesigningthetrainingprogramforthe400meterhurdler.
ProgramPriorities
Theprioritiesofthis400meterhurdletrainingprogramarelistedinorderofimportance.
PerformanceApproach
Thefirstpriorityistoacquiretheproperkinesthesisofforceapplicationthroughaperformanceapproach.Inthetraditionalapproachtakenbymanycoachesand
athletes,muchtimeisspentondrillswheretheathletewalks,skips,orrunsoverhurdlesspacedveryclosetogetheroratspacingsthataregreaterthanorequalto
competitivespacingsandheights.Thisapproachimprovesconditioningmorethantechnique.Itemphasizeslimbmovementskills,whichisgoodfromthestandpointof
dynamicmobilitybutfromatechnicalstandpoint,itemphasizesverticalvelocity.Thisisapooremphasis,sincemosthurdleathletesalreadygeneratetoomuchvertical
velocityattakeoff.Suchtrainingresultsinlongerflighttimesoverthehurdleandingreatergroundtimeontouchdownoffthehurdle.Allofthesefactorsresultin
slowerperformances.
Theperformanceapproachusesdrillsandexercisesdesignedtocallintoplaythesamemusclesandforcesusedintheactualevent.Theseexercisesinvolveusing
hurdlesofreducedheightandspacings,whichallowforspeedsthatare90110%ofracespeeds.Forexample,hurdleheightsshouldbe2430inches(about6176
cm)forwomenand3036inches(about7691cm)formen,andspacingofhurdlesshouldallowfor811stridesbetween.Tofigurethesespacings,usetherace
stridepatternoftheathleteandmultiplythestridelengthusedintheracebythenumberofstridesbetweenthehurdlesyoudesire.Addthreemeterstothisdistancefor
thehurdlestrideandyouhaveyourinterhurdlespacing.Examplesfollow:
Thus,forthespacingtobe11strides,youwoulduse111.88+3meters,or23.68meters.
Thus,forthespacingtobe11strides,youwoulduse112.00+3meters,or25.00meters.
Thus,forthespacingtobe11strides,youwoulduse112.13+3meters,or26.43meters.
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Thus,forthespacingtobe11strides,youwoulduse112.29+3meters,or28.19meters.
Thus,forthespacingtobe11strides,youwoulduse112.46+3meters,or30.06meters.
Useexercisesthatareeffectiveandtowhichtheathletecanrelate.Onlythenwillfasterandmoreeffectivelearningoccur.
CoreStrength
Thebodyislimitedinitsabilitytoapplyforcebythe"pillar"or"core"strengthofthetrunk.Thecoremustbedevelopedwellandmaintainedtoimproveperformance
throughgreaterpoweroutput.Abdominalandbackmuscles,whichmaintaintheposturenecessaryforgoodperformance,mustespeciallybedeveloped.
SprintingAbility
Speedisultimatelythegreatestlimitingfactorinanyrunningevent.Althoughvaluabletrainingtimemustbeexpendedonrefiningtechnique,speeddevelopmentshould
beaddressedthroughouttheentiretrainingyear,notjustattheveryend.
Rhythm
Rhythmmustbeafocusthroughoutallphasesoftraining.Aconsistentrhythmshouldbeestablishedbeforethemajorcompetitiveseasoninfact,itmustbehoned
earlier,inthepreparationphases,sothatitcanbecontinuallyimproved.Lactacidpowerandcapacityareimportantabilitiesforanyathleterunningthe400meter
distance.Distributionofenergyandpropermanagementoftheracearecriticaltooptimalperformance.
Steering
Steeringistheabilityoftheathletetovisualizewherethehurdleisandtomakeadjustmentssoastonegotiatethehurdlewithoutsacrificingspeedandhurdling
efficiency.
StrengthandPower
Strengthandpowerisanimportantbiomotorabilityforallspeedandpowerathletes.Maximumstrengthmustbedevelopedforstartingabilityaswellasforpower
conversiontomaintainspeedandrhythmthroughouttherace.
SpeedandSpeedEndurance
Enhancespeedandspeedendurancequalitiestoestablishabaselinefor400meterimprovement.Anathlete'sbest400metersshouldbeapproximately2(best200
meters)+3.5seconds.Tothisyoucanadd34secondsforapredictorofbest400meterhurdleperformance.
Page83
Itisalsoimportanttolearntheproperdistributionofeffort.Use4400meterrelayswithinexperiencedathletestobuildconfidence.Itgivesathletesadditional
competitiveexperienceatthegivendistance,whichenhancestheirconfidencetorun400meters.
TeachingStrategies
Thefollowingteachingstrategiesshouldbeapartofyouroveralltrainingprogram.
1.Fastrunsoverhurdlesatreducedheightandspacing.
2.Emphasizepreparationfortakeoffandtakeoffmechanics.
Putathleteinpositionstofeelforceapplicationongroundandhipdisplacementthroughthehurdle.
Contrastresistancetospeedwiththenormalstateandwithassistancetospeed.
Controlthepatternofstridelengthtothefirsthurdletoenhancetakeoffpositionandregulatetakeoffdistance.
Controltakeoffdistancefromthehurdlebyuseofcoachingmarkers(approximatelytwometersfromhurdle)
Don'trushthetraillegrecovery."Leaveitback."
3.Approach400meterhurdleeventfromtheperspectiveofrhythmanddistribution.
Accelerationgoalshouldbeforthefirsttwohurdles.
Userhythmicunitsintrainingandincompetitiontoprovidefeedbackandmotivation.(Rhythmicunitsaresegmentsorportionsoftheracethathaverepeated
runningpatterns.Forexample,thestridefrequencyfromtouchdownofhurdleonetotouchdownofhurdletwoisarhythmicunit.)
Betweeneachhurdle,theathleterunsaspecificnumberofstridestoaccommodatehisorhermostefficientstridelengthtogettothenexthurdlewithouthavingto
speeduporslowdown.Figure6.5onpage84illustratestheevaluationofeachhurdlesegment(rhythmicunit)foraworldclasshurdler.Therhythmicunits(RU)
aremeasuredinseconds.Thestepsarethenumberofstridesfromthelandingofonehurdlethroughthelandingofthenext.
Thegivendistanceof35metersbetweenhurdles,45meterstothefirst,and40metersfromthelasthurdletothefinishlinemakesitpossibletocalculatethe
velocitiesforeachrhythmicunit.
First,seekconsistentrhythmthroughouttherace.
Trainingexample:610hurdlesatreducedspacing(1921meters)usingasmoothtransitionto,over,andoffofeachhurdle,developingaconsistentrhythm
throughout.
Second,challengetheestablishedconsistentrhythmtobreakthroughtofastertimesbypreparingtodealwithadverseconditionssuchaswind.
Trainingexample:610hurdlesatreducedspacing(1921meters)spacedatvaryingdistancestopromotethedevelopmentofa"steeringmechanism."
Page84
Figure6.5
EvaluationofeachhurdlesegmentforathleteTonjaBuford.
Table6.1provideshurdlespacingstoadvisespecificsteppatternsinpracticeatvariousspeeds.Forexample,at100percentracespeed,a13stephurdlerhas
hurdlesat35meters.Topracticeusing11stepsat100percent,movethehurdlesto30.06meters.Ifyouwanttoslowthepacedownto90percentofrace
pace,putthehurdlesat31.50meterstoachievea13steppattern.Thus,youareabletofigureoutvarioushurdlespacings,whichallowsgreateramountsof
hurdletrainingatproperrhythmicalunitswithoutgettingtoofatiguedtoaccomplishthoserhythms.
4.Developqualitiesinparallel.
Developflatspeed,hurdleacceleration,andspecifichurdleendurancesimultaneously.Thisisnecessarytoensureintegrityoftechnique.
Developstrengthinconjunctionwithspeed.Thiswillmaintainthedelicatebalancebetweenmusclestrengthandcoordination.
Drills
Technicalexercisesordrillsservetocorrectdeficienciesinmechanics,toteachandingrainpropermotorpatterns,andtopromotelocalmuscleandspecifichurdle
conditioning.Somebasicexercisesshouldbereviewedandusedevenwiththemostadvancedhurdler.Thebasisofmosthurdlingexercisesshouldbesoundsprinting
exercises.Hurdletrainingisbynatureveryspecifictoimproveasahurdler,youmusthurdle.Trainingsessionsmustbegearedtowardthespecificrhythmnecessary
inhurdling.Foradvancedhurdlers,specialhurdleenduranceshouldbeemphasizedintraining.
Page85
TABLE6.1SPACINGSFORVARIEDPRACTICESTEPPATTERNS
Hurdlespacings(inmeters)for100%ofracespeed.
9steps
10
11
12
13
25.14
27.60
30.06
32.52
35.00
14
23.61
25.90
28.19
30.48
32.77
35.00
15
22.20
24.33
26.47
28.60
30.73
32.87
35.00
16
21.00
23.00
25.00
27.00
29.00
31.00
33.00
35.00
17
19.94
21.82
23.71
25.59
27.47
29.35
31.24
33.12
35.00
13steppattern
14
15
16
17
Hurdlespacings(inmeters)for98%ofracespeed.
9steps
10
11
12
13
24.64
27.05
29.46
31.87
34.30
14
23.14
25.38
27.63
29.87
32.11
34.30
15
21.76
23.85
25.94
28.03
30.12
32.21
34.30
16
20.58
22.54
24.50
26.46
28.42
30.38
32.34
34.30
17
19.54
21.39
23.23
25.08
26.92
28.77
30.61
32.46
34.30
13steppattern
14
15
16
17
Hurdlespacings(inmeters)for96%ofracespeed.
9steps
10
11
12
13
24.13
26.50
28.86
31.22
33.60
14
22.67
24.86
27.06
29.26
31.46
33.60
15
21.31
23.36
25.41
27.46
29.50
31.55
33.60
16
20.16
22.08
24.00
25.92
27.84
29.76
31.68
33.60
17
19.14
20.95
22.76
24.56
26.37
28.18
29.99
31.79
13steppattern
14
15
16
17
33.60
Hurdlespacings(inmeters)for94%ofracespeed.
9steps
10
11
12
13
23.63
25.94
28.26
30.57
32.90
14
22.19
24.35
26.50
28.65
30.80
32.90
15
20.87
22.87
24.88
26.88
28.89
30.89
32.90
16
19.74
21.62
23.50
25.38
27.26
29.14
31.02
32.90
17
18.74
20.51
22.28
24.05
25.82
27.59
29.36
31.13
32.90
13steppattern
14
15
16
17
Hurdlespacings(inmeters)for90%ofracespeed.
9steps
10
11
12
13
22.63
24.84
27.05
29.27
31.50
14
21.25
23.31
25.37
27.43
29.49
31.50
15
19.98
21.90
23.82
25.74
27.66
29.58
31.50
16
18.90
20.70
22.50
24.30
26.10
27.90
29.70
31.50
17
17.95
19.64
21.34
23.03
24.72
26.42
28.11
29.81
13steppattern
(continued)
14
15
16
17
31.50
Page86
(continued)
Hurdlespacings(inmeters)for88%ofracespeed.
9steps
10
11
12
13
22.12
24.29
26.45
28.62
30.80
14
20.78
22.79
24.81
26.82
28.84
30.80
15
19.54
21.41
23.29
25.17
27.05
28.92
30.80
16
18.48
20.24
22.00
23.76
25.52
27.28
29.04
30.80
17
17.55
19.20
20.86
22.52
24.17
25.83
27.49
29.14
30.80
14
15
16
17
13steppattern
14
15
16
17
Hurdlespacings(inmeters)for86%ofracespeed.
9steps
10
11
12
13
21.62
23.74
25.85
27.97
30.10
14
20.30
22.27
24.24
26.21
28.18
30.10
15
19.09
20.93
22.76
24.60
26.43
28.27
30.10
16
18.06
19.78
21.50
23.22
24.94
26.66
28.38
30.10
17
17.15
18.77
20.39
22.01
23.62
25.24
26.86
28.48
13steppattern
30.10
HighKneeRoutines(MachDrills)
Exerciseisperformedwithhighkneeaction,pullingheelstobutt.Postureistall.Anklejointiskeptdorsiflexedandweightbearingisonforefoot.Progressdownthe
trackisslow,withallfootcontactsundercenterofmass.
Thethreehighkneevariationsare:
Marching
Skipping
Running
FastLegRoutines
Thisexerciseisverydifficultanddemandsgoodcoordinationandtiming.Theobjectiveistoisolatethepropermotionofthesprintstrideintoleftandrightside
movements,teachingthepropermechanicsofthelegthroughtherecoverycycle.Speedofmovementistheultimateobjective,althoughmostathleteswilllearnthis
exerciseatslowspeedsandprogresstofasterspeeds.
Thefollowingcueswillhelpwiththisdrill:
Hipstall.
Activeactionwithtoeup,heelup,kneeupsequence.
Trytoplacethesupportfootunderthecenterofmassatgroundcontact.
Therecoverylegshouldcycle,withtheanklepassingabovethekneeofthesupportleg.
Thetwotypesoffastlegroutinesare:
1.SingleSideActionsFromajogtheathleteattainsatallposture.Inconcertwiththearms,onelegisquicklycycledthroughtherecoverycycle,followingthe
sequenceofactionsdescribedaboveandacceleratingthefootbacktothetrackagain.Performanceofthemovementisalternatedwithtwotothreejoggingsteps.
When
Page87
performedproperly,theathletesensesanaccelerationuponeachcontactofthefootwiththetrack.Emphasizethefollowing:
Fullandproperrangeofmotion
Accelerationofthighandheelupwardduringrecovery
Accelerationofthighdownwardinpreparationforsupport
Activecyclingculminatinginaclawingactionofthefootinpreparationforcontactwiththegroundagain
Lowerlegkeptfoldedtightlytothethighuntilfullthighliftiscomplete
Quickactionsofthehandsandarmsinpropersprintarmmotions
2.DualSideActionsThedualsideformofthefastlegroutineisperformedinthesamewayasthesinglesideform,exceptthemovementalternatesfromleftsideto
rightsidefollowingthetwotothreejoggingstepsbetweenmovements.Whenathletesbecomeaccomplishedwiththisexercise,theycanacceleratequicklyand
performitsactionsatneartopspeed.Theultimateobjectiveistoimprovespeedofmovement,neuromusculartiming,andcoordination,andthusbeabletoperform
anefficientmovementoneachandeverystrideinfullflightsprinting.
Thefollowingexercisesmayalsobeappropriate.
FenceDrillforTrailLeg
Thehurdle(30inchesorabout76cmhigh)isplacedabouttwofeet(about61cm)fromafenceorotherimmovableobjectandparalleltoitsothattheathleteis
facingthefenceandthehurdleinthenormalorientation.(Seefigure5.5onpage69.)Standingonthesideofthehurdletheathleteinclinesthebodytowardthefence
andputsoneorbothhandsonthefence.Theathletethenperformsthetraillegactionoverthesideofthehurdle.Theexercisedevelopsspecificdynamicmobilityas
wellasteachescorrectmechanicsofthetrailleg.Thisismoreofabeginner'sexercise,butitmaybeusefultomoreadvancedathletesaswell.Theactionshouldbe
quick,andthetraillegshouldneverbeallowedtoopenupatthekneeonceithasclearedthehurdle.Theactioncomingoffofthehurdleshouldbeanaccelerationof
thethightowardtheground.
PartnerDrillforTrailLeg
Thisexerciseisperformedsimilarlytothepreviousdrill,exceptthehurdleisplacedonthetrackandtheathleteusesapartnerinplaceofthefence.Thepartner
activelypullstheathletebythehandastheathleteperformsthetraillegmovement.Inthiswaytheathletefeelswhatitisliketomovequicklyoverthehurdleandcan
begincoordinatingafast,uninterruptedmovementofthetraillegwithgoodhorizontalvelocityoverthehurdle.Figure6.6illustratesthisdrill.
Figure6.6
Partnerdrillforimprovingtraillegaction.
1.Keeptrailfoottighttothebuttandkneemovingforwardandupward.
Page88
2.Thighliftshouldcontinueuntiltrailfoothasonceagaincomeinalignmentunderthethigh.
3.Traillegthighshouldbeaccelerateddownwardwithfootundercenterofmass.
4.Hipsshouldmovethroughthehurdle,andathleteshouldfeelthefasthorizontaldisplacementofthehipsforward.Maintainhipsintallpositionthroughout.
FastLegLeadLegOverHurdles
Inthisexercisethefastlegactionisperformedwiththeleadlegoverthesideoffourtosixhurdlesspacedat78.5metersapartforthreestriderhythmand911.5
metersapartforfivestriderhythm.Thehurdleheightusedcanvaryfrom12inchesto30inches(30.5cmto76cm).
Youcanperformthisdrill:
1.Withanormalstridepatternandheelrecoverybetweenhurdles.
2.Usingafastlegactiononeveryliftoftheleadleg,thusplacingmoreemphasisonlocalmuscularendurance.
Makesureyoumaintainhipsintallbodyposturethroughout,andadheretoprinciplesprescribedearlierforfastlegroutines.
RunningHurdleSkills
Thetitleforthisgroupofexercisesreferstoavarietyofskilldrillsthatcouldbeperformedoverhalforwholehurdles.Usually35hurdlesareused,withspacingsof
7.58.2metersandheightsof2730inches(about68.576cm).Theexercisesareindividuallyorientedinthesensethateachmaybeusedtoemphasizevery
differenttechnicalpoints.Thespeedoftherunisusuallyquitefastbecausetheprimaryobjectiveistoincreaseone'sabilitytoperformcorrecttechnicalormechanical
movementsathighvelocity.
Thetwovariationsofthisexerciseare:
1.Halfhurdleleadleg
Oneachruntheemphasismaydiffer:
Maintainingdistanceoftakeofffootfromhurdle
Activetakeoffstepgoingintohurdle
Heelofleadlegtobuttgoingintohurdle.
Fastlegactionofleadleg.
Activedownwardactionofleadlegcomingoffhurdle.
Performanceofleadlegactionwhileacceleratingoverfivehurdles.
2.Halfhurdletrailleg
Oneachruntheemphasismaydiffer:
Drawheeltobuttactivelyandassoonastakeofffootleavesground.
Keeptraillegcontinuouslyinmotionfromstartofmovementuntiltouchdown.
Page89
Keeptrailtoeupandlegfoldeduntilcompletionofactiontothefrontofthebody.
Performtheleadlegactionontheoutsideofthehurdle.Thisaidsinkeepingbalanceandinbeingabletoperformthetraillegandassociatedarmactionsina
coordinatedfashion.
Activelyacceleratetraillegtothegroundunderthecenterofmassandinpositiontosprintintonextstride.
Havetheathleteimaginethattheleadlegandtraillegareracingeachothertotheground.Thisencouragesquickactionoffofthehurdleandhelpstheathlete
anticipatethetouchdown.
DesigningaTrainingProgram
Establishingatrainingplanisimportantforsystematicandcontinuousprogress.Varietyisimportantbutonlytothepointthatitkeepstheathletefreshanddoesnot
becomevarietyforvariety'ssake.Table6.2onpage90containsanoutlineofthegeneralobjectivesforthe400meterhurdlerthroughoutthetrainingyear.Some
specificexamplesaregivenforthefallpreparation.Remember,tobethemosteffectivecoachyoumustusewhatyourenvironmentprovides.Samplesofwhatother
programsdoareonlyaseffectiveasyouareinadaptingyourcoachingstyleandideastotheathletesandtheenvironmentinwhichyoubothwork.
Competition
Preparationforcompetitioniswhattrainingisabout.Ifthespecificpreparationforamajorcompetitionisnotbegunduringtheearlieststagesofpreparation,
competitivereadinesswillbedifficulttoattain.Everythingdiscussedinthischaptertothispointisimportanttotheperformanceonthebigday.Onlyminorplanning
details,suchasadaptingtowind,track,andotherenvironmentalconditions,shouldbeleftforthedayoftherace.Theathlete'sdietshouldbeverysimilartothediet
duringtheregulartrainingyear,andrehearsalofwhattoeatandwhentoeatshouldoccurduringtrainingsessionsleadinguptothecompetitionseason.Ingeneral,the
dietshouldbehighincarbohydrates,withplentyofwaterintake.Hydrationshouldbeemphasizedatalltimesofthetrainingyear.
Summary
Insummary,the400meterhurdleeventisoneofbeauty,endurance,grace,speed,andpower.Onceadumpinggroundforathleteswhocouldnotachievehighlevels
ofsuccessinthe400meterdashor800meterrun,ithasgrownintoahighlyspecializedevent.Theprimaryreasonforitscontinuedgrowthhasbeentheimproved
technicalprowessofparticipatingathletes.Skillinhurdling,oncenearlynonexistent,hasbecomethemostimportantingredientinrecentrecordperformances.Anditis
inthisareawherethemostcanbegainedforfuturerecordperformances.
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TABLE6.2SAMPLEWORKOUTS
FallPreparation
Monday
Circuittraining
Fieldcircuit:suchas30pushups,10tuckjumps,100mrun,30lunges,40
crunches,200mrun,10pullups,plusotherexercisesofyourchoice,including
medicineballsandjumpropes.Thecircuitisperformedwith030sec.rest
betweenstationsandshouldlast15min.percircuit.
Tuesday
Bounding,coretraining
Longalternatelegboundingongrass:860m
Core:pushups,situps,andsoonforthetrunk.
Wednesday
Hillrunning
24200250mhill,withwalkbackrecovery.
Thursday
Sprintdevelopment,hurdleskill
Rolloverstarts(startbyleaningoveruntilyouloseyourbalanceforwardandgo)
Highkneerunning
Buttkicks
Fastlegexercise
Marchingandskippingoverhurdles
Runsover4hurdlessetat27in.(about68.5cm)andspacedat20m:68runs
Friday
Acceleration,circuittraining
Rolloverstarts
Blockstartsover2hurdles
CircuitworkasonMonday
Saturday
Aerobicrunning
Temporunsover100200mwith50mwalkbetween
Continuousrunatvariedpacefor15minutes.
Sunday
Rest
IndoorPreparation
Monday
Sprintdevelopment,powerdevelopment
Tuesday
Hurdleskill,weights,multijumps
Wednesday
Hillrunning,strengthendurance
Thursday
Weights,coretraining,swimming
Friday
Acceleration,lactacidpower
Saturday
Temporunning,coretraining
Sunday
Rest
IndoorSeason
Monday
Sprintdevelopment,powerdevelopment
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
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(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
IndoorSeason
Tuesday
Hurdleskill,weights
Wednesday
Lactacidpower,strengthendurance
Thursday
Weights,coretraining,swimming
Friday
Acceleration
Saturday
Competition
Sunday
Rest
OutdoorPreparation/Season
Monday
Hurdleskill,weights,coretraining
Tuesday
Lactacidpower,400meterhurdledistribution
Wednesday
Coretraining,temporunning
Thursday
400meterhurdlestarts,weights
Friday
Coretraining,temporunning
Saturday
Competition
Sunday
Rest
Page93
7
800MeterstoMile
MikePoehlein
Themiddledistanceeventsincludethe800meterrun,themilerun,andalldistancesinbetweenincludingthe1500meters.Thatthe800meterworldrecordisnow
1:41indicatesthatracesofthesedistancesareverydemanding,requiringamixtureofspeed,strength,andendurance.Theathleteswhosucceedcangiveittheirallon
raceday,butalsocanreallyletithangoutonkeypracticedays.
Besidesthephysicalskillsthatareneededtoperformsuccessfullyinthiseventcategory,mentalstrengthisessentialtorunathighspeedsforthedurationoftherace.
Youmusthavecouragetokeepgoingwhileyourbodyistellingyouit'sgoingtobepainfultocontinueatsuchintensity.Thatcourageisdevelopedduringtraining.
Practicesareaimedatnotonlybuildingthenecessarystaminafortheseraces,butdevelopingtheconfidencetopersevereaswell.Middledistanceracingissomeof
themostchallengingintrackandfield.Itrequirespreparationthatdevelopsalltheessentialbiomotorabilitiesaswellasmentaltoughness.
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SelectionProcess
Themiddledistanceshavealwaysbeenamongmyfavoriteofthetrackeventstocoach.IalwaysfeltIcouldinfluencetheexistingtalentpoolsomewhat,especially
whenIwascoachinginhighschool.SinceIenjoyedthemiddledistanceevents,Iwouldinsomecasestrytomovethesprintersand400meterrunnerstothe800
metersandmileatanearlyage.Then,Iwouldconvincethemtotrycrosscountryinthefallasawayofestablishingcontactand,moreimportantly,togetthemto
makethetoughmentaladjustmentfromthesprintstothemiddledistance.Withthistaskaccomplished,Iusuallyhadapoolofathletesthatwassignificantlyfasterthan
mostofouropponents.
Whenselectingcandidatesforthemiddledistanceraces,besuretotakeintoconsiderationtheathletes'workethic.Ifyourchosencandidatesdon'ttrulyloverunning
andenjoyhardtraining,theywillnotsurviveinthemiddledistances.
PhysicalTraits
Anotherconsiderationisthephysicaltraitsofmiddledistancerunners.Itisbelievedthatthesuccessfulmiddledistancerunnerwillhavearatiooffasttwitchtoslow
twitchmusclefibersofabout50:50,witha5to10%deviationeitherway.Forexample,theideal800meterprospectwouldprobablybeat60%fasttwitchand40%
slowtwitch.Amilermightbe60%slowtwitchand40%fasttwitch.Agood,stableteamofmiddledistancerunnerswillallfallsomewhereinbetweenthese60:40or
40:60ratios.
Theproblemishowtoknowanathlete'smusclefibertype.Collegecoachesgettheirathletesintotheuniversityphysiologylabforamusclebiopsy.However,thismay
notbeavailabletoyou.Inthiscase,theverticaljumptestmayhelp.
VerticalJumpTest
Asimplebutfairlyaccurategaugeindeterminingaptitudeformiddledistancerunningisaverticaljumptest.Oncetheathletesareinprettygoodshape,haveeachone
takeatwoinchpieceofchalkandstandflatfootedagainstawalltheyaretoreachashighaspossibleandmakeamarkonthewall.Next,whilestartingfroma
flatfootedpositionwithbothfeetonthefloor,theyaretojumpupandmakeamarkabovetheoriginalmark.Havethemdothisthreetimes.Measurethedistance
betweenthestandingmarkandthejumpingmark,andaveragethethreemarks.
Afteryouhavetheresultsofallyourteammembers,dividethegroup.Thethirdwiththehighestmarkswillmakeupthesprinters.Themiddlethirdarelikelytobe
mostsuccessfulatthemiddledistances.Thelongdistancegroupwilllikelycomefromthelastthird.Ifyouhavealargegroup,thereisalotofvalidityinthistest.
Thisisonlyaquickguideandshouldnotalterotherselectioncriteriaestablishedbythecoachingstaff,butitisagoodindicatorofyourathletes'musclefibertype.In
thefinalanalysis,however,yourcandidatesmustalsohavegoodbodyflexibilityandgoodspeed.
Page95
TypesofMiddleDistanceRunners
Therearebasicallythreetypesof800meterrunners.(Thesameprofileswillalsobeusedtoidentify1500meterandmilerunners.)
1.Thosepossessingexceptionalspeedfor400meterswhomoveuptothelongerdistance.
2.Thosethataregiftedwithbetterthanaverage400meterspeedandalsocompetesuccessfullyinthemile.
3.Runnerswithaverage400meterspeedwhoaremainlythemilertype,butyetbecauseofsuperiorconditioningareabletocompetequitewellat800meters.They
areespeciallyeffectiveinchampionshipmeetswhereseveralroundsofqualifyingarerequired.
Technique
Posturalandmechanicalconsiderationsforthemiddledistanceswillvaryslightlybetweenthe800and1500meterrunner/miler.Bothwillrunwithaveryerect
posture.Theheadshouldbelevelwiththeeyesfocused50100metersdownthetrack.Makesureathletesdonotlookdownattheirfeet.
Therhythmofthestridecycleissimilartothatofasprinter,exceptthatsincerunningeconomydictatesashortstride,theheelrecoveryafterthedrivefootliftsfrom
thegroundwillnotraiseallthewaytothehips.Itwillrecovertoonlyaboutthreefourthsofthatdistanceforthemilerwhenitstartstodescendforward.The800
meterathletewilllookmorelikethe400metersprinterwithfairlyhighheelrecovery.Bothathleteswillswingthefreelegforwardanddownward,andmovethefoot
backunderthebody'scenterofmassuponlanding.Sincethemiddledistancerunnerismovingataslowerratethanthesprinter,thebodydoesn'tpassoverthe
supportfootasquicklyandthefootcanlandalmostdirectlyunderthecenterofmass.(Seefigure7.1,pages9697.)
Dorsalflexionoftheanklejointisstillanimportantissuetokeeptheathleterollingofftheballofthefoot.Astheathlete'sfootlandsnearlyflatfootedforthe1500
meterrunner/miler,theathleteshouldpropelforwardofftheballofthefoot.The800meterathletewilllandhigherontheball,butthendropthefootflatatthepointof
midsupportjustbeforepropellingofftheballofthefootagain.
Thearmcarriageforthe800meterathleteisverysimilartothatofthesprinter.Thehandsshouldberelaxedandswingforwardtothemidlineofthebody,butwithout
crossingthemidline.Thehandwillswingaboutchinhighwiththeelbowbendingtolessthan90degrees.Onthedownswing,thehandmovesbacktowardthehip
pocketastheelbowopenstoabout120degrees.
Themiler,ontheotherhand,willhaveashorterarmstrokeduetoashorterstride.Themotionshouldbeinthesamedirectiontothemidlinebutnotcrossingit.
Inbothraces,theshouldersshouldremainlevelandperpendiculartothedirectionoftherun.Notwistingbackandforthofthetorsoshouldbeobserved.When
watchingthemotionoftheathlete'sbodyatthetopofthehead,youshouldnotseemuchupanddownmotion(verticaldisplacement).
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Figure7.1
Distancerunningtechnique.Notethewaythefreelegswingsforwardanddownward
thenmovesunderthebody'scenterofmassuponlanding.
TrainingPhilosophy
Wemustalwaysguardagainsttrainingabsorbingtoomuchofanathlete'scompetitivefire.Someathletesbecomeworkoutcentered,sothatworkoutstakeonmore
importancethanactualracing.
Forthisnottohappen,wemustaddressallfacetsoftheathlete.Peoplearetridimensional:withaphysicalside,amentalandemotionalside,andaspiritualside.A
propertrainingprogrammustincludecomponentsofallthreedimensions.
Trainingitselfmustbemultifaceted.Keepinmindthateveryonecandramaticallyimprovehisorherrelativerunningspeed,power,flexibility,endurance,strength,self
image,andselfconfidence.Justthinkwhattheresultwouldbeifallofthecomponentswereimproved.
Finally,asinmostphysicalactivities,middledistancetrainingisalearningprocess.Thislearningcomesfromeventspecifictraining,fromtrainingthatinvolvesallofthe
energysystems,andfromtrainingthatteachesthementalaspectsoftoughnessandcompetitivespirit.
ThePhysicalSide
Thephysicaldimensioninvolvesnotonlypropertrainingbutunderstandingtheraceandthetacticsspecifictothatrace.
Whenplanningracetactics,thefollowingfactorsshouldbeconsidered:
Distanceoftherace
Whatyouknowabouttheopponentsintherace
Conditionoftheracingsurface
Weather
Currentphysicalcondition
Leveloftrainingofrivals
Personalability,strengths,andweaknesses,includingpacejudgmentandabilitytoleadorfollow
Numberofcompetitorsintherace
Page97
Figure7.1(continued)
Remindyourathletesofthefollowing:Saveabout40%ofyourenergyforthelastonequarteroftherace.Expecttheunexpected.Nevertaketheleadunlessyou
wanttodosomethingwithit.Youmightwishtoincreasethepace,decreasethepace,ortogaintacticalposition.Itisalsocriticaltomaintaincontactifyouarenot
leading.Contactreferstoyoureffectivestrikingdistanceorbelievablepassingdistance.
Otherkeycomponentsoftrainingarerecoveryandproperrest.Whentrainingloadsareapplied,theremustbesufficientrecoverytimeforthebodytoadapt,resulting
ingreaterfitness.Insufficientrecoverywillleadtophysicalbreakdown,injury,orillness.
TheMentalandEmotionalSide
Onthementalandemotionalsideoftraining,youandyourathletesmustalwayshaveaplanoraroadmapofwhereyouwanttogo.Thisshouldbesupportedbya
setofvividgoalsthatprovideforimmediate,shortrange,midrange,andlongrangeplanning.Remember,thegreatestmotivationisaseriesofachievementsor
accomplishments.
Thehigheryourathletes'performancegoalsare,themoresubsidiarygoalstheymusthave.Forexample,ifthegoalistoincreasetrainingloadby10%,thenyouneed
aseriesofgoalsthatprovidetheathletewithmoresleep,morerecovery,improveddiet,andrehydration.Youmustalsoaddressthehabitsthathelpyourathletes
reduceandmanagestress,andyourathletesneedarefocusingplanincasetheunexpectedhappens.
Yourathleteshavetoexpecttheunexpected.Ifitdoesoccur,howareyourathletesgoingtopreparethemselvesmentallyandphysically?
Askthemtothinkabouthowtheywoulddealwiththefollowing:
Preeventhassle
Delayinstart
Lossoffocus
Poorperformance
Nonidealconditions
Poorstart
Mistakeinevent
Thesethingshappensotheremustbeaplantohandlethem.
Page98
Duringtheraceitisimportanttostaywithinpassingdistanceoftheleader.SaraThorsett(right)
workshardtomaintaincontactwiththeleadingrunnerinthis1500metercompetition.
Rememberthattheabilitytoconcentrateisoneofthefinalpiecestothecomplexjigsawpuzzlewearetryingtopiecetogether.Theabilitytofocusonthecomplete
taskiscriticalforultimatesuccess.Ifyourathletesdon'thavetheabilitytoconcentrateorfocusontheassignedtask,theyruntheriskofwastingalltheirpreviously
learnedskills.
TheSpiritualSide
Thespiritualsideoftrainingdealswiththeintangiblequalitiestheathletemayormaynotpossess.Forexample,drive,desire,belief,confidence,andcommitmentare
vitaltosucceed.RogerBannistersaid,''Thebattleforthefirstsub4minutemilewasfoughtinthemind,notinthebody."
Thespiritualsideofathleticsfinallycomesdowntothecompetitivespirittheathletecanmusterinimportantsituations.Ofalltraits,thisisthemostinternallygenerated.
Theathletemusthaveaninnerresolvethatsparksthisdimension.Itisalsofedbytheenthusiasm,emotion,andinspirationofpreviousachievements
Page99
andfutureconquests.Thisspiritiscontinuallyfueledbytheenergytheathletecandrawfromthosearoundhimorher.Withawarenessandunderstandingofthisspirit,
itcanbeheightenedandimproved.Thecorrectbeliefsystemandenvironmentcanimprovetheoverallstrengthofthesoul.
TrainingCycles
Regardlessofwhetheryourathletesareinmiddleschool,highschool,orcollege,mostAmericantrackandfieldprogramsreachtheirpeakcompetitiveseasonsduring
lateMarch,April,andMay.SomecompetitionextendsintoearlyJune.Atthistimecompetitivetrackendsforabout90%ofparticipatingAmericans(thoughitisjust
gettingstartedfortherestoftheworld).
Becausethisisthepeaktimeoftheyear,fortrainingcyclepurposes,weshallworkfromthesetentativeguidelines:
Preseasonworkouts:FebruaryandMarch
Midseasonworkouts:ApriltomidMay
Lateseasonworkouts:midMaytomidJune
Whatyoudoduringtheseperiodswillvaryaccordingtothelengthoftheindoorseason,andtheage,previousbackground,andmental,emotional,andphysicalhealth
oftheathletes.Regardlessofthesevariables,however,youcanstillusethetrainingpercentagesintable7.1asageneralguidelinefromwhichtobuildyourworkouts.
Table7.1isbrokendownintothepreseasonandlateseasonandgivessuggestedtrainingpercentagesbasedonthephysicaldemandsofthe1500meterrunner/miler
and800meterrunner.
TABLE7.1TRAININGPERCENTAGESFORMIDDLEDISTANCERUNNERS
1500m/mile
800m
Preseason
Speed10%
Anaerobicendurance10%
Aerobicendurance80%
Speed10%
Anaerobicendurance30%
Aerobicendurance60%
Lateseason
Speed30%
Anaerobicendurance40%
Aerobicendurance30%
Speed40%
Anaerobicendurance30%
Aerobicendurance30%
PreseasonWorkouts
Emphasiswillslowlyswitchfromquantitytoquality.Progressionoftrainingrequiresyoutoconsiderlongerseriesofintervalswithshorterrestperiodsfrompreseason
tomidseason.Asyouapproachthelateseason,thevolumewilldropandrepetitionswillincreaseinquality.
Page100
TimeTrial
Isuggestdoingthebulkofpreseasonworkat3Kor5Kracingpace.Ifyouaren'tcertainofthis,giveyourathletea3Ktimetrial,eitheroutdoorsorindoors.Subtract
30secondsfromthattime.Forexample,iftheathlete's3Ktimeis11:00,use10:30asyourreference.Thistimebreaksdownto3:30per1000meters.Soagood
workoutmightbe
51000at3:30,withatwominuterestinterval,repeat1200satpace,or
31200at4:12,withthreeminutesrest.
Astheathletegetsstronger,thesetimesshoulddrop.Giveyourathletesagoalfortheseworkouts.Aftertheyreachthesetimegoals,take30to45secondsoffthe
recoveryinterval.Awordofcaution,though:changeonlyonevariableatatime.Iprefertolowerthetimeoftherunningintervalfirstbecausethisisastrength
workoutbasedonthetimeoftheathlete's3K,andweassumethattimewilldropastheseasonprogresses.Alsobearinmindthat,althoughitisn'tpracticaltodoa
specific3Kevaluationforallyourmiddledistancerunners,youmightatleastdividethemintotwoorthreegroups,basedontheir3Ktimetrialresults.
Theworkoutsdescribedaboveshouldbeconsiderablyharderthantheaerobicrunsthataredoneduringallphasesoftraining,buttheyshouldbesignificantlyslower
thanracepace.
PracticeRuns
Inordertodeterminetheathlete'sfitnessateachstageoftraining,Iwouldsuggestanoccasionalworkoutinvolvingaseriesofpracticerunsthatwouldmirrorthe
estimatedracepaceofanuntrainedmiddledistancerunner.Thisisbestdonebydoingatimetestortimetrialatthreefourthsoftheracingdistancethatis,600
metersforthe800meterprospect,and1200metersforthe1500/milecandidates.
Forexample,let'sassumethecandidatesran1:33fora600.Thatmeanstheyarecoveringeach200at31seconds.Wecoulddomanydifferentworkouts,butI
suggestnotdroppingbelow300metersduringthisstageoftheathlete'scycle.Ialsolikedoingoneworkoutevery10daysatslightlyfasterthancurrentracepace.So
thefollowingaretwopossibleworkouts:
5400at62seconds,withtwominutesrest
4500at78seconds,withtwominutesrest
(62secondsand78secondsrepresentthesamepacesasinthe600metertimetrial.)
Theseworkoutswouldsatisfytheracepacerequirements.
SpeedTraining
Tosatisfythespeedrequirement,againprobablynotmorethanonceevery10daysduringthispremeetsegment,youcouldhavetheathletesdothefollowing:
6to8300at45seconds,withtwotothreeminutesrest
Whenpracticing,repetitionatnearracepaceisthepropertimetolookattheathlete'smechanics.Whenrunningslowerpacesyoucannotevaluatetheathletedueto
thechangesthatoccurinslowerruns.
Page101
Eachathletewillresponddifferentlytothoseworkoutssoyoucanchangeeitherthespeedoftheworkout,orlengthofrest(butnotboth).
Workoutssimilartotheseshouldnotberepeatedtoomanytimesduringthisperiodbecausewhiletheysignificantlyraisethefitnessleveloftheathlete,theymay
reducetheathlete'sabilitytoimproveattheendoftheseason.
MidseasonWorkouts
Duringthemidseason,continuetoemphasizequality,andfocusoneventspecifictraining.Followingtheprincipleslistedbelowwillenableathletestocontinueto
improve.
Thebestrunnerstrainclosertoracepacemoreoften.
Thebestrunnersarecapableofracingoffahighmileagebase.
Thebestrunnersshowaveryhighrateofconsistencyintraining.
Thebestrunnersbuildarecoveryplanthatensurestheyremaininjuryfree.
Mosttrainingsessionsmustbedoneundercalculatedpressure.Trainingnotdoneunderpressureisofnorealvalue.
Thebestrunnerslookforwardtoandthriveonpressure.Fatigueandtimeareyouropponents.
Duringtheearlypartofmidseason,shifttheemphasisgraduallyfromtrainingtoracing.Thenumberofcompetitionsyourteamhasperweekandthenumberofraces
yourathleteshavepercompetitionwillbefactorsinsometypesoftraining.
Allsuccessfulmiddledistancecoachesfollowwhatiscalledbracketing,ortheoverundertheory.Simplystated,intheearlyseasonan800meterrunnercompetes
onlyoccasionallyinthatevent.About60%ofthetimeheorshecompetesinaracebeyond800meters.Thiscouldbea1200inadistancemedleyrelayorthe1500
meters.Theideahereistodeveloptheathlete'sstayingpowerandspecificenduranceforlateronwhenheorsheneedstorunmorethanoneraceorneedstorun
morethanoneroundofqualificationsinchampionshipmeets.Itisalsogoodforconcentrationanditcutsdownonthelikelihoodofinjury.
Occasionallyitisgoodtohaveyourathletesruneventsoflessdistance,or"below"theirnormalevent.Ifyouhavealotof"lessimportant"meets,considerhavingyour
middledistancerunnersrunthe400and4400meterrelay.Dothesamewithyourmilergroup.
Bracketingisusefulinotherwaysaswell.Itcancreateexcitementbecauseitgivesathletesabreakfromthenorm.Italsoprovidesindicatorsontraining.For
example,iftheathletecompetessuccessfullybelowthechosenevent,butnotaboveit,thatindicatesthatthetraininghasbeentoospeedoriented.Iftheathlete
competeswellabovetheracingevent,butnotbelowit,thatindicatestheneedformorespeedworkinthetraining.
Theidealistobeabletocompetebothaboveandbelowtheevent.Allnationallevelandinternationallevelathletescandothis.Wealsousethesemethodsto
diagnoseonemorething.Iftheathleterunsthefirst75%oftheracewellbutcan'tfinish,heorsheprobablyneedsafewlongerraces(ortraining).Iftheathlete
finishesstrongbutcan'tfindthatkickoronemoregear,perhapsalittlespeedwork,orsomeshorterraces,willeliminatethatweakness.
Page102
Thetrainingworkoutsduringthissegmentwillbedeterminedsomewhatbywhattheraceresultstellyou.Inthelatterstagesofthiscycleyouwillneedtoremovesome
ofthetrainingthatistoofarremovedfromtherunningrhythmsofyourathletes'racing.Forexample,youmightreplacea6to10milerunatsevenminutespermile
witha3to4milerunatasignificantlyquickerpace.
Thisisalsotheperfecttimetoreintroduceresistancetraininginvolvinguphillanddownhilltraining.Alsousefulareboundinghurdlehops(figure7.2),ropejumping,and
naturalmethodsofincreasingflexibilityanddevelopingmuchneededlowerlegstrength.
Figure7.2
Boundinghurdlehops.
Duringthissegmentofyourtrainingracingcycle,itwouldbewisetoaddoneworkoutofpurespeed,suchasoneofthefollowing:
810100metersat95%maximum,witha100meterslowwalk
68200metersat90%offullspeed,witha200meterrecovery
Suchaworkoutshouldnotbeusedmorethanonceevery10days.
Althoughatthispointintheseasonspeedisstartingtobecomeimportant,itisbesttogetitthroughhillrunsandbyracingbelowone'snormalevent.Thelasttypeof
workouttoconsiderusingduringthisperiodconsistsofeither400sor500sattwotothreesecondsbelowcurrentracepace.Useamoderatepacewithoutfull
recoveryforthese.
For800meterathletes,youmaywanttouse231000,or121200,attwosecondsslowerthanracepace,withacompleterecovery.Iftheathletehasbeen
experiencingaslumpinperformance,thismayhelpbringherorhimoutofit.
LateSeasonWorkouts
Aswithalltraining,thereisaprogression.Ifyourathletesaren'tonscheduleforreachingracinggoals,thereareseveralwaystogetthemonschedule.Onewayisto
givethemseveraldaysofeasyrunningorcompleterest.Backdownonhardanaerobictraining.Worklowvolume,highintensityrunswithfullrecovery.
Wehavedeliberatelyheldoffonspeedtraining.Whenwemixspeedwithrestandbackoffstrengthtraining,weusuallyseeimprovedspeed.Forourspeed
workouts,itisacceptabletouselongerrestperiodsaswetrytoinfluencetheexplosivequalitiesofourathletes.
Restandrecoverybecomeaprimeconsiderationlateintheseason.They,alongwithhighlevelcompetitionandsignificantlybetterweather,arethefinalcatalystsfor
thebreakthroughathletesareexpecting.
Keepingtheabovetrainingstrategiesinmind,table7.2presentsasampleweeklytrainingplanforeachpartoftheseason.
Page103
TABLE7.2SAMPLEWORKOUTSFOR800METERSTOMILE
Preseason
Monday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
4100m@strides
41200m@datepace*5min.recoverybetweensets
1015min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Tuesday
6milerunatasteadystatepace
Mostlyaerobic
Wednesday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
6500m@datepace
400mwalkrecoverybetweensets
1015min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Thursday
45min.aerobicrun
68100m@racepace
10min.cooldown
Stretching
Friday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
4100mbuildups
2150mbuildups
68300m@datepace
200mrecoverywalkbetweenreps
1015min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Saturday
4575min.longaerobicrun@conversationalpace
EarlySeason
Monday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
4100mstrides
41000m@3sec.fasterthandatepace
15min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Datepacethepaceoftheintervaltoberunthatisequaltothepaceofthebestperformance
thattheathleteiscurrentlyabletoachievefortheeventthatheorsheispreparingfor.
(continued)
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(continued)
EarlySeason
Tuesday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
23mileloop@80%ofmax.
10min.restbetweenreps
Circuittraining
10min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Wednesday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
4100mstrides
4150m@buildups
4500m@2sec.fasterthandatepace
Fullrecovery
10min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Thursday
45min.aerobicrun
8100mslightlyfasterthanracepace
10min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Friday
30min.run@easypace
4100mrelaxedstridesand/orbatonexchanges
10min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Saturday
Someracingatdistancesabovemajorevent
LateSeason
Monday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
6100mstrides
21200m@goalpace**6min.restbetweenreps
10min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Tuesday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
22mileloop@80%ofmax.or30min.
10min.cooldownrun
Stretching
**
Goalpacethepaceoftheintervaltoberunthatisequaltothepaceoftheperformancethatthe
athleteisstrivingtoachievebytheendoftheseason.
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
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(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
LateSeason
Wednesday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
4100mstrides
4150mbuildups
4600m@2sec.fasterthan3/4ofracedistance
10min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Thursday
1015min.warmuprun
Stretching
4100mbuildups
2150mbuildups
6flying50msprints
15min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Friday
30min.aerobicrun
4100measystrides
10min.cooldownrun
Stretching
Saturday
Someracingatdistancesbelowmajorracingevent.
Competition
Whenpreparingforacompetition,itisimportanttokeepthefollowingstrategiesinmind.Thesetacticsshouldallbepracticedmonthsinadvance,sothatwhenrace
dayrollsaround,theyhavealreadybecomesomewhatsecondnature.
PracticingRaceTactics
Arunnerwhoplansonchangingtemposortakingtheleadshouldrehearsethosethingsinpractice.Fartlekworkoutswherethereareavarietyofspeedchangescan
beveryhelpful.Practicerunsthatincorporateincreasesanddecreasesinspeedareverytaxingbuthelptheathleteprepareforthosestressesincompetition.
The2%Margin
Thereisamarginof2%thattherunnermustrespect.Thismeansthatathletesmayrun2%aboveorbelowtheirbestracepaceandstillbeabletostayontheirtarget
pace.Arunnerwhogetsoutofthismarginwilllikelycrashandburn.Ineverygoodrace,thereisashortperiodoftimewhentheoutcomeisinbalance.Allracesare
wonorlostatthistimethepersonwhorecognizesthatexactmomentoftenwins.
TheSuccessSegment
This"successsegment,"asitiscalled,usuallyoccursinthelast25%oftherace.Thepersonwhocontrolsthesuccesssegmentwillwinthemajorityoftheraces.
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Youmustrecognizethissegment,andunderstandthetendenciesofthebetterrunnersintherace.Thisistheportionoftheracethatisthemostdifficultmentallyto
maintainastrongpacewhentheathleteistired.Somesuperiorathleteswilltakeoffatthispointandchallengeyoutogowiththem.Othersmaysitawhileanddelay
theirkick.Youmustunderstandyourownabilities,establishedthroughtraining.
ReservingEnergy
Youmustalsoplanforthissegmentbysavingabout40%ofyourenergyforthelast25%oftherace.Youmustlearntoraceearly,buttonotexpendallofyour
energy.Youdon'twanttoleavethelastquarteroftheracetowillanddeterminationonly.Determinationisawonderfulquality,butoflittlevalueonanemptytank.
Trytohavethemindsetofapitbull,butalsoconservealittlefuel.
EffectsofHeat
Dependingontheareaofthecountryyoulivein,yourathletesmayberacinginhotconditions.Manythingscangowronginthelatestagesofaraceruninsevere
heat.Oneisthattherunner'sbodymechanicsbreakdown.Thiswillhappentoallrunners,buttodifferentdegreesandatslightlydifferenttimes.Thelongeranathlete
canholdoffthisbreakdown,thegreaterhisorherchancesofsuccess.
MentallyPreparingforFatigue
InthisraceReginaJacobstakestheleadwhileheropponents
struggletokeepup.
Haveyourrunnersdoverydifficultexerciseswhentheyareextremelytired,sotheycanatleastbementallypreparedforanddelaythisshutdownduringarace.For
example,runastrongtempodistancerunoffivetosixmilesandcomebacktothetrackandrunrepeatshortintervalsinastateoffatigue.
LeadingVersusFollowing
Itismoretiringtoleadthantofollow,sincethereisusuallyawindconditionandthefrontrunnerwillcatchallofthewind.Atsomepointintherace,leadingis
obviouslycritical,becauseifyouneverleadyouneverwin.Iusuallytellmyrunnerstonevertaketheleadinthemiddlestagesofaraceunlesstheywanttodo
somethingwithit,suchasforcetheiropponentstoraceearlytoeliminatetheirlateracekick.Or,ifthepackiswellbelowyourability,causethepacetobemoreto
yourownracestrategy.
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AvoidingaBox
Acriticalaspectofmiddledistancerunning,especiallythe800,istoavoidgettingboxedin.Onecanusuallyavoidaboxbyrunninginthesecondorthirdpositionjust
offtherightshoulderoftheleader.Alwaysknowwherethecompetitorsintheraceare.Thisisnotadifficultskilltomaster.
MaintainingTouchContact
Trytoimpressonyourrunnerstoneverletaracestringout.Ifitdoes,theyshouldreactimmediatelyandfillthegaptomaintainwhatiscalledtouchcontact.Touch
contactisthefeelingthatyoucanphysicallyreachoutandtouchtherunnerinfrontofyou.Aslongastherunnerhastouchcontact,heorsheisstillintherace.
AnticipatingtheMove
If,inthelastquarteroftherace,thereareseveralrunnersstillincontention,itisjustamatteroftimeuntilsomebodytriestomakeamove.Theathleteshould
anticipatethismove,andthenrespondtoit.Thisisthesuccesssegmentoftherace.Remindyourathletes:Bethere,beaccountable,andyouwillbesuccessful.Being
accountablemeanstakingresponsibilityforyourselftobereadytoreacttoothers.Maintainyourmentalconcentrationofyourrunningaswellasthosearoundyou.
Summary
Itiscriticaltolayoutayearlytrainingscheme.Weneedblueprintsofwherewewantourathletestogoandhowtheycangetthere.Muchofoursuccessdependson
howaccuratelyweassesstheathletes'abilitiesandhowweplanondevelopingthosetalentsovertheyear.Theplanwillhelpathletesmaintaintheirenergyand
enthusiasm,andabalancebetweentheirpersonallifeandtheirathleticlife.
Theoldsayinggoes:Planyourworkandworkyourplan.Notbadadvice.
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8
3000to10,000Meters
LanceHarter
HarryGroves
Totrainadistancerunner,onemustunderstandandhavetheabilitytoimplementaprogramthatabidesbyscientificprinciplesthatgovernphysicalandmental
responsestotraining.Basicbiomechanical,physiological,andpsychologicalfactorsmustbeappliedprogressively,systematically,andintelligentlytoeachindividual
athlete.Successthenbecomesamatterofplanningratherthanrandomphysicalandpsychologicalchallenges.Withthisinmind,thefollowingparametersneedtobe
considered.
1.Alltrainingprogramsareindividualized,yetacommonapproachcanbeusedtoprovideteamcontinuity.
2.Eachindividualneedstoidentifyanidealblendofvarioustrainingschemestodevelophisorherspecificstrengthsandreduceweaknesses,usingthefollowing
physiologicalprinciplesasguidelines:
Specificstressesmustbeapplied.
Thestresscannotbetoogreat.
Thebodywilladapttothestressduringtherest/recoveryphase.
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Theapplicationoftrainingloadsstressesthebodysothatasthebodyadaptstothoseloadsitbecomesstrongerandincreasesitsphysicalcapacity.Ifthosetraining
loadsaretoogreatortoofrequent,thebodywillnotadaptandmaybreakdown.Adequaterecoveryisthekeytophysicaldevelopment.
3.Alltrainingisdesignedtophysiologicallyandpsychologicallyenhancetheathletes'potentialtofunctionascloseaspossibletohisorhermaximumpotentialin
racingthatis,wetrainathletestorace.
4.Trainingmustbeconsistentandprogressive.
5.Coachandathleteopenadirectlineofcommunicationbyestablishinganddiscussingtheathlete'sseasonandcareergoals.Thisgivesathleteandcoachaclearand
positivedirectionintrainingandracing.
6.Aconsciouseffortismadetocreateaholisticstressawarenessandmanagementprogram.
7.Eachathlete'srunningmechanicsinboth''fresh"and"fatigued"stateareevaluated,andadailyroutineof"formdrills"isimplemented.
Technique
Adistancerunner'sstride,likethatofanyothertrackathlete,iscomposedofthreephases:
1.Pushoffordrive
2.Recovery
3.Support
Duringthepushoffphase,thebodyispropelledforwardviathesupportfootandfinallythetoes.Therecoveryphaseisthatperiodwhenthebodyisintheairwith
neitherfootingroundcontact.Thesupportphaseiswhenthefootrecontactstheground.Asthebody'scenterofgravitypassesoverthesupportingfoot,thedrive
phaseofthenextstridebegins.Aseachlegispropelledforward,theoppositearmopposesallphasesoftherunner'sstride.Inotherwords,theleftlegisforwardat
thesametimetherightarmisforward,andviceversa.
Figure8.1
(a)Atallrunningposture,and(b)agreaterbodyleandueto
increasedacceleration.
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Factorstoconsiderininstructingrunningmechanicsincludethefollowing:
Individualdifferencesinrunningstylesmustberespectedwhilebasicprinciplesofmechanicsmustbeobeyed.
Stridelength(thedistancebetweeneachfoot)andstridefrequency(thestridespersecond)arethebasiccomponentsofrunningspeed.
Goodrunningpostureisproducedby"runningtall,"withtherunner'sshouldersbeingsquaretotherunner'ships,andweightcenteredoverthehipsandrespective
supportfoot.(Seefigure8.1a.)
Thegreatertheacceleration,thegreaterthebodyleanforward(figure8.1b).Donotleanforwardatslowspeeds,asthisresultsinaninefficientrunningstyle.(The
forwardleaningactioncausesthebodytoreachoutwiththefoottopreventfalling.Thisresultsinbraking,whichslowstheathleteandrequiresmuchphysicaleffortto
overcomethebraking.Also,itleadstoshorterstridelength.)
Distancerunnersshouldseekarunningstylethatisefficientforthemajorityoftherace,yetleavesthemeffectiveforspecificchallengesinarace,suchaswhenthey
decidetocatchanopponentorkickattheendofarace.
Armactionshouldbea"comfortableforwardandbackswing,"withtheanglebetweenforearmandbicepatlessthan90degrees(figure8.2a),untilasprinting
actionisrequiredandtheoptimalarmanglechangestoapproximately90degrees.(Seefigure8.2b.)Duringthearmactionswingforwardandback,therunnershould
avoidanarmcarrythatcrossesthebody'smidline,asthisultimatelycausesadecreaseinstridelength.
Thearmscontrolrunning,asthearms'cadencesupportstherunner'sfrequencyinstriderevolutions.
Theoptimalfootstrikeisa"midfoot"strike,inwhichtheathletelandsonarelativelyflatfootinasupportingpositionunderthehips,whilethebody'sweight
continuouslymovesforwardtotheballofthefootastherespectivelegstraightensandfinallyintoapushoffphasefromthetoes.
Figure8.2
Anglebetweenforearmandbicepat:(a)lessthan90degrees
forthemajorityoftherace,and(b)90degreesduringsprinting
action.
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RunningCuesforCoachesandAthletes
Posture:
Runtallwithyourhipsunderneathyou.
Chestoutasshouldersstaysquaretoyourhips.
Toeup,heelup,kneeup.
ArmAction:
Keepyourshoulderslooseandrelaxed.
Armsswingforwardandbackfromhiptoshoulderlevelasasingleefficientmotion.
Keephandscuppedandfingersrelaxednoexcesstension.
Footstrike:
Landinaflatfootaction,withacontinuousactivefootstrike/pawingmotion.
Acceleration:
Quickenarmsbyshorteningthearmangleto90degrees.
Quicklypawthegroundandeffectivelypushoffforward.
Training
"Aneffectivetrainingprogramresultsfromefficientplanning,thejudicioususeofrestandrecoverydays,andgradualincreasesintrainingintensityandduration."
Dr.JackDaniels
Thereareamyriadoftrainingmethods,eachvaryinginpurpose,format,intensity,andduration.Yetwemustrememberthatthephysiologicaldemandsofdistance
racesrequirevariousaerobicactivitylevels,withtheremainderbeinganaerobic.Sothethrustofanathlete'sprogramshouldbebuiltuponthesephysiological
parameters,whilethecoachandathleteadjustthetrainingschemetocomplementinnatestrengthsandimproveuponareasofweakness.Inanyschemechosen,
specificseasonalandlongtermtrainingandracinggoalsneedtobedetermined.
Thefollowingaresamplesofspecifictrainingmethods:
SteadyPaceRuns
Steadypacerunsarethosethatcanbemaintainedforanhourormoreatapaceequivalentto70%ofanindividualathlete's
(approx.oneandahalfminutes
permileslowerthan5Kracepace).Workoutsof30to60minutesatthiseffortideallydevelopthecardiovascularsystem,improvecapillarization,andimprove
runningefficiency.
AnaerobicThresholdTraining
Anaerobicthreshold(AT)temporunningtrainsathletestosensitize,tolerate,andbuffertheincreaseinlacticacidaccumulationsandgreaterrunningintensities.Most
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successfulrunnerstargettheirtrainingtothisspecificthreshold,plusorminus5%.Thresholdrunscanbesustainedforroughly20minutesatapacethatis
approximately1520secondspermileslowerthan10Kracepace,or90%ofmaximaleffort.
CruiseIntervals
Cruiseintervals(CI)areeffortsperformedatapproximately8890%of
.Effortsare310minuteseach,withrecoverieslimitedtooneminuteorless.The
benefitsofcruiseintervalsaresimilartothoseofATtemporunning,yetallowonetoincorporatemorequalitypertotalworksessions.Totalworkcanequala
maximumof8%oftotalworkingmiles.
PaceSurgeTraining
Similartofartlektraining(i.e.,speedplay),pacesurgingalternatessteadypacerunswithboutsof"pickups"or"surges."Forexample,amilesteadyrunpacedat6:00
mightinclude3060secondburstsatthetwoandfourminutemark.Throughpacesurgetraining,athletesdevelopamental/physicalracingweaponthatprepares
themforadjustingtothecompetition'spaceshiftsandforexecutingtheirownpaceshifts.
RepetitionTraining
Idealrepetitiontrainingconsistsofeffortsfrom15secondsto2minutesoffastpaced(35seconds/400fasterthanracepace)running,witha1:45run:recovery
rationumberssupportedbyphysiologists.Theintensityofeffortisusuallyatorslightlyfasterthanracepacetodeveloptheathlete'spaceconsciousnessandefficiency
atmaintainingracepace.Repetitioneffortstotalingupto20minutesof"qualitywork,"or5%oftheweeklytotalmileage,aremaximal.
Pacesurgeandspeedendurancetraininggivesthisathletethe
abilitytosurgeaheadofhisopponentsduringcompetition.
IntervalTraining
Intervaltrainingeffortslastonetofiveminutes,withrecoveriesequaltoorlessthantheeffortthatis,a1:1work/restratio.Individualeffortsareapproximately95%to
100%
(i.e.,5Kracepace)andcantotal8%oftotalweeklymileagepersession,withamaximumoftwoperweek.
SpeedEndurance
Speedendurancetrainingconsistsofsubmaximaltonearmaximaleffortsof30to90seconds,withcompleteornearcompleterecoverybetweenrepetitions(1016
minutes).Thissystemgenerallypreparestheathletetofinishstrongly,andtobetterhandle"surging"duringcompetitions.
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SpeedDrills
Inspeedtraining,sprintsof7to20secondsareperformedatnearmaximaleffort,withrecoveriesoftwotofiveminutes.
RestandRecover
Anytrainingformatwillresultinstresstothebody.Followaboutofstresswithrest,andthebodywilladapttothestressandbereadyforanevengreaterstressload.
Athleteswhoarenotallowed,ordonotallowthemselves,properrestwillusuallysufferincreasedillnessorinjury.
DesigningaTrainingProgram
Eachrunnerhasnaturalstrengthsor"weapons"thosetoolsthatgivearunnerhisorheruniquecompetitiveabilities.Eachrunneralsohasweaknesses.The
weaknessesshouldbethefocusinearlyseasontraining.Thestrengthsshouldalwaysbeaddressedbutprimarilyinthelaterstagesoftraining.
First,onemustdeterminethelengthofthetrainingandcompetitionseason,orthemacrocycle.Second,determinethedateofthe"summit"competition,anddividethe
totalnumberofweeksfrom"starttosummit"intothreephases:preparation,base,andcompetition.
PreparationPhase
PhaseI,knownasthepreparationphase,laststhreetosixweeksandisdevotedtotheathletes'entryorreentryintotraining.Itprimarilyincludesaerobicrunning,
flexibility,andintroductiontobasicdynamicdrills.
Duringthisphase,thevolumeperweekshouldbeincreasednomorethan15percentperweektominimizethechanceofinjuryorillness.
TrainingTerms
Thetermsusedtodescribespecificperiodsoftrainingcanseemaninfinitelitany.Belowisa
simplelistofperiodizationterminology.
Trainingyeartheperiodoftimeaspecificathletetrainsduringasinglecalendaryear.
Macrocycleatermthatdescribesanextendedtrainingregime.Forexample,crosscountry,
indoor,andoutdoorseasonsaccumulativelywouldbeasinglemacrocycle.
Cycleaperiodforwhichworkoutswithaspecificpurposeareplanned.Thisisasubsetofa
macrocycletermssuchasmesocycle,monocycle,bicycle,andtricyclerefertovarioustypesof
cycles.
Microcycleaspecificandintegralpartofacycle,lasting7to21days.
Phaseanothersubsetofacycle.Aperiodmaydivideintothreebasicphases:preparationbase
competition,leadingtoapeakingprocess.
Sessionasingleday'sworkload.
Unitaspecificpartofasingleworkout.
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BasePhase
PhaseII,knownasthebasephase,isthetimebetweenthepreparationandcompetitionphases.Giventhatittakesaminimumofthreetosixweekstoenterorreenter
trainingandthatthecompetitionphasebeginsandendswiththeseason'sraces,thelengthofthebasephasemustbeadjustedtoeachathlete'slengthofseason.Ifthe
basephaseislongerthan12weeks,itcanbedividedintoearlyandlatephases,eachwithitsspecificwork.
Nomattertheduration,duringthebasephasethetrainingpriorityshiftsfromvolumetointensity.Inotherwords,thevolumecanandwillchange,butmoresubtlythan
inphaseI.Volumeshouldbeincreasednomorethan10percentperweek.Intensityisincreasedthroughashiftintrainingsystems,withagreateremphasison
preparingforracetempo.
CompetitionPhase
PhaseIII,thecompetitionphase,ispredeterminedbythefirstracedateandthesummitraceoftheseason.Likethebasephase,phaseIIIcanbedividedintotwo
phasesinthiscase,acompetitionphaseandapeakphaseifthetotalnumberofweeksexceeds12.Eachsubphasewillhaveuniquetrainingrequirementsspecific
totheathlete'sracingneedsandabilities.AlsoasinphaseII,thereisagradualshiftintrainingemphasistowardadaptationtoracepace.Asthisphaseprogresses,the
volumegraduallytaperswhiletheintensityincreases.
Asthecoachandathletedesignthemacrocycle,thevarioustrainingphasescanbeidentified,forone,byprimaryandsecondarytrainingprioritiesandalsobyspecific
workoutsthatsuittheindividualathlete.
Referringbacktothevarioustrainingsystems,onethensimplymatchesthespecificneedwiththespecificsystem.The"dosanddon'ts"ofspecificworkoutsisyour
decision,andwillalwaysberightwhenyoucananswerthequestion,"Whyarewedoingthisworkoutandhowwillitmakethisathleteracebetter?"Remembertonot
includetoomuchquantityorqualityinasingleworkouttheathleteshouldalwaysbeabletohavedonemore.
Workoutrecoverytimesvaryaccordingtothespecificathlete'sage,ability,experience,andsoonandthespecifictypeanddurationofthetrainingsession.Ageneral
approachtotrainingisthehardeasymodel,inwhichahardsessionisfollowedbyoneormoreeasydaysduringwhichrecoveryandregenerationoccur.Theathlete
isthenreadyforanotherhardworkoutbout.
Table8.1onpages116118containssampleworkoutsforeachphase.Itcanbeusedasaguidewhencreatingworkoutsthatfiteachathlete'sneedsduringdifferent
partsoftheseason.
PeakingfortheSummit
Ifonehascarefullyplannedandthenexecutedaperiodizedplanoftraining,thefinalthreeweekscanbethemostcritical.Bythistime,thephysiologicalworkhasbeen
accomplishedsonowthepsychologicalwork,oremphasisonconfidencebuilding,isparamount.Assumingthatthetraininghasgoneaccordingtoplan,asimple
formulafortaperingvolumeisasfollows:
Threeweeksfromsummit:reduceby15%fromthehighesttrainingvolume.
Twoweeksfromsummit:reducebyanother15%.
Oneweekfromsummit:reducebyafinal20%.
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TABLE8.1SAMPLEWORKOUTSFOR3000TO10,000METERS
PREPARATIONPHASE
Objectives:
Aerobicdevelopmentspeed/paceadaptationintroducethresholdtraining/pacetraining
(goalpace1/datepace2)
WeeklyWorkout
Monday
20min.AT3run
Buildups
Cooldown
Tuesday
Easyrun
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Veteran
Novice
Easyrun(aerobicpace)
Easyrun
4
Negativesplitrun
Buildups
6150@RP5,or
6300@RP
ATrun
Easyrun
Accelerations
Fartlek
(shortON6,longOFF6)
Saturday
34600@bestavg.,or
31000
Interval150swithequal
rest
Sunday
Offorlongrun
Objectives:
Thresholddevelopmentaerobictolerancelactatetolerancespeed/paceadaptation
Easyrun
Buildups
BASEPHASE(EARLY)
WeeklyWorkout
Monday
Rephills
Intervalruns
Tuesday
Easyrun
Wednesday
ATrun:accelerations
Thursday
Speed(Rep60,80s),or
Speedendurance
Friday
Warmup/cooldown
Saturday
Competition
Sunday
Offorlong,easyrun
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
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(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
BASEPHASE(LATE)
Objectives:
Lactatetolerancethresholdtrainingaerobicdevelopmentspeed/paceadaptation
WeeklyWorkout
Monday
341000mintervalswith1:1rest
Twist
Tuesday
ATrun,accelerations
Wednesday
Easyrun
Thursday
Intervals:600,600,250,250,250
Friday
Easyrun
Saturday
Testworkout
Longcooldown
Sunday
Offorlongrun
Objectives:
Lactatetolerancespeed/paceadaptationaerobicmaintenanceracesimulation
tactics/strategy
COMPETITIONPHASE
WeeklyWorkout
Monday
2500/150@GPHit(achievegoalpace),or
2700@CZ7pace
Tuesday
Easyrun
Wednesday
Repetition150swith1:5rest(restperiodis5theintensityperiod)
Thursday
Easyrun
Accelerations
Friday
Preraceprep.
Saturday
Competition(summitrace)
Sunday
Offoreasyrun
COMPETITIONPHASE(PEAKPERFORMANCELEVEL)
Objectives:
Finetunespeed/paceadaptationracesimulationtactics/strategyaerobicmaintenance
WeeklyWorkout
Monday
(continued)
1000@GP
2300or500@GP
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WeeklyWorkout(continued)
Tuesday
ATrun
Accelerations
Wednesday
Easyrun
Thursday
Easyrun
Accelerations
Friday
Preraceprep.
Cooldown
Saturday
Competition
Sunday
Offoreasyrun
1.Goalpace(GP)aworkoutpacethatcorrespondstosummitperformancepace.
2.Datepace(DP)thecorrespondingworkoutpacethatreflectspresentracepaceefforts.
3.Anaerobicthreshold(AT)therunningpaceatwhichtheacceleratedproductionoflactateoccurs(usually
around160170BPMs).
4.Negativesplitasteadyrunorpacesurgeeffortwherethefirstpartoftheworkoutiscompletedataspecific
paceandthereturnorbalanceoftheruniscompletedatafastereffort.
5.Racepace(RP)theaveragepersegmentpacethatwillachievewhatyouarecapableofrunningatthe
currentdate.Sameas"datepace."
6.ON/OFFanotherdescriptionofapacesurgeeffort(fartlek)wheretheONeffortistheuptempooftherun
andtheOFFeffortistherecoverypartoftherune.g.,3min.ONwith1min.OFF5sets.
7.Criticalzone(CZ)thespecificfinishingeffortpaceneededtomaximizetheathlete'sabilityto"outkick"the
opposition.Asinanyotherphaseoftraining,thecriticalzone(orfinishingeffortability)mustberehearsed
repeatedlytointroduceandthenbuffertheathletetothistrainingzone.
Blendsmixingoneortwospecifictypesofworkoutsisacommontrainingaxiom.Onemustrememberthatthe
sumofthesepartsmustbeconsidered,andthatmorethantwotypesofworkoutsshouldnotbeblended.
Whilethevolumecomponentisdescribedmathematically,theintensityfactorcanbebestcharacterizedverbally,as"aggressiveyetcontrolled."Thisisnotthetimeto
leaveone'sbestraceeffortinatrainingsession.
Bytaperingthetrainingvolume,theathleteisabletoregeneratephysically.Usingtheoverloadprincipleoftraining,theathletewillbereadyforanevengreater
physicalchallenge.(Overloadreferstotheunitoftraining,butdonewithadecreasedvolume.)Theathleteneedstousethefinalthreeweekstofocusonpositive
accomplishmentsandtoanticipatetheupcomingchallengewithafightingspiritandrenewedconfidence.
LifestyleRulesforSuccessfulDistanceRunning
byHarryGroves
Athletesneedtolookatwhattheycouldbeandthenatwhattheyreallyare.Atthatpoint,theymustbegintoimplementthepropermechanics"toclosethegap."
Distancerunnersmusthavetheproperactivelifestyletobecomeevenagood(letalonegreat)runner.
Thefollowingare10absolutelifestylecovenantsforyourathletes:
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ExerciseEveryDay
Run(ordosometypeofcardiovascularexercise)everyday,unlessyouareill.Ofcourse,illnessrequiresacommonsenseapproachofnorunning(orcompleterest)
inordertorecoverasquicklyaspossible.Properrunningisdonebecauseyouenjoythedevelopmenttowardtopcompetition.Whenyourunoutofcompulsion,you
areworkingonalosingmentalstatenotthewinningone.
Whenrunning,traininallyourenergysystems:
Aerobicconditionisdevelopedwithrunsrequiring140160heartbeatsperminuteandcomposing60%oftotalweeklymileage.Forcollegiaterunners,thismeans
runsfrom30minutesto2hoursat6:00to6:10milepace.Thepacegoesdownalittlewithlongtermdevelopmentandupslightlywithlongerruns.(Theheartratein
trainingmayvaryindividuallybutthosegivenherearerepresentativeofthegeneralindex.)
Anaerobicconditionisdevelopedwithrunsrequiring160180heartbeatsaminuteandcomposing20%to10%ofthetotalweeklymileage.Forcollegiateathletes
theserunscouldbe34milerunsat3Kor5Kpace,with3:00jogrecovery,ortemporunsofthreetofivemilesfor5to25minutesatfasterthanmarathonpacebut
slowerthan10Kpace.Theseareanaerobic(lactatethreshold)runs.Youcouldalsousea1525minutefartlekrunatpacessimilartotemporuns,withveryshort
recoveryjogs.
Aerobiccapacityisdevelopedwithrunsrequiring180195heartbeatsperminuteandcomposing15%to5%ofthetotalweeklymileage.Forcollegiateathletes,
workoutswouldbe1012400meters(200jog)atmilepace,56800meters(200or400jog)at3Kpace,shortfartlek(speedplay)atmilepaceorfaster.
Theseworkoutsdeveloprunningeconomy(improvedgasmileage).Alongwithaerobicconditioningandanaerobicconditioning,thisdirectlyimprovesthe
Anaerobiccapacityisdevelopedwithrunsrequiringa100%trainingheartrateofover195beatsperminuteandcomposing5%to3%ofthetotalweeklymileage.
Theserunscouldberepeatedhard400satfasterthanmileracepace,orhard800satmilepace,or200sat800paceorfaster,withfullrecoveriesbetweenruns.The
heartratemustdropbelow120beatsperminutebeforethenextrun.Althoughthisenergysystemistrainedlargelywithshortspeedruns,timetrialsandracingcould
beputinthiscategory.Inthelateseason,therunnershouldadd100150meterspeedbursts,withfullrecovery,totrainingtoensuregoodspeedmechanicsaswell
astoaddtoanaerobiccapacity.
Shouldyourathletesruntwiceadayoronce?Howmuchdailyandweeklymileageshouldtheydo?Answersmustvary.Inhighschoolandcollege,ourrunners
obviouslydonottrainenough.Theprecompetitivephaseoftrainingisnotlongenough.Itshouldconsistofatleastsixtosevenmonthseachyear,withaslow
progressioninmileageandintensityuptothecompetitivephase.Collegeseniorsshouldbehittingsome100mileweeks,withtwoadayrunsatleastfourorfivedays
perweek.Themorningofameet,onetotwomilesshouldbecommonplace.Morningrunshavetobepartofthelifestyle.
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StrengthTrainThreeTimesaWeek
Workonupperandlowerbodystrengththreetimesaweek.
Weights(freeweightsarepreferabletomachines)
Manualresistanceexercise
Waterresistance
Plyometrics
Uphillrunningorwalking.Downhillrunninghasvaluebutrequirescautiontoavoidinjury.
Manuallabor.Thisstrengthdeveloperwasinvoguebeforeweightswereinvented.Manygoodathletesinthepastbuiltaveryhighgeneralstrengthlevelbyfarm
work,constructionwork,andsoon.
Allstrengthtrainingmethodsinvolvepropertechnique,numberofsets,andrepetitions.Consultastrengthcoachwhocaninterpretstrengthbuildupforthedistance
runner.
WorkonFlexibilitybeforeandafterExercise
Beforeandafterworkouts,traintheflexibilityofjointsforafullrangeofmovement.Flexibility,likestrength,requiresaknowledgeableselectionofpropermuscle
groupstobeflexed,durationofexercise,staticorballisticmethods,thestretchcontractstretchcontractantagoniststretchmethod,andrangesofflexibility.Thebest
resultsaregainedwithflexibilitytrainingpriortoandafterrunning.
DevelopGoodRestandRelaxationHabits
Thesehabitsconstitutealargepartofthephysicalandmentalregenerationofthehumanbodyandspirit.Regularityofbedtimesandrisingtimes,witheighthours
sleep,isadvisable.
PracticeGoodNutrition
Forbestresults,consultwithacertifiednutritionist.Approximately65%ofyourtotaldietshouldbecarbohydrates,20%fat,and15%protein,withvitamin,mineral,
andwaterintakeallimportantpartsofthenutritionalcycle.Whentoeatinrelationtotrainingandcompetition,whattoeat,andhowtoeatwhenyouareonthe
roadthesetooareimportantnutritionalconsiderations.Itisessentialthathardtrainingdistancerunnershavethecaloricintakeneededfortheperformancelevelof
theirsportintrainingandcompetition.Youandthenutritionistcanworktogetherinthisentirearea.
PreventInjurybyDoingLowerExtremityExercises
Thisincludesincorporatingstrengthexercisesfortheankleandfoot,withsupplementaldrills,naturalactivitiessuchashikingandbiking,orexplosivegamesusinglegs
andfeet.Barefootdrillsinthegrassorsandwillcontributetostrengthifdoneinmoderationonaregularbasis.Maintainingcalfstrengthbytoe
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walkingandtoestepclimbingcanpaybigdividendsbypreventinglowerextremityinjuries.Offthewallcalfstretchingshouldalsobeadailyritual.
DevelopaPositiveStateofMentalHealth
Thiscomesthroughbalancedlifestylehabitsintheareasofwork,love,play,andspirituallife.Balanceisindividualizedbutcertainlydoesnotentailaconstantoreven
allotmentoftimeineacharea.Enjoymentofourselvesandotherhumanresourcesisessentialforthebalance.Abalancehelpsuslivewithouremotions,whichisthe
secrettohealthfulliving.
Achievingbalancedlifestyleissometimesdifficultforcollegiatedistancerunners.Withthepressureofacademicdemands,manyathletesdevelopan''unquenchable
thirst"forsocialinteractionandsexualgratificationthatupsetsthebalanceinallfourareas.Althoughathletics,orforthatmatter,evenacademics,canbeoverindulged,
oversocializationisoneofthebiggestpitfallsforcollegiateathletes.Inaddition,societyandbiologyplaceathletesinavulnerableposition.Theyarepressuredto"grow
up"or"beanadult"and"fitin."Unfortunately,thebombardmentoftheseforcessomehowcomesdowntoacanofbeerorthegreathormonalpush.Alcoholic
consumptionandsexualgratificationacceleratetothepointthatotherpursuitsaresecondary.Frankly,ittakesarealadulttobeagreatdistancerunnerandtobeable
toworkone'swaythroughthetrapsofsocietyandbiologytoachievebalancedlifestyleandtoputeverythinginitsproperorder.
Despitethehighratioofsuccessofsomeforeignathletes,wecannotremoveAmericanathletesfromtheAmericansocialstructureandreplacetheirlifestylewiththat
offoreignathletes.However,wemustlearnfrombothcasesourselvesandouropponentsandmoveforwardtoahighlevelofperformancebasedoncommon
senseandlogic.Theveryfirststepisgettingofftherationalizationtrail.Inotherwords,don'tmakeexcuses.Focusbecomeseasier,whichleadstomorepositive
resultsandmoreattainablerunninggoals.
LiveTruthfullyandHonestly
Facethetruthdirectly.Successandrationalizationaretheantithesisofeachother.Ifyoudidn'treachyourgoal,wasitbecauseyoufailedtocommityourselftothe
necessaryeffort?Wereyouwillingtotrainmorethanonceaday?Didyoumakeaneffortintheweightroom?Didyouloserestortrainingbecauseyouwastedtime?
Behonestwithyourself.Makingexcusestakesyoubackwardinyourathletic,aswellaspersonal,development.Avoidusingpsychologicalploystoadjusttofailureor
frustration.
EnjoyYourPersonalandSocialLife
Havefunbutrememberthatfunanddissipationarenotpartners.Physicalandmentalabuseofone'sselfretardsgrowth.
UseMentalTrainingtoImprovePerformance
Understandthepsychologicalaspectsofdistancerunningandusementaltechniquesforpositiveresults.Forbestresults,consultasportspsychologistforusefulmental
trainingdrillssuchasvisualizationandselftalk.Youareprobablyalready
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usingmanypositivepsychologicaltechniquesinyourtrainingandcompetition.Trytobecomemoreawareofthem.
Inthefinalanalysis,thereisnomagicalwaytogainsuccess.Forgreatdistancerunners,thereismileage,thereiseffort,andthereistheproperapplicationofthese10
guidelinesofproperlifestyle.
Summary
Asathletespreparefortheculminationofyetanotherseason,theyshouldtaketimetorechecktheirphysicalandmentalfocus,consideringeachofthefollowing:
Thinkrealisticallyandkeepyourpoise.
Accuratelyanalyzeandcritiquetheseasonthusfar,eliminatinganynegativeaspectsandemphasizingthepositive.Continuetobuildconfidenceinyourabilityto
performwell.
Evaluateupcomingopportunitiesandpreparepace,racestrategy,tactics,andsoon.
Understandeachworkout'spurposeandapplicationtoracing.
Rememberyourflexibilitytrainingtwicedaily.
Takeadvantageofeveryopportunityinworkouts.
Donotinsertanyunknownvariablesintoyourdailyroutine.Noradicalchanges.
Think!Andthinkpositive!
Stayhealthyandrested.
Believeinyourselfandyourprogram.Don'tfinishyourseasonorcareerwith"IwishIhad...."
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9
Relays
RobJohnson
KarenDennis
Thesportoftrackandfieldplacesastrongemphasisonindividualparticipationandindividualperformance.However,relaysareanintegralpartofthesport.Relays
generategreatexcitementamongthespectatorsandarefunandexcitingfortheparticipantsaswell.Relayrunningrequiresthecooperativeeffortoffourindividuals.
Therelaysarethetrueteameventsoftrackandfield,andmayprovideopportunitiesfortalented,andsometimesslightlylesstalentedindividualstocollectively
producegreatperformances.Insomeregions,relaysaresopopularthatcollegesandhighschoolteamsdevoteatleastoneormoremeetsaseasonforcompetingat
hugerelaycarnivalssuchastheDrakeRelaysandPennRelays.Thesecarnivalsandsimilarsmallerversionsserveasgoodopportunitiestoshowcasegreatrelay
competitions.Someofthe50statechampionshipsheldatthehighschoollevelrunasmanyasfourdifferentrelaysintheirrespectivemeets.Therelaysmostfrequently
runatthevariousstatechampionshipsarethe4100meters,
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4200meters,4400meters,and4800meters.Somestateswillalsoincludeasprintmedleyasoneoftherelaysattheirchampionship.Collegechampionships,
andinternationalchampionshipssuchasthePanAmericanGames,WorldChampionships,andOlympicGames,includeonlythe4100and4400relays.
SprintRelay
byRobJohnson
The4100metersprintrelayisthefastestandthemosttechnicallydifficultofalltherelays.Inorderforasprintrelaysquadtobesuccessful,itmustdisplayspeed
andskill,combinedwithexcellentteamwork.Becauseofthetechnical,timing,andtacticaldemands,developingaconsistent,cohesivequartetcanbechallengingfor
eventhemostaccomplishedcoach.However,toseewelltimedandwellexecuted4100exchangesmadeunderpressureandinstiffcompetitionmakethisatruly
beautifuleventtowatch.Itisalsoasterlingexampleofsynergy,whereacombinedeffortcanproduceafastertimethanthesumoftheindividualtimes.(Ifyouaddthe
best100metertimesofeachrunnertogether,youshouldbeabletoproducearelayfasterthanthetotaloftheirindividual100metertimesduetotheflyingstartof
threeofthelegs.)
TeamSelection
Thedecisionofwhichathletesrunthevariousrelaylegscanbeacriticalfactorinthesuccessofasprintrelay.Asprintrelayisnotjustthesumofitsparts.Theability
topass,receive,andadjustunderpressureaffectsthespeedoftherelayexchangesaswellastheenergydistributionoftheathletes.
LeadOffLeg
Theleadofflegrequiresanexperiencedathletewhoiscapableofgoodstartsfromtheblocksandhasaccelerationability.Theathleteshouldhavegoodbalanceand
theabilitytorunthecurve.Theonlyexchangetechniquenecessaryistobeabletofocusonthereceiver'stargethandandattacktheendoftherunwellintothe
exchangezone.Whenconsideringwhotohaverunthelegswiththecurves,looktoathletestrainedinthe110or100hurdles.Theseathletesworkagooddealon
stridefrequencyrhythm,whichisconducivetorunningonthecurves.Theircoordinationandbalancealsohelpsmakethemgoodcandidatesforthecurves.
SecondLeg
Thesecondlegoftherelayrunsthebackstretch,withverylittleornocurverunning.Thispermitstheuseofaveryfastrunnerwhodoesnotneedtobeagoodcurve
runner.However,theathletedoesneedtodevelopbothpassingandreceivingskillstobeeffectiveinthisleg.Goodrelayexperienceisveryhelpfulforthisathlete,as
heorshemustbeabletoadjustquicklytoerrorsintimingbyteammates.
Manycoacheschoosetoplacetheirbestsprinterhere,withtheintentionofgettingthebatonintothisrunner'shandearlyandpassingitlateinordertomaximizehisor
herspeed.Excellentspeedandspeedenduranceisveryimportantforthisleg.Beingaquickacceleratorisnotascritical,sincetheaccelerationzoneallowsmoretime
tobuildspeedintothefirsthandoff.Inlookingforathletes
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whohavegoodpowerandspeedendurance,consider400meterrunnersorlongjumpersforthesecondandanchorlegs.
ThirdLeg
Therunnerofthethirdlegoftherelaywillbeacompletecurverunner.Thereforebalanceandleaningabilitywhilesprintingisapriority.Thisrunnermusthavethe
abilityofthesecondlegtobothpassandreceive.Itiswisetouseanathleteonthislegwhohasgoodrelayexperience,sincepassinglaneadjustmentsareneeded
sometimesonbothendsoftheleg.Agoodcurverunnerwhomaynothavesprintstartingskillscanbeagoodcandidateforthisleg.Thisathletemustbeastrong
sprinterandhavegoodspeedendurancetoattackthezoneofthefinalexchange.
FourthLeg
Oftencoacheswillputeithertheirfastestorsecondfastestathleteinthisposition.Thefourthleghassomeofthesamerequirementsasthesecondleg.Italsorequires
averycompetitiveathletewhocanfinishtheeventbyeithercatchingorholdingoffotherchallengersintothefinishline.Thisathleteneedsonlytobeabletoreceivethe
batonwell,notpassit.Sincetherunisdonecompletelyonthestraight,curverunningabilityisnotneededeither.Allyouneedhereisagood,fastcompetitor,allowing
youtoplaceotherathletesinstrategicpositions.
Technique
Theultimategoaloftherelayistomovethebatonaroundthetrackandacrossthefinishlineinthefastestlegalwaypossible.Sincetheaccelerationphaseissocritical
forbatonspeedthroughtheexchangezone,theblindexchangehasproventobethemosteffectiveandfastestmethodofpassingthebatoninthe4100relay.With
theblindexchange,oncetheoutgoingrunnerstartstoaccelerate,heorshemustnotlookback,butanticipateandbereadytoreceiveahighspeed,nonvisualpass.
Thereareseveralmethodsforexecutingafast,blind4100relaybatonpass.Thesprintrelayexchangesfallintothreecategoriesandcanbedescribedintermsof
whattheincomingrunnerdoeswiththehandandthebatonattheexchange,suchas
1.upsweep,
2.downsweep,and
3.pushpress.
Thesesameexchangescanalsobedescribedorreferredtobywhattheoutgoingrunnerdoeswiththehandinpreparingtoreceivethebaton,inwhichcasethe
exchangeactionwouldbecalled
1.palmdown,
2.palmup,and
3.openpalm.
Thesemethodsofexchangingthebatonaredescribedinthefollowingsections.
Upsweep/PalmDown
Theupsweep/palmdownmethodisoneoftheoldestmethodsstillusedtoday.Theoutgoingrunner,afteracceleratingwellintotheexchangezone,upon
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commandextendsthereceivinghandandarmbackatadiagonalangle.Theincomingrunnerplacesthebatonwithanupward,sweepingmotionintotheinverted"V"
formedbythereceiver'shand,whichispositionedpalmdown.(Seefigure9.1.)
Advantages:
Itiseasyforbeginnerstolearn.
Proponentsfeelitisasafepass.
Someusersbelieveittobemoreconsistent.
Itmaybeeasiertomaintainbatonspeedthroughtheexchangezonebecausepropersprintpostureismaintained.
Disadvantages:
Ifthepassismissed,thereceiver'shandisnotinagoodpositiontograbforthebaton.
Becauseofthelackofarmextensionandcloseproximityofthepasseratthepointoftheexchange,thereisalossoffree(onemeter)distance.
Gettingtheshortendofthestick.Thereisatendencywitheachexchangetohavelessbatonprotrudingforthenextrunner.Therehavebeeninstanceswhenthe
anchorpersonispresentedwithlessthanthetopthirdofthebaton.Theincomingrunnermayhavetoadjustthebatoninthehandpriortotheexchange.
Thepassermustmakeanefforttoplacethebatondeepintothereceiver'shand,tryingtomakehandtohandcontactasthebatonisdelivered.
Despitethedisadvantages,itshouldbenotedthatthe1990men'sFrenchnational4100teamsetaworldrecordusingtheupsweeppass.However,twoU.S.
teamsbroketheFrenchrecordusingthedownsweep.
Thereisalittleknownvariationoftheupsweeptechnique,whichwe'llconsiderhere.TheBranchouttechniqueisnamedforitscreator,CoachMikeBranch,formerly
ofWheatonWarrenvilleSouthHighSchoolinIllinois.ThekeytotheBranchoutpassisfortheoutgoingrunnertoextendthearmbackwiththehanddown.Butthe
handshouldbeliftedhigherandfurtherfromthetorso.Thethumbshouldalsobepointedoutandaway,withfingersbackandin.The"V"
Figure9.1
(a)Upsweep/palmdownmethodofexchange.(b)Closeupofcorrecthandpositions.
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pointsbacktowardtheincomingrunner.Theadvantagesofupsweep/thumboutmethodareeasytoseeandmeasure.
Downsweep/PalmUp
Thedownsweeppassispopularandhasbeenusedsincethe1960s.Withthispass,theoutgoingrunneracceleratestoapredeterminedspotintheexchangezoneor
respondstoaverbalcommand.Thearmisthenextendedbackstraight.Thetargethandisheldhigh(nearlyparalleltothetrack)withthepalmfacingup,fingers
slightlyspread,andthethumbturnedtowardthetorso.Theincomingrunner,whilemaintaininganormalsprintaction,extendsthebatonandarmforwardina
downwardsweepingmotion.(Seefigure9.2.)Thisexchangemayrequirethepassertosteerthebatonintothetarget.Alittlewristactionmaybeneededtoanglethe
batonsothatitfitsthediagonalgrooveformedbytheupwardlyturnedpalm.
Advantages:
Thehandcanbeheldhigherandfurtherfromthebodythanwiththeupsweepmethod.
Thelongerarmextensionprovidespotentialforgreaterfreedistance.
Thismethodprovidesabetterviewofthetarget.
Ifcorrectlyexecuted,the"dragtime"(timespentwiththearmextendedbehind)willbeshorterandthepasscanbecompletedinfewerstrides.
Thehandtohandtransferisusuallyfaster.
Disadvantages:
Thetimingandplacementofthebatonbythepasseriscrucial.
Thismethodrequiresmoredrillandpracticetime,especiallyforbeginners.
Theincomingrunnermustavoiddoingthe"windmill"thatis,swingingthebatonhighandbackoverheadpriortodelivery.Thepassershouldalsoavoid"freezing
thestick"thatis,runningwiththearmandbatonprematurelyextended,beforebeingcloseenoughtomaketheexchange.
Thereisatendencytoprovideapoortargetinoneofthefollowingways.
1.LazylimbThearmand/orhandisbentandnotheldbackstraightandhightoprovideagoodtarget.
Figure9.2
(a)Downsweep/palmupmethodofexchange.(b)Closeupoftheexchange.
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2.PendulumswingThetargetarmisprematurelystraightenedpriortopassingthehipasitisswungrigidlybackward.Thisactionmaycauseastretchreflexthat
forcesthetighttargetarmdownandtowardthetorsowitheachstride.
3.BicepsqueezeAvoidtryingtopintheextendedarmagainstthebody(biceptotorso)inanattempttokeepithighandsteady.Theactionofaccelerationwill
causetherunner'sarmtomoveandprovideanunsteadytarget.
ThedownsweeppasshasbeenusedbymoreU.S.highschoolsandcollegesthananyotherpass.SeveraloftheU.S.nationalteamshaveusedthisexchangewith
excellentsuccess.
PushPress/OpenPalm
Thepushpress/openpalmexchangemethodanditsvariationsaregrowingexceptionallypopular.Thispushpressmethodisinmyopinionanadvancementanda
naturalevolutionofthebestoftheaforementionedexchanges.Inthepushpressexchange,thepalmofthetargethandisneitherdownnorup.Thepalmisexposed
andopensoutfacingtheincomingrunner.Thehandplacedinthispositionprovidesabigtargetandcanbeeasilyseen.Inthispass,theoutgoingrunner,upon
command(verbalornonverbal),extendsthetargetarmrearward.Thisisdonebydrivingtheelbowbackandhighquickly.Thisactionenablesthelowerarmand
handtoreachoutataboutshoulderlevelheight.Toachievethedesiredhandposition,thethumbisbrushedagainstthesidepocketareaasthehandswingsbackpast
thebody.Thethumbisdown,withfingersslightlyspreadandpointingawayfromthebody.
Noticethatthenaturalalignmentoftheextendedarmisnotstraightbackbehindthebody.Ifyoulayayardstickdownthebackoftheextendedarm,youwillseethat
thenearlylockedoutelbowisslightlyoutside(notdirectlybehind)theshoulder,andthethumbisslightlyoutside(notbehind)theelbow.Iftherunnersruntheir
appropriatebordersandtheoutgoingrunnerprovidesthetargetasdescribed,thebatonwilltravelthemostdirectpathdownthecenterofthelane.
Thekeyisproperhandpositiondonecorrectlythehandcreatesabigtargetandnaturalfitforthebaton.Infact,Ioftenrefertorelaytechniquesusingapushpressto
anopenhandasa"naturalexchange."
Advantages:
Theincomingrunnercandeliverthebatonwiththeleastamountofdeviationfromnormalsprintarmaction.
Thismethodprovidesgoodhorizontalthrustofanearverticalbatonwithlongarmextension.
Thismethodmakesiteasiertosteerandplacethebatonintothehand.
Userfriendlydrillscanbepracticedwithorwithoutapartner.
Disadvantages:
Thismethodrequiresworkwithagreaternumberofdrills.
Thereisatendencytobecomeoverconfidentandcarelesswiththemethod.Diligent,focusedpracticeand/ordrillsshouldbecontinuedthreeorfourtimesperweek.
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Thepushpresspassappearstobemorenatural,inthatitallowsfornormalsprintactionandoptimalbatonspeedthroughtheexchangezone.Thismethodand
numerousvariationsaregrowinginpopularitysomeoftheU.S.nationalteamsandmostoftheelitecollegiate4100relayteamsusethepushpresstechnique.
SnatchPass
Onevariationofthepushpress,"naturalexchange"techniquethathasproveneffectiveincertainsituationsisthesnatchpass.Thesnatchtechniquerequiresexcellent
timingandgoodhanddexterity.Withthesnatch,theoutgoingrunneruponhearingaverbalcueactivelyreachesbackandinonequickmotionsnatchesthe
properlyplacedbatonfromtheincomingrunner.Animportantkeyforthepasseristofocusonthetargethandandelbowofthereceiver.Ifthepassisnotmadeon
thefirstattempt,simplytryitagaintheverynexttimetheelbowisswungback.Thereceiver'shandshouldberelaxed,withthefingersextendedoutandslightly
spread.Theopenpalmhelpsprovidea"mitt"withwhichtocatchandsnatchthebatonnaturally.Thesnatchisrisky,yes,butifdonecorrectly,itisquickandslick.
SemiBlindPass
Anothervariationofthepushpresstechniqueisthesemiblindpass.Thesemiblindpassisnotusuallyemployedinthe4100relay.However,ithasproven
effectiveinthe4200,andinsomecasesthe4400andsprintmedleyrelays.Withthesemiblindpass,theoutgoingrunneruponcue,usuallyvisualturnsand
runsawayfromthepasserforafew(twotothree)strides,thenlooksbackandextendsthehandforaquick,butvisual,exchange.Thetargetispresentedreadyto
receiveapushpresspass.Itisrecommendedthatwhenrunningthe4200,particularlyindoors,eachreceiverfacetheinsideofthetrack,takingthebatonwiththe
lefthand,thenswitchingtotherighthandassoonaspossible.Thesameprincipleapplieswhenthesemiblindpassisusedforthe4400exchange.
AlternatingMethod
Inthe4100relay,passingthebatonrighttoleft,lefttoright,andrighttoleftsequentiallyisknownasthealternatingmethod.Inusingthealternatingmethod,the
runnerdoesnotswitchthebatonfromhandtohand.Therunnerpassesthebatonwiththesamehandinwhichheorshereceivedit.Theadvantageofthismethodis
thatitallowsthefirstandthirdrunnerstorunascloseaspossibletotheinsideofthelaneoncurves.Thesecondandfourthrunnersstayintheoutsideoftheirlanesso
thattheincomingrunnerscanstaytotheinsideasthepassismade.Thisallowsthepasstobemadeinastraight,forwarddirectionandnotacrossthebody.Thisisa
fasterandmoreefficientexchange.
TrainingDrills
Thefollowingtrainingdrills,whendonecorrectly,willhelpcontributetoasmooth,flawlessexchange.Togetafeelforhowthehandshouldbepositioned,standwith
yourbacktothewallandextendthearmsothatyoucantouchthewallwithonlythetipsofthefingersandthumb.Thecupformedbythehandinthisposition
providesagoodmittforabatontofit.Thefingersshouldbekepthorizontal(paralleltothefloor)withthethumbdown(perpendiculartothe
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floor).Practiceswingingandextendingthearmbackwithfingersbarelytouchingthewall.Thehandshouldbeopen,withthefingersrelaxedandslightlyspread.This
helpsprovideabig(althoughmoving)targetandanaturalhandpositionforwhichtoreceivethebaton.
BottleItDrill
1.Placeanemptytwoliterplasticsodabottleonthecornerofatable(a30inchor76cmstoolalsoworkswell)oronadesknearawall.
2.Positionyourselfwithyourbacktothewall(asdescribedabove).
3.Standingwithyourbacktothetable,pumpyourarmsfourorfivetimes,thenquicklyreachbackandgrabthebottleoffthetable.
4.Becausethebottleislargerthanthebaton,itforcesthehandintoafavorablepositiontoreceiveabaton.
5.Trythisdrillnearamirrororlookbackoccasionallytocheckyourtechnique.
6.Remembertodrillwithbothyourleftandrighthands.
7.Whenyoucanquicklyreachbackandgrabthebottleonthefirstattempt,thenyoumaybereadytotrythesnatchexchange.
8.Asyoubecomemoreproficient,replacethebottlewithaplasticbaton.Toavoidcrackingthebaton,wraptheendswithtape.
OffTheWallDrill
Figure9.3
Offthewalldrill.
1.Standwithyourbacktothewall.
2.Holdaplasticbatonorbottleinonehand,doafewarmpumps,anddrivetheelbowuphigh,extendingthearmsothatthebottlecanbebouncedlightlyoffthewall
andbackintoyouropenhand.(Seefigure9.3.)
3.Whilefacingforwardawayfromthewallcontinuedoingthearmswingwiththebounceandcatchactionagainstthewall.
4.Repeatthisdrillwithbothhands.
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PresstheFleshDrill
1.Facethewall.
2.Holdthebatonwithyourlefthand,positionyourrightfootforward,andflexyourkneesslightly.
3.Swingyourarmsinanaturalsprintmotion,thenextendyourleftarmandbatonforwardinapushpressaction.
4.Gentlybouncethebottleorbatonoffthewallandbackintoyourwaitinghand.
5.Attempttodeliverthebatonwithastraight,horizontalmotionvisualizeyourselfpressingthebatonintotheopenpalm(flesh)oftheoutgoingrunner.
6.Repeatthedrillwithbothhands(makesuretoputyourleftfootforwardwhenyouhavethebatoninyourrighthand).
QuartetDrill
1.Linefourrunnersupinastraightlinewithinthelane.
2.Thefirstrunnerstandswiththeleftfootjustinsidetheinnerborder.Thesecondrunnerstandswiththerightfootjustinsidetheouterborderattheappropriatefull
arm'slengthhandoffdistance.Thethirdrunnerstandswiththeleftfootjustinsidetheinnerborderanequaldistanceapart.Thefourthrunnerstandswiththerightfoot
justinsidetheouterborder,againattheappropriatedistancefromthethirdrunner.
3.Thefourrunnersdonotstanddirectlybehindoneanother,butstaggeredoneithersideofthelanesothatthebatontravelsdownthemiddleofthelane.Thisright
leftrightlefthandoffallowsthefirstandthirdrunnerstohugtheinsidelaneandruntheshortestpossibledistance,whilethebatontakesthemostdirectpath.
4.Passthebatonforwardusingverbalpassingcues.
5.Whenthefourthrunnerreceivesthebaton,heorshereversesthedirectionofthehandoffandsendsthebatonbackthroughthelinewiththearmfullyextendedto
therear,thebatonheldperpendiculartotheground.
''AboutFace"isavariationofthequartetdrillinwhichallfourrunnersturn180degreesaroundandthefourthrunnerbecomestheleadoffrunner.
Athirdvariationhasrunnersswitchingpositionsothateachparticipantreceivesthebatoninallfourpositions.
LightTouchesDrill
1.Haveallfourrunnersassumethesamestaggeredpositiondescribedabove.
2.Allfourrunnersmustmoveforwardwithsynchronizedarmandlegmovements.
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Figure9.4
Lighttouchesdrill.
3.Thefirstrunner,withabatonintherighthand,lightlytouchesthebatoninthenextrunner'swaitinghandasitswingsbackinsync(figure9.4).
4.Afterthreelighttouches,thebatonispassedforward.
5.Thisexerciseisrepeatedbetweenthesecondandthirdrunnersthreelighttouchesandahandoff,lefthandtorighthand,whilethemotionsremaininsync.
6.Thethirdrunnerthenperformsthreelighttouchesinthefourthrunner'sopenpalmandhandsoffthebatonrighthandtolefthand.
7.Whenthebatonreachestheanchorrunner,thebatonisreversedandhandeddirectlybackthroughtheline,andtheexerciseisrepeated.
VariationsontheLightTouchesDrill
Thelighttouchesdrillcanhaveaconditioningaspect.Havethequartet(thiscanalsobedonewithfiveorsixrunners)coverfourlapsaroundthetrack.With
beginners,thefirstlapcanbeaquickwalkoraslowjog.
1.Onthefirstlap,therunnersdothreelighttouchespriortopassingthebatonforward.
2.Thepaceofthesecondlapisalittlequicker,withonlytwolighttouches,thenagrab.
3.Thethirdlapisslightlyquickerthanthesecond,withonlyonelighttouchandthenapass.
4.Thefourthandfinallapisthequickest,butundercontrol,withthebatonbeingpassedforwardinsyncwiththereceiver'sarmswingandonfirstcontact,withno
touchactionpriortothepass.
Thisdrillallowsthebatontobemovedforwardandreversedwithfourtosixrunnersforuptoamile.
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MileRelay
byKarenDennis
Arelayteamdevelopsitsownuniquechemistryduringthetrainingprocess.Relaychemistryreferstothecombinedpersonalitiesofrelayteammembers.Relay
alchemyisthemagicalprocessoffourgoodathletestransformedintoagreatrelayteam.Thefastestfourrunnersonyourteamarenotnecessarilythebestrelay
combination.Thebestrelaycombinationincludesthefastestfourrunnersontheteamwhoworkharmoniouslytogether.Arelayteamoffastrunnersvoidofharmony
iseasilytornapartbydysfunctionanddisunityandoftenperformsdisappointingly.Thecoachhasthechallengeofselectingtheperfectcombinationofrelay
componentstobringaboutthedesiredresult.
TeamSelection
Eachathleterunningthemilerelay,or4400meterrelay,hasacertainroletofulfill.Thecoachknowstheskilllevelsofmembersoftherelaypool,andhas
observedhowpotentialcandidatesperformunderpressure.Selectingpersonnelinvolvesmatchingtheappropriaterunnertotherequiredrole.
LeadOffLeg
Theroleofthefirstlegistogettheteamoutfrontandtomaketheexchangewithaleadontherestofthefield.Thefirstrunnermustbeaggressiveenoughto
commandalead,yetcomposedunderpressureastheleadrunner.Theleadrunnermustbestrongandhaveagoodsenseofpace.
Theleadrunnerremainsinlanefor400metersplusthedistanceequaltothe200meterstaggertothesecondexchangezone(approximately500meterstotal).The
firstleg,runningaflatout400meterrun,hasthedauntingtaskofsettingtherhythmoftherelay,andthatperformancewillgreatlydeterminetheperformanceof
successivelegs.Thefirstrunnermaybethesecondfastestpersonontheteam.
SecondLeg
Theroleofthesecondlegistokeeptheteamintherace.Induelingheadtohead,thesecondrunnerkeepstheteamincontention.Thesecondrunnermustbe
physicallystrongenoughtowithstandpossiblejostlingorbumpingatthebreakpointandbeabletoruntheraceintraffic.Iftheteamisnotinfirstplace,thesecond
runnermustbefearlessinchallengingthelead.Iftheteamisoutfront,thesecondrunnerhastorunastrong,flatout400meterstogivethethirdlegasmuchleadas
possible.Thesecondrunnerhastohavecourage,andhastobeabletoruntheracenomatterwhatplacetheteamisin.
ThirdLeg
Theroleofthethirdrunneristoputtheteaminpositiontowin.Thethirdrunnerispivotalindeterminingtheoutcomeoftherace,asthisisthefinalopportunityto
providealeadortorecapturetheleadbeforethelastexchange.Thethirdrunnermustbephysicallycapableofrunningwellfrombehindorinfrontandmusthave
confidenceinhisorherabilitytodoso.Thethirdrunnermustrunaflatout400meterswithanearnestnesstosetuptheanchorrunnertowin.Thethirdrunnerisoften
thesecondbestpossibleanchorlegontheteam.
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FourthLeg
Thefourthrunner,oranchorleg,hasthefinalopportunitytosecurevictoryfortheteam.Theroleoftheanchorlegistoputtherelayawaybyrunningasfastasit
takestodoso.Theanchor,likethethirdleg,mustbecomfortablerunningfrombehindorinfront.Knowingtheteams'successorfailuredependsonthisleg,the
fourthrunnermustbeselfassuredandconfidentinhisorherabilitytomaketheimpossiblepossible.Thefourthrunnerisoftenthestrongestand/orfastestlegonthe
relay,andisoftentermedthe"horse."
Technique
Themechanicsofbatonpassingisoftennotpracticedenoughtoensureexceptionalexchanges,particularlyinthe4400meterrelay.Somepeoplemistakenlythink
thattimelostthroughapoorexchangeisrecoveredsomewhereinthenextleg.Thebatonexchangeinthe4400meterrelayisasimportantasintheshortersprint
relays.Efficientandflawlessbatonexchangesresultinafasterrace.Furthermore,aslightleadof5metersintheraceislengthenedto1015meterswithsuccessful
batonpassing.
Opinionsvaryoverthebesttypeofexchangeinthe4400meterrelay.Mostcoachesselectavisualorsemivisualexchange.Inmyopinion,theadvantagesofthe
visualexchangearegreaterthantheadvantagesofthesemivisualexchange.
VisualExchange
Figure9.5
Visualexchange.
Figure9.6
Inthevisualexchange,thereceivingrunnerextendsthe
lefthandchesthightoretrievethebatonfromtheincoming
runner.
Avisualexchangeenablesthereceivertojudgethepositionandfinishingspeedoftheincomingrunner.Thereceivertakesthebatoninthelefthandwhileonthemove,
keepinghisorhereyesonthebaton.Thevisualpassissafeandavoidsthepossibilityofleavingbehindtheincomingrunner,whoisgreatlydecelerating(figure9.5).
Anotheradvantageofthevisualpassisthatitallowsthereceivingrunnertoseehisorherplacebetweenotherrunnersintheraceandthecurb,andsodetermine
opportunitiestomoveinsidetoamorefavorableposition.Runningontheinsideborderofthelaneenablestheathletetoruntheshortestdistancepossible.Indoing
so,eachrelaymemberrunsamoreenergyefficient400meterrace.
Thereceivingrunnerfacestheinsidelanestripewiththelefthandextended
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chesthightotakethebatonfromtheextendedrighthandoftheincomingrunner(figure9.6).Itistheresponsibilityofthereceivingrunnertoretrievethebatonfrom
theextendedhandoftheincomingrunner.
Unlikeinsprintrelays,inwhichasetmarkpointandablindexchangeareused,milerelayreceiversmustjudgewhentobeginrunningagainstthespeedofthe
incomingathlete.Howwelltheexchangepartnersknowandrespondtoeachotherinraceconditionsdeterminestheamountoftimelostintheexchangezone.Relay
chemistrybecomesanimportantcomponentwhenthequalityoftheexchangedependsonthereceivers'abilitytojudgeorsensethespeedoftheincomingrunner.A
perfectpassoccurswhenexchangepartnersexecuteinsuccessfulsynergy.Ameasureofsuccessisnolossofspeedthroughtheexchangezone,fasterindividual400
metersplits,andoptimalrelayresult.
StepbyStepFormula
Figure9.7
Theincomingrunnerusestherighthandtopass
thebatontotheoutgoingrunner'slefthand.
Figure9.8
Afterreceivingthebaton,theoutgoingrunner
switchesthebatontotherighthand,getting
readyforthenextexchange.
Figure9.9
Thisrunner'spositionallowsforagood
targetofexchangefortheincomingrunner.
Thefirstrunnercarriesthebatonthroughouttheraceintherighthand,passingtothelefthandoftheoutgoingrunner.Theincomingrunnermustrunaggressivelydown
thehomestretchthroughtheexchangezoneandpassestotheoutgoingrunneronthemove(figure9.7).
Thesecondrunnerispositionedinhisorherlaneinastartingstance,withtheleftfootback,therightfootforward,lookingovertheleftshoulder,andlefthand
extendedtopresentagoodtargetofexchangefortheincomingrunner.Theexchangeisusuallydownwardwiththehandfacingupward.Immediatelyupontakingthe
baton,theoutgoingrunnerchangesthebatontotherighthandandassumesracepacearoundthecurve,stayinginthelaneuntilthebreakpointaroundthefirstturn
(figure9.8).
Thethird,andlaterthefourth,runnerstandsreadyfortheexchangeatthecommonexchangeline.Heorshefacestheinfieldofthetrackwiththelefthandextended
asadistincttargetfortheincomingrunner(figure9.9).Thereceivers'positionsontheexchangezonelinedependontheplacefinishoftheincomingrunners.Receivers
mustjudgewhatlanetoretrievethebatonin,makeroomfortheexchange,andcheckforcrowdedandcrossoverconditions.
Thefourthrunnertakesthebatoninthelefthand,changesittotherighthand,andfinishestherace.
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TrainingDrills
MichaelJohnsonshowsoffhisteam'srelaychemistryashetakesthe
batonandgiveshisteamanedgeovertheiropponents.
Usethefollowingdrillstohelpmakeyourrelayteamrunlikeawelloiledmachine.First,rememberthesepoints:
Practicebatonexchangesatleasttwoorthreetimesaweek.
Practicecounteringthejostlingthatthethirdandfourthreceiverswilloftenexperienceattheexchangezoneline.
Practicecounteringtheheavytrafficexperiencedatthebreakpointonthesecondrunner'sleg.
Curverunningismoreefficientwiththebatoncarriedintherighthand.Additionally,mostrunnersprefercarryingthebatonintherighthand.Energyconservedwhen
runningcurveswillbeneededduringthelast80meterswhereastrongfinishbeforetheexchangeisneeded.
Frequentrelaypracticesessionsarethekeyinbuildinggoodrelaychemistry.
FiveManRelay
The"fivemanrelay"involvesfiveathletesrunning100meterintervalsoveradistanceof400meterscontinuously.Eachrunnerremainsatthepositionheorshe
finishedthe100mruninwhilethebatoniscarriedaroundthetrack.Thefifthrunnertakesthebatonatthefinishlinetobringittothefirstrunnertorepeatthedrill.
Eachrunnerpracticesjudgingthepaceoftheincomingrunnerwhenleavingtheexchangezone.Theexchangepartnersbecomeadeptinestablishingeyehand
coordination.Bothrelaypartnersmustfeelconfidentinthepositionoftheirhandswhenmakingtheexchange.Thecoachemphasizesasteadyconsistentpace.The
paceshouldstartoutslowandshouldpickupasskilllevelsimprove.Thetrainingsessioniscompletedwhenthefirstrunnerhascompleted16carriesofthebaton,or
onemile.
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RabbitDrill
The"rabbitdrill"allowsforaproductivetrainingsessionwithathletesotherthan400meterrunners.Thisdrillteachesathletestojudgepaceandpositionintherace
whenrunningfrombehind.Beforecommencing,thecoachneedstoknowtheindividual400metertimesofthetraininggroup.Considerthefollowingexample:
AthleteA=62seconds
AthleteB=53seconds
Therabbitistheslowerrunner.ThecoachsendsAthleteAona400metertimedrunwiththeunderstandingthatheorsheistokeepthepursuingAthleteBfrom
catchingupbeforeAthleteAcompletesthetrainingdistance.Usingthisexample,thereisninesecondsdifferenceinspeedbetweenathletesAandBthecoachwill
sendthepursuingAthleteBthreetofivesecondsafterthe"rabbit"AthleteAbeginsrunning.Thegoalistochallengetherabbittostayaheadofthepursuingrunner
withoutpanickingortighteningup.Thegoalofthepursuingrunneristomakeupthedeficitwhilesimultaneouslystayingwithinhisorherownracecapabilities.Itis
extremelyimportantthateachathleterunhisorherindividualrace,whatevertheteam'spositionintherace.
ThreeTurnStaggerDrill
Thecoachselectsallpotentialrelaymemberstoparticipateinthisdrill.Itismosteffectivewithsixtoeightpairsofparticipants.Coachingobjectivesincludethe
following:ensuringnolossofspeedduringtheexchange,runningaggressivelyaroundthefirstcurve,counteringjostlingeffectsatthebreakpoint,andexperimenting
withdifferentrelaycombinations.
Divideanevennumberofparticipantsintotwogroups:one"incomingrunners,"theother"outgoingrunners."Arrangetherunnersintoteamsoftwoandassigneach
teamalane.Positiontheincomingrunnerofeachteam40metersbeyondthe100meterstartline.Theoutgoingrunnersareintheirrespectivelanesatthestartofthe
milerelay.Theincomingrunnersracetopassthebatontotheoutgoingrunnersontheirteam.Theoutgoingrunnersreceivethebaton,andatracepacechallengeone
anotheraroundthecurvebeyondthebreakpointtothe150metermark.
Alternatelanesaftereachroundtogiveoutgoingrunnersexperiencerunningbothinsideandoutsidelanes.Aftereachteamhasrunindifferentlanes,switchthe
incomingandoutgoingrunnersandrepeatthedrill.
Summary
Thedrillsandtechniquespresentedinthischapteraredesignedtohelpgiveyourrelayteamanedge,orthemuchsoughtafter"relayalchemy."Relayalchemy
describesfourindividualswithcombinedqualitiesofdesire,determination,dedication,andhardwork.Arelayteamsounitedandfocusediscapableofproducing
magicalandmemorableraces.
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PARTIII
JUMPINGEVENTS
Page141
10
LongJump
KyleTellez
KathyJames
Inallthejumpingeventsintrackandfield,thereisastrongrelationbetweentheexecutionoftheapproachrunandtakeoffandtheperformanceofajump.Themore
consistentandmoretechnicallycorrecttheapproachrunandtakeoff,thebetterthejumpperformance.
Mostworldrecordperformancesinthejumpingeventsintrackandfieldhaveresultedfromasuccessfulapproachrunandtakeoff.Whenalongjumperbreaks
contactwiththeground,thecenterofgravityformsaparaboliccurve.Onceintheair,thereisnothingthatcanbedonetochangethispredeterminedflightpath.
Therefore,themajorityofcoachingtimeinthelongjumpshouldbespentdevelopingatechnicallysoundapproachrunandtakeoff.
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Technique
Thelongjumpcanbebrokendownintofourcomponents:
1.Approachrun
2.Lasttwostrides
3.Takeoff
4.Actionintheairandlanding
Thetechnicalinformationwillbeexplainedandillustratedusingarightfootedtakeoffjumperwhoisstartingtheapproachrunwiththeleftfoot,takinganoddnumber
ofstrides(19strides),andusingthehitchkick.
ApproachRun
Theobjectivehereistodevelopaconsistentapproachrunthatallowsforgradualacceleration,beginningwiththefirststrideandendingwithmaximumcontrolled
speedatthetakeoff.
LengthoftheApproach
Thelengthoftheapproachrunshouldbebetween12and19strides(figure10.1).Theapproachrunshouldbeaslongaspossibledependingonthejumper's
experience,sprintingtechnique,andconditioninglevel.Thelengthoftheapproachrunwilldeterminetheamountofspeedthatisdeveloped.
Thelongertheapproachrun,themoredifficultitistodevelopaconsistentstridepattern.Thus,inexperiencedjumpersshouldbeginbyusingashorterapproachrunof
12strides(figure10.1a).However,asjumpersgainexperience,improvesprintingtechnique,andgetstrongerthroughaconditioningprogram,theapproachruncan
belengthenedto14stridesandeventually18strides(figure10.1b).
Asuccessfulapproachrundependsontheconsistencyofthefirsttwoorthreestrides.Itisherethattherhythmoftherunisdeveloped.Iftherunisinconsistent,itis
usuallybecauseoftheinconsistencyinthefirsttwoorthreestridesoftheapproach.
Tohelpdeterminetheconsistencyofajumper'sapproachrun,acheckmarkshouldbeplacedfourstridesoutfromthetakeoffboard(figure10.1,bc).Thecheck
markshouldmeasure26to31feet(about7.9to9.4m)awayfromthetakeoffboard.Thedistanceforthefourstridecheckmarkwillvarydependingonthejumper's
height,speedontherunway,anddistanceoftheapproachrun.Experiencedjumpers,whoaretall,fast,andhave18or19strides,shouldbecloserto31feet(about
9.4m)atthecheckmark.Moreinexperiencedjumperswhoareshorter,notasfast,andhave12or13strides,shouldbecloserto26feet(about7.9m)atthecheck
mark.Thus,ifduringacompetition,alongjumperishittingthecheckmarkat27feet(about8.2m)butissupposedtobehittingearlier,at31feet(about9.4m),the
jumperisprobablytooclosetothetakeoffboardandisfoulingorshorteningthelastfourstridestogetontheboard.
Keepinmindthatifajumper'stakeofffootisthesamefootusedtopushoffwithatthestartoftherun,therewillbeaneven(say,18)numberofstrides(figure10.1b)
(e.g.,startwithleftfootandtakeoffwithleftfoot).However,ifthejumper'stakeofffootisnotthesameasthefootthatstartstherun,therewillbeanodd(say,19)
numberofstrides(figure10.1c)(e.g.,startwithleftfootandtakeoffwithrightfoot).
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Figure10.1
Approachrunsof(a)12strides,(b)18strides,and(c)19strides.
Page144
SpeedandAcceleration
Theapproachrunshouldbemadeatthemaximumspeedatwhichthejumpercancompleteasuccessfultakeoff.However,whilelongjumpersaretrainedas
sprinters,rawspeedisnotthekeytotechniqueinthelongjumpmaximumcontrollablespeedis!
Sprintingisapushingactionagainsttheground.Jumpersshouldnottrytopullagainsttheground.Theformationofthelegisillsuitedtoexertapullingforce.In
addition,apullingactionwhensprintingisadirectcauseofhamstringdamage.
Aconsistent,fastapproachrunwilldependonagradualacceleration.Manyinexperiencedjumpersmakethemistakeofacceleratingtoofast,toosoon.Thiscauses
themtodeceleratetowardtheendoftheapproachrun.Thus,speedislostgoingintothetakeoff,resultinginapoorperformance.
Usinga19strideapproachrun,thejumperbeginstherunbypushingdownandbackagainstthegroundwiththeleftfoottosetthebodyinmotion.Inaddition,there
isaslightinclinationofthewholebodyfromthegroundatthebeginningoftherun.Asthejumperaccelerates,thebodygraduallystraightensupintoanuprightposition
bytheendofthefourthorsixthstride(figure10.2).
Whenestablishinganapproachrunforbeginningjumpers,itisbesttoworkontheapproachrunwithoutjumping.Thisway,thejumperscanisolatetheapproachrun
anddevelopaconsistentacceleration,stridepattern,andrhythmoftherunthroughrepetition.Inaddition,evenwithexperiencedjumpers,itisbeneficialtopractice
theapproachrunwithoutjumpingtofurthertheconsistencyandrhythmoftherun.
Figure10.2
Thestartoftheapproachrun:asthejumperaccelerates,thebodygraduallystraightensinto
anuprightposition.
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LastTwoStrides
Theobjectiveinthelasttwostridesistoprepare,or''setup,"forthetakeoffwhileconservingasmuchspeedaspossible.Priortotheselaststrides,thejumperisina
fullsprintingpositioninwhichthejumpercontinuestheaccelerationbypushingdownagainsttheground(figure10.3,ac).
PenultimateStride
Thepenultimatestrideisthenexttothelaststride(leftfoot)fromthetakeoff,wherethereisaloweringofthejumper'scenterofgravity(figure10.3,df).Itisthe
longerofthelasttwostridesbecauseoftheloweringofthecenterofgravityandtheflexionofthekneeandankleofthesupportingleg.Thereisanoticeable
"gathering"ofthejumper'sbodyduringthepenultimatestride.Inaddition,thefootisplacedflatontheground.
Jumpersmustfeelthelowering,or"gathering,"ofthebodyduringthepenultimatestride.Thepenultimatestrideisdifferentthananormalrunningstridesojumpers
shouldnotjust"run"throughthepenultimate.Itisimperativethattheypreparethebodyduringthepenultimate.
LastStride
Thelaststride(rightfoot)isshorterthanthepenultimatestridebecauseoftheraisingofthejumper'scenterofgravity(figure10.3,gionpage146).Asthetakeoff
footmakescontactwiththeground,thefootisplacedflatandinfrontofthejumper'sbody.Inaddition,thereisaslightflexionofthejointsofthetakeoffleg.During
thisslightflexion,themusclesofthetakeofflegareforcedintoanactivestretchingphaseoreccentriccontraction.Immediatelyfollowingthisactivestretchingphase,
thereisashortening,orconcentriccontraction,ofthemusclesofthetakeoffleg.Whenaconcentriccontractionisprecededbyaphaseofactivestretchinginthe
musclesofthetakeoffleg,elasticenergyisstoredandthetakeofflegis"loadedup."
Figure10.3
(ac)sprintingposition(df)thepenultimatestride
Page146
Thelaststrideisshorterinlengththanthepenultimatestride.Therefore,jumpersshouldthinkofthelasttwostridesaslongshort.Thiscansometimeshelpthemsetup
thetakeoffmoreeffectively.Jumpersmustavoidreachingonthelaststride,becauseplacingthetakeofffoottoofaroutintothefrontofthebodywillresultina
brakingorstoppingeffectandpoorjumpperformance.
Itiscriticalthatjumpersstayrelaxedandmaintainapproachspeedthroughthelasttwostrides.Theycanaccomplishthisbycontinuingtostroketheirarmsthroughthe
lasttwostrides,sincestoppingthemovementofthearmswilldecreaseapproachspeedintothetakeoff.
Takeoff
Theobjectiveinthetakeoffisto"loadup"thetakeofflegtocreateaverticalimpulsethroughthejumper'scenterofgravity.
ContactwiththeGround
Asthejumper'stakeofffootmakescontactwiththegroundandthelegisloadedupwithelasticenergy,averticalimpulseorliftiscreatedthroughthecenterofgravity
(figure10.3j).Thisverticalimpulsecreatedfromthetakeofflegprojectsthejumper'sbodyupandoutintotheair.Coachesshouldencouragejumperstothinkabout
jumpingfirstandthenrunningupandoutofftheground.Focusingonlyonrunningupandoutoffthegroundtendstocausethejumperstonotloadupthetakeoffleg
andthusbypassaverticalimpulse.
FootPlacement
Thetakeofffootisplacedflatanddirectlyinfrontofthejumper'sbodytoallowforamaximumverticallift.Ifajumperplacesthefootheelfirst,itwillcauseabraking
orstoppingeffectatthetakeoff.Ontheotherhand,ifthejumperplacesthetakeofffoothighuponthetoes,therewillbelittlestabilizationonimpact,causingtheleg
tobuckleorcollapse.Asthebodymovesthroughthetakeoffandupintotheair,thejumpercontinuestorunupandoutofftheground(figure10.3,jk).
Figure10.3(continued)
(gi)thelaststride(jk )thetakeoff
Page147
BodyPosition
Thejumper'sbodyisuprighttotheground,allowingforoptimalpositionattakeoff.Jumpersshouldfocustheireyesupandoutwhenleavingtheground.Theyshould
notbelookingdownintothesandoratthetakeoffboard.
Toworkonthetechniqueofthelasttwostridesandthetakeoff,establishashortapproachrunofeightstrides.Shortrunjumpingallowsthejumperstoisolateand
emphasizethepropertechnique.Inaddition,jumperscantakemorejumps,sinceshortrunsreducethefatigueduringtraining.
Jumpersshouldnotoveremphasizejumpinguphighattakeoff.Ahighangleoftakeoffusuallycausesjumperstoslowdownconsiderablytoachievetheheight,thus
losingcriticalspeedneededatthetakeoff.Jumpfordistance,notheight.
ActionintheAirandLanding
Theobjectiveforthefourthandlastcomponentistorotatethebodyintoanefficientlandingpositionthatmaximizesjumpdistance.
Oncecontactwiththegroundisbroken,thejumpercandonothingtoaltertheflightpathofthecenterofgravity.However,thejumpermovesthearmsandlegsabout
thecenterofgravitytocounteractforwardrotationandassumeanoptimalpositionforlanding.
HitchKickTechnique
Thehitchkicktechniqueallowsthejumpertocounteracttheforwardrotationdevelopedatthetakeoff(figure10.3l).Bycyclingthelegsandarmsthroughtheair,the
jumperisabletomaintainanuprightbodypositionandsetupforanefficientlandingposition(figure10.3,mp).Ifthejumperdidnotcounteractforwardrotationby
cyclingthearmsandlegs,thebodywouldcontinuetorotateforwardintoafacedownpositioninthesand.
Figure10.3(continued)
(lp)theactionintheair
Page148
Othertechniquesforlongjumpersintheairarethehangandthesail.Eachofthesestylesaccomplishesthesametaskasthehitchkickbycounteractingforward
rotationintheairinordertoachieveanefficientlandingposition.
Inthehangtechnique,thejumperextendshisorherbodyinalong,outstretchedpositionandholdsthatpositionmomentarilysothatheorsheappearstobehanging.
Then,upondescending,thejumpersnapsthelegstoaforwardlandingposition.Thehangisbeneficialinthatthelongpositionoftheathleteasheorsherisesintheair
retardsthetendencytotumbleforwardandloseextension.
Usingthesailtechnique,theathleteimmediatelyliftsthelegsupintoatoetouchingpositionuponrisingupfromthetakeoff.Thismakesiteasyforthenovicetotryto
getintoalandingpositionearly.However,itdoesnotcounterthetendencytorotatetoofarforward(tumbling).Thiscancausethefeettolosegoodextensionupon
landing.
Landing
Foranefficientlanding,thejumperextendsandsweepsthearmsdowntowardtheground(figure10.3q).Thisactionofthearmsraisesthelegsuptowardthetorso
andclosertothejumper'scenterofgravity(figure10.3,qs).Thus,theactionofthearmscausesanequalandoppositereactionwiththelegs.
Asthejumpermakescontactwiththesand,thekneesbendandflextocushiontheimpact.Inaddition,thearmsarebroughtforwardtoassistthejumper'sforward
momentumandavoidfallingback.
Remember,thebestjumpscomefromawellexecutedapproachrunandtakeoff.Thus,ifajumperishavingaproblemwithundesirablerotationintheairandan
inefficientlanding,alwayslooktotheapproachrunandtakeoffasthesourceoftheproblem.
Haveworkoutsandcompetitionsvideotapedsothattheymaybereviewed.Videotapedjumpsareanimportantteachingtoolforcoachesandjumpers.Inaddition,
watchvideosofworldclassjumpersandcomparetechnique.
Figure10.3(continued)
(qs)thelanding.
Page149
Training
byKathyJames
Inpreparingandtrainingforthelongjump,thefirstthingacoachandathletemustrememberistoplaneachpracticesession.Efficientworkoutsthatareplanned
aheadoftimeproducethebestresultsinlearningandperformance.Donotmakeupworkoutsasyougoalongdoingthiscreatesaninconsistenttrainingpattern
duringeachtrainingperiod.Determinethegoalofeachworkoutasyouplanthetrainingsessions.Knowingwhatistobeaccomplishedduringeachworkoutiscrucial
totheoverallperformanceoftheathlete.Itwilleliminateunderandovertrainingandreduceinjury.Aftereachworkout,assessthespecificperformanceobjective.
Analyzingtheeffortandabilityoftheathletetoexecuteandcompletetheworkoutiscriticalindeterminingthefeasibilityandbenefitoftheworkout.
Thefollowingcomponentsshouldbeconsideredinplanningworkouts:
Warmup:Warmupisessentialtooverallperformanceandthehealthoftheathlete.Warmupsproceedfromgeneraltospecific,andbeginslowlyandgradually
increaseinactivitylevel.Warmupspreparethemuscularandcardiovascularsystemsforstrenuousactivity,reducingcramps,strains,pulls,orrelatedinjuries.
Review:Toenhanceathleticperformance,itisimportanttointroducenewskills.Giveaclearandsimpleexplanationofwhatistobeaccomplishedwiththeskill.Be
suretoreviewtheseskillsduringthecourseoftheworkout.Itmayalsobehelpfultodemonstratetheskilltomakesureitisdoneproperlyandwithcorrecttechnique.
Thenwatchtheathleteexecutethetechniqueforoptimumperformance.Last,providetheathletewithfeedbackduringthepracticesession.Giveaclearandaccurate
reasonifthereisaproblemintheexecutionoftheskill.Bepositiveandunderstandable.Correctoneerroratatime.Feedbackalwaysmotivatesandencouragesthe
athletetoexecuteproperlyandprepareforthenexttrainingsessions.Italsoteachestheathletesthefundamentalsoftheworkoutstheyareaskedtoperform.
Fitnesstraining:Itisveryeasytogetcaughtupinthetechnicalsideoflongjumptrainingandforgetsprintingandstrengthtraining,especiallyduringtheseason.Be
suretoincludethisfitnesstrainingforstrengthandspeedthroughoutallphasesoftheseason.
Cooldown:Justasitisimportanttowarmupbeforepractice,itisequallyimportanttocooldownattheendofapracticesession.Thiswillrelaxthemuscularand
cardiovascularsystemsgradually,helpingtopreventinjury.Walkingandjoggingfor510minutesfollowingtheworkoutandconcludingwithstretchingisagoodway
tocooldown.
Evaluation:Evaluatethepracticebydiscussingthebenefitsofthepracticesessionwithyourathletes.Keepaccuraterecordsofeachtrainingsessiontodetermine
theireffectiveness.Decidewhichgoalsweremetandwhichneedmoreattention.
Thelongjumpincorporatesspeed,strength,andagility.Asyouplanthepracticesessions,thereareseveralessentialcomponentstoconsider,whicharediscussedin
thefollowingsections.
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StrengthTraining
Crucialtoalongjumper'ssuccessisthedevelopmentofstrength,specificallythedevelopmentofjumpingpower.Indevelopingstrengthelementsforthelongjump,
concentrateonthespecificqualitiesneededinjumping.Thesequalitiesarebasedonthreefactors:
1.Power
2.Jumpingendurance
3."Specialstrength"
Aspecifictypeofenergyisrequiredtoexecuteasuccessfullongjump.Poweristhemaximumavailableabilityofthelegandbackmusclesduringapproachand
takeoff.Jumpingenduranceisthemuscularabilitytowithstandmultipleboundingandjumping."Specialstrength"isusedtobridgethegapbetweensheerstrengthand
explosivepower.Specialstrengthgivesthejumpercontroloverallmechanicsofthebackandlegmusclesusedinhorizontaljumping.Thefollowingprinciplesof
strengthtrainingshouldbeobserved:
Resistanceismoreimportantwhentrainingforstrength.
Strengthismoreimportantwhentrainingforpower.
Powertrainingwithweightsisinitiatedonlytowardtheendofthebuilduptrainingperiodandafterlifttechniquetraining.
Withspecialstrength,thestrengthapplicationofthelegsismosteffectivewhentheathleteworksonarigidsystem,supportedbystrongbackandabdominal
muscles.Thespecialstrengthreferstotheabilitytoapplyalargeforceinaveryquickperiodoftime.The"specialstrength"shouldenablethecenterofgravitytotake
adefinitepath.Thelengthoftimeofthisstrengthmovementisdirectlydeterminedbytheendspeedoftheapproach.Thelongjumper'sspeedfromtheapproachrun
greatlylimitsthetimetheathletehastoapplytheforceatthetakeoffboard.Therefore,thefasterthespeed,thelesstimetheathletehastoapplytheforce.Power
exercisesandspecialstrengthtrainingcomplywiththe"principlesofoverload"tothemusclesandjointsandconcentrateonpuremaximumstrength.
Themostimportantfactorinstrengthtrainingforthehorizontaljumpsisthemethodused.Themostproductiveandprominentmethodusedbyelitejumperstodayis
plyometricsinconjunctionwithweighttraining.
Plyometrics
Plyometricsisatypeoftrainingthatcombinesendurance,coordination,andpurestrengthtraining,throughwhichjumperscanproducebetterexplosivereaction
movements.However,thebiggestbenefitofthistypeoftrainingisthedevelopmentofstretchreflexinthemusclesinvolvedduringtakeoffandinflight.
Thegoalofjumpingdrillsistodeveloptheneuromuscularsystemsothatstrengthgainscanbeincorporatedinspeedmovements.Twomethodsofplyometricsare
usedinthisphase:longjumpingandshortjumping.Longjumpingtakesplaceduringthefirstsixweeksinordertoconditiontheathleteandbuildspeedendurance.
Thesejumpscanbesubdividedintolowintensitylongjumpsandhighintensitylongjumps.Bothtypesofjumpsaredoneoveradistancegreaterthan30metersbut
theyaredoneataloweramplitudeoras
Page151
quicklyaspossible,respectively.Shortjumpingisdoneoverashorterdistance(lessthan30meters)veryexplosively.Plyometricsshouldbedonetwotimesper
week,allowingseveraldaysrestinbetween.MondaysandThursdaysorMondaysandFridaysbeforeweighttrainingispreferable.
Thefollowingareexamplesofplyometricjumpingexercises:
LongJumpingExercises
LowIntensity
Highskips
Alternatebounding
Singleleghops
Doubleleghops
RRL,LLR,RRL,LLR...
RR,LL,RR,LL...
Gallops
Boundingupahill(orstairs)
Straightlegjumpsupahill(orstairs)
Doublelegjumpsupahill(orstairs)
Rampsand/orhillrunning
Jumprope:
singleleg
doubleleg
doubles(tworoperotations/jump)
highknees
Jumpingorhoppingoversevenormorecones
Alternatestepupsonbench,box,orstepfor30secondsormore(figure10.4)
Figure10.4
Alternatestepups.
Page152
HighIntensity
Sameaslowintensityexercisesbutperformedasquicklyaspossible
Includea30metersingleleghopfortime
ShortJumpingExercises
Anyofthelongjumpingexercisesbutperformedwithgreateramplitudeandfewerrepetitions.
Standingtriplejump
Standinglongjump
Jumpingoverhurdles(aboutonemeterapart):
Fivelowhurdles
Fivehurdlesofvariousheights
Puttwohurdlestogetherandjumpoverwithtwolegs
Jumpingoverboxes(1218inchesorabout30.546cmhigh,twotothreefeetorabout61to91.5cmapart):
doubleleg
singleleg
alternating
combinations
Jumpinginplacefromhalfsquat
Jumpingfromhalfsquatupahill(halfthedistanceoflongjumpingbutfaster)orsteps
Anyjumpsinplace:
doublelegtuck
singlelegtuck
pike
splitsquat
squatjumps
forwardandbackwardovercone
sidetosideovercone
Box/benchjumps:
highkneestepups
alternatingrunups
Timedjumpsof1030meters:
singleleghops
standingtriplejumps
standinglongjumps
Singleanddoublelegboundingholdingontopartner'sshouldersortorailing
Table10.1isagreatwaytoincorporatetheaboveplyometricexercisesintothreefourweekperiods.
Page153
TABLE10.1PLYOMETRICSTRAININGSCHEDULEFORLONGJUMP
Period1(4weeks)
Week
Exercise
Reps/distance
Longjumping(lowintensity)
4100m(choose4exercises)
Shortjumping
26repsperexercise
Longjumping(lowintensity)
350m(1exercise)
350m(1exercise)
Longjumping(highintensity)
230m(1exercise)
230m(1exercise)
Shortjumping
26reps
Longjumping(highintensity)
330m
330m
330m
Activerest
Sprintdrills
Period2(4weeks)
5
Shortjumping
26reps
220m
Longjumping(highintensity)
230m
Shortjumping
26reps
220m
210sec.
Longjumping(highintensity)
230m
Shortjumping
4exercises3setsof6reps
Sprintdrills
225m
Period3(4weeks)
9
Shortjumping
326repsor
3230m
10
Shortjumping
446repsor
4430m
11
Shortjumping
546repsor
5430m
12
Shortjumping
26reps
FreeWeightExercises
Thefollowingfreeweightexerciseswillhelpdevelopalongjumper'sexplosivestrength,orpower.
Page154
SquatMovements
Backsquat
Frontsquat
full
full
halfjump
staticdynamic
staticdynamic
PullMovements
Cleans
Snatches
midthighpull
midthighpull
belowkneepull
belowkneepull
fullpull
fullpull
cleanfrommidthigh
snatchfrommidthigh
cleanfrombelowtheknee
snatchfrombelowtheknee
fullclean
fullsnatch
PressMovements
Bench
Jerk
Incline
split
Behindtheneckpress
power
seated
push
MedicineBallExercises
Usingamedicineballcanalsobeaneffectivewaytodeveloptheupperandlowerbody.
UpperBody
Weekone,do10repetitionsofthefollowingexercises.Weektwo,do15repetitions.Weekthree,do20repetitions.Weekfour,do15repetitions.
Chestpass
Overheadpass
Underhandpass
Seatedrotations
Kneelingpass
Seatedrollbackanduppass(Athleteholdsthemedicine
balloverhead,rollsbackwithfeetcomingup,rollsback
uptoasittingposition,thentossestheball.)
Seatedcrossbodyscoop
Sideoverheadextensionpass
Bendoverbetweenlegspass
LowerBody
Thighbounces
Seatedquadlifts
Footpasses
Lyinghamstringlifts
Heelpasses
"Fire"balls
Legraiserolloverputback
Ninetydegree"drives"
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TypesofWorkouts
Thefollowingaredifferenttypesofworkoutsthatshouldbeincorporatedintoyourathletes'trainingregimen.Eachworkoutisdesignedtoimproveadifferentaspect
ofthelongjumper'sperformance.
SpeedEndurance
Highoxygendebtandlacticacidbuildupwithclosetofullrecoverybetweeneachrun.Theseworkouts'emphasisshouldbeonquality.
Repsm
Rest
5100
510min.
3150
510min.
2200
10min.
1400
10min.
TempoEndurance
Thisaerobicworkoutwillincreaseoxygenintake,whichwillshortenrecoverytime.Tempoworkoutsaredoneataslowerpace,whichwillhelptherunnerlearn
rhythm.Theemphasisshouldbeonquantity,notquality,withrestkeptshort.
Repsm
Rest
6200
2min.
4300
2min.
50100150200250300
Walkthesamedistanceforrest
StrengthEndurance
Activitiesinstrengthenduranceworkoutstypicallylastlongerthan10seconds.Theyincludeuphillrunningandresistancetyperunning.Theemphasisisonsprint
musculature.
6100mhill
61520sec.resistancerunning
2(41520sec.)jumprope
PowerSpeed
Powerspeedworkoutsemphasizespeedofmusclecontractions.Theyareusuallydonewithfewerthan10repetitions,andnomorethan10secondsperrepetition.
68shorthillruns5060m
6830massistancerunning
6810sec.fastropejumps
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EnduranceRunning
Thistotallyaerobicrunningworkoutconsistsof15to45minutesofrunningatasteadypace.Basetraining.
DevelopingaTrainingProgram
Keepingthesetypesofworkoutsinmind,table10.2presentsasampletrainingprogramforlongjumpers.Theemphasisofeachtypeofworkoutchangesasthe
seasonprogresses.Youcantailortheworkoutstomeettheneedsofyourathleteswhilestillmaintainingthebasicpremise.
TABLE10.2SAMPLEWORKOUTS
Technique,Speed,andStrength:Weeks14
Monday
3300mwith200mofwalkorjogrecovery
Drills:3660mofAskip*andBskip**3660mofhighknees
Eventspecificdrills
Weights
Tuesday
Temporuns:(+)=50mofjog()=100mofwalkbetweensets
100+100+100
100+200
100+100+200
100+200
100+100+100
Wednesday
Powerspeed(progressestopowertechnique):
620mofAskipinto20msprint
620mofBskipinto20msprint
360mofrunningbounds
61050m
Eventspecificdrills
Weights
Thursday
68200m,with200mofwalkorjog
Drills:sameasMon.
Friday
810150m,with150mofwalkrecovery
Weights
Speed,Strength,andEndurance:Weeks512
Monday
2300m1200m,with10mrecovery
Techniquedrills/weights
Tuesday
8100mat8590%speed
Lighttechniquedrills
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
Page157
(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
Speed,Strength,andEndurance:Weeks512
Wednesday
Jogandstretch/weights
Eventtechnique
Thursday
3200m
Lighttechniquedrills
Friday
5150matracepace,withfullrecovery
Weights
CompetitivePhase
Monday
2200mfast,withfullrecovery
Lighttechniquedrills
Tuesday
Fulltechniquedrills
Weights
660mat6070%,withfullrecovery
Wednesday
Jogandstretch
Thursday
3150mfast
Techniquedrills
Weights
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Competition
Askipskippinginwhichthefreelegswingsupuntilthethighisparalleltothegroundandtheheelof
thefreelegmeetsthehipsthenextendsdowntomeettheground.
**
BskipsameastheAskip,exceptthatthefreelegextendsstraightforward(asinaGooseStep)
beforelanding.
Summary
Asmentionedearlier,itisbesttodevotethemajorityoftrainingtimeforthelongjumptodevelopingatechnicallycorrectapproachandtakeoff.Thisisbecauseofthe
strongrelationbetweencorrecttechniqueorexecutionoftheapproachrunandtakeoffandperformanceofthejump.Thevariousdrillsandworkoutspresentedinthis
chapteraremeanttoenhanceone'sperformancebydevelopingpower,speed,andendurance.Asweallknow,onceyou'reintheair,there'snochangingyour
course.Therefore,youmusttrainhardtodeveloptheconsistencynecessarytobesuccessfulincompetition.
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11
TripleJump
DeanHayes
Thetriplejumpisauniqueeventrequiringacombinationofspeed,strength,andbalance.Itiscomposedofthreedistinctphasesthatmustflowintooneanother.They
arethehop(takingoffandlandingonthesamefoot),thestep(landingontheoppositefoot),andthejump(performedsimilartothelongjump).Thehopandjumpare
relativelyeasytomaster,butthestepisadifficultskill.Thetriplejumpwasformerlycalledthehopstepjump,butthenamewaschangedtoemphasizetheequal
importanceofeachphase.
Triplejumpersmustpossessaboveaverageabilityinsprintingandjumping,andatthesametimepossesspowerfulmusclesandgoodmotorskills.Theprogram
discussedinthischapterisforboththebeginningandadvancedjumper.
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Technique
Propertechniqueisessential.Itissomethingthattriplejumperswillcallontimeandtimeagaintogivethemselvesanedgeincompetition.Teachingandreinforcing
technicalprecisionearlyonwillmakeitsecondnatureincompetition.
Approach
Thetriplejumpapproachshouldbelongenoughtoallowthejumpertoacceleratetonearlyfullspeed.Atthesametime,theapproachmustberelaxedsothatthe
jumperisundercontrol.Iftheapproachistooslow,thejumperwilllosemomentuminthelaterphasesoftheevent.Ifitistoofast,thejumperwillbeunabletocontrol
thelegsandkeepthemfromcollapsing.Thelengthoftherunshouldbe100to130feet(about30.5to39.6m).Thebeginningjumper'sapproachshouldbeabout
100feet(about30.5m).Asthejumpergainsexperienceandmaturity,theapproachcanbelengthened.Beginningjumpersmaywishtouseacheckmarkalongthe
latterpartoftheapproach.Asjumpersgainexperience,theymaypreferusingonlythebeginningmark.Thejumpershouldpracticetheapproachuntilitisconsistent.
Approachstepsshouldbeworkedonjustbeforethecompetitiveseasonbegins.
Hop
Thefirstphaseofthetriplejumpisthehop,andthefirstpartofthehopisthetakeoff.Theobjectiveinthehopistogoforwardandup(notupandforwardasinthe
longjump).Thisisaccomplishedbykeepingthebodyuprightandrotatingtheheelofthehopleghighupunderthebuttocksandthenextendingitasfarforwardas
possible(seefigure11.1ac).Theideaisfortheathletetofeelthatheorsheis''runningofftheboard."Remindthejumpertostayuprightandnotlookdownorlean
forward,astheleaningmakesitdifficulttobringthelegupforthenextphase.
Therearethreemethodsofarmaction:
Figure11.1
Thehopandstepphasesofthetriplejump.
Page161
1.Singlearmaction
2.Doublearmaction
3.Combination
Thecombinationusuallyisasinglearmhopanddoublearmstepandjump.Thedoublearmbeginsinthelaststepbeforetheboardasthejumperbeginstheactionto
getthearmsinplaceforthetakeoff.Theathletestopsthearmthatisgoingback.Heorshestopsitatthehiponthetakeoff,andthenletsitgoforwardwiththeother
armsothatbotharmsgoforwardasthelegrotatesunderthebuttocks.Theathlete'shandsshouldnotgohigherthanthechin.Ifthearmsaredriventoohigh,thefoot
willcomedowntoohardandtoofast.Agreatnumberofjumpersdrawbotharmsbehindthebackaboutoneandahalfstepsbeforethetakeoffboard.Thisis
acceptableforbeginners,butaftersomeexperienceitisbetterifthejumpercanchangetothepreviouslydiscussedmethod.Pullingbotharmsbacktendstoslow
downtheapproachjustbeforetheboard,andthelossofspeedatthispointhinderstheflowoftheotherphases.
Thesinglearmmethodissimplyarunningmotionofftheboard,asifthejumperistakingonemorestep,onlythe"runningstep"isahop(figure11.1).
Selectthemethodofarmactionbasedonthespeedoftheathlete.Asaroughguide,thefastathletecanbestusethedoublearmmethod,thejumperofaverage
speedcanusewhichevermethodismostcomfortable,andtheslowerathleteusuallybenefitsfromsinglearmaction.Thecoachandathleteshouldexperimentanduse
themethodbestsuitedtothatathlete.
Inthehop,thelegshouldbepulledthroughforextensionandasthefootisabouttoland,itshouldbeflattenedsothatthejumpercan"roll"overthefootintothenext
phase(figure11.1c).Landingonthetoesinterruptsspeedandflowlandingontheheelcancauseheelbruises.Also,a"heellanding"makesitmoredifficulttocontrol
theforwardmovement.Thelandingshouldbeveryslightlyontheheel,followedbya"rolling"actionofthefoot.
Duetothenatureoftriplejumping,athletesshouldwearlight,durableshoeswithheelcupsinsertedinthem.Constantpoundingandlandingontheheelsnecessitates
usingheelcupstoavoidbruisesandinjuries.
Figure11.1(continued)
Page162
Step
Justbeforethehopisfinished,thearmsarepulledbackagaininpreparationforthestepthesecondphaseofthetriplejump.Thestepisaccomplishedbybringing
theotherleg(oppositeofthehopleg)forward(figure11.1df,pages160161).Thejumpershouldstrivetogettheupperlegperpendiculartothebody(hiparea)or
paralleltotheground.Thearmscomeforwardifdoublearmactionisutilized.Ifthesinglearmmethodisused,theoppositearmgoesforwardasinrunning.Again,
thearm(s)shouldnotgohigherthanthechin.
Therearetwomethodsofexecutingthestep.Onemethodistokeepthebodyuprightandtheupperbodybasicallyperpendiculartotheground.Theupperlegis
paralleltotheground,andthelowerlegispositionedsothatthetoesarejustaheadoftheknee.Thisisdonesothejumpercan"ride"theleg,orholditup.Atthelast
instant,thejumperextendsthelegandreachesoutasfaraspossible.Thisextensionisaidedbypullingthearmsbacktopreparefordoublearmactioninthejump
phase.Again,thefootshouldhitthegroundalmostflatfooted.Theheel"barely"leadstheaction.
Theothermethodfor"stepping"istoletthelowerlegextendaheadofthekneeduringthestep.Thisrequirestheupperchestandheadtobestoopedslightlyforward
inanefforttoholdthefootup(figure11.1fg,page161).Asthefootisextended,orheldforward,thearmsaredrawnbehindthebacktoprepareforthejumpphase
(figure11.1hi,page161).
Figure11.2
Triplejumptechniquefor(a)WillieBanksand(b)MikeConley.Part(c)showsan
overheadviewofthetriplejump.
Page163
Jump
Asthejumpphaseisinitiated,thearmsareinterchangedifthesinglearmmethodisused.Ifthedoublearmmethodisused,thearmsarepulledthroughwithapunch,
andtheathleteexecutesajumpsimilartothatofthelongjumper.Generally,ahangstyleofjumpisusedbecausethereisnotenoughtimeforahitchkick.
Thejumpershouldtrytogetashighaspossible,withthearms(bothareusedinthehangstyle)reachingupandthenextendingforward.Thefeetareextendedsothat
theheelsleadthewayintothepit.
Figure11.2showsthejumpsoftwooftheleadingtriplejumpersinU.S.history,WillieBanksandMikeConley:
Notetheirsinglearmactionofftheboardtomaintainspeed.
Notethatinthehopandsteplanding,theyland"barely"heelfirstinanefforttorollintothenextphase.
Notehowerecttheirbodyisatsomeearlypointinthehopandstep,theleadwiththekneeinthestep,andtherotationofthehoplegupunderthebuttocks.
Notethedoublearmactioninthestepandjumpphases.
NoteConley'slowerhopangletomaintainspeed.Eachphasegetshigher.
Figure11.2(continued)
Page164
Notethedoublearmhangstyleinthejumpphase.
Notetheefforttoleadwiththeheelsintothepit.
Notethetwocontrasting(butcorrect)styleswiththearmsinthejumpphase.Inone,thearmsdriveuphigh(Conley)andintheother,thehandsgoinfrontofthe
bodyandbackaroundhighoverthehead(Banks).
TeachingProgression
Thetriplejumpisanunnaturaleventandshouldbeintroducedtoprospectivejumpersbyhavingthemwatchfilmstogetaquickpreviewoftheevent.Filmstudy
shouldbefollowedbyabriefdemonstrationofastandingtriplejumpemphasizingthelegmovementsonly.Instructtheprospectivejumpertodoafewstanding
triplejumps.Jumpsshouldbedonewitheachlegtodecidewhichismostcomfortable.Emphasizeanevendistanceforeachphasedonotallowtheathletetogofor
distance.Instead,stresslearningthelegmovementsofeachofthethreephases.Althoughabeginnerwillprobablyhaveproblemswiththeflowofthetriplejump,it
willbegintocomeafterafewattempts."Flow"isthebounceorrhythmthatissoimportanttogoodtriplejumping.Itgivesthejumpertheexhilaratingfeelingofflying
throughtheair.
Ifjumpersdonottrytoextendtheirreachtoofar,theycankeepthejumpundercontrolandfeelencouragedabouttheirprogress.Also,thiswillkeepthemfrom
leaningtoofarforwardduringthejumpandgivethemtimetohaveanactive"phaseleg."Thephaselegshouldbedevelopednext,byhavingthejumperstandonone
legandjumpup,makingthestandinglegrotateunderthebuttocksandreachoutinfrontbeforelanding.Theathleteshouldalternatelegsforthisdrillsothat
coordinationisdevelopedinbothlegs.
Ofthethreetriplejumpphases,thestepisthemostdifficulttomaster.Thehopisrelativelyeasytoperform,buttherecoveryisdifficult.Theathleteusuallywillnot
haveproblemslearningthebasicsofthejumpphase.Thegreatestprogressintriplejumptrainingwillcomefromimprovingthestep.However,onemustremember
thateachphaseisdependentontheothers.
BoundingExercises
Thenextstageofdevelopmentcomesthroughboundingexercises.Inthebeginning,theseshouldbedoneforcontrolratherthanforstrength.Later,strength
(endurance)canbeincluded.Threemainexercisesareusedinthisstage:
1.Hoppingexercise.Thisshouldbedonewithbothlegs(RRRR...orLLLL...).Inthebeginning,itisdoneforabout25meterswitheachleg.Asthejumper
growsstrongerandmoreconfident,thedistanceisincreased.Checktobesurethatthejumper'sbodyisuprightthroughoutthehopping.Itisrecommendedthat
beginnersdotwosetsof25metersofhoppingonMonday,Wednesday,andFriday(threedaysaweek).
2.Stepexercise.ThisisRLRLR....Again,emphasizetheuprightbodyand"bounce"inthelegs.Thebeginnerjustreachesoutasfarasheorshecan,being
carefulnottoleadwiththetoes.Thelandingisflatfooted,witha"pawing"actionjustbeforethefootstrikestheground.
Page165
3.Hoptostepexercise.Thisexercisehelpsthejumperinchangingfromthehoptothestep.ThedrillisRRLLRR....Thecoachshouldwatchthejumper
performtheseexercises.Also,itisbeneficialiftwoormorejumpersworktogether,asthecompetitiontendstomakethejumpersrunfasterandstretchfarther.The
triplejumperworksonthejumpphasebydoingpopups,justlikethelongjumper.Thepopupshouldbedonefromashortapproachandusingthehangstyle,since
thetimeintheairistooshortforagoodhitchkick.
RunningandJumpingExercises
Thenextstepindevelopingthetriplejumperistoincorporateashortrunwiththejump.Twoexercisesarehelpfulhere:
1.Thefirstdrillisrunningoverlowhurdles.Thisisdoneatleasttwiceaweek.Thehurdlesshouldbespacedathighhurdledistanceand"threestepped."
2.Inthesecondexercise,theathleteshouldattempttojumplowhurdlesspacedaparttoallowanevendistribution,orthehop,thestep,andthejump.Theathlete
shoulduseathreeorfivestepapproach.Thisgivessomespeedbutnotenoughtocauseatotalbreakdownofthestepphase.Emphasizea"levelflight"duringeach
phase,keepingthebodyupright.Ifthejumpergetstoohighinaphase,thelandinglegwillbreakdown,whichcurtailsmomentumforthenextphase.
ArmAction
Thenextstepindevelopingatriplejumperisdecidingwhattypeofarmactionshouldbeused.Somejumpersusesinglearmactioninthehoptomaintainspeed,and
useadoublearmactioninthestepandjump.
Atthisstage,theathleteshouldbereadytoattemptthecompletetriplejump.Startwithasevenstepapproach(undercontrol)andstressthehopphase,withaneasy
stepandjumpincluded.Thehopshouldberelativelyshortsoitdoesnotcausethejumpertobreakdown.Also,thejumpershouldavoidgettingtoomuchheight,
becausethiscausesajarringeffectandcanleadtoabreakdown,too.Theheadshouldbelevel,withtheeyesfocusedstraightahead.Theathleteshouldattempttogo
throughthecompletetriplejumptolearnextensionineachofthethreephases.
Thefinalphaseofinstructionistolengthentheapproach.Adistanceofabout120feet(about36.6m)shouldbeadequate.Useacontrolledruntobeginwith,and
increasethespeedastheathleteisabletouseit.
Training
Thetrainingprogramusedisthemostimportantfactorinthesuccessofatriplejumper.Theprogramthatfollowsshouldbeusedinitsentirety.Leavingoutone
segmentwillhindertheeffectivenessoftheprogram.Agoodconditioningbaseisimportant,anddevelopmentofthelegandarmskillsisnecessary.Thedrillsmustbe
doneoverandoveruntiltheybecomeautomatic.Thetriplejumpermustdevelop"thinkingfeet."Makeaspecialefforttodevelopthepartsoftheprogramwherethe
jumperisweakest.Triplejumpersmusttrainregularlyandaggressivelyinordertocompetesuccessfully.However,awelltrainedjumperdoesnotleavehisorher
bestjumpsonthepracticefield.
Page166
Drills
Thefollowingdrillsmaybeusedaspartofyouroveralltrainingprogram.
StandingTripleJump
Theathletefacesthelongjump/triplejumppitandplacesamark2025feet(about6.17.6m)fromthepit.Fromthemark,thejumperdoesastandingtriplejump
andlandsinthepit.Next,markoffthehopdistance,thestepdistance,andthejumpdistance.Concentrateonkneedriveforthehopandstep,andarmaction(both
armsdriving)forthejump.Thedistanceshouldbe810feet(about2.43m)forthehop,1113feet(about3.44m)forthestep,and1215feet(about3.74.6
m)forthejump.Anythingbetween30and38feet(about9.111.6m)isagooddistanceforbeginnersformen.Women'sdistanceshouldbeproportional.
HurdleHopping
Fourtoeightloworintermediatehurdlesareplacedfivetosixfeet(about1.51.8m)apart.Thejumper,withtheaidofthedoublearmupswing,leapsoverthe
hurdleswithbothlegstogetherandwiththekneesbroughtuptothechestinordertoclearthehurdle.Asstrengthincreases,theheightandthenumberofhurdlescan
beincreased.Adjusthurdleheightandthedistancebetweenthehurdlesforindividualjumpers.Beginnerswilllikelyhavedifficultywithintermediatehurdles.
SplitSquat
Thisisasquatjumpinwhichthelegsarealternated.Disregardarmactionbecausethisisnotatriplejumpaction.Bringfrontkneeupclosetoabouta90degree
angle,withaslightbendinthebackleg.Thenalternatelegs.
DoubleLegJump
Driveoffbothlegswiththeuseofthekneesandankles.Assoonasthejumperisofftheground,theleftkneeisdrivenupashighaspossible,beyondparallel.Land
onbothfeet.Settledownanddriverightbackupthistime,liftingtherightkneeashighaspossible.Keepthefootunderthekneewhileusingarmsvigorously.
HoppingDrill
Stayonthesameleg,withasinglearmaction(unlessdoublearmactionisnormallyused).Asthejumperliftsoffthejumpingleg,heorshebringsthethightoparallel
and,asthatlegreturnstotheground,theoppositekneecomesfromthebehind(split)positionandforwardasitwouldinthestepphase.
Thefollowingthreedrillsarethecoreofthetriplejumptrainingprogram.Thesedrillshelpthejumpertolearntoperformeachphaseofthetriplejumpcorrectly.At
thesametime,thedrillsgivethejumperthethrillofcompeting.Thedrillsemphasizeeachphaseandthemovementfromonephasetothenext.
Page167
BenchDrill#1
Thebenchesare12inches(about30.5cm)widesothatgoodfootplacementcanbetaught.Theyare18inches(about46cm)high.Thejumper"bouncesup"onto
thebenchandthendrivesoff.Thesequenceofthisdrillishopstephopstephopjump(figure11.3).Alternatethestartinglegsothatbothlegsaredeveloped
equally.
Figure11.3
Benchdrill#1.
BenchDrill#2
Theseconddrilldevelopsthestepphaseandencouragesa"bounce"action.Thisdrillhasthejumpersteppingoverthebencheswithanotheralternatestepbetween
thebenches.(Seefigure11.4.)Thestepbetweenbenchesisareal"jumpstep."Thelegscanbereversedinthisdrill,too.
Figure11.4
Benchdrill#2.
Page168
BenchDrill#3
Thethirddrillisapopupdrill(figure11.5).Theathleterunstoandthenjumpsoffofthebenchintothepit.Itrequiresonlyashortrunandthereforedoesnotfatigue
thejumper.Infact,afivestepapproachcanbeusedforallthedrills.
Eachofthedrillsendswiththejumpphaseintothelandingpit.Theheelsleadthejumperintothepit.
Figure11.5
Benchdrill#3.
WeightTraining
Weighttrainingisamajorportionofthetriplejumper'strainingroutine.Properliftingtechniquesshouldbefollowed.Theathleteshouldbeginwithaverylightweight
andincreasetheweightgradually.Weightsshouldbeliftedregularlyatleastthreetimesaweek.Astrainingprogresses,workoutsshouldbemoreintense.Athletes
shouldbetiredafterweighttraining,buttheyshouldnotbetotallyexhausted.Iftheweightworkoutistoodifficult,theathlete'sjumpingworkoutswillbeadversely
affected.
Table11.1isaweightroutinerecommendedfortriplejumpers.Thefollowingguidelinesshouldbefollowedintheweightliftingprogramforjumpers:
Lifteveryotherday.
Alternatelyworktheupperbodyandlowerbodyduringworkouts.
Wearaweightbeltforheavylifting.
Liftinagroup.Athletesmusthelpeachother.Besidesbeingsafer,thisaddsincentiveto"liftmorewithlesseffort."
Donotincreasethepoundagetooquickly.
Periodicallyscheduleatestingsessioninwhichmaximumliftsareusedtotestincreasesinstrength.
Itisbesttousefreeweightsintrainingbecausebalanceislearnedandstressisputontheathletethroughagreaterrangeofmotion.Weightmachinesare
recommendedforyoungerathletesorlargegroupssincepoundagescanbeeasilychanged.
Jumpersmuststretchandloosenupbeforetheweightworkout.
Page169
TABLE11.1WEIGHTTRAININGWORKOUTSFORJUMPERS
Exercise
SetsReps
Kneeextensions
310
Legcurls
310
Inclinesitups
315
Legpresses
410,7,4,2
Toeraises
320[usingatwoinchbyfourinch(about5cmby
10cm)boardunderthetoes]
Halfsquats
38(useonehalfofbodyweight)
Splitsquats
210(useonefourthofbodyweight)
Kneeraises
315
Stepups
310(withheavyweight)
Halfsquatsandsplitsquatsarecoordinatedintwoweekperiods.SquatsaredoneMWF,andsplitsquats
aredoneWMF.
DevelopingaTrainingProgram
Asinallothertrackandfieldevents,thetypeofexercises,thenumberofreps,andthelevelofintensitydiffersduringeachpartoftheseason.Thekeyistodevelopa
programthatallowsathletestopeakduringtopcompetitions.Table11.2presentsasampletrainingprogramfortriplejumpers.Theearlyseasonworkoutsemphasize
volumerunningandphysicalconditioning,whiletheinseasonworkoutspreparethebodyforkeycompetitions.
TABLE11.2SAMPLEWORKOUTSFORTRIPLEJUMPERS
EarlySeason(Fall)
Intheearlyseason,utilizelotsofvolumerunning,suchas8300meters,10200
meters,or6400meters.Usealonggrassrunof5milesatleastonceperweek.Doan
abundanceofhillrunningandstretching.Thejumpermustbeingoodphysicalcondition
beforethebeginningoftheregulartrainingprogram.Thetriplejumpisaveryphysically
demandingevent.
Monday
Grassrun(35miles)
100200300400200100/jogsame
Weights
Tuesday
10200m,with200interval
Runstadiumstepswithweightjacket
Doeasytakeoffdrills(justtogetthearmtechnique)
(continued)
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(continued)
EarlySeason(Fall)
Wednesday
8300m,with300interval
675measy
Weights
Thursday
Grassrun
Runstadiumsteps
Takeoffdrill
Friday
Grassrun
Weights
InSeason
Hereistheworkoutschedulefortheremainderoftheyear.Thisroutinecanbevaried
accordingtofaultsorweaknessesfoundinthejumper'stechnique.Skiponeweight
trainingsessionbeforeabigmeet,suchastheconferenceorstatemeet.Thesameistrue
forbenchworkouts.
Monday
Bounding:325100mofhopping.Usetheregularhoppinglegtwiceandtheotherleg
once.Ifanathleteishavingtroublemakingthetransitionfromonephasetotheother,he
orsheshoulduse350mofRRLLRR,asthisincorporatestheboundingandadds
practiceofchangingfromthehoptothestep.Also,thisdrillhelpstoimprovethe
capabilitiesofeachleg.
Running:2300mforendurance675mforspeed.
Weightlifting
Tuesday
Thisisa''drill"day:
Benchworkdo6gooddrillsofeachofthe3exercises.
Run103lowhurdlessetathighhurdlespacing(10yardsbetween).Thisisforrhythm
andevennessofstepsontherunway.Italsoteachesaggressiveness.
Run6100morworkontheactualapproach.Runstadiumsteps.Ourathletesusea
weightjacketandrunstadiumsteps5times.Ifstepsarenotavailable,useahill.Thisisa
gooddaytopracticetheactualtriplejumptakeoff.Thisisdoneatareducedspeed,but
correcttechniquesarestressedespeciallythecorrectarmaction.
Wednesday
UsethesamebasicworkoutasMonday,butuserunningof525m,535m,and550
m.
Thursday
ThesameworkoutasonTuesday.
Friday
SameasMonday,exceptmuchmorerelaxedandeasy.
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Competition
Theseasonitselfisjustameansoftestingtheprogressofthejumper.Ifthejumperalsolongjumps,itisprobablybesttotakeonlythreelongjumpsandthreetriple
jumpsifbothareonthesameday.Ifoneachievesabigpersonalbest,itisusuallybettertoskipthenextjumptocollectoneself.Also,trainasregularlyaspossible,
easingupintrainingonlyinthetwotofourpracticesessionsprecedingthepeakeventoftheyear.Finally,rememberthatyourjumpers'aimistodotheirbest,not
worryabouttheirplaceinthecompetition.
Summary
Withsolidpracticehabits,triplejumpersshouldfeelconfidentintheirability.Letyourathletesknowthattheirgoalistodotheirbestinacertainmeet,notachievea
certaindistance.Remembertoworkonthepartsofthejumpthatgivetheathletethemosttrouble.Repeatingthethingstheathletescandowelldoesn'tgivethemthe
helptheyneed.Practicehardsoyouknowyourjumpersareready.
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12
HighJump
SueHumphrey
DougNordquist
Thehighjumpwasrevolutionizedinthelate1960sbyDickFosburywhenhe"backed"overthebartoanOlympicgoldmedalinMexicoCity.Abitlater,onthe
femaleside,CanadianDebbieBrillwasexperimentingwiththe"Brillbend,"abackoverstylesimilartoFosbury's.Theuniquenessofthesestylesaddstothebeautyof
thehighjumpforthespectators.Speedandpowerarerequiredofthejumperasheightsareovereightfeetforthemenandpushingtowardsevenfeetforthewomen.
TwentyeightyearsafterFosbury'sOlympicgoldmedal,AmericansweretreatedtoanotheroneinAtlantawhenCharlesAustinwonandsetanewOlympicrecordof
7feet,10inches.BulgarianStefkaKostadinovaaddedthegoldmedaltoherworldrecordperformancesasshedominatedthewomen'scompetitionduringthe
1990s.
Asbiomechanicalstudiesprovideongoingstatisticaldatatocoachesandjumpers,athletescontinuetopushthemselvestogreaterheightsthroughbettertrainingboth
onandoffthefield.Theceilingonthiseventiscontinuallybeingraised!
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Technique
Withtheadventofthefoamlandingpit,thehighjumpwaschangedforever.ThesoftandsafelandingsurfaceallowedDickFosburytodevelophisrevolutionary
backlayouttechnique.Sinceitssuccessfuluseinthe1968Olympics,the"Fosburyflop"hasdominatedtheworldhighjumpscene.Thereasonsforthisaremany:it
enablesthejumpertoutilizethespeedthatcanbegeneratedintheapproachrunuptherotationsdevelopedinthetakeoffareusedtotheadvantageofthejumperit
enablesthejumpertoclearthebarinaneasyandefficientmannerandthebasictechniquecanbemasteredwithrelativeeaseforearlysuccess.
Thetechnicalaspectsofthejumpcanbebrokendownintothreebasicphases:
1.Approach
2.Takeoff
3.Barclearance
Approach
Theapproachisprobablythemostneglectedportionofthehighjump,andprobablytheeasiestaspecttoisolateandimprove.Many,manyhighjumpers,fromyoung
toworldclass,havemajorproblemswiththeapproach.Theseathletesspendmoreworkouttimewiththetakeoffphaseandthebarclearancephasebecausethey
believethemtobemostimportant.Thisisaninefficientuseoftimeandeffort.Tounderstandwhy,thinkbackwardfrombarclearance.Barclearanceisaffectedby
theheightofthecenterofmassintheparabolicarc,aswellasbytheresultantrotationsoverthebar.Bothoftheseareinfluencedbythetakeoff,whichistheresultof
thebodypositionattouchdown.Thebodypositionattouchdownisinfluencedbytheapproach.Thisiswhytheapproachissoimportant.Iftheathletecannotarrive
ataconsistenttakeoffpointwithanoptimumamountofspeed,developedthroughaconsistentstepbystepacceleration,theapproachisnotbeingusedeffectively.
Thus,thejumperisnotgoingtoachievethemaximumamountofverticalliftatthetakeoff,ortheproperamountofresultantrotations.
LengthoftheApproach
Theapproachshouldbelongenoughtodevelopanicerhythmandgenerateadequatespeedforthetakeoff.Theapproachlengthisusually8to12runningstrides
(duringthischapterwewillrefertoa10stepapproachasthenorm).ThepathofthecurveshouldbeamodifiedJ,whichallowsthebodytogetintotheproper
position(lean)atthetakeoff(figure12.1).Althougha10stepapproachisprobablytheaverage,theapproachcanbeasshortas7steps,witharunin,oraslongas
12stepsfromastandingstart.Phaseoneoftheapproachstartswiththefirstthreetofourstepsinastraightline,followedbyathreetofoursteptransitiontothelast
foursteps,whichcurvegraduallytowardthenearstandard.Thetouchdown(sometimescalledtheplant)shouldbeatthenearstandardtoprovideasolid,visible,and
consistentlandmarkfortheplacementofthetouchdownfoot.
Layout
ThelayoutofthepathofthemodifiedJapproachisimportant.Theathleteneedstohavea"straightahead"marktofocusonduringtheinitialportionoftherunup.
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Figure12.1
Tenstepapproachpath.
Aninitialmarkcanbeestablishedbyhavingtheathletemeasureoutfromthenearstandard,andparalleltothebar,15ofhisorherownfeet,inaheeltotoemanner
(figure12.2onpage176).Themarkerthatisthenplacedwillbe1016feet(about34.9m)fromthenearstandard,onanimaginarycontinuationofthelineofthe
bar.Thisdistancewillvaryfromathletetoathletethetaller,stronger,fasterathleteswillbeusingawiderradius,andsothestraightaheadmarkwillbefartheraway
fromthenearstandardthanthemarkforashorter,youngerathlete.
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Figure12.2
Checkmarks(startingmarkand"straightahead"mark)areusedtohelp
theathleterunaconsistentapproach.
Theathleteshouldthenwalkout19walkingstridesperpendicular(90degreeangle)totheimaginarylinecontinuingstraightoutfromthebar(figure12.2).This
startingmarkwillbeanywherebetween40and70feet(about12.221.3m)fromthestraightaheadmarker,depending,again,ontheathlete.Thiswillgivetheathlete
anapproximatestartingmarkfora10stepapproach.Standingatthisstartingmarkandfacingthestraightaheadmarker,thejumperwillstartrunningatthestraight
aheadmarkerbypushingoffwithhisorhertakeofffoot.Theathletewillcontinuetorunforthreeorfourstepsatthestraightaheadmarker,thengraduallycurve
towardthenearstandardandpastthebar(figure12.3).Ifthetakeofffoot'stouchdowniswellinsidethestandard,movethestartingpositionbackifthetakeofffoot's
touchdowniswelloutsideofthestandard,movethestartingpointup.This"trialanderror"methodistheonlywaytofinetunetheapproach.Ifnecessary,usecheck
marksintheapproachtohelptheathletetorunaconsistentandpropershapedapproach.Removethemarksassoonaspossiblesothattheathletewillbeableto
focusattentiononotheraspectsoftheapproach.
Onceaconsistentstartingpositionisdeveloped,whichmaytakeseveralworkoutsessions,measurethestartingpointwithatapemeasure.UsethePythagorean
theorem(a2+b2=c2)totriangulatetheapproachviewpoints:onecornerbeingthestandard,thesecondcornerbeingthestraightaheadmark,andthethirdbeingthe
startingpoint.Thiswillallowtheapproachtobethesameateachvenueatwhichtheathletewillcompete.Don'tbeafraidtomakeslightadjustments,uporback,
basedonfacilityconditions,athletefreshness/fatigue,orweatherconditions.Astheseasonprogresses,theapproachlengthwillincreaseastheathlete'sstrengthand
speedincreaseandashisorhercomfortandconfidenceintheapproachgrows.
Consistency
Oneofthemostimportantaspectsoftheapproachisconsistency.Consistencyinrunningmechanics,stridelengthandfrequency,theline(shape)ofthecurve,and
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Figure12.3
Theapproachshouldcontinuepastthestandardstoensurethattheathlete
staysinthecurveandfinishestheaccelerationpattern.
theaccelerationpatternareallnecessaryforaconsistentapproach.Thejumperwantstohavethetouchdownfootinthesameplaceinrelationshiptothenear
standardeverytime.Thisisdevelopedthroughrepetitiverunningoftheapproachwithoutjumping.
Onewaytocheckconsistencyisbytimingtheathlete'sapproach.Startasthefirststepleavesthegroundandstopatthetouchdown.Keepalogofeachjump,with
approachtimesandtheresultandqualityofeacheffort.Thisgivesimmediatefeedbacktothecoachandathletebyallowingcomparisonbetweengoodandbad
jumps.Inameetsituation,thiswillallowthecoachtoidentifyiftheathlete'sapproachspeedistoofastorslowandadvisetheathleteaccordingly.
Goodrunningmechanicsarenecessarytoaconsistentapproach.Theapproachstrideissimilartothatofaquartermiler,relaxedbutpowerful,runningwithanupright
posture.Thesegoodrunningmechanicsmustbedevelopedawayfromthehighjumpapronthroughtheuseofintervaltrainingonthetrackandmustbeconstantly
reinforcedindrillsaswellasonthehighjumpapron.
BeginningApproach
Fortheapproachtobeconsistent,steponeneedstobeconsistent.Ifthefirststepisonlytwoinchesoff,bythetenthstepthatcouldbemagnifiedtooverafootanda
halfineitherdirection!Manyapproachproblemscanberectifiedwithaconsistentfirststep.Whethertheathletestartsfromastandingpositionorismovingintothe
startingmark,steponeneedstobeasolid,deliberate,upright,andpowerfulrunningstride.Thiswillsetupadynamicpatternofstretchreflexesinthemuscles,which
allowsformorepowerfulcontractions,thusastrongertakeoff.Consistencyisdevelopedbyeliminatingvariables.
Stepstwo,three,andfourareinastraightlinetowardthemarker.Thearmandkneeactionsareexaggerated.Theathleteisrunninginanuprightmanner.The
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eyesarefocusedonthestraightaheadmarker.Theaccelerationrhythmisstartedhere.Besureeachofthesestepsisslightlyfasterthanthepreviousone.
Acommonproblemwithjumpersisthattheywilleithercutinorswingtheapproachpathoutwideinsteadofrunningstraightatthestraightaheadmarker.Thiscanbe
seenbythecoachfromdirectlybehindtheathlete(figure12.4).Bothchangesinthelineoftheapproachadverselyaffecttheradiusofthecurve.Youcanrectifythis
problembyreinforcingthattheeyesaretofocusonthestraightaheadmarker.
Figure12.4
Approachpath:(a)Cuttingofthecurve.(b)Swingingtoowide.
Transition
Anotherkeyaspectoftheapproachiscalledthetransition.Transitionwilloccurinthreestepswhenthejumpermovesfromthestraightlinesegmentoftheapproach
tothecurvedsegmentoftheapproach.Thistransitionhappensoverstepsfour,five,andsix(inthe10stepapproach).Thereshouldbenovisualpointwherethe
jumperstartsthecurve.Onstepfourtheathleteshouldgraduallyshifthisorhereyefocustowardthenearstandard.Thiswillstartthedisplacementofthecenterof
massslightlyintothecenterofthedevelopingcurve.Stepfive,beingtheoutsidefoot,shouldcrossoverthecenterlinejustslightly.Theeyefocusshouldnowbeonthe
nearstandard.Stepsixshouldcontinuearoundthecurvewithanevenmorepronouncedlean.Theeyefocuswillthenmovetothefarstandard.Theleanbecomes
morevisibleasthecenterofmassisdisplacedfurtherinsidethecurvinglineofthefeetuntilthepointoftakeoff.Remember,thisleancomesfromtheankleandnotthe
waist.Theathleteshouldmaintainanerectrunningposture.
Moreimportantthanthefootonwhichthecurveisinitiatedisthatitbeasmooth
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transition.Acommonmistakehereistomakestepfivea"cut"towardthebar(likeapostpatterninfootball).Thismustbeavoidedbecauseitwilltakeawaythelean
atthetakeoff(theimportanceofthiswillbediscussedinthetakeoffsection),sincethejumperwillberunningstraightatthebarwithoutacurvetothetouchdown.This
problemiseasilyviewedfrombehindtheathleteintheapproachorwhenstandingatthestraightaheadmarkerlookingtowardthestartingmarker.Teachingthe
athletetocrossoverwithstepfivewillkeephimorherfromsteppingoutofthecurvewiththeoutsidefoot(stepfiveona10stepapproach),andsokeephimorher
frommakinga"cut"tothebar.
Curve
Thelastfourstepsintheapproachareonacurve.Thisisoneofthehardestaspectsoftheapproachtoexecute.Aproperlyruncurveenablesseveralthings.
Primarily,thecurvedapproachiswhatgeneratestherotationsthroughthejumper'sbody,allowingtheproperbarclearance.Second,itallowsthejumpertojump
vertically(straightup)andstilllandsafelyinthepit.Third,itwillincreasetheforcethattheathleteappliesontheground.Finally,thecurvehelpstheathletetolower
thebody'scenterofmasspriortothejump.Besurethattheathleteisleaningintothecenterofthecurvefromtheanklesandnotthehip.
Eyesarefocusedonthejunctionbetweenthebarandthefarstandard.Donotallowthejumpertofocusonthemiddleofthebarbecauseitwilltakehimorheroutof
thecurve.Also,donotallowthejumpertolookdownatthetakeoffpoint,sincethatwillcausehimorhertoleanforward.
Astheathleteisrunningtheapproach,havehimorherrunthecurvepastbothofthestandardsandnotintothepit.Thiswillkeeptheathleteinthecurvethroughthe
touchdown,reinforcingtheproperbodyleanattouchdown.Itwillalsobuildthehabitofnotgoingunderthebar,whichmaysaveajumpinameet.Agooddrillfor
stayinginthecurveistorunincircles(1215feetinradius)whilefocusingonrunningmechanicsandposture.Dothisaspartofthewarmupprocess.Startslowly,
andgraduallyincreasetherunningspeedaslongasthemechanicsdon'tchange.
PracticingtheApproach
Aftertheapproachhasbecomecomfortable,starttoincreasetheapproachspeed.Theapproachshouldstartdeliberately,andthenthespeedshouldgradually
increaseallthewaytothetakeoff.Thisgradualaccelerationisimportant,sincetheabilityoftheathletetoconvertthehorizontalvelocity(speed)toverticalvelocity
(lift)isthesinglebiggestadvantageoftheflopstyleofhighjumping.Theapproachspeedneedstobeatitspeakatthetakeoff,sodecelerationduringthelastfew
stepsisdetrimentaltothejump.Becarefulnottoallowtheathletetoshortenthestrideswhilepickingupthetempooftheapproachrun.Listentotherhythmofthe
feetduringtheapproacheachstepshouldbeslightlyfasterthantheprevioussteps,whilekeepingthestridelengththesame.Theaccelerationcanbecomparedtoa
ballrollingdownaramp,graduallyincreasingitsspeedoverthelengthoftheramp.
Theapproachneedstoberunoverandoveragain.Thereisnootherwaytodevelopaconsistentapproach.Starttrainingtheapproachwithoutjumpingintheearly
seasonandcontinuethroughtotheweekofthe"bigmeet."Thetimeconstraintsforthetrainingofschoolagedjumpersdoesnotchangethefactsrepetitionhereis
theonlyway!Patiencewillpayofflaterintheseason.Thegood
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jumpershaveconsistent,graduallyacceleratingapproachesthatweredevelopedthroughagreatdealofapproachworkrepetition.Practicingtheapproachwithout
jumpingwillhelpyourjumperstodeveloptheconsistencyneededtojumphigh.
Remembertoworktheaccelerationlistentotherhythmofthefeet.Iftheathleteisslowingdownoverthelastthreesteps,havehimorherstarttheapproachmore
slowlytofacilitatethepatternofacceleration.Oncethepatternisset,havetheathletestartalittlefaster,butbesurethattheaccelerationpatternremains.Also,have
theathletetrynottobreaktheplaneofthebarafterthelaststep.Thiswillhelptomaintaintheleanallthewaytothetouchdown.Notdeceleratinguntilthefar
standardispassedwillhelpmaintaintheaccelerationtothetouchdown.Todevelopaconsistentapproach,runtheapproach,runtheapproach,andthenrunitagain!
Iftheathleteishavingahardtimemaintainingtheapproachfundamentalswhenjumping,donotbeafraidtolowerthebarevenaslowasthreeorfourfeet.Thiswill
allowthejumpertofocusontheapproachphaseandnottheheightofthebar.
TheLastFewSteps
Aswediscussedearlier,therhythmoverthelastthreestepsmusthappenfast!Butitmustalsoputtheathleteinthepropertakeoffposition.Stepeightshouldbea
normalrunningstride.Astheathletemovestostepnine,thepenultimatestep,heorshepreparesforthetouchdown.Atstepnine,thejumpfootisalreadymoving
forwardinasweepingmotiontothetouchdownpoint.
Therhythmisquiteimportant.Therhythmofstepseight,nine,andtenshouldhavethesamerhythmasinspeakingthewords"day,today,"ortherhythmofaskipping
motion(LLRRLLRetc.).Thisrhythmisimplementedasyourunthroughstepninetoquickenstepten.
Nowremember,theimportantthingistostartslow.Startbyjoggingthroughtherhythmofthelastthreestepsslowlyinastraightline.Itwillfeelawkwardand
mechanicalatfirst,butwithtimeandpracticeitwillbecomemorenatural.(Iusedtopracticethelastthreestepswalkingbetweenclassesinhighschoolitlooked
weird,butitworked).Onceyoufeelcomfortablewiththelastthreesteps,speedupthejog.Workforfluidityinmovementwhileexaggeratingeachmovement.When
thisisconsistent,movethetempouptoaslowruninastraightline.Again,makeitlooksmooth,withexaggeratedmovementswhilemaintainingtherhythm.Now,run
thedrillinacurve.Rememberthatthelaststepisfast.Thetouchdownfootshould"sweep"quicklyintoposition,notcyclenearthebuttocks.Asyouprogresswith
thisdrill,trytojumpstraightupandlandinthesameplacefromwhichyoutookoff.
Nowit'stimetoaddthelastaspectofthejumptothedrillloweringthecenterofmass.Inordertojumpup,theathletemustlowerthecenterofmasspriorto
leavingtheground.Thismusthappengraduallyinthehighjump.Theloweringofthecenterofmassisfromthehipsandnottheshoulders.Itwillbeagraduallowering
overthelastfourtofivestepsandnotanimmediatedroponstepten.Thisloweringisonlyaboutaninchtotaloverthelastfoursteps.Iftheathlete'slegfeelsasifitis
goingtobuckle,thelaststepistooshortortheathletehasloweredtoomuch.Onthelaststep,themoreobtuse,orstraighter,theangleoftheknee,thestrongerthe
legwillbe.Workonplacingthefootsoftlywithasweepingmotionofthisfast,soft,laststep.Thenormalprogressionfordevelopingthis
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aspectofthejumpisanywherefromtwotothreemonthstomaybeayear.
Now,whenthefirstjumpsaretaken,don'tchangeanything!Keepthebarlowandconcentrateonexecutingtherun.Oncetheapproachissolid,then,andonly
then,movethebarup.Eachjumpsessionshouldstartwithseveralapproachestopatterntherhythmandacceleration.Thisisaneverendingprocessofdeveloping
andrefining.Bepatientanddon'tshortchangethisaspectofthetotalhighjump.Thisiswheretheaverageathletehasanadvantageoverthosejumpersthathavegreat
''hops"butnothingelse.Andifthatathletehasagreathoplookout!
Takeoff
Inthelastsectionontheapproachphase,wementionedtheimportanceofaconsistentproperfootplacementatthetouchdowninpreparationforthetakeoff.
Remember,oncethejumperhaslefttheground,themaximumheightofthecenterofmasshasbeendetermined.Thatiswhytheisolationofthetouchdownpositionis
quiteimportant.
FootPlacement
Figure12.5
Thefootshouldbepointinginside
thefarstandardattakeoff.
Footplacementisquiteimportantforthesafetyoftheathlete.Thefootshouldtouchdownaboutthreefeet(about.9m)outsidethenearstandardatananglethat
pointstowardthefarstandard(figure12.5).Thisfootplacementangleisaresultofthedirectionofthelaststep.Thefootshouldneverbepointedoutsidethefar
standard,thisputstoomuchstressontheankleandcancauseseriousankleinjuries.Thisfootplacementpositionalsousesthestandardasasolidvisualreference,
allowingthejumpertoseewherethefootistobeplaced.
Usingthispointforthetakeoffalsohasseveralbenefitsafterthejumperhaslefttheground.Itallowsthejumpertouseallofthepitforsafety.Anditallowstheathlete
topassoverthebarinthemiddle,thelowestpointaswellasthemostforgivingifhit.
BodyLean
Fortheathletetojumpofftheground,forceneedstobeappliedtotheground.Thegreatertheforce,thehigherthejump.Thetakeoffphaseofthehighjumpallows
thejumpertotransferthespeed(horizontalvelocity)generatedintheapproachtolift(verticalvelocity).Ifthejumperisintheproperbodypositionattouchdown,he
orshewillbeabletoefficientlytransferthishorizontalvelocitytoverticalvelocity.Thisspeedconversioniswheretheflopstyleofhighjumphastheadvantageover
theotherstyles.Basically,thefasteraflophighjumpercanrunandtransferthatspeed,thehigherheorshewilljump.Thisreinforcestheimportanceofaccelerationin
theapproach,referredtointheprevioussection:thefasterthespeedatwhichtheathletecompletestheaccelerationoftheapproach,thehigherheorshewilljump.
Howdoesahighjumpermanagetojumpupwhileacceleratingtothetouchdownforthetakeoff?Well,thismaysounddifficult,butitcanbedone.Rememberthat
oneofthebigadvantagesoftheflopstyleofjumpingistheconversionoftheapproachspeedtolift.Agood"flopper"willconverthisorher
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horizontalvelocity(approachspeed)toverticalvelocity(lift)throughappliedforcetotheground.Ifwerememberourbasics,thegreatertheverticalvelocity,the
higherthecenterofmasswilltravel,thusthehigherthejump.Howdoesthejumperchangeorconvertthehorizontalvelocitytoverticalvelocity?Bodylean!
Thereareactuallytwoangularcomponentstotheproper"lean"attouchdown:backwardleanandinwardlean(figure12.6).Leancreatesthethreerotationalforcesat
thetakeoff,whichmovethebodyarounditscenterofmassoncethejumperhaslefttheground.Thefirstrotationisaresultofthebackwardlean(asinthelongjump),
andthesecondrotationisaresultoftheinwardlean(intothecenterofthecurveandawayfromthebar).Withjustaboutalljumpers,thebackwardleancomponent
happensnaturally.Thiscreatesaforwardsomersaultingrotation.Thisistherotationthatthelongjumpersfightwiththehitchkicktopreventthemfromlandingon
theirface.ThisisusefulaswellasdesirableintheFosburyflop.Thesecondcomponentofthelean,theinwardlean,istheresultofrunningthepropercurve.This
componentismuchmoredifficultandoften
Figure12.6
(a)Backwardlean,whichcreatesaforwardsomersaultingrotation.(b)Inwardlean,which
resultsinalateralsomersaultingrotation.
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Figure12.7
Therotationscreatedattakeoff(includingforwardandlateralsomersaulting)dictatethebody's
movementoverthebar,ortheresultantrotation.
lackinginsomejumpers.Itcreatesalateralsomersaultingrotation,likeacartwheel.Thisinwardleanallowstheathletetojumpstraightupandnotintothebar,as
wellasbringsabouttheforcesthatallowthebodytorotateoverthebar.Thethirdrotationisthetransverserotation,whichisliketheballerina'spirouette.Thisis
howthejumperisabletogethisorherbacktothebar.Thisrotationisaresultoftheknee'sblockingaction.Whenthesethreerotationsforwardsomersaulting,
lateralsomersaulting,andtransversearecombined,theresultiswhatweseehappeningtothejumperoverthebar,calledtheresultantrotation(figure12.7).
Furtherdiscussionoftherotationwillhavetowaituntildiscussionofthebarclearancephase.
Inordertojumpvertically,thecenterofmassneedstobedirectlyoverthetouchdownfootatthepointoftakeoff.So,atthestartofthetakeoffphase,thecenterof
massshouldbebehindandinsidetheapproachcircle.Thisallowsthecenterofmasstocontinuetotraveldirectlyoverthefoottothepointoftakeoff,allowingthe
jumpertojumpvertically.Thisissometimescalledthe"hinge"moment.Withoutthelean,thecenterofmasswouldpassbytheverticaltakeoffposition(thecenterof
massoverthetakeofffoot),causingthejumpertojumpintothebar.Theleaningpositionattakeoffcreatesaneccentricthrust,whichcandevelopsomerotational
forces,butatthecostofverticalvelocity.Jumpingstraightupatthetakeoffisimportantinthehighjump.Ifaphotographistakenjustbeforethemomentthefoot
leavestheground,thejumpershouldbecompletelyvertical.
Ifthecurveintheapproachisexecutedcorrectly,theathletedoesnotneedtothinkaboutjumpingintothelandingpit.Thejumper'scenterofmasswillcontinueona
straightlinepath,tangentialtothecurve,intothelandingpitjustaswhenayoyoswungaboveyourheadandletgotravelsinalinetangenttothecurvedpathaway
fromthecenterofthearc.Thejumperthatstaysinthecurveand"hitsthevertical"attakeoffwillgetthemaximumheightoverthebar,andstilllandsafelyinthepit.
Mostyoungjumpersdonotexecutethisphasecorrectlyandjumpintothebar,thinkingthat'snecessarytomakeittothelandingpit.Ajumper
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cangetawaywiththisonlyaslongasthebarheightisbelowhisorherstandingheight.So,itisimportanttoteachthecorrectleanfromthebeginning,toquellthis
habitearlyinthejumper'sdevelopment.
BlockingAction
Theuseofthearmsandfreelegareanotherimportantaspectofthetakeoffphaseofthehighjump.Thesethreelimbscombineforwhatiscalled"blocking,"a
stoppingofoneormorebodypartstoaccelerateanother.Themoreefficientandaggressivetheblock,themoreforceisappliedandthehigherthejump.Firstlet's
addressthefree,or"drive,"leg.Thefreelegshouldmovethroughasfastandashighaspossiblethetoeshouldnotdragontheground.Thethighshouldbeatleast
paralleltotheground,ifnothigher.Thethighshouldalsofinishparalleltothebar.Thekneeshouldnotbedrivenacrossthebodytorotatethebacktothebar
(transverserotation)although,ifthecurveisrunproperly,thismayseemtobehappening.Remember,ifthejumperisrunningthecurvetothetouchdownproperly,
thefreelegwillhavetostartbehindandinsidethetouchdownfootandmoveinacircularpatharoundthetouchdownleg.Thiswillcreateenoughtransverserotation
togetthebacktothebar.Ifthelastportionofthecurveisflat,orstraight,thejumperwillthenneedtomanufacturethistransverserotationbydrivingthekneeacross
thebody.Thisactionwilldisrupttheverticallineofforcesinthebody,movingthearmintothebarandkneeawayfromthebarandcausingabreakatthe
hipandlossofpreciousheightoverthebar.
Thearms,too,arepartoftheblockingaction.Actuallytwotypesofarmblockingactionscanbeused,singlearmordoublearmblocks.Thereareadvantagesand
disadvantagestoeach.Bothwillbediscussed.
Inthedoublearmblock,atthetouchdownbotharmsareasfarbackaspossibleandmovethroughtogetherandstopabruptly,withtheforearmatshoulderleveland
thehandshigh.Gettingthearmsbackwithaminimumamountofeffortanddisruptiontotherunupisimportant.Therearetwoeffectivemethodsofachievingthis.
Theleastdisruptivewayofgettingbotharmsbackistokeeptheinsidearm(theleftarmfortheleftfootedjumper)movingnormallythroughouttheapproachandhold
theoutsidearm(therightarmfortheleftfootedjumper)backonthepenultimatestep.Thisactionshouldbewalkedthroughslowlymanytimestopatternthecorrect
movements.Theadvantageofthismethodisthatthereisaminimalamountofdisruptiontoapproachrunningmechanics,sothatitiseasiertomaintaintheacceleration
patternallthewaythroughthetakeoff.Thedisadvantageisthatitisnotaspowerfulasthe"swim."
The"swim"methodofgettingbotharmsbackforthedoublearmblockingmotionistohavethearmstogetherinfrontofthebodyonthepenultimatestep,thenpulling
thembothbacktogetherinpreparationfortakeoffitlookslikethebreaststroke.Thismethodhastheadvantageofbeingmoredynamicandresultsinamorepowerful
blockingmotion.Thedisadvantageisthatitisagreaterdisruptionofapproachrunningmechanicssotheathleteismoreapttoslowtothetakeoff.
Thesinglearmblockisalsousedbymanysuccessfuljumpers.Thearmsdonotstopmovingthroughouttheapproach.Onthepenultimatestep,theinsidearmis
forward,andstaysforwardandreacheshighastheoutsidearmcontinuesforwardthroughthetakeoff.Theadvantageofthismethodisthatthereisnochangeinthe
approachrunningmechanicssoitiseasiertomaintaintheapproachaccelerationthroughthetakeoff.Italsoallowsthecenterofmasstobe
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higheratthepointoftakeoff.Butthedisadvantageisthattheinsidearmisusuallyreachedouttowardthebar,causingtheathletetomisstheverticaltakeoffposition
andtojumpintothebar.Thisisabigproblemfortheyoungjumperasthebargoeshigher.
Thelastthingtodiscussonthesubjectofarmblockingistheshoulderangletothebarduringthetakeoff.Theshouldersshouldbeatleastperpendicular(ataright
angle)tothebarbutbetterturnedslightlyaway,showingthebacktothebarslightly.Thiswillhelpthejumperattainverticalpositionatthetakeoff.Italsoaidsinthe
rotationoverthebar.Thischangeintheshoulderangleshouldbedoneatthetouchdownandnotbefore.
BarClearance
Aswehavediscussed,oncethejumperleavestheground,theflightpathofthecenterofmasshasalreadybeendetermined.Thebodywillrotatearoundthecenterof
massinitspredeterminedparabolicpath.Theathletecanonlyspeeduporslowdowntheserotationsbymovinghisorherlimbs.Again,thisiswhymostattentionto
techniquemustbeontheaspectsprecedingtakeoff.Theconservationofmomentumwillallowthejumpertospeeduptherotationbyshorteningtheleversthatis,by
movingthearmsandlegsclosertothecenterofmass.Conversely,therotationscanbesloweddownbylengtheningtheleversthatis,bymovingthearmsandlegs
awayfromthecenterofmass.
HeadandShoulders
Asthebody(centerofmass)rises,therotationscreatedattakeoffwilldictatethebody'smovementaroundthebar.Asthejumperleavestheground,thetakeofflegis
keptlow,andtheblockingkneestaysup.Theheadisbalancedontheshoulders,notatalltiltedintothebar.Iftheheadislookingatthebar,theshoulderandhipon
thatsidewilldrop.
Theheadandbackshouldpassthebarfirst,withthebackflattothebarandtheshouldersapproachingparalleltothebar.Again,theheadshouldbebalancedonthe
shoulders,lookingup.
Hips
Figure12.8
Rotationoverthebar.
Assoonastheshoulderspassthebar,theyshouldbelowered(somesay"headback"),causingthehipsandbuttockstoriseastheyapproachthebar.Thisisthe
"arch"overthebar.Thisiswheretherotationneedstobethefastest,sothefeetshouldbeasclosetothebuttocksaspossibleandthearmsattheathlete'sside.This
combinationoftheshortlever,tightbodyposition(arch)andtherotationgeneratedthroughthetakeoffphasewillallowthejumper'shipstorisesufficientlytoclear
thebar(figure12.8).
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Onemisconceptionisthatifthejumperhitsthebarwiththebuttocksatthe"unarch"phaseordragsthebaroffwiththecalves,heorsheneedsto"holdthearch
longer"or"kickthefeetharder."Thisiscommonlybadadvice,sincebothproblemsareusuallycausedbyalackofrotationatthepointoftakeoff.Tellingajumperto
holdthearchlongerisalmostliketellinghimorhertohangintheairlongeritcan'tbedone,becauseoftheforcesactinguponthebody.Iftheathletehastheproper
rotation,thehipswillcontinuetoriseastheathleteclearsthebar.Butalackofrotationwillcausethejumpertoappeartobe"shot''inmidairanddrop"dead"onthe
bar.
LegsandFeet
Asthehipsclearthebar,thehamstringsneedtoberaised.Thisisdonebyloweringthehips.Theathleteshouldbringthechintothechest,loweringthehipsandso
raisingthehamstrings.Thiswillsimultaneouslyraisetheknees,puttingthemintheproperpositiontoclearthefeet.Withthekneesup,straighteningthelegswillclear
thefeet.Astheathletecontinuestodescendtowardthepit,therotationneedstobeslowedsotheathletewillkeepthelegsstraightandextendthearmsoutaway
fromthebody.Thejumpershouldlandinthepitontheupperback,nottheneck,toensureasafelanding.
Training
Thehighjumpisanexplosive,powerfuleventthatcallsforprimarilyanaerobictraining.Eventhoughabroadconditioningbaseisneeded,theeventisbasedupon
speed,power,andaquickconversionfromhorizontalspeedtoverticallift.
WarmUp
Traditionalwarmupsbeginwithawalk/jograngingfrom400meterstoamile,followedbyavarietyofstretchesandfourtosix100meteraccelerations.
Moreactivewarmupsarebecomingcommontoday.Thewarmupbeginswithajogof400to800meters,followedbybothstaticanddynamicflexibilitywork.
Nextaresprintdrillsconsistingof34setsover30to50metersofhighknees,skips,buttkicks,carioca,andbackwardruns.
Dynamicflexibilityworkoftotalbodycircles,scissors,legswings,sidebends,hurdleseatexchanges,lunges,andinvertedbicyclesisrepeatedfortwotothreesetsof
10reps.Hurdlemobilitydrillsshouldbeaddedintwotothreetimesaweek.Thenumberofhurdlesusedandtheheightofthebarriersdependonthetrainingageof
thejumper.
CircuitTraining
Generalstrengthexercisestoworktheentirebodyshouldbedoneatleasttwiceaweek.Thesecircuitswouldincludepushups,situps,squatjumps,lunges,back
extensions,toetouches,andothersimilarexercises.Themaingoalofthesedrillsistodevelopandstrengthenthebody/pillar,whichwillprovideagoodfoundationfor
continuedtrainingandaninjuryfreecondition.
Multiplethrowingdrillswithamedicineballand/orshotputshouldalsobedonetwiceaweek.Again,theweightoftheimplementdependsonthetrainingageofthe
athlete.Coachescancreateavarietyofexercisesthattheathletecando
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byhimselforherselforwithapartner.Again,thegoalistodevelopthetotalbodyandprovideagoodbasefortraining.Propertechniqueinthesedrillsisvitalfor
maximumexercisebenefitandtopreventinjuries.
Multiplejumpingcircuits,primarilyusingbodyweight,arealsodonetwiceaweek.Exercisesincludehops,standinglongjumps,standingtriplejumps,rocketjumps,
lungejumps,tuckjumps,buttkicks,bounding,anddepthjumps.Someofthesecanbedoneoverhurdlestoaddvarietyanddifferenttrainingeffects.
Generalstrengthconditioning,multiplethrows,andmultiplejumpsaredonetwiceaweek,butnotallonthesameday.Twooftheseriescanbescheduledonthe
sameday,ifneeded.Thenumberofrepetitionswilldependonthetrainingageoftheathleteandthetimeofseason.Forexample,anexperiencedathletemightdo
threesetsof12repetitionsinpreseason,twosetsof15repetitionsinearlyseason,andonesetof8to10repetitionsinthecompetitiveseason.Anoviceshouldcut
thesenumbersatleastinhalf.Itisveryimportantthatcoachesmonitorathletesandtheirrecoveryfromworkouttoworkout.Adjustthenumberofrepetitions
accordingly.Itisbettertodolessworkvolumethantoomuch!
WeightTraining
Liftingphasesaredividedthesamewaytrainingseasonsare.Acoach/athletemustalsoplanoutthejumper'sseasonalgoalsandprioritytimesforstrengthtraining.
Workoutsshouldincludetotalbodydevelopmentthroughoutallphases.
ConditioningPhase(Preseason)
Thefirstphase,whentheathleteisreturningtotraining,shouldfocusonagoodoverallconditioningbase.Inayearroundprogram,thisphaselastsfromsixtoeight
weeks,withprogressiveloadingoccurring.Highschoolathletesshoulduseafourtofiveweekconditioningphase.Atfirst,circuitscanbeusedtodevelopoverall
fitness,andthenaspecificnumberofsetsandrepetitionscanbeestablished.Thevolumeatthistimeis5065%ofthejumper'stestedmaximum.
MaximumStrengthPhase(EarlySeason)
Liftingformaximumstrengthbecomesafocusduringthepreseasonandearlyseason.Theworkoutprogramshouldincludethreetofivesetsof10to15repetitionsat
5085%ofthelifter'smaximum,threetimesaweek.Thisphaselastssixtoeightweeksfortheyearroundathleteandfourtofiveweeksforthehighschoolathlete.
PowerPhase(CompetitiveSeason)
Whenthejumpertransfersfrommaximumstrengthtopowerduringthecompetitivetrainingphase,theworkoutchangestothreetofivesetsoffivetoeightrepetitions
at6590%ofthelifter'smaximum,twotothreedaysaweek.Thisphaselastsfourtosixweeksfortheyearroundathleteandthreetofourweeksforthehighschool
athlete.
PeakingPhase(LateSeason)
Lateseasonliftinginvolvesapowerphasetostaysharpandexplosive.Theprogramconsistsofonetothreesetsofonetofourrepetitionsat75100%ofthelifter's
maximum,onceortwiceaweek.Typically,thisphaselaststwotothreeweeksforayearroundathleteandtwoweeksforthehighschoolathlete.
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CommonlyUsedLifts
Theseliftswillbeusedthroughoutallofthetrainingphases.Itisnottheexercisebutthenumberofrepetitionsandweightloadthatdeterminethetypeoftrainingper
phase.Notallexercisesaredoneeachworkout.
snatch
cleans(variousstartingpositions)
squats(variousdegrees)
oneleggedsquats
stepups
lungejumps
hamstringcurls(singleanddoubleleg,standing/seatedposition,ifpossible)
heelraises
shinstretches/strengthening
upperbodylifts(bench,incline,latpulls,rowing,tricepspress)
abdominalwork
lowerbackwork(deadlift,goodmornings,backhyperextensions)
midupperback(bentoverrowing,pullups,chinups,onearmdumbbellrows,reverseflys,latpulldowns)
Agoodindicatorfordevelopingaliftingprogramisbaseduponaoneorfiverepetitionmaximumlift.Sincemanylifters/coachesareworriedaboutmaxingahigh
weightbecauseoftheinjuryrisk,somecoacheshaveusedapercentagebreakdowntoprojectafiverepmax.Afterdecidingwhatgoalweightaliftershouldliftfora
singlemax,thecoachwouldthentake90percentofthatnumbertoprojectafiverepmax.Forexample,ifthesinglerepmaxgoalwouldbe200pounds,afiverep
maxwouldbe180pounds.Ifthegoalsinglerepmaxwouldbe250pounds,take90percentofthe250pounds,whichwouldbe225pounds,forthefiverepmax.
Creatingatrainingprogramisoneofthemostchallengingandexcitingdutiesacoachhas.Sinceeachathleteisdifferentandreactsdifferentlytovarioustrainingstimuli,
itisvitalthatacoachcontinuallymonitorhowanathleteisreactingtoeachtrainingsession.Coachesshouldnotbeafraidtomakechangesintheplan,asneeded.
ThereisnotonespecifictrainingplanthatwillmakeeachjumperanOlympicchampion.Writingeffectivetrainingplansisanongoingprojectforcoachesandavery
importantoneintheoveralldevelopmentofanathlete'ssuccess.
Plyometrics
Jumpersmustdevelopasolidtrainingbasefirstbeforeattemptingtoaddplyometricstotheirplan.Atleasttwotofourweeksofconditioningworkshouldbedoneto
preparetheathleteforthistypeofpowertraining.Plyometricsaredonetocreateandmaintainpowerandexplosiveness,whicharevitaltoanyjumper.
Athletesshouldstartwithshortdrilldistancesof10to30meterswithfourtoeightrepetitions,andthenprogressto40to50meterswiththreetofourrepetitionsof
eachexercise.
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It'sagoodideatostartbackingofftheplyometricsaround14daysbefore"bigmeets"torefreshthelegs.
Samplesoflowintensityplyometricsare:
highskips
bounding
singleleghops
doubleleghops
RRL,LLR,RRL,LLR...
RR,LL,RR,LL...
jumprope
gallops
doublelegjumps
ramps
hills
hoppingandjumpingovercones
stepups
stairrunning
walkinglunges
standinglongjump
standingtriplejump
hurdlejumps
jumpsinplace:
doublelegtuck
singlelegtuck
pike
splitsquat
forward/backward/sidetosideovercones
squatjumps
Thesedrillsbecomehigherintensityifdonequicklyand/oroveralongerdistance.Thedrillsabovecanbeusedforheightand/orfordistance.Coachescancreate
differentpurposesforthesedrillsintheirworkouts.Highjumpersdo"high"jumpplyometricstobeeventspecific.Yet,"long"jumpplyometricsprovideneededpower
andexplosivetraining.Table12.1onpage190isasampleplyometricsworkoutplanforthepreseason,midseason,andlateseason.
TrainingDrills
Thefollowingdrills,whenincorporatedintoyourathletes'completetrainingprogram,aremeanttoimprovetechniqueandcreateaconsistentapproachandexecution.
EventSpecificDrills
curverunsof2040metersinthedirectionoftheapproachcurve
Srunsupanddownafield
Jrunsof4050metersindirectionofapproach
walkingapproaches
scissorsjumpsfromashortapproach
shortapproachesofthreetofivestrideswithsometypeoftakeoff
techniquejumps
fullapproacheswithtakeoff
fulljumps
boxjumpsfromashortapproach
backoversfromthegroundand/orabox
backarchesontheground
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TABLE12.1SAMPLEPLYOMETRICSWORKOUTSFORHIGHJUMP
Theseworkoutsshouldbedonetwiceaweekduringthepreseason,midseason,and
lateseason.
Week
Numberofjumpspersession
Preseason
300*
350
400
250
Midseason
150**
200
250
150
Lateseason
100***
10
150
11
200
12
150
Abouttwoweeksbeforethepeakdate(s)ofmajormeets,starttaperingofftheseexercises.
Powercircuitsshouldalsobecreated.Coachescanputtogetheracombinationofhops,skips,hurdle
hops,boxjumps,lunges,andshortsprintstovarythepowertraining.
SampleCircuit
10hurdlehops
330mofhighskips
330mofbounds
310hopsonrightfootandthenonleftfoot
33lunges
5splitsquatjumps
sprint30m
Jumpsinplaceusingonlybodyweightforresistance
Addinmovementtojumps,boxes,cones,etc.forextraresistance
***
Powermovementsdonequicklyoverashortdistanceorinplace
*
**
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TechniqueDrills
Therearethreeapproachestodoingtechniquedrills:
1."Quality"daysarewhenthebarisfourtosixinches(about10to15cm)belowthejumper'sbestmarkandabout15jumpsaretaken.Enoughrestisallowed
betweeneacheffortsothatqualityiskey.Thecoach/jumpercanvarythebarheightastheworkoutcontinues.
2."Endurance"daysarewhenthebarisstartedeightinches(about20cm)belowthejumper'sbest.Thepurposeofthisworkoutistotake2530jumpsatavariety
ofheights.Thejumpertakesthreeclearancesatthefirstheight,thenmovesthebaruptwoinchesandclearsitthreetimes.Thebarcontinuestoberaiseduntilthe
jumperhastwomisses,andthenitisloweredaninch.
Oncethejumpermissesaheighttwice,thebarislowereduntilthejumpergetsthreeclearancesinarowthenthebargoesbackup.Thebarcontinuestoberaisedor
lowered,withajumperneverhavingthreemissesinarow.
Althoughplentyofrestistaken,thejumpermustbeingoodshapetocontinuegoodtechniquethroughouttheworkout.Ifthejumpergetstechnicallysloppy,thecoach
shouldstoptheworkoutsothatbadhabitsaren'treinforced.
3."PR(personalrecord)jumping"iswhenthebarissetwithintwotothreeinchesofthejumper'sbest.Approximately1214jumpsaretaken,workingongood
techniqueatahighheight.Barclearanceisn'tasimportantaslearningtolookatthebaratagreaterheight,stayingrelaxed,andusingthedistanceinfrontofthebar
effectively.
Ashortstablebox(approximatelyfourinchesor10cmhigh)couldalsobeusedfromashortapproach(45strides).Thisdrillgivesajumperextraheightandallows
greaterheightstobeattempted/clearedinpracticesettings.
WorkoutReminders
Keepinmindsomeofthefollowingideaswhenstructuringapracticesession:
Speedortechniqueactivitiescomebeforestrengthwork.
Powerworkisn'tdonewithintensiveendurance.
Gamesandspeedendurancecanbeusedafterpowertraining.
Throwingeventscomeafterpowertraining.
Leavesometimebetweenpowertrainingandtechniquework.
Alwaysusepropertechnique.
TrainingSeasons
Theentireseasoncanbedividedintooneortwopeaks,dependingonthetrainingageandgoalsoftheathlete.Eachpartofatrainingseasoncanbedividedintothe
generalcategoriesofpreseason,earlyseason,competitiveseason,andapeak.
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Preseason
Foranathletetrainingyearround,trainingduringthefallpreseasonkeysonconditioningand"gettingintoshape."Overall,onewantsmorevolumeandlowerintensity
inthisphase.(Seetable12.2.)Themottoforthisphasemightbe"trainingtotrain."Afivedaytrainingweekcouldbedividedintotwotothreedaysofconditioning
runsoftwotothreemiles,orlongerintervalsof500700metersongrasstwodaysofshorterintervalsof150350meters,preferablyongrass/softsurfacesandtwo
tothreedaysofstrengthtraining.Thisphasewouldlastsixtoeightweeksforayearroundtrainingplan,butonlyfourtofiveweeksforahighschoolathlete.
Highschoolathleteswhohaveashortpreseasonphasebeforemeetsbeginshouldhavesometypeofconditioningphasefortwoweeksbeforepreseasonwork.Ifthe
athletehasbeenactiveinanothersport,heorsheshouldpossiblytakeafewdaysofmentalandphysicalrestbeforebeginningtraining.Anyachesandpainsfromthe
previoussportshouldbeallowedtohealbeforeaddingadditionalstressesfromtraining.
EarlySeason
Astheathleteenterstheearlyseason,twodaysofeventspecificworkshouldbeadded.Weighttrainingisstillkeyedtowardbuildingstrength.Aphilosophyduring
thisphasewouldbeof"trainingtocompete."Theintensityincreaseswhilethevolumeislowered(table12.3).Thisperiodalsowilllastfourtosixweeksforayear
roundprogramandthreetofourweeksforthehighschoolseason.Sincemore
TABLE12.2PRESEASONWORKOUTSFORHIGHJUMP
EarlyPreseasonPhase
Monday
34600monthegrass,weights
Tuesday
6350m
Wednesday
15min.runontheroads,weights
Thursday
10200m
Friday
8105080mhillruns,weights
Afterfourtosixweeksofgeneralconditioning,oneoftheconditioningdayscanbechangedtoinclude
moreeventspecificwork,andplyometricsshouldbeaddedtothestrength/powertraining.
LatePreseasonPhase
Monday
45500m,weights
Tuesday
Plyometrics,eventspecificwork(sprints,approachdrills)
Wednesday
56300400m,weights
Thursday
Plyometrics,812150200m
Friday
8105080mhillruns,weights
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TABLE12.3EARLYSEASONWORKOUTSFORHIGHJUMP
Monday
810200400m,weights
Tuesday
Plyometrics,eventspecificwork(HJdrills)
Wednesday
8125090m(speedwork),weights
Thursday
Plyometrics,eventspecificwork(HJdrills)
Friday
Speedwork,weights
TABLE12.4COMPETITIVESEASONWORKOUTSFORHIGHJUMP
Monday
Speed(3060msprints),plyometrics
Tuesday
Eventdrillsandactualjumping,weights
Wednesday
Conditioning(250300mrepeats)
Thursday
Eventdrillsandactualjumping,speed,weights
Friday
Speed
Saturday
Competition
techniqueworkisadded,thisisadifficulttrainingtime.Athleteswillbetired!
CompetitiveSeason
Duringthecompetitiveseason,athletesshoulddotwodaysofeventspecificwork,includingapproachandeventdrillstwotothreedaysofweightswithmorepower
workonetotwodaysofplyometricstwotothreedaysofspeedworkandoneconditioningdayof200300meterruns.Thisperiodshouldlastfourtosixweeksin
ayearroundprogramandthreetofourweeksinahighschoolseason.Seetable12.4.
PeakingPhase
Astheathletepreparesfortheyear'smajorcompetition,thevolumeofworklessensastheintensitystayshigh.Workoutsshouldbeadjustedtooneconditioningday
of150200meterrepeats,twotothreedaysofspeedwork,onetotwodaysofweights/power,andonetotwodaysofeventspecificwork.Seetable12.5onpage
194.Thisistheshortestphaseoftheseason,whentheathleteisreadytoperformathisorherbest!Forayearroundprogram,peakingshouldcoverthreeweeksin
ahighschoolplan,itwouldlasttwoweeks.
Whenanathletehasadoublepeakplan,areturntoabriefconditioningphaseisneededafterthefirstpeak.Thehumanbodycanholdahighleveloftrainingforonly
ashortperiodbeforeitneedstoberechargedforthenextleveloftraining.
Coachesshouldadjustthetimeineachphasetotheoverallseasonlength.Onewayofplanningaseasonistoselectthemainperformancedateandcounttheweeks
backward.Thiswillensurethattheathleteisrestedandreadyfor"themeet."
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TABLE12.5PEAKINGPHASEWORKOUTSFORHIGHJUMP
Monday
Speed,weights
Tuesday
Eventspecific,speed
Wednesday
Conditioning
Thursday
Eventspecific,weights
Friday
Speedoractiverest
Saturday
Competition
Competition
Onceallthe"onthetrack"trainingiscompleted,thejumperfacestheultimatechallengeofcompeting.Someathleteshave"theeyeofthetiger"anddotheirbestwhen
themeetarrives.Otherspracticelikechampions,butlosetheirconfidencewhentheyputontheiruniforms.Coachesandathletesmustrecognizethepsychological
partofeacheventandtrainforit,too.Asthesayinggoes,"Highjumpingis80%mental."Yet,doweworkonthispartfor80%oftotalpracticetime?Veryfew
athletesand/orcoachescouldansweryes!Psychologicalpreparationisdefinitelyaneglectedareainsportstoday.
GoalSetting
Todevelopapsychologicalplan,anathletemustknowwhatheorsheplanstoachievethroughtrainingandcompetition.Allthoseinvolvedmustthinkaboutand
determinetheirgoals.Thisgoalsettingshouldbedirectedbyacoachormoreexperiencedmentor.Itisvitalthattheathletecreateaplanofactionthatspecifiesthe
expectedendresultoftrainingandcompeting.Forexample,someathleteshavethegoalofbeingthebestintheirschool,ortheirstate,ortheircountry,oreveninthe
world!Iftheathletedreamsofbecomingthebestatthestatechampionshipwhilethecoachbelievestheathletecanmaketheteambuthaslittlechanceofscoring,
thereisagreatgapintheexpectationlevelofthetwopeoplemostdirectlyinvolvedwiththeathlete'sdevelopment.
Therefore,oneofthefirstthingsanathleteshouldestablishiswhatlevelofcompetitionheorshewouldliketoachieveandwhatleveloftalentheorsherealistically
has.Oncethosethingsareestablished,theathleteplansthestepsforachievingwhatcanberealisticallyachieved.Theseshortterm,intermediategoalsenablethe
athleteandcoachtokeeptrackofprogressandmakeadjustmentsasneeded.Ithelpsiftheathletewritesthegoalsdownandpoststheminaplacewheretheywill
easilybeseendaily.Thisconstantreminderoftheexpectedfinalresulthelps"train"themindonwhatthebodywantstoachieve.
MentalPreparation
Throughoutanathlete'scareer,severalfactorswillinfluencewhatfinalperformancelevelisreached.Theathletecancontrolsomeofthesefactorsmanyheorshe
cannot.Actually,theonlythingtheathletecancontrolishowheorshereacts
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andrespondstodifferentincidents!Forexample,iftheweatherisbadduringthebiggestmeetoftheyear,theathletecan'tchangethatfact.However,theathletecan
controlhowheorshementallypreparesandreactsonthatday.
Therefore,eachathleteandcoachmustdevelopanindividualtrainingplanthatincludeseverypossiblewarmupandcompetingsituation.Thiscanbedoneby
practicinginalltypesofweatherconditionsandhavingconfidenceandapositivementaloutlookaboutcompetitioninsuchconditions.Sometimes,teamgoalscan
affectwhichathletesacoachusesfora"bigmeet."Thesesituationsneedtobediscussedwiththeathletesinvolved.Eventhoughnotallpartiesmightagreewiththe
coach'sdecisions,thosedecisionsprevail.
Overtime,eachathleteshouldresearchandpracticeusingdifferenttypesofmentalpreparationtacticstodiscoverwhichone(s)workbestforhimorher.Oncethe
strategiesarenarroweddowntothemosteffectiveonesforthespecificathlete,aselfplanshouldbecreatedandfollowed.Adjustmentswillneedtobemadeasthe
athletegrowsanddevelopsdifferentpracticeandcompetitivestrategies.Coachesshouldrealizethateachindividualhashisorherownneedsandshouldcreatehisor
herownspecificgoalplan.Itishopedthatcoachesandparentswillbesupportiveasanathleteworkstowardachievingbothshortandlongtermgoals.
MentalImagery
Someofthementalpreparationtechniquescommonlyusedbyjumpersarementalimagery,affirmations,relaxationtraining,andcopingstrategies.Withmental
imagery,theathletevisualizesthe"perfect"performanceoverandoverinhisorhermindwithoutevenjumping.Oncetheathletehasthepropertechnicalmechanicsin
mind,mentalpracticecanbeused,withthejumperputtinghisorherbodyintoamentalcolorvideothatshowstheathletecompletingthe"perfect"jump.Itis
importantthatthisimagerybeasrealaspossible,includingcolor,crowdnoisesandscenes,sounds,andapictureoftheathleteclearingthebarsuccessfully!The
athleteshouldstartthe"video"atthebackoftheapproach,continuethroughtakeoffandactualbarclearance,andevenincludegettingoffthepittowavingatthe
cheeringcrowd.
Theathleteshouldrepeatthispictureinhisorhermindoften,bothatthehighjumpapronandawayfromthetrack,toreinforcethekinestheticpatternsexpected.All
mentalpracticemustbeofsuccessfulattemptsandtechniques.Theathleteshouldfeelinchargeofthesituationandfeelgoodabouttheprogressbeingmade.
Affirmations
Affirmationscanalsocontributetopositiveperformances.Theseareshort,strongstatementsabouttheathleteorperformance.Theyarephrasedinthefirstperson"I"
andtieintotheathlete'sgoals.Forahighjumper,possibleaffirmationsare"I'mfast,""I'mstrong,""Stayquick,''and"Jumphigh."Affirmationscanbewrittenoncards
andcarriedthroughoutthedayand/orpostedinlockersandathome.Again,allthoughtsmustbepositive.Negativethoughtsarenotallowed!
Relaxation
Athletesusuallyperformtheirbestwhentheyarerelaxed.Whenmosteliteathletesareaskedabouttheirrecordperformances,theycommentthatitseemedsoeasy
andnothingspecial.Theathletewassorelaxedandconfident,thatheor
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shewasn't"making"ithappenheorshewasjust"letting"ithappen.Thistypeofrelaxationiswhattheathletewantstofeelwhencompeting.
Manyarticleswrittenbysportpsychologistsgiveroutinesforpracticingrelaxationtechniques.Onekeyistopracticetheroutinesonaregularbasis,invarioustraining
sessionsandtheninlowkeycompetitivesituations.
Theseskillsworkformanyathletes,butnotall.Ifafterrepeatedlypracticingrelaxationtechniques,theathleteisn'tfindingpositiveresults,heorsheshoulduseanother
strategy.
CommonFears
Someathleteshaveafearoffailureandbecomeoverlyanxiousaboutwhatotherswillthinkofthembasedonhowtheyperform.Suchathleteswillneedtofocuson
thepersonalsourcesofthefearoffailureandworkwithacoachorparenttoreduceoreliminatethesefears.Itisveryimportantforanathletetohonestlyevaluatehis
orherpersonalfeelingsandhowtheymightaffectaperformance.
Athletesmustrealizethatcompetitivecareersarejustonepartoftheirlivesandnotbasetheirentireidentityonathletics.
Someathleteshaveafearofsuccessandneverreachtheirprojectedpotentialbecauseofthisfear.Theseathletesaren'tcomfortablewiththeresponsibilitiesofbeing
numberone.Coachesandparentsmightseetheseathletesbackingoffinameetwhenanimprovementseemedpossible,ortheathletesseemhappytostayatthelevel
theyarecurrentlyatanddon'ttrytomoveuptothenextlevel.Thisfearhaskeptsomeverygoodathletesfromreachingtheirfullpotential.Themindissopowerful.If
thereisfearaboutbeingnumberone,anathlete'sperspectiveofhimselforherselfmustbebroadened.
Ontheotherhandistheathletewhothrivesincompetitivesituationsandactuallyimprovesasthelevelofcompetitionrises.Suchathleteshaveapositiveselfesteem,
whichincludesseeingthemselvesaswinners.Theseathletesalsomustbechallengedandexpecttobetterthemselves.Whatseemstochallengethistypeofathleteis
winning.Theyarecompetitors.Butifthelevelofcompetitionislow,theywillwinwithoutbeingchallengedenoughtofulfilltheirpotential.Coachesstillneedtowork
withthistypeofperformerandkeephimorherfocusedonthegoalandthepreparationneededtoachievethegoal.
Balancingthementalneedsofanathletecanbeasdelicateascoordinatingthephysicaldemandsofanathleteattheelitelevel.Unfortunately,thereisnoonewayof
doingthistrainingitisanongoingadventureforbothathleteandcoach.But,whentheydoreachthistypeofpreparation,theresultsarefantastic.Itshouldbeevery
coach'sultimategoaltoexperimentandworkwithanathletesoastopreparehimorhernotonlyphysicallybutmentally.Iftwoathletesarecloseinphysicaltraits,the
athletewhoismentallytoughestwillbethevictor!Ascoaches,wemustaddressthisvitalcomponentofpreparation.
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Summary
Ifthetechniquesinthischapterareimplemented,theathletewillbesuccessful.Remembertomoveslowlyandthoroughlythrougheachtechnicalelement.Keepthe
focusononlyoneortwotechnicalelementsatatime.Allowtheathletetomasteronetechnicalelementbeforemovingtothenext.Bepatientwiththeworkonthe
approachthedividendspaidoutlaterwillbeenormous.Ifthetechnicalaspectsoftheapproacharesolid,almosteverythingelsewill"jump"intoplace.
Butintheend,allthatmattersiswhatmycoachJimKieferwouldtellmewhenIgotcaughtupintoomanytechnicalthoughts:"Doug,jumphighanddon'tknockthe
baroff!"Goodluck!
Likewise,Sue'sfinalencouragementtoherjumper,CharlesAustin,beforehewentintotheOlympicfinalwasto"havefunandtakecareofbusiness."Haveagreat
season!
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13
PoleVault
JimBemiller
Thepolevaultmaybethemostexcitingandchallengingofalltrackandfieldevents.Anaccomplishedvaulterclearingacrossbaratrecordheightisoneofthemost
dramaticeventsinallofsport.Thevaulterusuallypossessesallaroundathleticability.Tobesuccessful,thevaultermustdeveloptheskillsofasprinter,longjumper,
andgymnast,aswellasthespecificconditioningtotakepartincompetitionsthatmaylastoverthreehours.Finally,avaulterusuallypossessesaninquisitiveand
fearlessattitude.Worldclassvaulters,suchasworldrecordholderSergeiBubka,exemplifythistypeofbold,explosiveathlete.Ascoachesweshouldendeavorto
prepareourathletesbyhelpingthemtomasterthebasicelementsofvaultingtechniqueastheydeveloptheirallaroundphysicalconditioning.
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Thecoachshouldkeepinmindthatthepolevaulthasmanyinherentvariablestoconsider:theathlete'sspeed,howhightheathletegripsonthepole,selectingthe
properpolesize,barheight,standardplacement,windconditions,differingfacilities,andsoon.Oneofthekeystosuccessfulcoachingistheabilitytosynthesizethese
variablessothattheathletecanconcentrateonmasteringthebasicsoftechnique.Thecoachshouldemphasizesafeandaggressiveexecutionoffundamentals.
CharacteristicsofthePoleVaulter
Goodvaulterscomeinallshapesandsizesbutwhenscoutingforpotentialvaulters,thecoachshouldkeepinmindthefollowinggeneralcharacteristics:speed,
gymnasticsability(bodycontrol),grippingability,eagernesstolearn,andanaggressivenessthatiscombinedwithcommunication,teamwork,andanalyticalability.
Speedallowstheathletetocreatepolespeed(thespeedatwhichthepolerotatesaboutitsbaseintheplantingbox).Gymnasticsabilitygivesbodycontroland
strength.Grippingabilityallowsthevaultertogripashighaspossibleonthepole,whileallowingthepoletomovetoaverticalpositionastheathleteswingsaround
thetophandhold.Aneagernesstolearnisnecessarygiventhetechnicaldemandsoftheevent.Aggressivenessisnecessaryfortheexplosiveenergyrequired.
Speed
Speedisthemostimportantcharacteristicofasuccessfulvaulterbecauseultimatelythespeedoftheathleteattakeoffdirectlycorrelateswiththeabilitytoholdhigher
onthepoleandultimatelyclearhigherheights.Coachesshouldnotoverlookpromisinghurdlersandrelayteammemberswhensearchingforpotentialvaulters.
GymnasticsAbility
Successfulvaultersmustdevelopgymnasticsability,sothattheyhaveakinestheticawarenessofbodypositioninrelationtothemovingpole.Gymnasticsabilityalso
enablesthevaultertohavebodycontrolduringmovementsintheair.Gymnasticstrengthismoredesirablethansimpleweightliftingability,becausethelatterdoesnot
necessarilyprovidevaulterswiththeabilitytomanipulatetheirownbodyweightinacoordinatedandaggressivefashion.Beginningcoachesoftenoverlookthe
developmentofgeneralgymnasticsability.Thisisanareawheremanyyoungathleteshavepotentialbutneedtodeveloptheirabilities.
GrippingAbility
Theathlete'sabilitytogripashighaspossibleonthevaultingpolewhilecreatingsufficientpolespeedtosuccessfullycompletethevaultingactionisdictatedbythe
athlete'sheightandextendedreach,combinedwithspeedofapproach.Ultimately,thehigherthevaulterisabletoholdonthepolewhilestillmovingthepoleto
vertical,thegreaterthemaximumheightobtainable.
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EagernesstoLearn
Thecoachshouldlookforathleteswhoarewillingtolearn,becausetheprocessofdevelopingtheirtechniquewilltakeseveralseasons.Thevaultermustbe
"coachable"andbeabletoimprove.Theathletemustbecomeastudentoftheevent,strivingtodevelophisorhertechniqueandeagertoanalyzeerrorsandworkto
correctthem.
Aggressiveness
Mostvaultersareaggressiverisktakers,whichisnaturalconsideringtheevent.Butsuccessfulvaultersalsoareabletocommunicatewiththecoachandothervaulters
abouttechniqueandtraining.Vaultersshouldbeabletoworkwiththeirteammatesinpracticeandcompetition.Thepolevaultisateamsportinmanyrespectsthere
isalwaysequipmenttobemoved,stepsandpolestobecaught,andtheneedforimmediatefeedbackandconsultation.Averysuccessfulcoachoncetoldme,"There
aretwotypesofvaulters.Thewildandcrazydaredevil,andtheanalyticalchessplayertypewhoisalwayslookingforwardtothenextmove."Whethercoaching
"daredevils"or"thinkers,"thecoachshouldmoldthegroupintoacooperativetrainingunittobeasefficientaspossible.
Technique
Theathleteandthepolemustworktogethertoformasystemthatallowstheathletetoholdashighaspossibleonthepolewhileusingpropertechnique.Theathlete's
horizontalspeedintheapproachistransferredtoverticalriseduringtakeoff,driveswing,andextensionphases.Vaultingtechniquebeginswiththefirststepsoftherun
andcontinuessequentiallywiththeloweringandplantingofthepole,takeoff,thedriveswing,extension,clearance,andlanding.Thefollowingaredescriptionsand
analysesofthesevariousphasesofthevault.Asstated,thevaultisasequentialevent,andthecoachshouldteachpropertechniquefromthefirststepsofthe
approachforward.Whateverthetimeconstraints,theathleteshouldbecomeproficientincarryingandrunningwiththepolebeforemovingontothelaterphasesof
thetakeoffandairbornemovements.Faultytechniqueinthebeginningphasesoftheapproachandtakeoffwillonlymakelaterphasesmoredifficulttocomplete
successfully.
Thefollowingdescriptionsandaccompanyingfiguresapplytothelefthandedvaulter.
GripandPoleCarry
Thekeyinthegripandcarryisforthevaultertorunefficientlyduringtheapproachandperformanefficient,aggressiveplantingofthepoleasheorshepreparesfor
thetakeoff.Whilecarryingthepole,thevaulter'stophandshouldbepositionednearthetopofthelefthip.Thevaulter'slefthandshouldhookthetopofthepolewith
thethumbinaclosed,comfortableposition.Thevaulter'sbottomarmshouldbepositionedapproximately46inches(about1015cm)fromthecenterofthechest
orleftside.Thebottom(right)armshouldmaintaintheelbow
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belowtherighthandandmaintainastraightorcockedbackrightwrist.Therightwristshouldneverdroopdownorbendtowardtheathlete'spalm.Thedistance
betweenthehandsvarieswiththeindividual,rangingfrom18to24inches(about46to61cm).Thewidthofthegripshouldbesuchthatiftheathleteweretoassume
ahandgriponahorizontalgymnasticsbarequivalenttothegriponthepole,heorshecouldhangandswingupandoverthebarefficiently.Thisgripwidthallowsthe
vaultertoperformlaterphasesintechniqueefficientlyandaggressively.
Thevaultershouldbeginthepolecarrybyraisingtheendofthepolealmosttoverticalalonghisorherside,whichallowsamoreeffectiverun.Thehighpolecarry
enablesthevaultertocontrolposturefromthebeginningoftheapproachbecausethepolewillbeeasiertocarryandtheweightofthepolewillbeexclusivelyonthe
lefthand.Thelefthandshouldremainclosetotheathlete'slefthipduringthepolecarry.Thelefthandshouldnotdriftbehindthevaulter'shipduringtheapproach,
becausethiswillcausepoorpostureduringtheapproachandproblemsduringtheplantingphase.
Approach
Thelengthoftheapproachincompetitionvarieswiththeindividual,butrangesfrom100to150feet(about30.5to45.7m,or7to10rightfootstrikes),dependingon
theabilityandtheexperienceoftheathlete.Theapproachshouldbelongenoughtoallowarelaxedstartandgradualincreaseinrhythmandaccelerationtoreacha
maximumcontrollablespeedduringtheplantandtakeoffphases.
Theathleteshouldbeginwithalonger,morepowerfulstrideintheapproachandfinishwithafastrhythm.Thevaulterbeginsbyplacingtherightfootonthestarting
checkmark.Thisstartingpositionproducesabalancedbodypositionasthevaulterholdsthepoleonhisorherleftside.Thevaulterbeginstheapproachbyrocking
backontotheleftfootsoastopushforwardinapowerfulmannertodevelopaconsistentpostureandrhythmassoonaspossible.
Thecrescendooftheapproachshouldbebasedontheathletegraduallyincreasingspeedthroughoutthelengthoftherunupwhilemaintainingpropersprinting
posture.Whileperformingtheapproach,thevaulter'schestshouldbesquarewiththerunway,andthevaultershoulddropthepolegraduallyinreadyingfortheplant.
Thecoachshouldconsiderthevaulterandpoleasasinglesystem,andtheloweringofthepoleshouldbesynchronizedwiththevaulter'sspeedintheapproach.The
coachandathleteshouldstrivetodevelopaconsistentapproachpatternthatallowsthevaultertoreachandcontrolmaximumspeedwhiledevelopinganefficient
plantingactioninpreparationforanaggressivejumpandtakeoff.Thevaulter'sapproachandloweringofthepoleshouldbesynchronizedsoastoincreasethe
vaulter'sabilitytoperformaquick,aggressiveplantandtakeoff.
Propersprintingmechanicsshouldbeobserved.Thebodyleanoftheathleteshouldoriginatefromtheanklesasthevaulterpushesoutatthebeginningofthe
approachwith"longandstrong"strides.Donotallowtheathletetobendforwardfromthehipsastherunprogresses.Therunningpostureshouldremaintallasthe
athleteapproachesthetakeoffandmaintainsefficientsprintingtechnique.Asthepoledrops,theathlete'sstridesshouldaccelerate.Correcttimingofthepoledropwill
helpacceleratetheathleteasheorsheapproachesthetakeoff.Thestriderateoftheathleteshouldincreaseastheplantisinitiated.Thecoachshouldemphasizethat
theapproachandloweringofthepoleisacontinuousmovement,synchro
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nizedtoallowforaquick,aggressivetakeoffaction.
Generally,thecoachusesthreecheckmarksfortheapproachrun.Thebeginningmarkisthestartingpointoftheapproach.Thisistheonlymarktheathleteshouldbe
awareofduringtheapproach.Thesecondcheckmark,orcoach'smark,shouldbeplacedsixstrides(threerightfootstrikes)backfromthetakeoffpointtohelpthe
coachmonitortheconsistencyofthevaulter'sapproach.Thethirdcheckmarkisthetakeoffpoint,whichshouldbedirectlyunderneaththevaulter'stophandwhenthe
polecontactsthebackoftheplantingbox.
Thecoachgenerallywillobservethreescenariosduringtheathlete'sapproach:
1.Iftheathleteisconsistentlyinside(closertothebox)thecoach'smarkandistakingofffrominsidetheoptimaltakeoffpoint,thecoachshouldconsidermovingthe
athlete'sstartingpoint"fartherout,"awayfromthebox.
2.Iftheathleteisconsistentlyoutsidethecoach'smarkbutisstillplanting"under"(insidetheoptimaltakeoffpoint),thecoachshouldconsidershorteningtheathlete's
startingcheckmark,toreducethetendencyoftheathletetooverstrideintothetakeoff.
3.Thethirdgeneralpossibilityisthattheathleteistoofaroutattakeoffandthatthecorrespondingcoach'smarkisalsotoofarout.Thecoachcorrectsthisbymoving
theathlete'sstartingpointforward.
Thevaultermustcounteachtimetherightfootstrikestherunway.Asstatedabove,mostvaulterstakebetween7and10strides(rightfootstrikes)intheapproach,
dependingontheirabilityandconditioning.Countingthestridesallowstheathletetobecertainofwhentoinitiatetheplantingandjumpingactionofthetakeoff.Failure
tocountcausestheathleteto"feel"or"eyein"theplantandtakeoff,whichleadstoindecisionandfalseperceptionsofthepropersequenceoftheplantingandtakeoff
action.Workonapproachtechniquesonthetrack,awayfromtherunway.
PolePlantandTakeoff
Theplantandtakeoffarecriticaltoexecuteforasuccessfulattempt.Developingsolidfundamentalsintheefficientplantingofthevaultingpoleisessential.Thelastfour
stridesshouldbeexecutedinafast,rhythmicmanner,andtheplantisinitiatedthreetothreeandahalfstepsbeforetakeoff.Ifthevaulterhasaninestrideapproach
(18steps),theplantingactionshouldbeginastheeighthstride(eighthrightfoot)contactsthetrack,ifnotslightlybefore.Thevaulter'spolecarryshouldcoordinatethe
startoftheplantingaction,withthepolepassingthroughahorizontalpositionasthevaulterbeginstheplantingphaseonthenexttolastrightstride.Asthat
penultimaterightfootstrikesthetrack,thevaultermovesthepoleforwardandupwardsothatthelefthandisclosetotheleftshoulderandbotharmsareaggressively
punchingthepoleforwardandupward.Whenthepenultimatestride,orlastleftfoot,touchestheground,theleftarmshouldbemovingpasttheathlete'sheadasboth
armscontinuetopunchforwardandupward.Astheleftarmmovesupward,theupperbodyofthevaulterwillrotateslightlytotheleftandthenreturntoasquare
positiontoallowthepoletoremainclosetotheleftshoulderastheathletepunchestheplantupward.
Therighthandshouldbeafulcrumaboutwhichthetoparmrisesasthepoletipisdirectedintotheplantingbox.Astheleftarmpassesthefulcrum,botharmsare
directedaggressivelyupward.Therighthandshouldnotbeallowedtodrop
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orbeextendeddowntowardtheplantingbox.Bothhandscontinuetoactivelypushthepoleoverheadasthetakeofffootstrikesthetrack.Botharmsarestraightened
atthecompletionoftheplant,givingthebodyanextended"tight"positioninalljointsexcepttheleadleg,whichisdriven,likealongjumper's,atrightanglestothe
trunk.Astheathletedrivesoffthetakeoff,similartothetakeoffforthelongjump,itisimperativethatthewrist,elbow,andshoulderoftheleftarmareinanextended,
"strong"position.
Attakeoff,thevaulter'seyes,head,andchestshouldbedirectedupwardandoutward,similartoalongjumper.Theathlete'sfocusshouldbeondrivingoffthetakeoff
footandupthroughtheextendedarmsasheorsheattemptstomovethepoleashighandforwardasfastaspossible.Inthecorrecttakeoffposition,thepoleis
directlyoverthetakeofffootandtheleftarmisashighaspossible(figure13.1a).Duringtheplantingphase,thepoleshouldbemovedforwardandupwardcloseto
theathlete'sbody,soastonotupsethisorherbalanceduringtheplantandtakeoff.Theathleteshouldperformtheplantandtakeoffphasewithhipsandshoulders
squaretotherunway,withaslightopeningoftheupperbodyasheorshecurlsandpunchestheleftarmoverhead.(Theleftarmcurlsasthevaulterpushesthepole
towardthebox,thenitcomesupwardtoraisethegripabovethehead.)Theplantshouldbeperformedactivelyandaggressively,butthevaultermusthaveasmooth
transitionontosupportofthepole.Thesensationshouldbethatofdrivingthepoleupwardandforwardasaresultofanearly,aggressive,highplant.
Astheplantphaseiscompletedandthepoleissupportedagainstthebackwallofthebox,theathlete'stakeofflegisextendedasthetoparmisfullystraightenedand
pressedupward.Asinthelongjump,thevaulter'sleadlegperformsastrongdriveoffthegroundsuchthatthethighisparalleltothepolewhenthetakeoffactionis
completed(figure13.1b).Thetakeoffactionshouldmoveforwardandupward,leadingwiththeupperbody,notwiththehips.Thetoparmremainsstretchedand
strong,whilethelowerarmproducesactiveresistanceagainstthepole.Becauseofthewidthofthegripandtheactivetakeoff,thelowerarmwillbend,butshouldnot
beallowedtogettooclosetothepole.Theplantandtakeoffshouldbeperformedinabalanced,yetactiveandaggressive,fashion.Asstated,theoptimaltakeoff
spotisverticallyunderthetophand,sincethevaultercanraisethepoletoamaximumabovethetrackonlybytakingofffromtheverticalpositionbeneaththegrip.A
fullyextended,aggressivetakeoffpositionisthekeytotheproperexecutionoftheswingandextensionphasesonthepole.
Figure13.1
(ad)Polevaultprogression.
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DriveSwing
Thedriveswingphasebeginsshortlyafterthetakeoff,astheathletemovesforwardandupwardinastrong,stretchedposition.Thedriveswingshouldbeperformed
asquicklyandpowerfullyaspossibletoutilizethemomentumtheathletehasgeneratedintheapproachandtakeoffphases.Asthestretchedtakeofflegcatchesup
withtheleadleg(figure13.1cd)andbothlegsbeginafastupwardmovement,thevaultershiftsthepoleforwardwiththeshouldersandfixedarms,asifrowinga
canoepaddle.Theathleteshouldmakethisacontinuousmovementofdrivingtheleadlegandswingingthetraillegasaggressivelyaspossible,topromoteaposition
whereheorshecanprojectthehipsasagymnastwouldontheringsifattemptingtoswingfromahangingpositiontoanupsidedownposition.Imaginethat
gymnasthangingmotionlessfromasetofringsandaskedtoprojectthehipsashighaspossibleoverthehead.Heorshewillnottrytopullthefeetandkneesup
andcurlthebodyupsidedown,butwillinsteadbegintoswingandwhipkickthelegs,usingtheshoulderstorotateandcreateaswingingmotiontoprojectthehipsas
highaspossible.Similarly,thevaulterusestheshouldersandfixedarmsinarowingmotionasheorsherotatesthroughtheshouldersandsimultaneouslyswingsthe
feetandhipsupwardinanaggressivebuildingofmomentum(figure13.1eg).
Theterm"driveswing"isusedbecausetheathleteshouldcontinuetomovethepoletoaverticalpositionduringtheswing.Theupwardandforwardmovementofthe
topofthepoleshouldnotberestricted,resultinginamomentumbuildingswingthatallowsthevaultertopenetrateandlandsafelyinthepit.Theathleteshouldrefrain
fromthrowingtheheadbackinanattempttoraisethehips.Theheadshouldremaininlinewiththebodyduringtheswingandshouldalsonotfocusonthecrossbar
duringthemovement.Boththrowingtheheadbackandfocusingonthecrossbarrestricttheraisingoftheathlete'scenterofgravity(hipandtorsoarea)duringthe
swing.
Theswingupshouldbeaccomplishedbysimultaneouslyshiftingthebodyparts:legsandhipsupandshouldersdown.Correctgymnasticspecificdrillsareimportant
tocreateafast,momentumbuildingswingasthepolecontinuestomoveforwardandupward.Itisparticularlyimportanttomaintainthe
Figure13.1(continued)
(eh)Polevaultprogression.
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rotationthroughtheshoulderswhentheathletehascoveredthebentpolewithhipsandlegs.Ifduringthisphasetheathleteincorrectlyattemptstopullwiththearmsor
bendstheleftarm,orbendsexcessivelyatthekneesorhips,thepolewillbeginstraighteningfasterandwillthrowthevaulterawayfromthepole,notallowingthe
vaultertoobtainashighatrajectoryascanbeobtainedbymovingtheshouldersdownwardwhilethehipsriseclosetothestraighteningpole.Asthehipsswing
upward,therightelbowwillbreakandmovetotheleftsideofthepoletoallowthevaultertocontinuetheswingascloseaspossibletotheunbendingpole.
Extension,Turn,andClearance
Asthepolestraightens,theathleteshouldbeginanaggressiveverticalstraighteningofthebody,includingthetorso,hips,knees,andfeet.Theathleteshouldbemoving
paralleltothepoleandascloseaspossibletothepoleasitunbends(figure13.1honpage205).Astheathleteextendsupwardalongtheunbendingpole,heorshe
initiatesabodyturnaroundthepole.Theturningmovementbeginswhentherightshoulderhasreachedtheheightoftherighthand(figure13.1i).Themovementis
assistedbytheturningofthelegsandarms.Bothlegsshouldremainclosetogether,andthetrunkandlegsaretobekeptasrigidaspossibletoavoidanylossof
verticalvelocity.Agoodkeyforthevaulteristoattempttoturntheleft
Figure13.1(continued)
(im)Polevaultprogression.
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hipascloseaspossibleintothetophandasthebodyturnsandextends.Theathletehasnowextendedandturnedasaunit,andthevaulter'sstomachisnowfacing
thecrossbar(figure13.1jk).Theentireextensionandturnphaseisanexplosiveculminationofthetakeoffandswingphasesandshouldbeseenasaquickly
executedstraighteningoftheathlete'sbody,analogoustoanupsidedownpowerclean.Therightarmreachesitsfullextensionandreleasesthepolethentheleftarm
isreleased(figure13.1lm).Thearmsarequicklyliftedawayfromthecrossbarasthethumbsrotatedownandinward,causingtheelbowstorotateawayfromthe
crossbar.Duringtheclearancephase,theathlete'schinmustremaintuckedclosetothechestuntilitcrossesthecrossbar.Iftheathleteprematurelyliftsthehead,the
chestwillbethrownintothebar.
Theproperexecutionoftheprecedingtechniquemakesitpossibletoperformasafelandinginthelandingpit.Toavoidanklesprains,theathleteshouldneverlandon
thefeet.Allsafetypaddingshouldbeinplaceandmaintainedproperlytoavoidinjury.
Whileitisimportantforthecoachtounderstandtheprecedingtechnicalaspectsoftheevent,theathletewillnotbeabletofocusonsomanydetailswhileperforming.
Thevaultershoulddeveloptheathleticskillsneededforthevaultthroughphysicalactivitiesandspecifictrainingdrillspriortoactualvaulting.Duringvaultsessions,
onlyoneaspectofatechniqueandaquickrhythmshouldbeemphasized.Forexample,''tallplantandfastswing"couldbethefocusofavaultsession.Thecoach
shouldalsocontinuetoemphasizetheaggressiverhythmofthevault.Theathleteshouldalwaysaimforactive,powerfulexecutionofthecorrecttechniqueratherthan
simply"hangingon"thepoleduringthevaultorsegmentingthephasesduringexecution.Coachesshouldkeepthefocusonexecutingthebasicsaggressively
otherwisetheoldproblemof"paralysisbyanalysis"islikelytooccur.Thecompletevault,fromtakeofftolanding,lastsslightlyoveronesecondsotheathletedoes
nothavetimetoanalyzeduringexecution.Coachesmustkeepitsimpleandattackthebasics.
TeachingProgression
Anovicevaultershouldbeintroducedtotheeventbybeingallowedtowatchmoreexperiencedvaulterstrainandcompete,ifpossible.Thisgivesthebeginnera
perceptionofthecorrecttechniquesandeffortrequiredtovaultsafelyandeffectively.Iflivedemonstrationsarenotavailable,makeavailablevideotapesofcorrect
technique.
StepOne
AwayfromtheRunway
Beginbyteachingthenovicevaulterthepropergripandhandspreadonthepole,asdescribedearlier.Awayfromtherunway,teachthevaultertoruncorrectly,with
goodpostureandrelaxedrhythmandwithaslightforwardlean.Thevaultershouldrunontheballsofthefeet,likeasprinterorlongjumper,andberelaxedenoughto
developasmoothrhythmduringthepolecarry.
Fromtheoutset,havethevaulterdevelopthetechniqueofcountingtherightfootstrikes(ifheorsheisalefthandedvaulter)andpracticemakingthetransitionfrom
theruntotheplantingpositionwithaquickandaggressivethreesteppoleplant.Thevaultershouldprogresstoanapproachrunof5075%effortwhilemaintaininga
goodrhythmduringtherun,andshowaquickplantingandtalljumpingpositionofftheground.
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StepTwo
LongJumpRunway
Afterthevaulterhasdemonstratedproficiencyonthetrackbymakingconsistentapproachesoffivetosevenstridesandfinishingwitharhythmicplant,heorshecan
movetothelongjumprunway.Removethebuttplugofthepoleandhavetheathletegrip812inches(about2030.5cm)inexcessofhisorherextendedreachon
apoleplacedvertically.Instructtheathletetoreproducetherunandplantactiondoneonthetrackandhavehimorherplantintothesandandvaultwithastraight
poleintothelongjumppitfordepth.Thecoachshouldmonitortheathleteduringthisdrilltobesurethatheorshehasestablishedasoundrhythmofrunningand
plantingthepolewithafullyextendedplantandtakeoffposition.Donotbeconcernedwiththepolebendingrather,emphasizetheextendedtoparmandstrong
jumpandtakeoffintothesandpit.Theathleteshouldlandonthefeetandcontinuetojogoutthebackofthepit.Theemphasisshouldbeonatall,"tight,"aggressive
takeoff,andontheathletemovingthepoleforwardandupwardwiththearmsandchesttoachieveasmuchdepthaspossibleintothepit.Becauseofthelowgrip,the
polewillremainridgedandthepressureofthebottomarmwillnotbeafactor.
StepThree
PoleVaultRunway
Whentheathleteshowsaconsistentapproachandtall,aggressiveplantpositionandtakeoff,heorshemayprogresstothepolevaultrunway.Recreatethedrill
describedaboveonthepolevaultrunway,havingtheathleteusethesamefivefootstrikeapproachtojog,plantthepole,andswingintothepit.Emphasizethecorrect
plantingandtakeoffpositionsandestablishthecorrecttakeoffpointbelowtheathlete'stophandwhenthepoleisplacedatthebackofthebox.Theathleteshouldbe
encouragedtodeveloparhythmicrunandplantingcadence,leadingtoanaggressivetakeoffthatallowshimorhertoplantthepoleandswingintothebackofthepit
safelyontheathlete'sback.Graduallyaddmorestrides,morespeed,andahigherhandholdaslongastheathletecontinuestovaultwithpropertakeoffpositions.This
shouldleadtoefficientpolespeedtolandsafelyinthemiddleorbackportionsofthelandingpit.
StepFour
SevenStrideApproach
Oncetheathleteestablishestherhythmofanaggressiveplant,takeoff,andswing,heorshewillcontinuetoprogresstowardasevenstrideapproach.Donotbe
concernedwiththeathletebendingthepoleduringtheseinitialdrills.Apolethatbendstooeasilyfromashortapproachcausesbadhabitstobeingrainedbythe
vaulter,suchasbeingabletopulldownonthepoleattakeoff,sinkingratherthanjumpingproperlyintothepit,orpullinginwithbotharmsinsteadofpushingthepole
forwardwhilejumping.
StepFive
ShortApproachVaulting
Whentheathleteisproficientfromasevenstrideapproachonthetrack,andcanshowproficiencyintheshortapproachandplantsequence,heorshecanmoveto
therunwayforshortapproachvaulting.Thecoachshouldmakesurethatthepolebeingusedissufficientforvaulter'sweightandhandhold,toallowhimorherto
safelyenterthepit.Fromthisapproachdistance,theathleteshouldbeabletosafelybeginbendingthepoleandlandinginthemiddletobackportionofthelandingpit.
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StepSix
VaultingwithaCrossbar
Whentheathletehasmasteredshortapproachvaultingandexhibitsaquickandproperplantandtakeoffthatresultsinasafelandinginthepit,heorshemay
progresstovaultingwithacrossbar.Thecoachshouldrequirethattheathletevaultwhilekeepingthecrossbaratmaximumsettingsbehindtheverticalplaneofthe
vaultbox.
Atthispoint,theathletemaybegintocontinuetheswingaroundthetophandandallowthehipstoriseandturnasheorsheattemptstocrossthebarwhilepresenting
thestomachandchesttothecrossbar.
Whenteachingbeginningvaulterswhoareusingashortapproachofsevenstridesorless,agripheightof12feet(about3.7m)orlessisrecommended.
Thecoachshouldalwaysstresstheimportanceofanaggressiveandproperplantandtakeoff.
Coachesshouldexplaintonovicevaultersthatallvaultingpoleshaveadefinitebendwhentheyaremade.Byrotatingthepoleyoucanlocatethe"bow."Thebow
shouldfacethepitasthevaulterleavestheground.Therefore,thebowwillfacetowardtherunwayduringthecarryandapproachrun.
StepSeven
ShortRunVaulting
Theathleteisnowreadytostartshortrunvaultingatlowheights.Theathleteshouldbeginbyusingapoleratedathisorherownweight,withalowhandhold.Asthe
athlete'sproficiencyandconfidenceincreases,heorsheandthecoachcanbegintofocusonthevariousphasesoftherun,plant,takeoff,swing,andextension.
Training
Theoverridingtrainingphilosophyshouldbeoneofmaintainingabalancebetweenallofthecomponentsoftraining.Aswedevelopaworkoutschedule,wemust
keepinmindtheexampleofformerPolishnationalcoachAndrzejKrzesinski,whohasproducedmanyworldclassvaulters.CoachKrzesinskibelievesthattraining
shouldbelikechargingabattery.Theprocessshouldbedoneoveralongperiodoftime,withtheathletegraduallydevelopingfitnessandtechnique.Overemphasisof
anycomponentwillresultinadeficiencyinanothertrainingcomponent.Forexample,overemphasisinweighttrainingbeforeatechniquesessionthefollowingdaywill
causethetechniquesessiontosuffer.(Seetable13.2onpage212forasampleworkoutstructure.)
Eachtrainingsituationisuniqueinregardtoequipment,timeconstraints,andofcoursethecharacteristicsoftheathletesthemselves.Soacoachshouldstructure
workoutsbyconsideringtheseparameters.Thefollowingaregeneralconsiderations.
GeneralFitness
Theathleteshouldcompleteageneralconditioningprogramofapproximatelythreetofourweeks.Longercrosscountryrunsof1520minutesshouldbestructured
twotothreetimesaweektodevelopacardiovascularbase.Generalweightliftingconditioningshouldalsobedonetwotothreetimesaweek.Gymnasticstraining,or
swingdrillsonaropeorhighbar,shouldbedoneatleast
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twiceweeklyduringthisbaseconditioningphase.Generaltechniquesessionsshouldbeconductedtwotothreetimesaweektodeveloptheathlete'sskillsofrunning
withthepoleandproperplantingandjumpingtechniques.Walkingorjoggingplantdrillsshouldbeperformeddaily.Theathletesshouldnotbeallowedtodoany
actualpolevaultingduringthegeneralconditioningphase.Aftertheathletehasdevelopedgeneralfitnessandcandemonstrateproperrunningandplantingtechniques
awayfromtherunway,vaultingsessionscanbeaddedtotheworkoutschedule.
Afterachievinggeneralphysicalandtechnicalconditioning,theathleteshouldfollowaworkoutschedulethatfavorsabalancebetweenallfacetsofhisorhertraining.
Asmentionedabove,eachtrainingsituationisuniquetherefore,thecoachmustadaptthesegeneraltrainingparameterstotheindividualathlete.Followingarethe
basiccomponentsofthevaulter'strainingcycle,whichmustbeadaptedtoeachindividualtrainingsituation.
Running
Twotothreetimesaweektheathleteshouldrunintervalsofvaryingdistancesnottoexceed300meters.Intheearlyseason,atypicalrunningworkoutwouldconsist
of4300metersatlessthanmaximumspeed,buthardenoughtohavetoworktomaintainspeed(perhaps@9095%ofmaximum),followedby4100meter
easyaccelerationstowarmdown.Astheseasonprogresses,athleteswillprogresstoshorterdistancessuchas6150metersor10100meters.Scheduleinterval
sessionsforaftervaultingsessions,iftheathletescanhandlethisworkload.
TechniqueSession
Techniquesessionsshouldbeheldtwotothreetimesaweek.Techniquesessionsmayincludeactualvaulting(table13.1)aswellastheotherdrillsdescribed.Each
techniquesessionshouldfocusontwoorthreeofthedrills,withaprimaryfocusinmind.Forexample,onetechniquesessionperweekmaybefocusedonrunning
withthepole,properrunningposturewiththepole,andrhythmofapproachrunsonthetrack.Aseconddayoftechniquemightconcentrateontheplantingand
jumpingaction,usingpopups,takeoffdrills,orstraightpole/sandpitjumping.Alwayspracticesomesortofplantdrillstoestablishproperrhythm.
GymnasticsTraining
Gymnasticstrainingshouldbescheduledtwotothreetimesperweek.Participationinabeginninggymnasticsclassortrainingatagymnasticsfacilitywithan
experiencedgymnasticscoachispreferable.Theemphasisshouldbeondrillsinvolvingswingingfromtheringsorhorizontalbar.Conditioningoftheshouldersand
torsoshouldbeapriority.
WeightTraining
Weighttrainingshouldbescheduledtwotothreetimesaweekandtaperedduringthecompetitiveseason.Beginningathletesshouldconcentrateongeneralweight
trainingbutastheirexperienceandphysicalmaturityincreases,theyshouldfocusonmoreexplosiveOlympicstylelifting.
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TABLE13.1SAMPLEVAULTINGTECHNIQUESESSION
WARMUP
Webeginbyjoggingatleastthreequartersofamiletoonemileandperforming
stretchingandflexibilitydrillsfor15minutes.Theathletesdo270meterand280
meteraccelerationstowarmup.
Allathletesthenmeasuretheirapproachrunsandbeginbychoosingthreewarmup
drillstodeveloptheareastheywishtofocusoninpractice.Forexample,theathletes
maydofivetoeightrepetitionsofswingups,takeoffdrills,orlowgripstraightpole
vaults.Thesedrillsarefollowedbyfourtosixapproachrunsdoneonthetrackto
completethewarmupandtocheckthevaulters'approachesbeforetheybegin
vaulting.
VAULTING
SESSION
Ifthevaulterisjumpingfromashortapproach(7leftsorrights),heorshemaybe
abletocomplete1520vaultspersession.Iftheathleteisjumpingfromalonger
approach(9or10leftsorrights),heorshemaycomplete1015vaultspersession.
Eachsessionshouldfocusononeaspectofthevaultthattheathleteisattempting
toimprove.Forexample,theaspectmightbeearlyplantaggressive,relaxedand
consistentapproachesoracceleratingthroughthedriveandswingphases.
Thetraininggroupsshouldalwaysworktogether.Aftertheathletetakesapractice
vault,heorshereceivesfeedbackfromthecoachandthencatchesthenextvaulter's
takeoffstepandpole.Theathleteproceedsbacktherunwaytocatch(identify)the
nextvaulter'scoach'smark,andfinallymovesbackintherotationforthenext
attempt.Thisrotationcreatesagoodsystemoffeedbackforallathletesastheytrain.
Vaultingworkoutsshouldbedonewhentheathletesareinrelativelyfreshcondition
andcanaggressivelycompletetheirattempts.Alwaysbeginonsmallerpoleswith
lowergrips,andmovetoheavierpolesandhighergripsifneededordesirableduring
theworkouts.Allpracticesareconductedwiththestandardsplacedatmaximum
settings(80centimeters)topromotesafetyandaggressiveandpowerfultakeoffs
andswingrhythms.
COOLDOWN
Asacooldown,theathleteshouldalwaysjogeasilyforapproximately10minutes
andstretchoutforanother10minutesbeforemovingontothenextcomponentof
thetraining.
RestandRecovery
Atleastonesessionperweekshouldinvolveactiverecoverybytheathlete.Theseactivitiesincludeeasyjogging,stretching,swimming,underwatervaulting,andso
on.Polevaultingsessionsrequiretheathletetoberelativelyfreshandabletocompletejumpswithanaggressiverunandplant.Therefore,thecoachshould
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TABLE13.2SAMPLEWEEKLYWORKOUTFORVAULTING
Becauseeachcoach'ssituationisunique,acoachmustdevelopaweeklycyclethat
worksbestforhimorher.Atypicalearlyseasonworkoutschedulecouldbe
constructedasfollows:
Monday
Vaultingtechniquesessionfollowedbyintervaltrainingorhurdledrills.
Tuesday
Gymnasticstrainingfollowedbylightjoggingandweighttraining.
Wednesday
Vaultingtechniquesessionfollowedbypolerunsandlongjumpdrills.
Thursday
Gymnasticstrainingandweightlifting.
Friday
Polevaultplantdrillsandlightjoggingandstretchingpriortoacompetition.Ifno
competitiononSat.,approachrunsandintervaltraining,suchas6150m.
Saturday
Competition.Ifnocompetition,polevaultdrillsandweightlifting.
Sunday
Activerest.
ThefollowingisatypicalweeklytrainingschedulewehaveusedattheUniversityof
Tennessee:
Monday
10100maccelerations,followedbylightplyometricsorhurdledrillsandhurdle
running.
Tuesday
Gymnasticstraining,followedbyweightlifting.
Wednesday
Vaultingandtechniquesession,followedbyfilmreview.
Thursday
Gymnasticsandweighttraining.
Friday
Techniquedrillsession,followedbyintervalsforexample,6150m.
Saturday
Activerestforexample:swimming,underwatervaultdrills,andstretching.
Sunday
Vaultingsession,followedbyweighttrainingandfilmreview.
Again,balanceisthekey.Thecoachmustbesensitivetoeachathlete'sabilityto
acceptdifferentworkloads.Also,differentathletesmaynotbeabletoperformsimilar
workouts.Somemayneedmoreorlessworkineacharea.Forexample,vaultingthree
timesaweekmaynotbepossibleforsomeathletes,andtheirworkoutsshouldbe
limitedaccordingly.
makesurethatsessionsonvaultingtechniqueareprecededbyeasyormediumeffortdays.Duringearlyseasoncompetitions,adayofrestandrecoverywitheasy
activitypriortocompetitionisbeneficial.Priortolateseasoncompetitions,twodaysofrestandrecoveryarepreferable.Restandrecoveryperiodsarenot
synonymouswithinactivity.Athletesshouldalwaysjog,stretch,ordootherlightactivityduringtheserestingcomponents.
Integration
Becausevaultinghasvarioustrainingcomponents,vaultersshouldbeintegratedintootherworkoutgroupsifpossible.Toooftenthevaultersareleftontheirown
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whennotactuallyvaulting.Thecoachcanmaximizeefficiencyanddevelopteamspiritbyhavingthevaultersrunwiththesprinters,performdrillsessionswiththe
hurdlersandlongjumpers,andliftwiththethrowers.Atthecollegiatelevel,decathletesandvaultersarenaturalworkoutpartners.
Table13.2onpage212illustratesaweeklyworkoutstructureshowingthetypesoftrainingthatshouldbeaddedtotheathletes'weeklyworkouts.
CorrectingCommonFaults
Someofthemorecommonfaultsthatathletesandcoachesmayencounterincludethese:
Deceleratingattakeoff
Takingofffromaninside,or"under,"position
Keepingtheheadandeyesfocusedonthebar,killingswing/inversion
Failingtoextendbotharmsattakeoff,resultingincomingdownonthebar
Inconsistentapproachrun
Thefollowingdrillsshouldbeusedtocorrectthesecommonfaults:
StiffPoleVaulting
Thevaulterusesalowhandholdandasixsteprunwitharidgedpole.Theemphasisshouldbeonatallandtighttakeoffandfullyextendedtoparm.Iftheathlete
doesnotreachthevertical,thegripshouldbeloweredbutiftheathletedoesreachtheverticalandpassesquicklyintothepit,thehandholdmaycontinuetobe
graduallyincreaseduntiltheathletemakesaverticalpositioninthedirectionofthelandingarea.
ApproachRuns
Theathlete'srunshouldbemarkedonthetrack,awayfromtheboxorlandingarea,bymeasuringhisorherstepsfromatowelorsmallsandtuberepresentingthe
box.Allathleteandcoachmarksshouldbeincluded.Thevaultersimulateshisorherapproachplantandaggressivetakeoff.Thisdrillwillencourageconsistencyand
confidenceintheapproachandplant.Remembertoalwaysrunthroughthetakeoffandsimulateastrongjump.Theathleteistorunthroughthetakeoff,nottothe
takeoff.
PopUps
Thevaulterjogsfromashortapproachwithalowhandholdandpracticesplantingthepoleinthebox,thensimulatesaquick,rhythmicplantandswing,landingonhis
orherbackinthepit.
TakeoffTowelDrill
Tocorrectthehabitofchronicallytakingofftoofarunderthetophand,thecoachplacesatowelsixinchesinfrontofthevaulter'sidealtakeoffpoint.Instructthe
vaultertorun,plant,andtakeofffrombehindthetowel.Thevaulterwillbeawareofthetowelwithoutfocusingonit.Theinnatefearofsteppingonthetowelis
generallystrongenoughtobreakthechainofingrainedmovementpatterns.
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Counting
Teachyourvaultertocounteverytimetheleftfoot(forarighthandedvaulter)contactsthetrackduringtheapproach.Theathletewillnowbeabletoanticipatethe
beginningoftheplantonthecorrectcount.(Note:Somevaultersprefertocountbackward,asforarocketlaunchIsuggestexperimenting.)Thisdrillwillhelp
vaulterswhofeeltheplantactionsneaksuponthemandcatchesthemunpreparedtobegintoplantandtakeoff.
Push
Coachescanincreasetheirvaulter'stakeoffvelocityandresultingpenetrationbyactuallypushingontheathlete'sbackattakeoff.Thecoachshouldstandontheleft
sideoftherunway(forrighthandedvaulter)andpushthevaulterbetweentheshoulderbladesusingtherighthand.Spottingtheathletehelpsthevaulterbecomemore
confidentandthusmoreaggressive.Thepushisespeciallyusefulinhelpingavaulterraisethegriporwhenswitchingtoalargerpole.
ShortRunVault
Thevaultisperformedwithashorterrun(sevenstrides).Havetheathleteconcentrateononephasethatneedsimproving.Theshortapproachallowsmorevaultsto
becompletedduringapracticesession,andallowsvaulterstofocusontechniqueusingsmallerpoleswithwhichtheyfeelconfident.
TakeoffDrill
Beginningfromafourstepapproach,theathletewalksandperformstheplantingandtakeoffmotionsandextendsintoatall,tighttakeoffposition.Thecoachspots
theathletefrombehindbyfirmlygraspingthebackandlatareaasthevaulterrisesfromthegroundandreturnstotherunway.Thisdrillwillshowtheathletethatthe
armsmustbefullyextendedandrigidandthatthedrivelegandchestmustalsoremainrigidasheorsheleavestheground.Forarighthandedvaulter,thisdrillcan
alsobeperformedwiththecoachspottingtheathletefromtheleftsideoftherunway.Theathletejogsorwalksafourtofivestepapproachduringtakeoffthecoach
spotsthevaulterwiththerighthandinthecenteroftheathlete'sbackbetweentheshoulderbladesandthelefthandontheathlete'sleftthigh.Theathletemustremain
"tight,"withafirmgriponthepole.Thecoachstabilizestheathleteasheorshejumpsoffthegroundandassiststhereturntotherunway.Theathletemustleadwith
thechestanddrivekneeandholdthispositionthroughoutthedrill.Tofinishthedrill,theathletereturnstolandonthetakeofffootandtakesseveraljoggingsteps
backward.Iftheathleteabortsthedrill,thecoachmustspottheathletebywrappinghisorherarmsaroundtheathlete'storsoandgentlyloweringtheathletetothe
ground.
GymnasticsApparatus
Theathletemaysimulatephasesofthevaultongymnasticsrings,parallelbars,rope,orothergymnasticsdevices.Thegymnasticsapparatusisverybeneficialin
teachingtheathletetoswingaggressivelyandcontrolthebodysothatthehipsrisewhiletheshoulderslower.Itisalsovaluableforteachingtheathletetoswingand
rotatethroughtheshouldersratherthanpullandcurlupsidedown.Abeginninggymnasticscoursecanhelpteachspacialawarenessandbodycontrol.
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VaultingforHeight
Setthebaratthevaulter'spersonalbestoratoneortwofeetabovethat.Thisencouragesthevaultertoextendaggressivelyandtorefrainfromlookingatthebar,
whichcausestheathletetoflagoutinsteadofcontinuingupward.
VideotapingandImagery
Videotapetechniquepracticesasmuchaspossiblesothatathletescanobservetheirtechnique.Thevaulter'sinternalimagerymaybequitedifferentthanwhatheor
sheseesonthevideoreplay.Thevaultershouldalsousevisualizationtomentallyrehearseperformingthecorrecttechniques.
AdjustmentsforWeather
Itisimportanttopracticevaultinginlessthanidealconditions.Vaultersshouldpracticeintoaheadwindorshiftingwindonaregularbasissothattheylearntomake
adjustmentsbyshorteningtheirrun,usingasofterpole,andloweringthehandhold.Vaultersshouldpracticemakingthesesameadjustmentsforvaultinginwet
conditionssothattheywillmaketheproperdecisionsduringcompetition.Ifthereisatailwind,vaultersmustmakesimilaradjustmentstotakeadvantageofgood
conditions.Ingoodconditionswithfavorablewinds,vaultersmaybeabletoraisetheirhandholdandincreasethelengthoftherun.Inbetterconditions,vaulterswill
alsobeabletousestifferpoles.Thecoachshouldmonitorallpracticesandbeespeciallyvigilantifpoorconditionsarise.Theathletesareeagertocompeteandare
aggressiveinnaturesothecoachmustdecideifinclementweathershouldprohibitthemfromvaulting.Asagoodruleofthumb:Iftheathleteis"intheair,"thecoach
shouldbetheresupervising.
Competition
Vaultersshouldabidebythemottoof"BePrepared."Vaultingcompetitionswillgenerallylastseveralhourssoathletesshouldpreparethemselveswithproper
clothingandequipmentsuchasextratowels,umbrellas,tapemeasure,andchalkortapetoensureagoodgrip.Vaultersmustalsokeepproperlyhydratedduringthe
competition.Duringlongercompetitiontheathletesmayconsumesmallamountsoffruitorlightsnackstomaintaintheirenergylevels.
Afteraproperwarmup,includingpolerunsandtechniquedrills,theathleteshouldtakefromthreetofivefullapproachjumpswithasmallpole.Theopeningheight
shouldbeapproximatelyoneandonehalffeetbelowpersonalbestorthegoalheightheorshehassetforthatcompetition.Thecoachandathleteshouldgaugethe
windandweatherconditionsforadjustmentsinthesegeneralparameters.Ifthereisanunfavorablewind,orcoldorrainyweather,theathletemaystartwithasmaller
poleandaloweropeningheight,ormayevenrunfromashorter(sevenleftorrightfootstrikes)approachrun.Irecommendthatthevaulterjumpeveryheightinthe
competitionafterstarting,todevelopconfidenceandrhythminhisorhervault.Passingheightsisonlyforthemostexperiencedathletes.Ifthevaulterneedstoswitch
toastifferpolebecauseheorsheisgettingtoomuchdepth,orthepoleismovingtoverticalfasterthantheathletecanswingupsidedown,Irecommendswitching
polesonthefirst
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attemptatanewheight,ifpossible.Vaultersshouldsticktotheirgameplanandfocusontheirapproachandtakeoffduringcompetitions.Don'tletothercompetitors
affectyourdecisions.
Itisveryimportantthatteammatesworktogetherduringthecompetitiontohelpwithsteps,poles,andstandards,becauseinallprobability,thecoachmaynotbe
allowedintothemeetareaormayhavebeencalledawaytocoachotherevents.Teammatesworkingtogetherisabigadvantageduringcompetition.
Summary
Successfulvaultingrequiresconsistentpropertechniquebytheathlete,coupledwithaggressiveexecution.Tovaultsafely,theathletecannevergo"halfspeed"onthe
runway.Bydevelopingpropertechniquethroughplantingdrillsandapproachruns,theathletewilldeveloptheconfidenceandconsistencytovaulteffectivelyandhave
fun.
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PARTIV
THROWINGEVENTS
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14
ShotPut
BillGodina
RonBackes
Mostcoachesbelievethattechnicalproficiencyismoreeasilyachievedbyinitiallyteachingallputterstheglidetechnique.Later,atthehighschoolorcollegelevel,the
coachorathletewilldeterminethebesttechnicalpathtotake(glideorspin).Coachesshouldkeepinmindthatmanyofourworldclassspinners,suchasJohn
Godina,were60footglidersinhighschool.Theglideprovidedthemasolidunderstandingofthepowerpositionandreleasemovement.Traditionally,thisgroupwas
verysoundintheglidebeforeswitchingtotherotation.Oncethetransitiontothespintechniqueismade,someathletesseedramaticimprovementsintheir
performances.Itisoftencharacteristicslikestrength,flexibility,andspeedthatdictatewhichtechniqueisbestforaparticularathlete.Withalittleexperimentation,the
athleteandcoachcandeterminewhichtechniquewillresultinthebestperformances.
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GlideTechnique
WhenParryO'Brien,ayoungUniversityofSouthernCaliforniaathlete,turnedthestartingpositionoftheshotputmovement90degrees,ahistoricalbreakthroughin
techniqueoccurredintheevent.AndO'Brienbecamethefirstmantobreakthe60footbarrier.HecompetedonfourOlympicteams,wontwogoldmedalsandone
silvermedal,and,from1952to1956,had116consecutivevictories,arecordthatstillstandsthirtyyearslater.O'Brien'sdistancerecordswereprogressivelybroken,
climaxingin1965whenanotherAmerican,RandyMatson,shatteredthe70footbarrier.''Gliders"continuedtopushbackshotputdistances,culminatingwithUlf
Timmermann'sworldrecordof75feet,8inches(about23.06m)in1988.Althoughthespintechniquehasgrowninpopularityinrecentyears,manyworldclass
throwerscontinuetousetheglide.
Sincetheworldrecordforthemen'sshot,75feet,101/4inches(about23.12m),wasachievedbyaspinner,whydoworldclassathletescontinuetousetheglide?
Theanswerliesintwodimensionssimplicityandconsistency.Thefactis,theglidemovementislinearandsimple,unliketherotationalstyleofthespin,whichis
highlycomplex.Theglidecanbeusedwithmoreconsistencybecauseithasthreephasesthatarereadilyachievedtherotationalmovementhasmoreopportunitiesfor
error.
PhasesoftheGlide
Intheglidetechnique,threeprinciplesareessentialtoputtingtheshotfar.Theseareangleofrelease,heightofrelease,andvelocityofrelease.Theoptimumangleof
releaseintheglideis40to42degrees.Thehigherthereleasefromhorizontal,themoredistanceisachieved.Finally,thevelocityofrelease(howfasttheshotleaves
thehand)istheprimarydeterminerofdistanceachieved.Oneofthesefactors,theheightofrelease,isdeterminedbytheheightoftheathleteandcannotbeinfluenced
bycoachingortraining.However,theothertwofactorscanbeinfluencedbystrength/powertrainingandtechniquedevelopment.
Sometimesdescribedasthelinearstyle,theshotputglidehastheleastcomplextechniqueofthefourthrowingevents.Whatisforgottenbymanyisthattheglideisa
rhythmicactivitythatmustbesequentiallyexecutedtoachieveoptimumresults.Thephysiologicaldifferencesinathletesnecessitatesvariationsofthetechnique
describedinthischapter.Ourfocuswillbethecriticalpathofcertaineventsthatmustoccurregardlessofindividualvariation.
StartingPosition
Figure14.1
Directionalfocusofcircle,with
12o'clockasthedirectionofthe
throw.
Theathletefaces6o'clockinthering(figure14.1).Theweight/centerofgravityisovertherightfoot.(Ourexamplewillusetherighthandedshotputter.)Theshotis
heldonthecenterfingersandtuckedagainsttheneckwiththethumbdown(figure14.2a).Theanglebetweenthetorsoandupperarmis90degrees.Theheadis
square,withtheeyesfocusedonapointoutsidetheringforquickreference,selectadistanceequaltothediameterofthecircle(aboutsevenfeet).Thetorsocanbe
ineitheranuprightstartingpositionforadynamicstartoralower,moretraditionalposition.Regardlessofthestartingposition,thebackandneckmustbeinastraight
plane.
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Movementisinitiatedbypushingoffthesupportlegandthrustingthenonsupportlegtowardthefrontofthering(figure14.2b).Thehipsbegintosettletowardthe
centerofthering.Therightheeldepartstherearofthecirclelast.Throughouttheinitialmovement,theupperbodyremainsfacingthesixo'clockposition,whilethe
lowerbeginstoturnandface3o'clockonthecircle(figure14.2cd).Thefeetlandwiththelefttoebetweentherightinstepandheel.Thisrelationshipofupperand
lowerbodyiscommonlycalled"separation."Thecenterofgravityisovertherightleg.Theshotisbehindtherighthipreadytofollowthebodythroughtorelease.
Thisisthe"powerposition,"whichwillgeneratetorqueandpermitapplicationofforcethroughoutthethrow.
Proponentsoftheverticalstartpositionbelievethatthe"dynamicstart"increasestheshotvelocityalongthepathoftravelandrequireslessstrength.Ontheother
hand,thosebeginninglower,inthe"Tposition,"believethiscreatesamoreprecisepowerpositionformoreefficientapplicationofforce.TheTpositionrequiresmore
strengthtopropeltheathletetowardthefrontofthecircle.
Figure14.2
(ad)Shotputtechnique,startingfromthe"Tposition."
Glide
Thetwomainapproachestoachievingthepowerpositionarethelong/shortglideandtheshort/longglide.Themodellong/shortgliderwasAlFeuerbach.His
techniqueconsistedofaverydynamicstart,whichdrovehisrightfoot8to12inches(about20to30.5cm)beyondthecenteroftheringwhileachievingthepower
position(figure14.2e).Theshort/longglidewashighlyinfluencedbyGermancoaches,whoproducedtheprototypeinUlfTimmermann.Theinitialmovement,though
dynamic,isshorter,withtherightfootatorbehindthecenterofthering.Theproponentsoftheshort/longglidebelievethattheshotismoreeasilydriventhrougha
singleplanewithgreatervelocityandthattheforceislesslikelytobesplit.Whenmatchingthetechniquetotheathlete,oneshouldconsiderspeed,[strength,agility,
andheight.Historically,thesmaller[5feet,11inchesto6feet,1inch(about180cmto185cm)],moreathleticindividualappearstobemoresuccessfulwiththe
long/shorttechnique.
Thethrowisinitiatedfromthepowerposition.Thehipsbegintoturnaroundthecenterofgravity,whichpassesthroughtheballoftherightfoot,whichneverstops
turning(figure14.2f).Theuppertorsotrailsthehipsastorqueisappliedfromthelegs.At2o'clocktheupperbodyandshotaccelerateandcatchthelowertorso.
Delivery
Thedeliveryphasebeginswithinitiationofthearmstrikeandtheshotbeingpushedfromtheneck.Theleadlegstraightensandbeginsablockingaction,whichhalts
leftsidemovementandacceleratestherightsideandtheshot(figure14.2g).Atrelease,
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thearmisfullyextended:thethumbispointeddownandtheshotisflickedawaywiththefingers.Theheadisupandtheeyesarefocusedonthetrajectory.
Therearetwoprimarymethodstofinishthethrow.Thefirstisthereverse.Inthereverse,linearmomentumfromtheblockisdissipatedbyexchangingthepositionsof
theleftandrightfeet(figure14.2h).Therightarmisextendedandtheleftarmisparalleltotheground.Theputterlandsflatfootedontherightfootandfaces9
o'clock.Thesecondmethod,usedbymanyEuropeanthrowers,isthenonreversethrow.Inthenonreverse,thefeetremainessentiallyinthepowerpositionatrelease.
Therightfootmovesforwardfourtoeightinches(about10to20cm)followingrelease.Currentbiomechanicalresearchindicatesthatthenonreversetechniqueis
moreefficientsinceitpermitsapplicationofforceoveralongerpathduringdelivery.
Figure14.2(continued)
(eh)Theglideanddelivery.
TeachingProgression
Techniqueismostsuccessfullytaughtandcoachedfromthefrontofthecircletotherearofthecircle(from12o'clockto6o'clock).
Grip
Thefirststepistogriptheshotinamannerthatfacilitatestheapplicationofforceduringthedeliveryphase.Theshotisplacedonthepadsofthecenterthreefingers
inthepalmofthehand.Thethumbandfifthfingerstabilizetheshotinthatposition.
CarryingPosition
Onceacomfortablegripisachieved,thecoachandathletemustdeterminethecorrectcarryingpositionforeachthrower.Theshotispositionedonthenecktopermit
releasewiththethumbpointingdownandthefingersfullyextended.Astartingpointisontheneckundertherightjaw.Throughexperimentation,theoptimumposition
isdeterminedandisprogrammedintotheathlete'smusclememory.Keepinmindthatthepositionpointsfortheindoorandoutdoorshotwilldifferandmustbe
determinedbyexperimentation.
Control
Controlandkinestheticawarenessofthelegsandrightsideofthebodyinthepowerpositioniscritical.Thepowerpositionisestablishedwiththeheeloftherightfoot
alignedwiththetoeoftheleftfoot.Thefeetareapproximatelyshoulder
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widthapart.Thispositionpermitsmaximumgenerationoftorqueandapplicationofforcebythelargestmusclegroupinthebody,thelegs.
Toprogressivelytraintheathlete,drillsatthefrontoftheringarecritical.
DoublePivotDrill
Thefirstdrill,thedoublepivotdrill,isthebeginningofharnessingthelegsandhipsintheput.Thefeetarepositionedinthecorrectheeltotoerelationship,withthe
shotcorrectlypositionedontheneck.Theathletesquatsdownontheballsofbothfeet,facing3o'clock.Fromthatposition,thethrowerraisestotheverticalposition
whilepivotingsimultaneouslyontheballsofbothfeet.Thepivotis90degrees,withthecenterofgravityovertherightfoot.Thearmsareextendedandtheshotis
released.Theheadisback,withtheeyesoverhead.Bothfeetfinishinthe12o'clockposition.
NonreverseThrow
Drillnumbertwofocusestheballisticqualitiesofthethrower.Thisisanonreversethrowinwhichthebodyextensionbeyondthetoeboardisemphasized.Transferof
momentumfromtherightsideofthebodytotheleftsideculminatesinahardblock.Thissimulatestheshotaccelerationexperiencedinthefullthrow.Theathlete
beginsfacing3o'clock.Theleftlegisslightlybent,withweightontherightside.Therightfootpivotsviolently90degrees,turningtherightlegintothebentleftleg.
Theleftleglocksandinitiatestheblock,whichresultsinaccelerationoftheshot.Theliftcreatesastretchreflex,whichcontributestoanincreaseofshotvelocity.Both
feetfinishpointedinthe12o'clockposition.
FullReverseStandThrow
Drillthreeisthefullreversestandthrow.Theathleteassumesthepowerposition.Thelowerbodyfaces3o'clock,andtheupperbodyisinthe6o'clockposition.
Manypublicationsdescribethisuppertolowerbodyrelationshipas"separation."Thelegsdriveviolentlywitharotationallift.Theleftleglockstoestablishthe
blockingforce.Therightfootreplacestheleftfoot,landingonthebottomoftheentirefootparalleltothetoeboard.Thethrower'supperandlowerbodyisfacing9
o'clock.Therightarmisupandextended.Theleftarmisextendedbackandparalleltothesurfaceoftheringforbalance.
Beforeteachingmovementfromthebackofthering,makesurethethrowerhasmastereddrillsonethroughthree.Thethrowermustfeeltherightsideandunderstand
theimportanceoflegsinaccelerationandballisticdeliveryoftheshotintheblock.Finally,thecontrolledreverseenablesthethrowertoremaininthering,resultingin
afairthrow.
RhythmandSpeed
Thefinalphaseoftheteachingprogressiondealswithinitiationoftheglidefromthebackofthering.Theathletefaces6o'clock,glidestothecenterofthering,
pauses,andreleasestheshotusingthedoublepivot,nonreverse,andfullreversestandthrowdrills.Oncethethrowerhasachievedconsistencyoffootplacement,the
pauseiseliminated.Thefocusbecomesrhythmandspeedintransitiontooneofthethreethrowingdrills.
Theglideremainsthefoundationforshotputting.Forasuccessfulglide,thegrip,implementposition,singularlineofpower,andactiverightsidemust
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maximizevelocityfromtherearoftheringtothemiddle.Theblockbytheleftsidecannotbeneglectedifshotaccelerationistooccurandmaximumvelocityachieved.
Theglideistaughtinsegments,butthecoachmusttiethepiecestogetherthroughthedevelopmentofrhythmandconsistency.Remember,eachathleteis
biomechanicallydifferent,buttheprinciplesdescribedmustbeachievedbyalliftheyaretosucceed.
SpinTechnique
byRonBackes
ThespintechniquewasamajorreasonwhyIwasabletocompeteinthe1992OlympicGamesinBarcelona,Spain.Inhighschool,usingtheglidetechnique,mybest
markintheshotputwas50feet,5inches(about15.4m).However,Ididmanagetothrowthediscus181feet,9inches(about55.4m).Thisdiscrepancyin
performancesledmyfirstcollegecoachatHamlineUniversity,DickMulkern,tosuggestItakethespinningactionusedinthediscusandapplyittotheshotput.Thus,
Istartedusingthespintechnique.Iquicklytooktothespinandsawdramaticimprovementsinmyperformanceandmyenjoymentoftheevent.Undertheguidanceof
mycoachfromtheUniversityofMinnesota,SteveForseth,Iachievedacareerbest68feet,113/4inches(about21m)withthespintechnique.EvenwhenIwas
throwingthe16pound(about7.3kg)shotput68feet(about20.7m)withthespin,Icouldonlymuster61or62feet(about18.6mto18.9m)withtheglide.Iam
notopposedtousingtheglidetechniquehowever,someathletes,likeme,mightbenefitfromusingthespin.
Thefollowingaresomeofmypersonalinsightsandexperiencesoverthepast17yearsofperformingandcoachingthespintechnique.Itismyhopethatthesewillaid
youinyourcoachingofthespin.
Philosophy
Myphilosophyregardingthespintechniquehasalwaysbeensimplicity.Whendonecorrectly,thespintechniqueshouldappearefficientandeffortless.Theathlete
mayevensay,"Thatfelteasy"or"Ihardlyfeltthatone."Thisisasignthattheathletehasfinallymasteredasmoothandefficientthrow.Itisimportantforathletesto
focuson"bigpicture"conceptslikebalance,rhythm,andthefeelingofdifferentpositionsofthethrow.Asacoach,itisimportanttousecommonvocabularyand
simpleanalogiestohelpathletesmastertheseconcepts.Bydoingthis,smalltechnicalproblemswilloftentakecareofthemselves.
DevelopingaCommonVocabulary
Akeyfactorinmasteringthespintechniqueisthedevelopmentofacommonvocabularybetweenthecoachandathlete.Commontermswillenhancethe
communicationprocess,reducechancesformisunderstanding,andhelpincompetitivesituations.Isuggestcoachesdevelopahandbookthatoutlinesthetrainingplan,
describestheprogramphilosophy,andliststermsanddefinitionstogivetohisorherathletes.Thiswillimprovecoachingeffectivenessandbuildconfidenceandtrust
withtheathlete.Someexamplesofcommontermsthatrelatetobodypositioninclude:
Powerpositionfortherighthandedthrower,thisisthepositioninwhichtheathlete'sleftlegtouchesdowninthefrontofthecirclewhiletherightlegisnear
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thecenterofthering.Theshouldersfacethe6o'clockpositionwhilehipsarefacing3o'clock.
Wraptherelationshipoftheleftarmtotherightleginthepowerposition.Itreferstotheleftarmposition,whichappearstobeacrossthebodyatthemomentthe
athletereachesthepowerposition.Thishelpskeeptheshouldersfromopeningtoosoon.
Cowboythebowleggedstartingpositioninthebackofthecircle.
Separationtherelationshipbetweentheupperandlowerbodyduringthespinmovement.Thelowerbodyisalwaysmovingaheadoftheupperbodysoastodrag
theupperbodyalong.
Torquethemusculartensionbetweentheabdominalobliquemusclesandthetrunk,whichisaresultofseparation.
ExplainingComplexConcepts
Anotheraspectofcoachingthathelpstheathletesisthecoach'sabilitytocommunicatecomplexconceptsusingsimpleterms,"key"or"cue"words,andsimple
analogies.Thisisespeciallyimportantwhencoachingthespintechniqueasitwillhelpsimplifywhatsomedeemamorecomplexsetofstepsthanthatoftheglide.
Simpletermshelpbothexperiencedthrowersandrookieslearnorcorrecttechnique.Keywordsorcuesareshortphrasesthathelptheathletefocusonaspecific
aspectofthetechnique.Theyareextremelyusefulincompetitionwhentheathleteneedstolimitthenumberofthingstothinkaboutandwhendirectcoachingcontact
islimited.
Becauseoftheshotput'stechnicalnature,therewillbealotoffrustration.Thecoachandathletemustbepatient.Improvementwillnotalwaysbesteady.Itusually
comesinspurts,betweenlongboutsoffrustrationandangst.Humorisalsoanecessaryelementifacoachwishestohavealongcareer!
PhasesoftheSpin
Alltechnicaldescriptionsinthefollowingsectionswillbefortherighthandedthrower.
StartingPosition
Figure14.3
Startingor"cowboy"position
ofthespintechnique.
Startbystraddlingthecenterlinewiththefeetjustslightlywiderthanshoulderwidthapartandthetoespointedoutabout20degrees(Figure14.3).Theathlete'slegs
shouldbeinabowedpositionandthatdistancebetweenthekneesshouldbemaintainedastheystarttheirturn.Mycoach,SteveForseth,termedthis,"thecowboy
position."Thekneesareslightlybent(1/2squatdepth)inaclassicuprightathleticposition.Theathlete'shipsshouldbepositionedontopofthemnotleaningtoofar
forwardorsittingtoofarback.
WindandEntry
About60percentoftheweightisthenshiftedtotheleftlegandkeptontheleftlegduringthepreturnwindup.Isuggestkeepingtherightfootflatandgrounded
duringthewindup.Theleftarm,leftknee,andfootturntogetherinwardduringthewindandthenoutwardduringtheentrytoinitiatethethrow.(Theentryisthe
beginningofthespinmove.Thewindisapreliminarymoveintheoppositedirectiontocreateseparationatthebeginningofthemoveintothe
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spin.)Atthepointwheretheathletecompletesthewindupandstartstomoveintothethrow,therightfootneedstoimmediatelycomeofftheground.Iftherightfoot
islateingettingoffthegrounditwillbedifficulttogetonbalanceovertheleftleg,andtheleftlegwillhaveatendencytodragbehindontheentirethrow.
Theathleteoftenwilltrytousetheupperbodytocreatemomentumtostartthethrow.Themovementinthebackofthecircleneedstobeinitiatedwiththelower
body.
360DegreeDrill
AdrillthatIusetopracticethestartiscalledthe"360degree"drill.Theathletegetsintothestartingpositionandattemptstopivotontheleftleg,completingafull
360degreeturnlandinginthesameexactpositiontheystartedin.Theemphasisinthisdrillistogoslowwhilekeepingtherightleglowandwide.Justasintheactual
throwtheleftarmshouldnotmoveaheadoftheleftleg.Thisisagreatdrillforworkingonbalance,anditcanalsobeusedinthediscus.Irecommendusingitinthe
warmup,performingthreesetsoftenrepetitions.
Figure14.4
Inthe360degreedrill,therightfootis
sweptwideandlowtomakethefirst180
degreesoftheinitialturn.
Therightfootissweptwideandlowastheathletemakesthefirst180degreesoftheinitialturn(figure14.4).Theleftarmshouldnevergetaheadoftheleftthighand
knee.Themovementislikethatofadoor.Theleftsideisthehingeandtheathlete,likeadoor,movesaroundtheleftside.
Afterthefirst180degreesoftheturncomesthedriveintothemiddleofthecircle.Ifeelthisisthecriticalpointinthethrow.Itiswheretheathletewillestablishtorque
andseparationforthereleaseoftheshot.Asinthereleaseoftheshotwheretheathlete"blocks"theleftsideinordertoacceleratetherightside,thesameprinciple
appliesastheathletecomesoutofthebackofthering.Whentheathleteisfacingthethrowingsector,theleftfootshouldstoprotatingandbepointingdowntheright
handsectorlineoratleasttorightofcenter(between1and2o'clock,asshowninfigure14.5).Theleftarmispointedtothecenterofthesectorandheldasthe
athletedrivestherighthipaheadoftheshoulderintothemiddleofthecircle.Agoodkeyhereistohavetheathletetrytofeeltherightlegpassingunderneaththe
outstretchedleftarm.
Therightfootiscarriedinawidesweepingmotionwiththetoepointedoutasiftheathleteiskickingasoccerballatthe180degreepointoftheinitialturn.Asthe
athleteturnstherighthipintothemiddleofthecircle,theleftarmisbroughtbackacrossthebodyinawrappingmotion.Icallthisthe"wrap."Ithelpskeeptheupper
bodybackwhentheathletelandsinthepowerposition(figure14.6).Theathletefocusesonkeepingtheweightovertherightlegastheleftlegismovedquicklytothe
frontofthecircle.Oncetherightfootmakescontactwiththecircle,itshouldcontinuetoturnastheleftlegwheelstothefrontandtheathletecompletesthethrow.
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Figure14.5
Duringthedriveintothemiddleof
thecircle,whentheathletefacesthe
throwingsector,theleftfootstops
rotatingandpointsbetween1and2
o'clock.
Figure14.6
The"wrap,"wheretherighthipturns
intothemiddleofthecircleandthe
leftarmcomesacrossthebody.
Becauseofthetremendousforcecreatedbytherightlegsweep,thespintechniquemayproduceaslightlynarrowerstanceatthefrontofthecirclethantheglide
techniquewould.Thisistypicalanddoesnotnegativelyaffectthethrowinanyway.Thekeyisthattherightfootcontinuetoturninthemiddleofthecircle.
Anotheradvantageofstoppingtheleftfootrotationwhenitispointingdowntherightsector,besidesanaccelerationoftherightside,isthatthethighswillcome
togetherandthewheeloftheleftlegwillbetightandquick.Theblock,orholdingoftheleftsideoutoftheback,alsohelpspreventanathletefromoverrotatingand
theleftlegfromswingingwideandslowtothefrontandlandinginanopenposition.
Therhythmofthethrowthroughthesetwophases,giventhatthetechniqueisperformedasprescribed,isanotherimportantfactorandiskeytolongthrows.Thefirst
180degreesoftheturnisdoneinasmoothandcontrolledmanner.Comparedtotherestofthethrow,itistheslowestmovement.Whentheleftsideisblocked,the
rightlegandhipwillaccelerateintothemiddleofthecircle.Theleftfootshouldbepickedupoffthecircleassoonaspossiblesothatitmaybewheeledtothetoe
boardasquickaspossible.Bothfeetshouldlandalmostsimultaneously.Goodtechniquecanbeheardaswellasseen.InmymindIheartherhythmplayedoutina
seriesofsounds:"Voomboom/boom".The"voom"isalongdrawnoutsoundIassociatewiththewidesweepoftherightleg.The"boom/boom"soundrepresents
aquickplacementoftherightandleftfeetatthefrontofthecircle.Individualsmayuseothersounddescriptionstodescribethismovement.Using"voom
boom/boom"helpedmefocusonasingleconceptthatinvolvedmanypartsofthetechnique.
Delivery
Thepositionofthebodywhentheleftlegfirsttouchesdownatthefrontofthecircleindicateswhetherornottheathletehasperformedthetechniquecorrectlyupto
thispoint.Itwillalsotellyouiftheathletewillhaveachanceforagoodthrow.Theathlete'sweightshouldbepredominatelyovertherightleg.Theshoulderswillbe
facingthebackofthecircle.Theleftarmwillbepulledacrossthebodymakingan"X"acrosstherightthigh.Again,Irefertothisasthe"wrap."Therightfootshould
bepointingtosomewherebetween3and6o'clock(seefigure14.7onpage228).
Themovementinthefrontofthecircleisacontinuationofwhathasbeenestablishedcomingoutofthebackofthecircle.Thehipsandrightfootshouldcontinueto
turnastheshotiskeptbackandbehindtherighthip.Theleftarmshouldbeextendedandbroughtupandoverattherelease.Theleftarmisthenbentandbrought
downtotheside.Itellmyathletestotryandimaginetheyaresqueezinganorangeunderneaththeirarmpit.Thehipsaccelerateupandontoastrongblock.
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Figure14.7
Thespintechniquefromstarttofinish.
Theblockatthepointofreleasecanbethoughtofintermsofthewholeleftside.Theathlete'sleftlegshouldbeaggressivelystraightenedthereshouldbenobendin
theleftleg.Thereshouldbenobendingbackorbreakofthelefthip.Theoverallconcepthereisthattheathletebetallontheleftsidewhenreleasingtheshot.The
higherthereleasepoint,thelongerthedistance.Thereleasepointshouldbeoutinfrontofthetoeboard.Thehipturnsthroughthereleaseandcontinuestoturnafter
thereleaseoftheshot.Itissimilartotheconceptofasprinternotstoppingatthefinishlinebutinsteadrunningthroughthefinishline,maintainingmaximumspeed.In
thesameway,thethrowerfocusesontherighthipturningallthewaythroughevenaftertheshotisreleased.Iliketotelltheathleteto"finishthethrow."Thethrower
shouldfinishwithahighrightshoulder.Thefinishshouldresemblethatofagymnastwhosticksthelanding.Inthesameway,thethrowershouldstickthefinish.The
athletewillendupfacingthebackofthecircleorrotatingallthewayaroundafterthereleaseoftheshot.Thisisagoodindicationthattheathleteisbalancedandhas
completelyfollowedthroughonthefinish.
Figure14.7illustrateseachphaseofthespintechnique.
Troubleshooting
Thefollowingareafewtroubleshootingtipsthatwillhelpkeepyourathletemovinginapositivedirection.
TestingBalance
Figure14.8
Tiltedshouldersoraforwardfallingmotionare
signsthattheathleteisoffbalance.
Theoverridingfactorinthespintechniqueisbalance.Thecoachshouldeasilybeabletorecognizeanathletewhoisnotbalanced.Theathletemayhavetrouble
stayinginthecirclethrowsmaygooutofthesectortheathlete'sshouldersmaybetiltedortheymayappeartobefallingintothemiddleofthecircle(figure14.8)
theycouldhavetroublecompletingafullturnona360degreedrill.Theathleteshouldbeincontrolofthebodyduringtheentirethrowandfollowthrough.Agood
waytotestbalanceistoaskathletestostopindifferentphasesofthethrow.Iftheycanstopandholdaproperposition,itisagoodindicationthattheyarebalanced.
CheckingthePositionoftheShotduringtheThrow
Anotherimportantconceptinthespinisthepositionoftheshotrelativetotherighthipduringthethrow.When
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theathletessetupinthebackofthecircle,theshotispositionedbehindtherighthip.Astheyperformthetechnique,asafullthroworfromthepowerposition,the
shotneedstostaybehindtherighthipuntiltheverypointofrelease.Inthespin,thisrelationshipoftheshotandrighthipisestablishedduringtheinitialturnandthe
leadingofthehipintothemiddleofthecircle.Itisimportanttomaintaintherelationshipduringthedrivetothemiddleofthecircle,thewheel,andtherelease.Ifthe
shotmovesaheadoftherighthipduringtheinitialturnanddriveintothemiddle,theathletewilllandwiththeshotaheadofthehipandwillnotbeabletoregaina
properrelationshipfortherelease.
VideotapingtheAthlete
Videotapingcompetitionsandpracticeswillhelpthecoachhelptheathletesmasterthespintechnique.Ifathletesdonothaveacoachtoobservethem,videotaping
willallowthemto,inessence,coachthemselvesorsendthetapetoacoachandreceivelongdistancecoaching.Ifacoachispresent,thenthisallowsbothtoview
areasofimprovementanddeterminewhatneedstobeemphasizedinpractice.Italsogivestheathleteanopportunitytovoiceopinionsanddemonstratehisorher
comprehensionofspecificconcepts.
Thespintechniqueisaviableoptionforathletesandcoachesatalllevels.Coacheswhohavenothadexposuretothespinshouldnotshyawayfromteachingitto
theirathletes.Almostalloftheconceptsforthediscusarethesamefortheshotputspin.Keepitsimplefocusonbigconceptsandputinalittletimetostudythe
technique.Beastudentofthesport.Balanceisthekeyinallaspectsofthrowingtheshotput.Theathletemustbebalancedthroughouttheentirethrow.Remember
alsotodesignabalancedtrainingprogramasdescribedinthenextsection.Itismyhopethatalloftheseprinciples,combinedwithanintensedesiretocompete,will
bringyoumuchsuccess.
Training
Whilethrowingtechniqueis,ofcourse,vital,thedevelopmentofstrengthandpowercannotbeneglected.Bothareessentialelementsofshotputting.Thecoachand
athletemustunderstandanddevelopastrengthtrainingprogram.Aneffectiveprogramincludesweighttraining,plyometrics,andtheuseofvariableweight
implements.Thestrengthliftsaresquatsandthebenchpress.Thepowerliftsarecleansandsnatches.Duringearlyphasesoftraining,thevolume(numberof
repetitions)ishighandintensity(weight)islow.Astheseasonprogressestowardtheculminatingevent(state,regional,orNCAAchampionships),thevolumeis
reducedandtheintensityincreased.Fordevelopmentalathletes,eachcoreliftisperformedonceaweek.Foradvancedandelitethrowers,thecoreliftsmaybe
executedtwiceaweek,witharestdayinsertedinthemiddleoftheprogram.
Aswithweighttraining,plyometricsbeginwithhighvolumeandlowintensitytwiceaweek.Inthemiddleoftheseason,thevolumedropstoweekly,andthefinal
quarteroftheseasonhasnoplyometricsexercises.Forthenovicethrowers,floorexercisesandboxes,notallerthan18inches(about46cm),arerecommended.For
advancedathletes,a24to30inch(about61to76cm)boxissatisfactory.Theboxesarespacedthreetofivefeet(about91to152cm)apart.Theathletedoesa
seriesofhopsonandoffeachbox.Thisexercisecanbedonetakingofffrombothfeet,alternatingfeet,orhoppingononefootonly.
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Anotherboxdrillistoplaceaboxnextto,butoutsideof,thethrowingcircleat6o'clock.Theathletestartsontopoftheboxthenspinstothepowerpositionintothe
circlebyhoppingdown.Thisenhancestheathlete'sstrengthandpower.
Finally,variableweightimplementscanbeusedtodevelopbothstrengthandpower.Overweightimplementtrainingduringthebeginningandmiddleoftheseason
buildsstrength,andusingunderweightimplementsduringthefinalquarterbuildshandspeed.Theuseofvariableweightedshotsshouldbestructuredlikealifting
workout,identifyingthenumberofsetsandnumberofthrowsperworkout.Theimplementsshouldconformtothe''10%rule"thatis,theweightis10%ofthe
standardimplement.(Seetable14.1.)
Table14.2presentsacomprehensivesampletrainingplanforshotputtersthatfollowstheprogressionfromhighvolume,lowintensityduringtheearlytrainingphaseto
lowvolume,highintensityastheseasonprogresses.Itcanbealteredbasedontheneedsoftheathletesataparticularphaseoftheseason.
TABLE14.1VARIABLEWEIGHTIMPLEMENTSFORSHOTPUT
Standard
Overweight
Underweight
4kg.
10lb.
8lb.
12lb.
13lb.
10lb.
16lb.
18lb.
14lb.
TABLE14.2SAMPLETRAININGPLANFORSHOTPUT
Allweighttrainingsessionsshouldincludeseveralsetsofabdominalandabdominalrotationexercises.
PrepreparationPhase(2weeks)
Throwing
VolumeComplete1020throws,twiceaweek,usingcompetitionweighted
implements.
FocusStartwiththebasics,introducingtheeventtonewthrowersandreteaching
theveteranathletesontheteam.Focusonthebigconceptslikeproperthrowing
positionsandusingthelegstothrowtheimplement.
Lifting
Circuittraining.Pick10exercisesencompassingthewholebody.Performeachexercise
for30sec.,rest15sec.,andperformthenextexerciseinthecircuit.Use3050%ofmax.
weightor1/3ofbodyweight.Recordthenumberofrepsforfuturereferenceandgoal
setting.
Running
Run23daysaweek.Alternateamonglong,short,andhilldays.
Longsprint5200m,walk200mforrecovery.
Shortsprint8100m,walk100mforrecovery.
Hills6150m,walkbackforrecovery.
Plyometrics
Onedayperweek.Multiplesetsof10and5reps,60totalcontacts,doubleleg
variations,boxesorhurdlesnohigherthan18in.(about46cm).
Medicineball
Twodaysaweek.Pick36exercisesperformingthemfromeachsideofthebody.Do2
3setsof10repsperexercise.Exercisescouldinclude:overheadbackward,
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
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(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
PrepreparationPhase(2weeks)
underneathforward,backtobackpartnerexchange,siderotationthrows(power
position),overheadsteppingforward,overheadfromsitupposition,hipthrow(holdball
onhipperformingapowerpositionmovement)oranyeventspecificmovement.
PreparationPhase(1012weeks)
Throwing
VolumeComplete2030throws,23daysaweek,usingregulationandheavier
implements(12lb.or.45.9kgoverregulation).
FocusIdentifyandprioritizetechnicalaspectsforeachindividual.Starttosettechnical
goalsineachpractice.Anexamplemightbeforathletestolearnthegripandoncethey
havethatdown,moveontomasteringastartingposition.
Lifting
3or4daysperweek
Examples:
Mon.
Tues.
Thurs.
Fri.
4dayprogram
Pulls(cleans,snatch,orhighpull)andsquat
1or2pushes(bench,military,incline)+supplementary
Pullandsquat(light)
Pushandsupplementarylift
3dayprogram
Week1
Mon.
Wed.
Fri.
Week2
Mon.
Wed.
Fri.
Pullandsquat
Benchandpress(upperbody)
Pullandfrontsquat
Setsandreps:
Initialexercisesshouldbeprecededbyasufficientnumberofwarmup
setsusingalighterweight.Eachsetshouldprogressinweight.The
focusisonincreasingtheweightusedonthelastsetcomparedtothe
lasttimeperformingthelift.
Pulls3or4setsof56reps
Presses3or4setsof810reps
Supplementary3setsof810reps
Running
Run23daysaweek.Alternateamonglong,short,andhilldays.
Longsprint6150m,walk150mforrecovery.
Shortsprint880m,walk80mforrecovery.
Hills6100m,walkbackforrecovery.
Plyometrics
Onetotwodaysaweek.Multiplesetsof10and5reps,60total
contactspersession,doublelegvariations,boxesorhurdlesno
higherthan18in.(about46cm).
Medicineball
Sameasinconditioningphase.
Benchandpress(upperbody)
Pullandsquat
Inclineandupperbody
PrecompetitionPhase(1012weeks)
Throwing
(continued)
VolumeComplete2030throws,23daysperweek,usingregulationweighted
implements.
FocusStarttodesignandpracticeacompetitionroutinetousewhentheseason
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(continued)
PrecompetitionPhase(1012weeks)
starts.Oncebasictechniqueismastered,starttoworkontherhythmofthethrow,slow
andrelaxedtoquickandexplosive.
Lifting
Pulls3or4setsof34reps
Presses3or4setsof5reps
Supplementary3setsof68reps
Running
Run23daysaweek.Alternateamonglong,short,andhilldays.
Longsprint8100m,walk100mforrecovery.
Shortsprint840m,fullrecovery.
Hills560m,fullrecovery
Plyometrics
Onetotwodaysperweek.Multiplesetsof10and5reps,80totalcontactspersession,
doublelegvariations,boxesorhurdlesnohigherthan18in.variations,boxesorhurdles
nohigherthan18in.(about46cm).
Medicineball
Sameasinconditioningphase.
CompetitionPhase(68weeks)
Throwing
VolumeComplete1525throws,23daysperweek,usingregulationandlight
implements(12lb.lighterthanregulation).
FocusQualityisdefinitelymoreimportantthanquantityatthispoint.Besensitiveto
howtheathletesfeel.Iftheyaretoofatiguedtoperformthetechniqueproperly,then
stopthrowinganddosomedrillsorjustendthethrowingsession.
Lifting
Pulls3or4setsof23reps
Presses3or4setsof35reps
Supplementary3setsof68reps
Running
Run2daysaweek.Alternatebetweenlongandshortsprints.
Longsprint880m,walk80mforrecovery.
Shortsprint82040m,fullrecovery.
Plyometrics
Onedayperweek.Multiplesetsof10and5reps,50totalcontacts,doublelegvariations,
boxesorhurdlesnohigherthan18in.(about46cm).
Medicineball
Sameasinconditioningphase.
UnloadingPeakPhase(710daysbeforemaincompetition)
Throwing
VolumeComplete1020throwsusingregulationandmainlylightimplements(12lb.
lighterthanregulation).Afewthrowsthedaybeforethecompetitioncanbeagoodidea
tocalmthenervesandgetaccustomedtothecircle.
FocusEmphasizetherhythmofthethrowandmentalpreparationforthecompetition.
Lifting
Pullsandpresses3setsof3reps,lightandquick(7075%ofmax.)
Running
Run2daysaweek.Alternatebetweenlongandshortsprints.
Longsprint660measystrideouts,walk80mforrecovery.
Shortsprint520m,fullrecovery.
Plyometrics
Noplyometrics
Medicineball
Onedaythisweekcutvolumeto1setof10repsforthe4selectedexercises.
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Competition
Thecompetitionphaseneedsmorethantechnicalandstrength/powerpreparation.Alargeportionofthepreparationismentaltraining.Usepositiveselftalkand
mentalimagery,projectingtheidealthrowonthemind'smoviescreen.Arehearsalbeforeeachmajormeetreducesstressandincreasesconfidence.Thehigherthe
caliberofcompetition,thegreatertheroleofthementaldimension.AnoldquotefromHenryFordbestsumsthisup,"Whetheryoubelieveyoucanoryoubelieve
youcan't,you'reright."
Twowaystoimplementmentalimageryaretodoitawayfromcompetitionandalsotoimplementitjustbeforeyouthrow.Gotoarelaxedsetting,perhapsyour
bedroomorsomeprivateareathatallowsformentalconcentration.Listentomusicthatstimulatesyou,butallowfornootheroutsidedistractions.Closeyoureyes
andseeyourselfcompeting.Letthemusicgetyouintotherhythmofthethrow.Seeyourselfcompletingthetechniquesuccessfully,withquicknessandexplosiveness.
Envisionyourselfcompetingthethrowonbalanceandincontrol.Mentallyrehearsethethrowfromthethrowingpositioninsideyourselfaswellaswatchingyourself
fromoutsideyourbody.Seeyourselfonthevictorystand.
Repeatingtheabovetechniquewillhelpthebodylearncorrectformandalsoallowtheathletetofeeltheaction.Thesecondmethodinvolvestheathletesatthe
competitionsite.Whiletheathletesarewaitingtheirturn,theyshouldclosetheireyes,blockouteverythingaroundthem,andmentallyrehearsetheaction.
Summary
Eachathleteshouldstrivetofullyunderstandallaspectsoftheevent.Thebettertheathletes'understandingofpropertrainingandtechnique,thequickerandmore
thoroughlytheywilldevelopgoodtrainingmethodsandproperthrowingtechnique.Inessence,theyneedtobecomestudentsofthesport,alwaysstrivingtoimprove
theirknowledgeandtechnique.Thiswillalsoresultinintrinsicmotivation,whichweallknowisvitalinindividualsportsliketrack.
Page235
15
Discus
DonBabbitt
Inthediscusevent,distanceisdeterminedbythefactorsofsize,technique,andstrengthcombinedwiththeelementsofbalanceandspeedtogeneratemaximalpower
androtationaltorque.Theidealathletefordiscusthrowingistall,withlongarmsandlegs,andhasquickfeetandgoodbalance.Theadvantageofgoodleverageis
illustratedbythefactthatmanyoftheworld'stopmalethrowershavemeasuredalmost2meters,orabout6feet,6inches,inheight,whilemanyofthetopfemale
throwersare5feet,10inches(about178cm)ortaller.GabrieleReinsch,whoholdsthewomen'sworldrecordof252feet(76.81m),stands6feet,2inches(188
cm),whileConniePriceSmith,whohasbeenoneofAmerica'stopdiscusthrowers,stands6feet,3inches(190.5cm)!At6feet,6inches(198cm),and243
pounds(about110kg),LarsReidel,thecurrentmen'sworldchampion,exemplifiestheperfectdiscusbodytype.
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Theprimarymechanicalfactorsindeterminingperformanceinthediscusarethethrower'sabilitiestoexecutea630degreeturnwithprecisionandspeedwhile
keepingthethrowingarmlooseandrelaxedthroughthepointofrelease.ThrowerssuchasJaySilvester,JohnPowell,andMacWilkinshavebeenpioneersin
developingthethrowingtechniquethatisusedbymanyoftoday'ssuccessfulthrowers.Thetechnicalinnovationsofthesegreatthrowersstillserveasmodelsforhow
toturnanddriveoutthebackofthering,pivotinthemiddleofthering,andsetupthereleaseattheendofthethrow.
Technique
Figure15.1
Directionalfocusofcircle,with12o'clockbeing
thedirectionofthethrow.
Thissectionwillcoverthemechanicsusedtothrowthediscusaswellasateachingprogressiontointroducetheeventtothrowersofvaryinglevels.Thiswillbe
followedbyasectionfocusingonsomeofthemostcommontechnicalerrors,andwillincludesomedrillsthatcanhelpcorrecttheseproblems.Alltechnical
descriptionsinthepresentandfollowingsectionswillbefortherighthandedthrower.Fordescriptivepurposes,thedifferentareasofthediscuscirclewillbereferred
tobythehourpositionsonaclock.Inthiscase,thebackoftheringwillbeconsideredthe6o'clockposition,whilethefrontoftheringwillbeconsideredthe12
o'clockposition(seefigure15.1).
BeginningtheThrow
Thethrowerwillbeginthethrowbystandinginthebackofthering,facingat6o'clock,withthefeetapartatroughlyshoulderwidth.Thediscuswillwindbehindthe
thrower'sbackwiththearmsextendingoutata90degreeanglefromthetrunk(seefigure15.2a).Duringthewind,therightfootwillbeflatagainstthe
Figure15.2
Discustechnique:(a)thewind,(b)widelegsweepoftherightlegtounwind,(c)anotherrightlegsweep,
(d)pullingtherightleguptostartthedriveacrossthering.
Page237
ground,whileonlytheballoftheleftfootwillbeincontactwiththeground.Thecenterofmassshouldbelocatedhalfwaybetweentherightandleftlegs,causingthe
thrower'sweighttobeequallydistributedonbothlegs.
Thethrowerwillthenbegintounwindthediscusbyturningthetorsototheleftastheweightshiftsontotheballoftheleftfoot.Atthistimealsotherightfootispicked
upoffthegroundinpreparationforawidelegsweepwhilethethroweristurningontheballoftheleftfoot(seefig15.2b).Asthethrowercontinuestoturnoutthe
backoftheringbypivotingontheballoftheleftfoot,heorshesweepstherightleginawidearcuntilthelefttoeandchestarefacing1o'clock(seefig.15.2c).At
thispoint,itiscriticalthatthethrower'scenterofmassbedirectlyovertheballoftheleftfootandthattheshouldersbekeptlevelwiththegroundtoensuregood
balance.Theleftarmshouldalsobekeptextendedduringtheturnoutthebackoftheringtoslowtheupperbody'srotationsothatthediscuscanbekeptbackasfar
aspossible.
DrivingacrosstheRing
Oncethethrowerhasturnedoutthebackoftheringandthelefttoeandchestarelinedupwiththerightsectorline(i.e.,facing1o'clock),heorshewillbeinposition
todriveacrossthering.Thisdrive,or"sprint,"acrosstheringwillbecausedbydrivingofftheleftlegwhilesimultaneouslypullingtherightlegacrossthebodyasthe
rightkneeispulleduptomakea90degreeanglebetweentherightthighandtorso(seefig.15.2d).Thecombinedactionoftherightandleftlegswillcausethe
throwertodriveacrosstheringwhilegainingrotationalmomentumtocompletetheturninthemiddleofthering.
TurningintheMiddleoftheRing
Whenthethrowerhascompletedthepushoffwiththeleftleg,heorshewillbeinashort"flightphase"whileturninginthemiddleofthering.Whileturningintheair,
thethrowertriestomaintaintherightthighata90degreeanglewiththetorsountiltherightfootcomesbackincontactwiththeground.Whilethisishappening,the
leftlegispulledinclosetotherightleg,inanefforttoconserverotationalmomentum(seefig.15.2e).
Figure15.2(continued)
(e)turninginthecenterofthering,(f)completionoftheflightphasewiththerighttoefacing
between7and9o'clock,(g)startofthedeliveryphase,(h)blockandrelease,and(i)thereverse.
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Theflightphaseiscompletedwhenthethrower'srightfootcomesbackincontactwiththeground.Atthispoint,onlytheballoftherightfootshouldbegroundedand
thetoeshouldbefacinganywherebetween7and9o'clock.Itisalsoimportantthatthethrower'scenterofmassbelocatedovertheballoftherightfootupon
recontactwiththeground(seefig.15.2f,page237).Thearmsshouldberelaxedandstretchedout,withthethrowingarmata90degreeangletothetorso.
Oncetheballoftherightfoothitstheground,itbeginstopivotinacounterclockwisedirection.Asthispivotingmotionisgoingon,theleftfootisbroughtaroundto
thefrontofthering,assoonaspossibleafterthetouchdownoftherightfoot,andplacedonthegroundsothatbothfeetareroughlyalittlemorethanshoulderwidth
apart.Thethrowermustkeepthechestfacingascloseto6o'clockaspossibleuntiltheleftfootcomesincontactwiththeground.Thisensuresthatthediscusis
extendedasfarbehindtherighthipaspossibleformaximumleverage(fig.15.2f,page237).Itisalsoimportantthattheheeloftherightfootbelinedupwiththetoe
oftheleftfootsothatthehipsareabletorotateallthewaythroughduringthedeliveryphase.
TheDeliveryandRelease
Oncebothfeetarebackontheground(doublesupportphase),thedeliveryphasecanbegin.Thedeliveryphaseisinitiatedbythecontinuedpivotoftherightfoot,
whichinturnleadstherighthipaheadofthethrowingshoulderandthrowingarm(fig.15.2g,page237).Thediscusispulledaroundinawideorbitwhilethethrowing
armcontinuestomaintaina90degreeanglewiththetrunk.Asthediscusisbeingpulledaroundfromthe6o'clockpositiontothereleasepointatapproximately2
o'clock,theleftsideofthethrower'sbodyfirmsup,or"blocks,"astherightsideofthebodycontinuesitsrotationalaccelerationofthediscusintotherelease(see
15.2h,page237).Atthepointofrelease,theheadisthrownback,whichallowsthechestandhipstorisetogivelifttothediscus.
TheReverse
Thereverseissometimesusedbythrowerstostopfromfoulingastheyfollowthroughaftertheirrelease.Oncethediscushasbeenreleased,thethrowerwillkickthe
leftlegouttothesideandreplaceitwiththerightleg,causinga"reversal"oftheirbodyposition(seefig.15.2i,page237).Thereversalmaybeaccompaniedbya
loweringofthecenterofmassinanefforttobettercontrolthebodysothatnofouloccurs.
TeachingProgression
Tobegin,thethrowershouldholdthediscusinthepalmofthehandoftheoutstretchednonthrowingarm.Heorshethenplacestherighthandontopofthediscus,
withthefingertipsextendingovertheedgeofthelipofthediscus.Eachfingershouldbespreadapart.Thisgivesthethroweranideaofhowthediscusshouldfeelin
thehand.Oncethethroweriscomfortablewithholdingthediscus,proceedthroughthefollowingdrills.
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PendulumDrill
Next,thethrowershouldholdthediscusinthehandwhilethearmisdanglingstraightdownfromtheshoulder.Thethrowercanthenstartswingingthearmbackand
forthlikeapendulum.Thisshowsthethrowerhowthediscusshouldfeelinthehandwhileitismoving.The"centrifugalforce"generatedbythisswingingmotionwill
helpkeepthediscusinthethrower'shandandshouldreducethethrower'sneedtowanttograspontothediscus.
ReleaseDrill
Aneasywaytoteachtheproperdirectioninwhichtoletgoofthediscusistohavethethrowerholdthediscusbythewaistasdescribedintheabovesection.From
thisposition,thethrowertiltsthehandbackwardandletsthediscusrolloutofthehandandfalltotheground.Whenthishappens,thediscusshouldrollforwardoff
eachfinger,startingwiththepinkieandendingwiththeindexfinger.
DiscusBowlingDrill
Thenextstepinteachingtheproperreleaseistohavethethrowerbowlthediscus.Thisexercisecanbedonewithapartnerwhoshouldstartbystandingroughly10
yardsawayfromthethrowerwhoisabouttobowlthediscus.Thethrowerswillrollthediscusbackandforthtoeachotheronitsedge,justastheywouldrolla
bowlingballdownabowlingalley.Asthethrowersgetmoreproficientatthis,theycanincreasethedistancebetweenthemselvesandworkonreleasingthediscus
withalittlemorepace.
PendulumDrillVariation
Anotherreleasedrillisanadvancedvariationofthependulumdrill(alsocalledtheheightreleasedrill).Thethrowerbeginsbyswingingthediscusfromadanglingarm
asthearmisswingingforward,thethrowerreleasesthediscusoutthefrontofthehand,causingthediscustogostraightupintheair.Thecoachshouldmakesure
thatthediscushasagoodamountofrotationonit,andthatthediscuslandsonitsedgewhenitcomesbacktotheground.
WindUpDrill
Thenextstepintheteachingprogressionhasthethrowerswingthediscusbackandforthinaplanethatisparalleltotheground.Tobeginthisexercise,thethrower
holdsthediscusintheoutstretchedpalmofthenonthrowinghand,whilethethrowinghandisplacedontopofthediscus.Thethrowerswingsthediscusbackward
withanoutstretchedarmandthenswingsthediscusbackintothepalmofthenonthrowinghand.Asthisexerciseisbeingperformed,thethrowershouldmakean
efforttokeepthethrowinghandontopofthediscuswhileswingingthearmandnotturnthediscusoversothehandisunderneaththediscus.Thisshouldberepeated
manytimesinsuccession,withnopausebetweenthedirectionchangesinthethrowingarm.
Oncethethroweriscomfortablewithswingingthediscusbackandforthandisabletodothiswithout"cupping"orgrabbingthediscus,heorsheshouldbereadyto
workonanactualthrow.
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KneelingThrowDrill
Throwingfromakneelingpositionmayseemstrange,butitreducesthepowerthatcanbeachievedbythethrowerbyeliminatingthelegsfromthethrow,whichin
turnwillreducethepossibilityofanerrantthrow.Italsoservestofocusthethrowerontheupperbody'sroleinthethrowingaction.
Tobeginthisdrill,thethrowerassumesakneelingpositiononone(theright)knee,withtheleftfootforwardandtherightkneesupportingthebodyweight.The
throwerthentakesthediscusandswingsitbackasheorsherelaxesandletsthe"centrifugalforce"actingonthediscusstretchoutthethrowingarm.Thecoach
makessurethatthethrowerrotatesthetrunkbackward,alongwiththethrowingarm,sothatthewholeupperbodystaysin"contact"withthediscus.Oncethearm
hasbeenpulledbackasfaraspossible,thethrower"pulls"thediscusthroughbyturningthetrunkandpullingthearmforward.Thereleaseshouldbeflat,andthe
discusshouldlandflatagainstthegroundanywherefrom15to45feetdirectlyinfrontofthethrower.
StandingThrowDrill
Tointroducetheproperpositionforthestandthrow,thecoachshouldhavethethrowerstandinthefrontofthediscusring,facingthewholebodyouttowardthe
centerofthesector.Fromthisposition,thethrowerstepsbackintowardthecenterofthediscusringsothatthefeetarealittlemorethanshoulderwidthapartand
therightheelislinedupwiththelefttoe.Thethrowershouldbendtherightkneeandshifttheweightbackontotheballoftherightfoot.Atthesametime,thethrower
shouldswingthediscusasfarbackbehindthebodyasitwillgo,whichwillusuallybeapositionbackovertheleftheel.Fromthisposition,thethrowerwill
immediatelyinitiatethethrowbypivotingtherightfoot,whichwillcausetherighthipandshouldertorotatethrough.Thisactionwillcausethethrowingarmtobe
whippedaround,andthediscuswillbereleasedasinthepreviouslydescribedreleasedrills.
Thecoachwillalsowanttolookforthefollowingthingswhenthethrowerisperformingthestandingthrow:
Thethrowerpivotsontheballoftherightfootduringthethrow,andfinishesthepivotwiththerightfootpointinginthedirectionofthethrow.
Theleftleg(i.e.,blockleg)straightensouttoformasolidblockasthediscusisbeingswungaroundtobereleased.The"block"iscausedbyasuddendeceleration
oftheleftsideofthebody,whichinturncausesanaccelerationoftherightside,thusacceleratingthediscusasitisreleased.
Theorbitisthepaththatthediscusfollowsasitisbeingthrown.Theorbitofthediscusshouldfollowahighlowhighpattern.Thismeansthatthediscuswillbeat
itshighestpointasitisfullydrawnback(i.e.,whenitisovertheleftheel).Thediscuswillhitthelowestpointinitsorbitwhenitispassingbytherightfoot.Fromthis
pointthediscuswillstarttorisebackuptoitshighpointasthethrowingarmisbroughtaroundtorelease.
Theheadshouldalwaysbefacingstraightawayfromthechestduringthethrow.Makesurethatthethrowerdoesnotturntheheadawayduringtherelease.The
headshouldbethrownbackduringthereleasetoallowthechesttogetupintothethrow.
HalfTurnDrill
Thehalfturndrillteachesthefundamentalsofpivotingontherightfootinthemiddleofthering.Thethrowercanactuallybeginthisdrillwithoutthediscus,tofocushis
or
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herconcentrationonthepivotingactionoftherightfootandtheturningofthebody.Thethrowershouldstartthisdrillwiththerightfootplacedinthecenterofthe
ring,withtheweightbearingdownontheballoftherightfoot.Therightlegshouldbebent,asitisatthebeginningofastandthrow.Thewholebodyshouldbelined
upinapositionsimilartothatatthebeginningofastandthrow,exceptthatthethrowerislineduptothrowoutthebackofthering.
Oncethethroweriscomfortablewiththestartingpositionforthisdrill,heorshebeginsbyrotatingtherighthip,knee,andfootinunisontocausethebodytostart
rotatingaround.Thebodyofthethrowerpivotsasthebodyturns180degreestothestandthrowposition.Atnotimeshouldtheheeloftherightfoottouchthe
ground.Whiletherightfootispivoting,theleftkneeshouldbepulledclosetotherightleg,causingthekneestoalmosttouchtogetherinanefforttoincreasethespeed
ofthebody'srotation.Asthethrowerisfinishingthe180degreeturn,heorsheshootsouttheleftlegintoastraightenedpositionsimilartothatatthebeginningofthe
standthrow.Attheendofthe180degreeturn,thecoachshouldtakenotetoseethatthethrowerhasmaintainedthefollowingpositions:
Thefeetareinheeltoealignment.
Thethrower'sbackisfacingthethrowingsectorandthechestisfacingtowardthebackofthering.
Thethrower'sweightisbalancedovertheballoftherightfoot(i.e.,pivotfoot).
Therightlegisbentandtheleftlegisslightlyflexed.Thethrowershouldbeinapositiontodeliverasolidstandthrow.
Thenextstepisforthethrowertoperformthisdrillwiththediscus.Thethrowerstartsbyswingingthediscusbackward,athiplevel,andthenpushingitforwardas
thehalfturnisinitiated.Asthethrowerstartsthehalfturn,heorshewilldirectthediscusinanupwardpathsothediscusreachesits''highpoint"whenitisclosestto
thefrontofthering.Bydoingthis,thethrowerensuresthatthediscushasestablisheditsproperorbit,withahighpointwhenthediscusisnearthefrontoftheringand
alowpointwhenthediscusispositionedclosetothebackofthering.Theproperorbitenablesthethrowertoreleasethediscusasitisascendingtowardthehigh
pointofitsorbit,whichinturnresultsinaniceparabolicflight.
StepInDrill
Oncethethrowerhasmasteredthehalfturn,heorshecanmoveontothestepindrill.Thisdrillbeginswiththethrowerstandinginthebackoftheringwiththeball
oftheleftfootplacedinsidethebackedgeoftheringandisfacingthefrontofthering,or12O'clock.Tobegin,thethrowersteps,withtherightfoot,intothecenter
ofthediscusringandsettlestheweightontotheballoftherightfoot.Atthispoint,thethrowershouldbeinapositionsimilartothestartingpositionforthehalfturn.
Thethrowerthenproceedstoperformthehalfturnandrelease.Asthedifferentpartsofthestepindrillbecomemorecomfortable,theycanbemoldedintoone
completemovementwithnopausesinbetweenpositions.Thecoachmakessurethattheheeloftherightfootnevertouchesthegroundafterthefootisplacedinthe
middleofthering.Theemphasisofthisdrillshouldbethecontinuedpivotoftherightfoot,andthecoachshouldmakesurethatthethrowerinitiatesthe180degree
turnbypivotingtherightfoot.Thegeneralruleofthumbisthatyoupivottogetintopositiontothrow,notpivotasareactiontothethrow.
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SouthAfricanDrill
TheSouthAfricandrillbeginsjustlikethestepinexceptthatthethrowerdrivestherightlegintothemiddleoftheringasheorshepushesofftheleftlegtogenerate
poweroutthebackofthering.Thisisanexcellentdrillforteachingthethrowertodriveacrosstheringusingthelegdrivefromboththerightandleftlegs.As
throwersperformthisdrill,thecoachwillwanttocheckforthefollowingthings:
Thethrowerkeepstheupperbodyrelaxedasheorsheleadswiththerightlegintothecenterofthering.
Thethrowershouldlandinabalancedpositionontheballoftherightfootnearthecenterofthering.
Thethrowershouldalwaysbeontheballsofthefeetduringthethrow.
Makesurethediscusfollowstheproperorbit.
Thethrowerpushesoffwiththeleftlegoutthebackoftheringasthechestisfacingtherightsectorline.Atthesametime,heorshesweepstherightlegoutward
andthenacrossthebodyasthelegisdriventowardthecenterofthediscusring.
360DegreeTurnDrill
Thisdrillpreparesthethrowertoturnoutthebackofthering.Itbeginswiththethrowerstandingwiththelegsslightlyflexedwhiletheweightisbalancedovertheball
oftheleftfoot.Thefeetwillbeslightlywiderthanshoulderwidthapart,withtheleftlegflexedandtherightlegonlyslightlybent.Fromthispositionthethrowerwill
pivotinacompletecircleontheballoftheleftfootandcometoastopintheoriginalstartingposition.Thecoachshouldmakesurethattherightlegstayswideasthe
turnisbeingperformed.Manybeginnerswillpulltheiranklestogetherinanattempttogainmorerotationalspeed.Thisshouldbediscouraged,forthisisnothowthe
throwerwillturnoutthebackoftheringduringafullthrow.
FullThrowDrill
Whenthethrowerisabletoperformallthesedrills,itshouldbeaneasytransitiontoafullthrow.Ifthethrowerishavingtroublewithacertainpartofthefullthrow,he
orsheshouldgobackandworkonthedrillthatemphasizesthemovementthatiscausingtrouble.Thecoachshouldalsomakesurethatthefollowingtechnical
elementsoccurduringafullthrow:
Oncethethrowerreachesthestandthrowposition,thethrowingarmmakesa90degreeanglewiththetorso.This90degreeanglebetweenthearmandthetorso
shouldbesustainedthroughtherelease.
Therhythmofthethrowisfromslowtofast(i.e.,therewillbeabuildupofrotationalspeedthroughoutthethrow).
CorrectingCommonFaults
Fault:Overrotating.
Cause:Overrotatingoccurswhenthethrowerrotatestoolongontheballoftheleftfootwhenturningoutthebackofthering.Thiswillcausethethrowertodrive
Page243
overtotheleftsideoftheringinsteadofdownthemiddle(seefigure15.3).
Correction:Thiscanbecorrectedbyhavingthethrowerpushofftheleftfootalittleearlierasheorsheturnsintotheentry.
Figure15.3
Overrotating.
Fault:Lockingout.
Cause:Thethrowercan"lockout"thehipsbynothavingtheheeltoealignmentnecessaryforrotatingthehipstobesquarewiththethrowingsector(seefigure15.4).
Thisproblemusuallyoccurswhenthethrowerdoesnotpivotcorrectlyinthecenterofthering.
Correction:The180degreeturndrillwillhelpcorrectanypivotingproblems.
Figure15.4
Lockingout.
Fault:Scooping.
Cause:Scoopingoccurswhenthethrowerreleasesthediscusfromapositionwherethethrowingarmisatlessthana90degreeangletothetorso(seefigure15.5).
Thiscanbecausedbythediscusnotbeingintheproperorbit,whichinturncanbecausedbyoverrotatingoutthebackoftheringorbynotcarryingthediscusinthe
correctposition.
Correction:Throwingtrafficconescanhelpsolvescoopingproblemsbyslowingdownthethrowingarmandmakingthethrowermoreawareoftheorbitalpathof
thethrowinghand.
Figure15.5
(a)Scoopingoccurswhenthethrowerreleasesthediscusatapoint
whenthethrowingarmisatlessthana90degreeangletothetorso.
(b)Thecorrectthrowingpositionwiththearmat90degrees.
Training
Trainingforthediscusinvolvesrefiningandimprovingbothphysiologicalandtechnicalelementsthroughouttheseason.Thissectionconcentratesmoreonthe
physiologicalaspectsofdiscustraining,whichwillbeseparatedintothepreparation,precompetition,andcompetitionphases.Physiologically,thediscusthrowerwill
workondevelopingspeed,flexibility,andexplosiveness
Page244
throughacombinationofweighttraining,running,stretching,andplyometrics.Eachofthethreetrainingphasesischaracterizedbyaspecificemphasisonthevolume
andintensityofboththephysicalandtechnicaltraining.Thesephasesalsofollowacertainorderandaredesignedtoallowtheathleteto"peak"formaximum
performanceataspecificpointinthecompetitiveseason.
Table15.1providesgeneralthrowingrangesandrecordsforhighschool,collegiate,andelitediscusthrowers.Youcanmeasureorcomparetheprogressionofyour
ownathletesagainsttheseaverageandrecordthrowsateachlevelofcompetition.
TABLE15.1GENERALTHROWINGRANGESFORDISCUS
AverageDistance(ft./m)
Record(ft.in./m)
Highschool
Women
120170/36.651.8
1884/57.40
Collegiate
140195/42.759.4
2214/67.49
165205/50.362.5
200+/61+
2160/65.84
2520/76.81
Elite:nationalclassworld
class
Men
Highschool(1.5kg)
140200/42.761
2252/68.63
Collegiate
160200/48.861
2200/67.06
185210/56.464
205+/62.5+
2374/72.34
2430/74.07
Elite:nationalclassworld
class
PreparationPhase
Thefirstphaseoftrainingisthepreparationphase,whichmaybeginintheearlyfall(September,October)forthecollegiateoropenathlete,orinthewinter(January,
February)forthehighschoolathlete.Thisphasemayalsovaryinlength,fromfourtosixweeksforsomehighschoolathletestomanymonthsforhigherlevelathletes.
Weighttraininginthisphaseisoflowintensityandhighvolume,withemphasisonbuildinganoverallconditioning"base"fortheathlete.Thisisalsotrueforrunning
workoutsandlowintensityplyometrics.Highintensityplyometrics(e.g.,depthjumps)shouldnotbeintroducedintotheworkoutsuntiltheathleteshaveafairamount
ofconditioningundertheirbelts(fourtosixweeks).
Throwingworkoutsduringthepreparationphasewillconcentrateonestablishinggoodfundamentaltechnique,aswellasaddressinganytechnicalweaknessesan
individualmayhave.Specificdrillsusedtohelpcorrecttechnicalweaknessesareusuallyperformedathighvolumeat7080%intensitytoensurethefocusison
establishingproperneuromuscularpatterns.Throwingdrillscanalsobeperformedwithknockenballs,powerballs,andimplementsofvariousweightstoallowforan
increaseinthevolumeofthrowsandspecificstrengthconditioning.
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PrecompetitionPhase
Thisphaseservesasatransitionalperiodfortrainingasthethrowergetsreadyforthecompetitiveseason.Theprecompetitionphasecanlastanywherefromfour
weekstotwoorthreemonths.Itischaracterizedbyanincreaseintheintensityandadecreaseinvolumeofbothconditioningandthrowing.Weighttraining,during
thisphase,switchesfromanemphasisonoverallbodyconditioningtoanemphasisonOlympicandpowerliftsforexplosivedevelopment.Plyometricsarealso
increasedinintensityandwillbeperformedatthemostintenselevelofanyofthethreetrainingphases.Runningworkoutsshiftfromanemphasisoncardiovascular
conditioningtoquicker,moreexplosiverunningthatconditionsthefasttwitchfibers.
Intermsofthrowing,thereisanincreaseinthenumberoffullthrowstakenwiththediscus,asthetechnicalemphasisshiftsfromcorrectingindividualweaknessesto
developingthrowingrhythm.Notethatthereshouldstillbespecificdrillworkatthistime,isolatingvariousaspectsofthethrowbutasthecompetitionseasonbegins,
workshouldbeginondevelopingafeelforthewholethrow.Throwingintensityrangesfrom70to90%duringthistrainingphase.
CompetitionPhase
Thecompetitionphaseseesintensityinboththrowingandconditioningreachitshighestlevels.Thisisaccompaniedbyadecreaseinthevolumeofthrowstakenand
theamountofconditioningperformed.Weightliftingsessionsareshorterandmoreintense,withfewerrepetitionsperformedperset.Otheraspectsofconditioning,
suchasrunningandspecificconditioningdrills,emphasizedevelopmentofmaximalspeedandexplosiveness.Thenumberofplyometriccontactsbeginstotaperatthis
pointintheseason,sothethrowercanpeakforthemajorcompetitionsthatoccurduringthisphase.
Throwingworkoutsduringthecompetitionphasearegearedtowardgettingthethrowerreadytoperformatthehighestlevel.Muchofthethrowingconsistsoffull
throwstodevelopagoodthrowingrhythmandtofinetunethethrower'stiming.Competitionscanalsobesimulatedinpracticesothatthethrowergetsusedto
throwingat100%intensity.Lightimplementsmayalsobethrownduringthisphasetodevelopthethrower'sspeed,whichisspecifictotheevent.
Forthebestresults,coachesmustputtogetherageneraltrainingplanforthepreparation,precompetitive,andcompetitivephases.Fromthere,weeklyworkoutscan
beplanned.Tables15.2and15.3(seepages246247)aresamplewaystoplanyourpractices.
Competition
Preparingforcompetitionissomethingthatstartslongbeforemeetday.Infact,themoretimethat'sdevotedtophysicalandmentalpreparationpriortothe
competitiveseason,theeasierthebodywilladapttothestressorsofcompetition.Thefollowingarethingstoconsiderwhenprimingathletesforcompetition.
PhysicalPreparationforCompetition
Inpreparationforcompetition,throwerstapertrainingtoresttheirbodiessotheycanreach"peak"performance.Asageneralruleofthumb,thethrowerwillwant
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TABLE15.2GENERALTRAININGPLANFORDISCUS
Typeoftraining
Preparationphase
Precompetitivephase
Weighttraining:
Olympiclifts
Powerlifts
Assistancelifts
Competitivephase
45sets68reps
45sets710reps
3sets10reps
45sets46reps
45sets46reps
3sets10reps
34sets24reps
34sets35reps
3sets810reps
mixedw/light/speedlifts
Plyometrics
Agilitydrills,bounding/
jumpingongrass
Boxbounding,stair
jumps,bounding/
jumpingongrass
Boxbounding,
depthjumps,
hurdlehops
Running
Runstraights/jogturns
Stairruns
6200mat70%
8100mstrides
Hillruns
Stairruns
50100msprints
Hillsprints
2050msprints
Hillsprints
Stairsprints
Throwing
Standthrows:
w/weightedballs,
powerballs,orheavy
discus
Techniquedrills:half
turns,stepins,cone
drills,linedrills,
etc.
Fullthrows:7090%
effortw/regulationor
heavydiscus
Techniquedrills:half
turns,stepins,cone
drills,linedrills,etc.
Fullthrows:80100%
effortw/regulationorlight
discus
Practicecompetitions
Selectedtechniquedrills:
halfturns,stepins,cone
drills,linedrills,etc.
TABLE15.3SAMPLEWORKOUTSFORDISCUS
Preparation
Precompetition
Competition
Monday
Technicaldrills
Cleans
Runhills
Militarypress
Abdominalwork
Light/frontsquat
Fullthrows
Technicaldrills
Backsquat
Hillruns
Weightedballthrows
Militarypress
Abdominalwork
Fullthrows
Backsquat
Inclinebench
Hillsprints
Militarypress
Medicineball
Abdominalwork
Tuesday
Benchpress
Bounding
Medicineball
Legcurls
Legextension
Abdominalwork
Cleans
Bounding
Medicineball
Legcurls
Legextension
Abdominalwork
Pushpress
Cleans
2040msprints
Bartwists
Weightedballthrow
Abdominalwork
Wednesday
Technicaldrills
Snatch
8100mstrides
Fullthrows
Technicaldrills
Benchpress
Fullthrows
Benchpress
Pushpress
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
Page247
(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
Preparation
Precompetition
Competition
Armcurls
Lunges
Abdominalwork
Light/stairs
Bartwists
Armcurls
Lunges
Abdominalwork
Boxjumps
Lunges
Flys
Abdominalwork
Thursday
Inclinebench
Bounding
Stairs
Pushpress
Flys
Abdominalwork
Snatch
Boxjumps
Flys
Frontarmraises
Medicineball
Abdominalwork
Snatch
6100msprints
Legcurls
Legextension
Medicineball
Abdominalwork
Friday
Technicaldrills
Backsquat
8100mstrides
Medicineball
Latpulls
Abdominalwork
Technicaldrills
Inclinebench
Latpulls
850msprints
Abdominalwork
Rest
Saturday
Rest
Restorcompetition
Competition
Sunday
Rest
Rest
Rest
torestthedaybeforeameettorecoverfromtheweek'straining.Inregardto"peaking"formajorcompetitions,thethrower'strainingplanmayrevolvearound
preparingforasinglemajormeetsuchasthestatemeet,orthenationalchampionships.Inthiscase,onemayseethrowerstapertheiramountofweightliftingand
conditioningwhileincreasingtheintensityoftheirthrowingsotheycangetusedtoperformingatmaximaleffort.Peakinginthisfashioncanoccuronlyoneortwotimes
duringaseason,sothrowersshouldhaveagoodideaofwhatmeetstheywanttoemphasize.Thisallowsthemtodeveloptheirtrainingplanforthewholeyear.
PsychologicalPreparation
Psychologicalpreparationleadinguptoacompetitioncantakemanyforms.Onemethodofmentalpreparationistosimulatecompetitionconditionsduringpracticeso
thethrowercangetusedtothestressthatwillbeexperiencedduringcompetition.Anothermethodofpsychologicalpreparationiscalledmentalrehearsal.Thiscanbe
donebyvisualizingkeyaspectsofthethroworbymentallyrehearsingasuccessfulthrowoverandover.Throwersshouldalsodeterminetheiroptimummentalarousal
statetoachievemaximumperformance.Thisarousalstatewillbedifferentforeachperson,andmaybeachievedbymanydifferentmeans(e.g.,listeningtomusic,
quietconcentration,etc.).Afinalconsiderationforboththethrowerandthecoachistohavereasonableexpectationsbasedontheleveloftalentandonthelevelof
training.Boththethrowerandcoachshouldrecognizetheperformancelimitationsofathrowerbasedonexperience,talent,phaseoftraining,andconditionsonmeet
day.
Page248
SuzyPowell'smentalandphysicalpreparationenabledhertoreach
peakperformanceatthe1996TrackandFieldChampionshipsand
Olympictrials.
WarmUp
Whenthewarmupforcompetitionbegins,throwersmustmakesurethattheirwarmupsequencefitsintothetimeallowedthemforwarmup.Althoughindividual
warmuproutinesvaryfromthrowertothrower,everyonemusttakeintoaccountthewindconditions,ringsurface,andnumberofcompetitors.Finally,itisalso
importantthatthrowersdevelopagoodthrowingrhythmduringwarmupsandthattheycarrythisintoactualcompetition.Manythrowerswillwarmuphardandthen
losetheirthrowingrhythmbytryingto"getasafethrow"ontheirfirstattempt.Ifthewarmupisdonecorrectly,thereshouldbenoneedforathrowertobackoffand
getasafeonein.
Summary
Ittakesmanyyearsforathrowertoreachhisorhermaximallevelofperformance.Throwerswillfindthattheirpeakyearsmaybeintheirlate20sandearly30s,due
tothatfactthatonecanmaintainorimprovestrengthlevelsintoone's30s.Italsotakesdiscusthrowersmanyyearstofinetunetheirtechniqueandfigureoutwhat
exactlyworksforthem.Consistencyintrainingwithregardtotechnique,weightlifting,flexibility,plyometrics,andrunningwillleadtosuccessinthisevent.Identifying
thebestcombinationofthesetrainingmethodsalongwithselectingthetechniquethatworksbestforeachindividualwillallowcoachestodeveloptheirdiscus
throwerstotheirfullpotential.
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16
Javelin
C.HarmonBrown
BillWebb
BobSing
Thejavelin,likeallotherthrowingevents,isadynamic,totalbodyactivity.Whileanexplosiveshoulderandarmisanassetforpotentialthrowers,thejavelinrequires
theuseofthelegs,hips,andabdominalmusclestothrowwell.Manyyoungthrowershaveshortenedtheircareerswithelbowandshoulderdamagebyoverusingthe
armswithoutlearningtoeffectivelyusethewholebody.Ratherthanbeinga"throw"whichimpliesapredominantlyarmactivity,thejavelinthrowisanoverarm,whip
andflailmotionthatusestheentirebody.
Anotherfactorthatdistinguishesthejavelinfromotherformsofthrowingistheaerodynamicfeatureofthejavelinitself.Iftheapplicationoftheforcesmadetothe
implementarenotmadesothattheflightofthejavelinfollowsthecorrectflightpath,distanceswillbecutshort.
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Inselectingcandidatesforthejavelin,thecoachhasmorelatitudeinbodybuildthanintheotherthrowingevents,whichrequiregreatersizeandstrength.Successful
javelinathletescancomeinallshapesandsizes.Forexample,championmalethrowershaverangedinsizefromthesmall,dynamicJormaKinnunenat5feet,9inches
(about175cm)and170pounds(about77kg)tothemuscularbodybuilderMarkMurro.WomenathleteshavebeentallandlithelikePetraFelke,orcompactand
muscularlikeFatimaWhitbread.However,successfuljavelinathletesshouldpossessspeed,explosivestrength,goodcoordinationandkinesthetics,overallflexibility,
andafeelforoverarmthrowingthatcanbetransferredtothejavelin.Inscreeningathletesforthejavelin,testssuchastheBAABquadrathlon(30metersprintfrom
standingstart,twohandedoverheadbackwardshotthrow,standinglongjump,andstandingtriplejump),aswellasthesoftballthrowfordistance,areuseful
predictors.
GeneralPrinciples
Thejavelinthrowisessentiallyalinear,speedorientedevent,whoseobjectiveistoimpartmaximalreleasevelocitytotheimplementinordertoachievemaximal
distance.Toattainthisobjective,theathleteandcoachmustfocusonseveralfundamentalprinciples:
Achievethehighestpossiblecontrollablerunwayspeed,andmaintainthisspeedintothefinal"block"stageofthethrowandrelease.
Withdrawthejavelinsoastoalignitandtheshoulderaxisalongthelineofthethrow,whilekeepingthehipsforwardascomfortablyaspossiblesoastomaintain
runningvelocity.
Executethetransitionor"crossover"stepsproperly,soastoallowforcetobegeneratedfromthelegsandtrunk,andallowthecenterofgravitytocontinue
forward.
Developthepropertempoandrhythmfromtheaboveinordertosummatealltheforcesandachieveaforceful"block"oftheleftsideofthebody(assumingaright
handedthrower).
Maintainarelaxedupperbodyandarmaslongaspossibletoallowforadelayed"whipandflail"actionofthethrowingarm.Thethrowingshouldershouldbe
"pretorqued,"withthehandandarmabovetheplaneoftheshoulder,andthetipofthejavelinatchintoeyelevel,sothatthereleaseisanautomaticresponse.
Aerodynamics
Thejavelinisanairfoil,whoseflightiscontrolledbysuchfactorsasreleasevelocityandreleaseangle.Inaddition,winddirectionandspeedalsoplayamajorrolein
determiningtheflightdistance.Thus,thereleaseanglemustbeadjustedforthewind,withaloweranglebeingusedwhenthrowingintothewind.Inpractice,the
optimalreleaseangleisabout353degreesinrelationtothehorizontal.
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Biomechanics
Itisimportantforcoachesandathletestounderstandthetermsthatbiomechanistsandjavelincoachesusetodescribebothjavelinandathletecharacteristicsduring
thethrow.Thesefactorsdeterminetheflightcharacteristicsoftheimplementandthedistanceattained.Manymodernbiomechanicsstudiesarecarriedoutusingthree
dimensionalmethods,whichmaygivedifferentvaluesandinformationthanolder,twodimensionalreports(figure16.1).
Releasevelocitythisisusuallyreportedinmeterspersecond(m/s).Forelitemalesthesevaluesare2830meters/second,andforfemales2526meters/second.
Attitudeangletheangleofthejavelininrelationtothehorizontal.
Angleofreleasetheangleatwhichforceisappliedtothegripofthejavelinatrelease,andwhichfollowscloselythepathofthehand.
Angleofattackthedifferencebetweentheattitudeangleandthereleaseangle.Thisshouldbeascloseto0aspossible,indicatingthattheathleteis''throwing
throughthepoint."
Tumblingangularvelocityameasureoftherotationalforcesappliedtotheshaftofthejavelin,whichcauseittooscillate(vibrate)androtateforward(tumble).
Figure16.1
Biomechanicsofjavelinrelease.
Page252
Technique
Thejavelineventisusuallydividedintoseveralphases:
1.Approach
2.Transition
3.Blockandrelease
4.Followthrough
Approach
Theapproachrunistherunupphasepriortothewithdrawalofthejavelin.Therunupdevelopstotalbodyvelocity,whichistheenergythatmustbetransferredto
thethrowitself.Itshouldadd3040%tothedistancethejavelincanbethrownfromastandingposition.Mostthrowersusea1215steprunup,butsomelarger
athletesfindthat810stepsareadequate.Therunupshouldbeagradualacceleration,reachingthemaximalcontrollablespeedthatcanbemaintainedthroughout
thetransitionandrelease.Theathleteshouldbeasrelaxedaspossibleduringtherun,especiallyintheupperbodyandshoulders.Thejavelinshouldbecarried
comfortablyovertheshoulder.Keepingitlevelortipdownaidsinalignmentduringthewithdrawal,asthereisbettereyehandcoordination.
Transition
Thisphaseisusedtowithdrawthejavelininpreparationforanoptimalupperbodyflailandwhipaction,andtopreparethelowerbodyandtrunkforarapid,
explosivedriveintotheblockandrelease.Thisisusuallyaccomplishedwithafivesteppattern(L,R,L,R,Lfortherighthandedthrowerasinfigure16.2),although
someathletesfinditnecessarytouseasevensteppatterntofeelcomfortablypositionedforthebodytostrikethejavelin.Thosewhousethesevensteprhythmmust
makeaspecialefforttomaintainvelocityintoandthroughtheblockandreleasephase.
Javelinwithdrawalusuallybeginswhentheleftfootlands(L1).Theshouldersturnandthethrowingarmislaidbackwiththepalmup,sothatthearmisabovethe
planeoftheshoulders,withthearmexternallyrotatedattheshoulder(figure
Figure16.2
Approach,transition,andthrowingsteps.Dashedlinesatendrepresentstridelengths.
Page253
16.3ab).This"pretorque"positionpreparestheshoulderandarmforanautomatic,highwhipandflailrelease.Thejavelintipisalignedatthelevelofthechinoreye,
andtheshouldersarekeptlevel.Theshouldersarealignedinthedirectionofthethrow,withtheleftarmswunglongandlowacrossthechesttoaidbalanceduringthe
runningstrides.
Thelegsandhipsareveryactiveduringthisphase,withtheleftlegpullingandpushingthehipsandtrunkforward.Theshoulderturnshoulddictatetheamountofhip
rotationandfootplacement.Additionalsidewardturningofthehipsandfeetwillcausedeceleration,anddefeatthemainobjectiveoftherunupthatis,speedinto
theblock.Thenexttolast(penultimate)stepshouldbeavigorousforwarddriveofftheleftleg.Thispullpushimpulseoftheactiveleftleg(the"impulsestep")aidsin
itsrapidrecoveryandplacestheleftleginafullyextendedpositiontobeabletoblockatfootcontact.Theleftfootshouldbebeyondtherightfootatrightfoot
touchdown.Thisstridedrivesthehipsandtrunkforward,andalsolowersthecenterofgravity.Thetrunkiskepterectinordertomaintainforwardspeedandallow
rapidgroundingoftheleftfoot.Theleftarmisextendedinthethrowingdirection,andtheleftshoulderraisedslightlytoopenthechestandprepareforthehipand
trunkstrike.Theeyesshouldbefocusedonapointabout50metersintothefield.Therightlegisswungforwardwiththekneeflexedandthetoeturnedup.Thisaids
inpullingthehipsforwardduringtheforwarddrivefromtheleftleg.Thebentrightlegisthenthrustbackwardvigorouslyduringgrounding.Thethrowbeginsassoon
astherightfootlands,withthethrowerdrivingforwardofftherightfootagainsttheblockedleftside.Thisisthesocalledsoftstepaction(figure16.3c).
"Layingback"withthetrunktoincreasethe"pulldistance"istobeavoided,asthisslowsforwardspeed,anddelaysgroundingoftheblockingleg.
BlockandRelease
Theblockandreleaseshouldbeconsideredanexplosivecontinuationoftheprecedingphases.Energybuiltupfromtheapproachrunandaproperlyexecuted
transitioncanbeconvertedintomaximalreleasevelocityonlybyavigorouslyandcorrectlyexecutedblockandrelease.Thehipsandtrunkarethrustforwardagainst
astraight,ornearlystraight,leftleg(figure16.3df).Thethrowshouldbeexecuted"fromthegroundup,"withtherighthiprotatingaboutthehipaxis,finishingwiththe
hipsfacinginthedirectionofthethrow.Theleftlegblockandtherightlegdriveforcetherighthiptoacceleraterapidly,stretchingthetrunk.Theleftfootshouldbe
plantedinthethrowingdirection.
Theleftarminitiallyisextendedinthethrowingdirection,tostabilizetheshouldersandpreventprematurerotation("opening").Itisthenbroughtdownrapidlyagainst
theleftside,aspartoftheleftsidedblock.Theleftshouldershouldremainforward("closed")asmuchaspossible.Thisopensthechestandthetorso,whilethe
throwingarmremainsrelaxedandtrailing.
Theseactionscauseaprestretchofthechestandtrunkmuscles,resultinginreflexcontractionofthetrunk,andfinallyaflaillikeactionofthethrowingarm.Theathlete
shouldfinishwiththehips,shoulders,head,andeyesfocusingforwardinthethrowingdirection(figure16.3gh).
Page254
Figure16.3
Transition,block,andrelease.
Page255
FollowThrough
Theathletemustthinkofdrivingthroughtheblock,andnotjusttoit.Thiswillforcethebodyhighupontothelefttoeaftertherelease.Asinglefinalstepshouldbe
usedtocheckfurtherforwardmomentum.
Theapproachrunandstepsshouldbeestablishedsoastoallowseventoeightfeetforthisfollowthrough.Crowdingthefoullineinordertoobtainaddeddistance
willcauseprematuredecelerationandapooreffort.
Training
byBillWebbandBobSing
Thejavelineventbringsintoplaymanyballisticandexplosiveforcesthatplacegreatstressonallthebodysegments,especiallytheknees,lowback,andshoulderand
elbow.Trainingmustbeconsideredasaholisticprogramthatpreparesthebodyandmindtobeabletowithstandthesestresses.Thetrainingprogrammust
encompasstheelementsofspeed,strength,flexibility,techniquedevelopment,ballisticexplosiveness,andmentaltoughnessandaggressiveness.Allofthesefactors
mustbeincludedinthetrainingprogram,withtheemphasisonanyelementorcombinationofelementsvaryingduringthetrainingcycle.Ideally,forthematureathlete,
thetrainingprocessshouldoccurthroughtheentireyear.However,fortheyoungerathlete,especiallyinhighschool,eachphaseofthetrainingcyclemayneedtobe
shortenedtoaccommodateparticipationinothersports,weatherconditionsandavailablefacilities,andthelengthofthepermissibletrainingandcompetitionseason.
Initially,thethrowershouldconcentrateonbuildingasoundstrengthbasetopreventinjurieswhenhardthrowingsessionsbegin.Duringthebeginningphases,bulk
trainingintheformofweightlifting,running,bounding,andvolumethrowing(medicineballsandweightedballs)isthenorm.Asmoothtransitionshouldfollow,moving
towardlessweighttrainingandmoretechniquework.Thentheathleteshouldmovegraduallyintothecompetitiveseason,withtheemphasisshiftingtopower,
technique,andpsychologicalpreparation.
TrainingSeasons
Thetrainingyearisdividedintofourphaseslastingthreemonthseach.Thetimeframeofthesephasescanbealteredaccordingtotheathlete'sschoolyearorwork
schedule.Forstudents,analternativeeightmonthtrainingcycleconsistingoffourtwomonthphasescanbeplanned.
FoundationPhase
ThefoundationphaselastsfromSeptemberthroughNovember.Itisconcernedwithbuildingthestrengthandstaminabaseneededforthedevelopmentofthrowing
power.Properphysicalconditioningisalsoimportanttoreduceinjuries.Abaseofstrength,flexibility,andoverallconditioningisstressed.Thisisaccomplished
throughweighttraining,running,andbasicskilltraining.Bulktraining,involvinghighrepetition,lowresistanceexercises,occursduringthefoundationphase.
Page256
Duringthecompetitiveseason,athletesshouldfocusonperfecting
theirthrowingtechnique.
PowerDevelopmentPhase
ThepowerdevelopmentphaselastsfromDecemberthroughFebruary.Overallpowerdevelopmentisacquiredthroughalternatedayweighttraining,primarilyusing
thepyramidmethodoflifting(i.e.,trainingwithprogressivelyincreasingpoundagewithacorrespondingdecreaseinrepetitions).Powerdevelopmentforthespecific
throwingmotionisimprovedbyquantitythrowingsessionswithoverweightballs,medicineballs,andstubbies(shortjavelinswithsoftrubberendsusedforindoor
training).Distancerunsandsprints(withandwithoutthejavelin),alongwithboundingandjumpingexercises,roundoutthemajorityofthetrainingduringthisphase.
Thispowerdevelopmentphaseisthemostintensiveandtimeconsumingperiodoftheyear.
EarlyCompetitionPhase
TheearlycompetitionphasetakesplacefromMarchthroughMay.Powertrainingcontinuesduringthisphase,buttheloadsaregraduallyreduced.Concentrationon
refiningtechniquebegins.Throwingunderweightimplementshelpsinthedevelopmentoftheexplosiveeffort,asdoesconcentrationonmentalimageryandrehearsal
exercises.Flexibilityexercises,especiallywhenassociatedwithmental(psychological)drills,areverybeneficialtothephysicalandmentalwellbeing,aswellas
performance,oftheathlete.Sprinttrainingandboundingexercisescomposethemajorityoftherunningtraining.Early,smalltrackmeetsareusedtorehearsefor
upcomingmajorcompetitions.
LateCompetitionPhase
ThelatecompetitionphaselastsfromJunethroughAugust.Duringthecompetitivemonths,theemphasisisonthrowing,flexibility,andspeedtraining.Allothertraining
modalitiesareusedtoalesserextent,dependingupontheathlete'scompetitionschedule.Mentalimageryandrehearsalexercises,withthementalemphasisonthe
"relaxedbutexplosive"finaleffort,arepracticedregularlyduringthisphase.
Sampletrainingschedulesareprovidedintables16.1and16.2.Ofcourse,theamountoftimespentoneachactivityshouldvaryaccordingtothetrainingcycle.
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WeightTraining
Thefoundationforjavelinthrowingisthedevelopmentofstrengthandpower,whichisbestmaximizedbyweighttraining.Youandyourathletemustalwaysremember
thatalthoughweighttrainingisimportant,mostimportantisthecorrectapplicationofthesepowergainsintothebiomechanicsofthethrow.
Themajorweighttrainingexercisesaresquats,snatches,powercleans,latpulldowns,pullovers(bentandstraightarm),trunktwists(barbellonshoulders),jerks
fromtherack,andspeedjerks(jumpingjacks).
Otherusefulweightexercisesincludethebenchpress,inclinedpress,deadlift,tricepsextension(Frenchcurls),rowing(standingandbent),shoulderpress(military
press),and"cheat"curls.
TABLE16.1JAVELINTRAININGSCHEDULEFORNONLIFTINGDAYS
Dailypractice
Time(min.)*
1.Warmupjog
2.Generalflexibilityexercises
30
3.Specificflexibilityexercises
10
4.Techniquework:
a.Javelindrills
b.Weightedballs
c.Medicineballs
60120
5.Jumpsandsprints
1020
6.Cooldownjogandstretch
7.Mentaltraining
Nolimit
Everyweekhas2or3nonliftingdays.
*
Variesaccordingtotrainingphase.
TABLE16.2JAVELINTRAININGSCHEDULEFORLIFTINGDAYS
Dailypractice
Time(min.)*
1.Warmupjog
2.Generalflexibilityexercises
30
3.Specificflexibilityexercises
10
4.Briefthrowingsession(optional)
30
5.Hopping,bounding,hurdlejumps,depthjumps
inautumn
1020
6.Weighttraining
60120
7.Cooldownjogandstretch
8.Mentaltraining
Nolimit
Everyweekhas3liftingdays.
*
Variesaccordingtotrainingphase.
Page258
Drills
Thefollowingdrillscanassistinthedevelopmentoftheathlete'stechnicalabilities.Eachofthemcontributestosomeaspectofthethrow.
StandingThrows
Standingthrowswiththejavelin
Standingthrowswithmedicineballs(twohanded)
Standingthrowswithweightedimplements(onehanded,usingweightedballsandstubbies)
Overheadshotputthrows(8and12pound/3.6kgand5.4kg)
ShortApproachThrows
Threestep,fivestep,andsevenstepjavelinthrows
ApproachDrills
Cariocas
Sprintswiththejavelin
Crosssteprunningwiththejavelin
Crossstepdragginga5to10pound(2.25kgto4.5kg)weight
OtherDrills
Verticaljumping
Depthjumping
Boundingexercises
Hoppingoverhurdlesorboxes
Simulationexercisesusingcableorrubbertubing
Pulleyrelatedexercises
Lunges
Axeswings(oneandtwohanded)
Isometricisotonicexercises(ExerGenie)
KeyCoachingPoints
1.Intheacceleration(drivingandjumping)phaseofthethrow,lookforthesetechnicalaspects:
Fullextensionoftheleftlegwhendrivingintothethrow
Aggressiveforwardandupwardrightkneedriveduringthecrossstep(keepingtherighttoeupinanattempttolandontherightmidfootorheel)
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Forward,ratherthanupward,trajectoryofthehips(centerofgravity)intothethrow
Maximumcontrolledhorizontaldistancecoveredinthelasttwosteps
2.Tokeepthetrunkandheaderectandinbalancethroughtherelease,lookforthefollowing:
Chinup,eyesstraightahead
Trunkpositionsimilartothatofatriplejumper,withverylittlelateralorfronttobackdeviation
3.Whencompletingthedeliveryonejavelinlengthfromthefoulline,lookforanaggressivefollowthroughstepthatusesupsixtoeightfeetafterthethrow.
4.Attheinstantoftouchdownwiththerightfootinthethrowingstride,thethrowerassumesapositionofreadiness.Lookfortheseaspects:
Leftheel8to12inchesinfrontoftherightfoot,soitcanberegroundedquicklywithawidebase
Weight(centerofgravity)overorbehindaflexedrightleg
Throwingarmfullyextendedbehind,withthejavelinheldclosetothehead(inthecheektoforeheadarea)
Throwinghandaboutevenwiththemiddleoftheback(asviewedfrombehind)andnotslidingoutastheleftfootisregroundedmaintaining"maximum
controlledtorque/wrap"
5.Withtheleftarmandrightleginitiatingthrow,lookforthefollowing:
Leftarmandshoulderactive,pulledforwardandbackwardinabreaststrokefashionthatstretchestheupperchest,beforetherightarmstrikeoccurs
Righthipandlegactiveinaturningmannerbeforetherightarmstrike
6.Leftsideblockandreleasecompletedinafullfrontalpositionlookfortheseaspects:
Shoulderandhipplanesbothfacingstraightforwardattheinstantofrelease
(Note:Foradditionaldiscussionofoverrotation,seethefollowingsectiononfaultsandcorrections.)
Completeextensionoftheleft(blocking)legoccurringsimultaneouslywiththejavelinrelease
Afterrelease,thehipsandshoulderspassingovertheleftlegandaggressivelyouttowardthefoulline
7.Allthingsbeingequal,animprovementingeneralathleticability(athleticquotient)improvesthethrower'sabilitytocreategreaterforcesduringthethrow,thus
increasingthethrowingdistance.Youandyourathleteshoulddothefollowing:
Periodically(twotofourtimes/year)testvariousrelatedoneandtwohandedthrowswithdifferentweightimplementsormedicineballs.
Periodically(twotofourtimes/year)testvariousrelatedhoppingandboundingtestsoffbothoneandtwolegs.
Periodically(twotofourtimes/year)testvariousstrengthandotherfitnesscomponentstoseewhethercontinuedprogressisbeingmade.
Page260
CorrectingCommonFaults
Fault:Excessiveincreaseintheangleofattackduringthethrow,commonlyreferredtoaslosingthepoint.
Causes:
Droppingthethrowingarmandhandduringthecrossstep,allowingthejavelinpointtoexcessivelyelevate.
Bendingatthewaist.
Bendingtheplantlegduringthethrow.
Discussion:Astheathleteperformsthecrossstep,youwillnotethatthetiprisesupbecausetherear,throwinghanddrops.Theathletemustmaintainahighrear
handandnotallowittodropduringthecrossstep.Also,thehipsmustbehighandsolidlybasedifthethrowinghandistotravelupwardatthesamepositiveangleas
theattackangleofthejavelin.Ifthethrowerinsteadbendsatthewaistandkeepsthehipslowandbehindthetrunk,theforwardmotionofthetrunkgoesdownward
whilethejavelintendstogoup.Theathleteconsequently"pulls"downonthejavelin,causingthejavelintobowandthepointtogoupward.Theathlete'scenterof
gravityalsogoesdowniftheathletebendstheplantlegexcessivelysoheorsheagainpullsdownonthejavelin.
Corrections:Thethrowermustpreventthethrowinghandfromdroppingduringthecrossstepandmustmaintainthepointateyelevel,notlettingitgetaway.Also,
thethrowermustkeepthecenterofgravityupandforwardtoavoidpullingdownonthejavelin.
Fault:Inefficienttransferofthecenterofgravity.
Causes:
Poorcrossstepaction.
Initiatingthethrowbeforetheplantfoothitstheground.
Discussion:Beforetheinitiationofthethrow,therighthipmuststartasfarbehindtheright(drive)footaspossible.Howfarbackthehipsstartisdirectlyrelatedto
thecrossstep.Ifabriskcrossstepiscompleted,theathlete'scenterofgravity(thehips)willbebehindthedrivefootduringthelandingafterthecrossover,often
referredtoastheseatposition.Thethrowerthenmustwaituntiltheplantfootstrikestocompletetheshiftofthecenterofgravityfromthedrivelegontotheplantleg.
Inhis310feet,4inches(94.59m)worldrecordthrow,inthe1976OlympicGamesinMontreal,MiklosNemethutilizedanaggressive,briskcrossstepthatallowed
forthedeepseatpositionthatresultedinanextremelypowerfulhipdriveandastupendoushandspeed.
Acommonmistakeduringthecrossstepisthethrower'sreachingforthegroundwiththedrivelegandlandingwithastraightdriveleg.Inthiscase,thecenterof
gravityishighoverthedriveleg,insteadofbehindittherefore,thereisnoappreciableseatposition.Asaresult,theathleteisunabletodrivetherighthipontothe
plantleg,becausethedrivelegisalreadystraight.Softstepcannotoccur,andtheathleteliterallyfallsontotheplantleginsteadofdrivingintoit.
Theoutsideobservernotesthat(a)thethrowerhasnoseatposition,(b)thethrowergetsoffthedrivelegtoofast,and(c)thedrivefootisliftedoffthegroundina
runningmotionasthejavelinisbeingthrown.Thethrowerreportsmissingthethrow,throwingwiththearmonly,orthethrowhadnothingbehindit.
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Sometimesthethrowerexperiencesasharp,jarringpaininthelowerbackbecauseoftheshockofcrashingdownontotheplantleg.
Corrections:Thesuccessfuljavelinthrowermustdevelopaprofoundappreciationofcrossstepmechanics.Thecrossstepmustbeaggressive,belowtotheground,
andcoveralotofground.Theathletemustwaitforthegroundto''comeup"tohimorhertheathletemustnotreachforthegroundwiththedrivefootduringthe
crossstep.Theupperbodymustbedelayedsothatthecenterofgravitycanbepositionedunderneathandinfrontoftheupperbody,resultingintheseatposition.
Also,theathleteshouldendeavortousethelandingoftheplantfoot(notthedrivefoot)asthefocusoftheexplosiveinitiationofthethrow.
Fault:Decelerationoftherunupduringthetransitionstepsandintothethrowproper.
Causes:
Poorlydevelopedcoordinationandrhythmofthethrower.
Toomuchaccelerationintherunupspeedbeforethetransitionsteps.
Lackofconfidence.
Discussion:Theidealistoaccelerateintothethrow.Anyhintofdecelerationmarkedlyreducesthedistancethrown.Thefinaltwostepsabsolutelymustbethe
quickest.
Corrections:Thethrowermustpracticeaccelerationdrillsgoingintothethrow.Thesedrillsdevelopthecoordination,rhythm,and,ultimately,theconfidence
necessaryforthesuccessfulthrower.Theathletemayhavetoconsciouslyslowtherunupspeedtothenbeabletoacceleratethroughthetransitionsteps.
Fault:Bendingatthewaistduringthethrow.
Causes:
Prematurehaltingofthehips,resultingininefficientaccelerationoftheuppertrunk("rushing"theupperbody).
Inadequatetrunkstrength.
Discussion:Rushingtheupperbody,withsubsequentbendingatthewaist,isacommonerrorusuallyresultingfromthethrower'sattempttothrowhardandfast.The
problemisthatifthehipsaregoingbackwardastheupperbodyisrushingforward,thereisadecreasednetforwardmotion.Therefore,theathleteisthrowingoffan
unstablehipbase(likeshootingarocketoffarowboat),andthefeelingofaccelerationisactuallyanillusion!
Corrections:Thethrowermustlearntorelaxandallowthethrowtohappen.Heorshecanpracticethecorrecthipmotionbymakingsurethatthehipsarehighover
theplantlegduringthrowingdrillsandmedicineballthrows.Oncetheupwardhipmotionhasimproved,thethrowingarmfollowsthepathofleastresistance,andthe
athletefindsiteasiertodeliverthejavelinatthecorrectattackanglebythisformationofasolidtrunkthrowingbase.Improvementoftrunkstrengthwithvariouslifts,
twists,andsitupsisamust.
Fault:Throwingwiththearmbentattheelbow.
Causes:
Armstrikebeforethelowerbodycancompleteitspartinthethrow.
Poorthrowingshoulderflexibility.
Page262
Discussion:Throwingwithabentelbowisgenerallyconsideredevidenceofanearlyarmstrike.ThisfaultisusualinnoviceAmericanthrowersbecauseoftheirinitial
attemptstothrowthespearlikeafootballorabaseball.Inthisrespect,thecorrectjavelinthrowmustbeconsidereda"pull"ratherthanasimplethrow.Theproblem
canbecorrectedifthethrowerstartsthethrowfromasfaraspossibletotherear,allowingthepullingmusclesofthetrunkandshoulder(primarilythelatissimusdorsi)
toparticipateinthethrow.Occasionally,though,athrowercomesalongandthrowsverysuccessfullywithabentarm.
Corrections:Thejavelinthrowermusttraintopullthespearfromasfaraspossibletotherear.Pulleyworkandsimulationexercisesusingrubbertubinghelpdevelop
thepullingmotion.Flexibilityexercisesinvolvingthethrowingshoulderarevitaltocorrectthrowingmotiontheyeasilycorrectabentarmifhinderedshoulder
mechanicsistheproblem(shoulderflexibilityexercisesare,inanycase,amustforalljavelinthrowers).
Fault:Throwingthejavelinlikeadart.
Cause:Literallypushingthejavelinoutlikeadartratherthanpullingthespearfrombehind.
Discussion:Throwingthespearlikeadartisadevelopmentalbadhabitresultingfromanoveremphasisonthrowing"throughthepoint"(applyingallofthe
accumulatedthrowingforcedirectlyintotheshaftofthejavelin)duringearlycoaching.Theathletelearnstodisregardthepullingmotioncompletelyinaneffortto
ensurethatthehandactionrunsstraightdowntheshaft,givingtheobservertheimpressionofadartthrowingmotion.Althoughthrowingthroughthepointisan
admirablequality,itshouldnotbeforcedattheexpenseofthepullingmotion.
Corrections:Thecorrectionsarethesameasthoseforthrowingwithabentarm(thepreviousfault).Theideaandfeelingofpullingthejavelincanbedevelopedwith
simulationtrainingbyusingpulleysandrubbertubingexercises.
Fault:Inefficientblockingofthenonthrowingside.
Causes:
Excessiveflexion(bending)oftheplantleg.
Overrotatingtheshouldersduringthethrow.
Overrotatingthehipsbyputtingtheplantfoottoofartothesideoppositethethrowingarm.
Discussion:Thedistancethejavelinisthrownisdirectlyproportionaltothehorizontalvelocityofthethrowingsidehip,whichisinturndirectlyproportionaltothe
rateofthehorizontaldecelerationoftheotherhip.Thethrowermustblock(stopandstabilize)theoppositesideasquicklyaspossibletomaximizethisthrowingside
acceleration.Iftheoppositesideisnotstabilized,theathletewillexperiencethe"pirouetteeffect,"continuingtospinofftotheoppositeside,andoverrotating.This
overrotationcanbecausedbyanyoneofanumberofmechanisms,orbyacombinationofthem.
Corrections:Theathletemustdevelopafirmoppositesideblockbyconsciouslymakingtheefforttostoptheoppositesideleg,trunk,andshoulder,andaccelerating
thethrowingsidearoundit.Thesensationofthestable,tightoppositesidemustbepursuedeverytimethejavelinisthrown.Also,thethrowermustlearntosquareoff
tothedirectionofthethrowwiththehipsfirst,thentheshoulders.
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Thenexttwofaultsincludespecificcorrectionsfortheinefficientblockingofthenonthrowingside.
Fault:Bentplantleg(excessiveflexionoftheplantleg).
Causes:
Toomuchofthehipforcebeingdrivendownintotheplantleginsteadofoverit.
Notproducingenoughpowerinthehipandthighregion.
Discussion:Abentplantlegcausesthelefthiptocontinuetomoveforward,causingenergytobeabsorbed,whichreduceshiptorque.Theaccelerationofthe
throwingsideisdirectlyproportionaltothedecelerationoftheothersideinthecaseofthebentplantleg,theotherside'sdecelerationissluggishandincomplete.The
plantlegshouldbendslightly(30degreesatthemost)beforeitmustquicklystraightenoutattheinstantofrelease.
Corrections:Theathleteshouldtrytothrowhighovertheplantlegratherthandrivedownintoit.Sometimesconcentratingongettingupontothetoesoftheplant
footassoonasthethrowisoffcanhelptheathletegethigher.Quadricepsstrengtheningexercises,includingkneeextensions,squats,andcleans,arehelpfulin
preventingexcessiveflexionoftheplantkneeduringthethrow.Medicineballdrills,withconcentrationonhighrelease,improvethetrunkhipstrengthandassistinthe
developmentoftheoppositesideblock.
Fault:Puttingthefootinthebucket(plantfoot).
Cause:Startingthethrowtooearly,beforetheplantfoothitstheground.
Discussion:Bypointingthefootoutward,awayfromthecenterlineandthethrowingside,thethrowercannoteffectivelyblockthenonthrowingsidehip.Thisaction,
coupledwithputtingthefoottoofarawayfromthemidline,isamistakecommonlycalled"puttingthefootinthebucket."Thisactionresultsfromprematurelystarting
thehipdrivebeforetheplantfootlands,therebyswingingtheplantfoottoofarfromthethrowingside.
Corrections:Thethrowershoulddelaystartingthethrowuntilaftertheplantfoothashittheground.Theplantfootshouldthereforelandinadirectlinewiththe
throw,withthetoespointingstraightforwardinthedirectionofthethrow.
Fault:Wrongmentalattitudeincompetitivesituations.
Causes:
Amentalandphysicaltighteningfeeling,commonlyreferredtoaschoking.
Lackofconfidence.
Discussion:Thenumberofthrowerswhothrowwellinpracticesessionsandpoorlyincompetitionsiscountless.Howmanythrowersthrowwellafterthe
competition,throwingwhatissometimescalledthe"elusivesevenththrow"?
Mentalpreparationisextremelyimportantiftheathleteistoexcelinthejavelinevent.Thethrowermustbeconfidentinhisorhertechnique.Thethrowermustthinkin
apositivemanner.Insteadofworryingaboutmakingmistakesandsomeoneelsewinning,thethrowershouldbefocusingonthethrowathand.
Ifnotthefirstplacewinner,theathleteshouldbeconsoledbyknowingthatheorshehastrainedashardaspossibleforthecompetition.Thethrowermustview
competitionasanopportunityforexpressionofpowerandtheathleticart.
Corrections:Havetheathletepracticerelaxationtechniques(deepbreathingexercises,listeningtomusic,andsoforth)beforeandduringcompetition.Develop
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ritualsthatarefollowedbeforeeverycompetition.Opendiscussionsbetweentheathleteandyouonsuchtopicsasachievement,motivation,andgoalsettingcanhelp
relievetheheavyburdensthattheathleteplacesuponhimorherself.Youshoulddevelopimageryandrehearsaltechniquessotheathletehasamentalpictureofhow
heorsheissupposedtolookandfeelduringagoodthrow.Ifallelsefails,referraltoarecognizedsportspsychologistmayhelp.
Summary
Javelinthrowingisanactionthatdemandsspeed,strength,flexibility,technicalprecision,andmentalaggressiveness.Theseareobviouslynottraitsthataredeveloped
overnight.Acompletetrainingprogramthatencompassestheaboveelementsisnecessaryforachievingsuccess.Whenitcomestimetocompete,theathletewhohas
preparedboththebodyandmindandwhoconstantlystrivesforperfectionwillcomeoutahead.
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17
Hammer
KenBantum
Perhapsthemostintriguingofallthrowingevents,thehammerthrowstandsoutforitsuniqueness.Iknowofnoothereventthatcreatessuchfanaticsandlifelong
devotees,who,oncebittenbythehammer,engageintheneverendingsearchfortheperfectthrowandtheabsolutetechnique.
Successinhammerthrowingisdeterminedbyknowledgeofthebasictechniques,strength,agility,quickness,tirelessdedication,andmentaltoughness.
Thehammerrequiresakinestheticawarenessofbalancewhileturningatahighangularvelocity.Thethrowermustmaintainadelicatebalancetopreventbeingyanked
outofthecirclebythespinning16poundballorfallingbackward,pulledbythebody'sleanthatcounterstheforceoftheball.
Successfulhammerthrowershavecomeinavarietyofsizes.However,thetallerathletewithlongarmshasthedistinctadvantageofalongerradius.Theshorter
athletemustovercomethisdisadvantagebybeingabletocreateahigherrateofangularvelocitythroughstrength,power,andbalance.
Page266
Fundamentals
Thefollowingareafewessentialsabouthammerthrowing.
CommonTerms
Manyofthetermsandcoachingpointsaretraditional.Theyhavebeenpasseddownovermanygenerationsandarestillapplicabletoday.Thefollowingaretermsthat
youmustbefamiliarwith:
AccelerateTomovefaster.
ActiveUsingforce.
AxisofrotationTheaxisaroundwhichthehammersystemrotates.
BlockObstructsmovement.Therearepositiveandnegativeblocksinthrowing.
CentrifugalforceAforcethatappearstocauseabodyorobjectthatistravelingaroundacentertoflyoutwardfromitscircularpath.
CounteringResistingpullofthehammerasitturnsaroundtheaxis.
FlatReferstotheplaneofthehammer,whichishorizontalorparalleltotheground.
HammersystemTheathleteandthehammerasoneunit.
HangCounteringtheballwhentheplanebecomessteep.Thispositionenablesadeepcollapseoftheleftleg.Youareactuallyhangingdownfromtheball.
HeeltoeturnTurningontheheelandtoe.
PostHavingthefootdrivedown,asindrivingapostintotheground.
PushPushingwiththerightarmandhandtocreateawiderotationaroundtheleftside.
RadiusThedistancefromcenterorturningaxis.
ReleaseTheactualthrowingofthehammerbythelowerbodyandback,moresothanbythearms.
SitApositiondonebybendingthekneesandloweringthehipsduringtheturnstocounterthehammerpull.
SkimExecutingahardheelturn,keepingtheballofthefootclosetotheground.
ToeturnTurningcompletelyaround(360degrees)onthetoe.
TriangleTheisoscelestriangleformedbytheshouldersandhands.
Equipment
You'llneedthefollowingequipmenttoperformthedrillsinthischapter.
Shoesflatshoes,preferablyhammershoes
Gloveforlefthand.Fingertipsmustbeexposed.
Implementsheavy,official,light
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Broom(typeusedforsweeping)
Heavyrubberbandsorsurgicaltubing
Longathleticsock
Lightweightindoorshot
Medicineball
Philosophy
Confidenceisthekeytosuccess.
Donotattempttooverpowertheimplement.Learntoappreciatethescienceoftheevent.Followthelearningsequences.Theyarethebuildingblocks.Confidence
comesfromaccomplishingthesesmallfeats.Confidenceallowsthebodytorelaxandperformmoreefficiently.Tensioncausesthebodytobecomerigidand
ineffective.
TeachingProgression
Thefollowingstepswillaidinthedevelopmentofasuccessfulhammerthrower.Allreferencesareforrighthandedthrowers.
AppreciationofRadius
Beforedoinganythrowingatall,performthisexperiment.Taketwoathleticsocks,onecrewandonekneelength.Placethelightweightindoorshotorasimilarlight
weightinoneofthesocks.Windupandreleaseit.Placetheweightintheothersockandrepeatthewindupandrelease.Youwillfindthattheweightgoesfartherin
thelongersock.Thisillustrateshowthelengthoftheradius(effectiveradius)influencesballheadspeed,whichisdirectlyresponsiblefordistance.
Grip
Firstgripwiththelefthand.Allowthehandletorestonthelastdigitsofthefingers.Overlapwiththerighthand(figure17.1).
Figure17.1
Righthandedgrip.
PositioningandCountering
Thefollowingdrillsteachthethroweraboutthesenseofthegripandfeelingthelongradiusofthehammer,aswellasaboutflatplaneandcentrifugalforce.
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WalkAroundDrill
Thearmsareheldinfrontofthebodyinarelaxedmannerwiththefeetfairlyclosetogether.Notethetrianglemadebytheshouldersandhands.Thismustnever
breakdown.Theheadshouldbeback,withtheeyesfocusedontheball.(Lookunderthebottomofeyeglassesorlookcontinuouslyinthedirectionoftheball.)The
throwershouldturncounterclockwiseinplaceusingsmallstepstoinitiatemovementandtostaycentered.Thefasterthethrowerturns,themoreheorshehastoresist
the"centrifugalforce"thatappearstobecreated.Asthethrowerincreasestheturningspeed,heisforcedtositmoreandmoretocounterthepullofthehammer
(figure17.2).
Figure17.2
Walkarounddrill:asthethrower'sturningspeedincreases,heorsheis
forcedtositmoreandmoretocounterthepullofthehammer.
TugofWarDrill
Ifthereisonlyonethrower,thecoachholdsthethrower'shandstoteachcorrectposture.Hipsunderneath,headback,backstraight.Withtwothrowers,youcanadd
alittlefunbyhavingthemshufflequicklyclockwiseandcounterclockwise(figure17.3).
Figure17.3
Tugofwardrill.
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TurningtheRadius
Thefollowingdrillismeanttoteachthrowerstheproperarmandoverallbodypositioninrelationtothehammer'swidearc.
RightHandDrill
Thethrowerassumesthestartingpositionatthebackofthecircle,facing0degrees,inanuprightposturewithfeetslightlylessthanshoulderwidthapart.Knees
shouldbeflexed.Thethrowergraspsthebroombythehandlewiththerighthandandextendsthearmoutinfront.
Thethrowerpivotsontheheeloftheleftfootwhilekeepingtheballofthefootclosetothesurface(skim).Atthesametimethatthethrowerdrivesandpivotstheright
footcounterclockwise,hepushesthebroominawidearc.Thebroomshouldbeparalleltotheground,withmostoftheweighttransferredtotheleftfoot(figure
17.4).Therightkneeshouldbeclosetotheleftkneeandtherighttoebarelyincontactwiththeground.Havethethrowerrepeatthismanytimesuntildone
satisfactorily.
Next,increasetherangeofmotionfrom90degreesto180degrees.Thethrowerinitiatesthesamemovementto90degreeshowever,at90degreeshedrivesthe
rightkneearoundandforwardinasprintingmanner.Thekneewillgoclosetotheleftkneeandbeinapositionsimilartothatofasprinter(kneeforwardwithtoe
down).
Theweightshouldshiftfromtheheeloftheleftfoottotheballtocompletethe180degreeturn.Whentheturniscompleted,thebroomshouldbeat180degrees.It
shouldbeslightlyhigherinplanethanhorizontal.Thoughtheupperbodyremainsupright,theplaneofthemovementforcesthethrowertositbackslightly.Theplane
ofthebroom'smovementalsocausestheleftlegtocollapseaswell.Theathleteshouldrepeatthismovementmanytimes(figure17.5).
Figure17.4
Righthanddrillfinishingpositionafter90degree
rangeofmotion.
Figure17.5
Righthanddrillfinishingpositionafter180degree
rangeofmotion.
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Intheprecedingdrill,
thewidearccreatedbythebroomrepresentsthelongradiuswedesire
themovementoftherightfootissomewhatlikethatofasprinterthefasteryouturn,thehigheryourkneelifts
thefastertheturn,thesteepertheplaneand
thefasteryouturn,themoreyoucollapse.
Whatweshouldknowaboutplaneisthatat0degreesthehammerisatitslowpoint.At180degrees,thehammerisatitshighpoint.At90degreesand270degrees,
thehammerishorizontal.Thearmsshouldneverbemorethanperpendiculartothebodythroughouttheexecutionofthethrow.
Winds
Whenpracticingwinds,throwersmaywanttousethelongsockwithasmallweightinsideinsteadofthehammer.Afterthrowershaveconfidencethattheywillnot
injurethemselves,theyshouldexecutethewindswiththehammer.
OneHandWinds
Thethrowerassumesthecorrectstartingpositionat0degrees,thengraspsthehammerwiththerighthand.Thehammerrestsbehindandtotherightoftherightfoot
("drag"or"pickup"position.)Thethrowerswingsthehammerclockwisesothatthehandleisjustoverhead(figure17.6a).Asitmovesoverhead,thethrowertwists
theshoulderstotherightand"catches"thehammerasitreachesapproximately270degrees.Makesurethethrowerraisestheelbowashighasthetopofthehead,
asthishelpstomakethewindsflat.Inthe"catch"or"pickup''position,thearmshouldbeextended.Thethrowershoulddofivesetsoffiverepetitions,oruntilthe
drillisperformedsatisfactorily.Nowthethrowergraspsthehammerinthelefthandandplacesittotherightoftherightfoot.Asthethrowerswingsthehammertothe
left,hemusttwisttheshouldersagaintotheright.Asthethrowertwiststotheright,heexecutesahighcurlingmotion(figure17.6b).Afterthehammerclearsthetop
ofthehead,thearmisextendedtoward270degrees.Havethethrowerdoanotherfivesetsoffiverepetitions,oruntilyouaresatisfiedwiththeexecution.
Figure17.6
Onehandwinds:(a)clockwiseswingingmotionwiththehandlejust
overhead,(b)addingthecurlingmotion.
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TwoHandWinds
Thethrowerplacesbothhandsonthehandleandassumestheproperstartingposition.Fromthe"drag"position,heexecutesfivesetsoffivewinds,oruntiltheyare
donesatisfactorily.
WalkingDrill
Agooddrilltohelpthethrowergainconfidenceandcontrolofthehammeristhe"walking"drill.Whilewindingthehammeraboutthehead,thethrowerwalksabout
10stepswiththelegsinthedeepflexposition.Afterrestingafewseconds,thethrowerturnsaroundandwalksback,againexecutingthewinds.
Makesurethewindsarewide,flat,andfluidbeforeproceedingtothenextphase.
OneHand,OneTurnThrow
Thethrowerassumesthecorrectstartingposition,withthehammerinthe"drag"position.Takingonefullwind,hesweepsthehammerasdonewiththebroom.Asthe
hammermovesinfront,thethrowersweepsitwideandmakesafullturnto180degrees.Becausetheweightofthehammerisgreaterthanthebroom,thehammer's
pullwillmostlikelycausethethrower'srightfoottocomedownpast180degrees,probablyto270degrees,whichisacceptable.Whentherightfootcomesdown,
thethrowerexecutesadrivepivotcounterclockwise.Thethrowersitsbacktoshifthisweighttotheleftandliftstoreleasethehammer.Thisisdone1015times.For
mostnovicethrowersthisisenoughforoneday.
Thethrowershouldreviewtheprecedingusingthebroomorsockdevice.
OneTurnThrows
Thethrowerassumesthestartingpositionwithbothhandsonthehammer.Howthewindsareinitiatedisanindividualchoice.Sometakethehammerfroma"drag"
position.Someswingitfromtheleft,uptothefrontandbacktotheright,beforewindingoverhead.
Atacontrolledspeed,thethrowertakestwofullwindsaroundthehead,makingsurethewindsareflat,wide,andfluid.Afterthesecondwind,thethrowerexecutesa
turnwhentheballisoutinfront.Thesamefootworkandupperbodyworkdrilledoninpreviouspassagesonturningareexecutedhere.Thethrowershouldpay
particularattentiontothesweepingactionoftherightarmandhand,rememberingthattherightsideofthebodyistheactiveside,whiletheleftsidelendsitselfmoreto
control.
Afterseveralthrowstheathleteshouldhavethesensethatastheballapproaches180degrees,nomoreforcecanbeexertedtoit.Thislessactivephaseiswherehe
catchesuptotheball.Attemptingtoapplycontinuousforcetothehammerwillonlycausetheathletetodragtheballaround.Thisistheolder,lesseffectivemethodof
throwing,outdatedforovertwentyyears.Wenowhaveanactivephaseandapassivephase.Thepassivephaseallowstheathletetocollapsetheleftlegandcreatea
hangfromthehammer.Itisatthistimethethroweremploysaquickrightfootplant.Astherightfoothits,theathleteemploysanexplosiverightfootturnandbacklift
totheleftsideforanexplosiverelease.Plateservingsand/ormedicineballthrowsareappropriatebeforetheathleteattemptstheoneturnthrowandinbetween
throws.Heshouldtakeasmanyas30oneturnthrowsreviewingallaspects.
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TwoTurnThrows
Beforeattemptingthetwoturnthrow,athletesshoulddomultipleturndrillsandotherstoprepareforasuccessfultransitionfromoneturntotwoturnthrows.
180Degreesto180DegreesDrill
Thethrowerholdsabroomatthe180degreeposition,thenexecutesafull360degreeturnbacktothe180degreeposition.Thisdrillencouragesthethrowerto
drivepivotmoreforcefullyandsitbacktocompletetheturnsuccessfully(figure17.7).
Figure17.7
180degreesto180degreesdrill.Thethrower
mustsitbacktocompletetheturnsuccessfully.
Wind/TurnDrill
Ifyouhavealongrunwayordiscuscircle,yourathleteswillreceivemorebenefitfromthisdrillbecausetheywillbeabletodomoreturns.Thethrowerassumesthe
correctstartingposition.Aftertwocontrolledwinds,heexecutesoneturn,thentakesanothertwowinds.Havetheathleterepeatthisasmanytimesasthefacility
permits.Onthelastturn,thethrowerexecutestherelease.
TwoHammer/PipeDrill
Thethrowertakestwohammers,oneineachhand.Holdingthemoutstretchedforward,thethrowerdoesmultipleturns.Hethendoesthesamethingwiththe
hammersoutstretchedfromthesides(figure17.8).Or,takingapipeseventoeightfeetlong,thethrowerplacesitbehindtheneckanddoesmultipleturns(figure
17.9).
Figure17.8
Twohammerdrill:hammersoutstretchedtothesides.
Figure17.9
Pipedrill.
Page273
Theathleteisnowreadyfortwoturnthrowswiththehammer.Thefundamentalsarethesameasforoneturnthrows.Thedifficultycomesfromthetransitionto
anotherturn.Youmayalsofindthatyourthrowersoverturn.Thatisunderstandablethehammer'spullcausesit.However,wedonotwanttogopast270degrees.
Thethrowermustconcentrateongroundingtherightfootmorequicklyashebuildsmorespeedintotheturns.
ThreeTurnThrows
Usesametechniqueastwoturnthrows.Increasedrillworkbecausetransitionismoredifficult.
FourTurnThrows
Thisisforthemoreadvancedthrower,butnottobefeared.Thethrowerwhocanmasterthefourturntechniquemaybeabletogainalittlemorespeed.Mostfour
turnthrowersuseatoeturnfortheirfirstturn.However,thereareseveraltopnotchfourturnthrowerswhoarecapableofexecutingfourheeltoeturns.Forthefour
turntechnique,theathleteslowsdownthewindsandmakessuretheyareveryflat.Theathletealsomaywanttomovetheleftfootto0degreespositiontogainmore
roominthecircle.
Bearinmindthatthelongtimerecordholder,thegreatYuriySyedikh,usesonlythreeturns.Heistremendouslyfastandexplosive.
Training
Thefollowingareimportanttipstorememberwhencreatingatrainingprogram.
Thefocusoftheday'sworkoutshouldbebasedonareviewofthepreviousday'spractice.Thisisagoodtimetousethetrainingdevicestoworkonproperform
andexecution.
KeyCoachingPoints
Becausethehammerismovingrapidlyaround,itmaybedifficulttogettherightfootdown
whenandwherethethrowerwantsit.Remindthrowerstothink,Early!Early!Early!
Thereleaseshouldbethoughtofasanotherturn.Thethrowershouldnotgatherforthe"big
one."
Togettheutmostfromthelegsandbackatthemomentofrelease,thethrowershouldthink
Turn!ratherthan,Explode!or,Stand!Thisthoughtwillhelpthethrowermaintaincenterand
radius.Also,itwillallowthethrowertoachieveaneffectiveblockoverandagainsttheleftleg.
Tokeepthebackagainsttheballandturntherightfootmoreexplosively,thethrowershould
think,Turn!Turn!Turn!Thesecommandscouldbebarkedoutfromthecoach.Theathlete
shouldbarkthemoutmentallyasheexecutesthethrow.
Topreventdraggingthehammer,theathletekeepstheeyesontheball.Tomaintaincorrect
posture,theathletemightimagineheorsheiswearingeyeglassesandislookingunderthelenses
attheball.
Thereleaseangleshouldbebetween42and45degrees.
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Sincewewanttobuildandreinforcegoodmotorpatterns,selectadrillthatisspecificallyrelatedtothisend.Forexample,amedicineballcanbeusedtoworkon
theproperrelease.
Usereasoninsteadofemotioninsomedecisions.Sometimesanathletewillgetfrustratedtryingtoexecuteaphaseofthethrow.Itmaybebesttogotoanother
phase.Onceinawhilethenervoussystemgetsoverlyexcitedoragitated,andthebestthingfortheathletetodoisgetcompletelyawayfromthecircleforawhile.
Generallytheathleteshouldtakeabout30throwsinapracticesession,dependingontheweightoftheimplement.Obviously,taking30throwswiththelightweight
hammerislessstressingthan30throwswiththeoverweighthammer.
Avoidrapidfirethrows.Theathleteshouldtaketimebetweenthrowstocritiquetheprecedingthrowandprepareforthenext.
Iwouldsuggestthatyourathletesworkwiththeheavyimplementsearlyintheseasonandtaperoffasthechampionshipsnear.Atthistime,increasetheamountof
workdonewiththelighthammers.Thisiswhenmaximumspeedandexplosivenessareimportant.
Theentireconditioningprogramshouldbelookedatasatriangle.Wewantourathletestopeakatthechampionshippartoftheseason.Thebaseofourconditioning
programiscomposedofmanycycles.Theearlypartoftheseasonconsistsofmoreconditioningandquantity.Aswegetnearthechampionships,wewantour
athletestobeatmaximumstrengthandexplosiveness.Theprogramshouldbedesignedtoaccomplishthis.(Seetable17.1.)Testbeforeeachcyclefornew
maximums.Structureprogramsbasedontheneedsoftheathlete.Whenallcyclesarecompleted,startoverwithcyclethreeorfour,dependingonthelengthofyour
season.ThisshouldallowyourathletestopeakinMarchandJune.
TABLE17.1SAMPLEWORKOUTSFORHAMMER
Wheretheliftsareheavy,theathleteshouldtaketwotothreedaysofrestinbetween.Increaseresistance
25%eachweek.Usediscretion.
Cycle1:FourWeeks
StrengthTraining
Day
Exercise
Monday
Highpulls
Backsquats
Frontsquats
Hangcleans
Tuesday
Abdominalwork
Wednesday
Benchpress
Latpulldowns
Abdominalwork
Thursday
SameasMonday
Friday
SameasWednesday
SetsReps
Intensity
312
312
312
312
40%ofmax.
30%ofmax.
20%ofmax.
25%ofmax.
210
310
40%ofmax.
40%ofmax.
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Figure17.10
Boxdrill.
The"GeneralConditioning"sectionthatfollowsincludestheboxdrill.Inthisdrill,theathletestartsatonecornerofthebox,whichis20yardsby20yards,markedby
cones.Heperformsadifferentskillateachside.Theskillsperformedarecarioca,backpedal,shuffle,andsprint.Executingthedrillcounterclockwiseandclockwiseis
consideredonerepetition(figure17.10).
GeneralConditioning
Tuesday
Formsprint
10100m
Wednesday
Boxdrill
3reps
Thursday
Run
1/2miletomile
Friday
Boxdrill
3reps
Cycle2:FourWeeks
StrengthTraining
Day
Exercise
SetsReps
Intensity
36
310
38
46
60%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
40%ofmax.
50%ofmax.
Monday
Highpulls
Backsquats
Frontsquats
Hangcleans
Tuesday
Abdominalwork
Wednesday
Benchpress
Latpulldowns
Abdominalwork
Thursday
SameasMon.
Friday
SameasWed.
38
38
60%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
GeneralConditioning
RepeatCycle1,withinclusionofstairhopsonWed.andFri.
Cycle3:FourWeeks
StrengthTraining
Day
Exercise
Monday
Highpulls
Backsquats
Hangcleans
Wednesday
Frontsquats
Latpulldowns
Plateswings
(Simulatehammerrelease)
Russiantwists
(continued)
SetsReps
36
38
44
Intensity
70%ofmax.
70%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
28
28
315
50%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
Lightweightplate
315
Lightweightplate
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(continued)
Cycle3:FourWeeks
Thursday
SameasMonday
Friday
Frontsquats
Latpulldowns
28
28
50%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
GeneralConditioning
Stairboundingreplacesboxdrill,whichshouldbecomealargepartofwarmup.Usea1010yardboxfor
warmups.
Tuesday
Formsprints
10100yd.
Wednesday
Stair/hurdlebounding
Boundup1020stairsanddown,12sets
(510times=1set)or55lowhurdlehops*
Thursday
Run
1/2miletomile
Friday
SameasWednesday
Ifyouarenotabletousehighstairs,goimmediatelytohurdlehops.
Cycle4:FourWeeks
StrengthTraining
Day
Exercise
SetsReps
Monday
Backsquats
Hangcleans*
Hangsnatches*
46
44
53
Wednesday
Frontsquats
Inclinedpress
Latpulldowns
Plateswings
Russiantwists
28
28
28
35
310
Thursday
SameasMonday
Friday
Frontsquats
Inclinedpress
Latpulldowns
Formismostimportanthere.
GeneralConditioning
Tuesday
8060msprints
Wednesday
105hurdlesinlowposition
Thursday
1/2tomilerun
Friday
SameasWednesday
(tablecontinuedonnextpage)
28
28
28
Intensity
70%ofmax.
70%ofmax.
40%ofmax.
65%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
Increasedweight
Increasedweight
65%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
60%ofmax
Page277
(tablecontinuedfrompreviouspage)
Cycle5:FourWeeks
StrengthTraining
Day
Exercise
Monday
Backsquats
Frontsquats
Fullsnatches
Wednesday
Powercleans
Benchpress
Latpulldowns
Plateswings
Russiantwists
Thursday
SameasMonday
Friday
Benchpress
LatPulldowns
SetsReps
45
35
28
Intensity
80%ofmax.
70%ofmax.
70%ofmax.
53
28
112
35
310
70%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
Increaseweight
Increaseweight
28
112
60%ofmax.
60%ofmax.
GeneralConditioning
SameasCycle4,butraiseheightofhurdles.Forvarietyandforachallenge,dograduatinghurdlesor
pyramidhurdlesonWednesdayandFridayand81030msprintsonTuesday.
Inadditiontostrengthtrainingthroughthemoretraditionalresistanceexercises,theathleteshouldworkwithheavierimplementswithshortwirestobuildstrength
specifictotheevent.Thisisforoffseason,however.Throwingimplements,suchasmedicineballsandthelike,willalsohelp.Newerresistancemachinesareavailable
inmosttrainingfacilitiesthatofferturningresistanceexercises.Hurdlingandhurdlingexercisesandmoderateplyometricscanalsohelp.
Summary
Theteachingprogressioninthischapterallowstheathletetofirstgetahandleonthebasichammerthrowingtechnique.Fromthere,inadditiontoacomprehensive
conditioningprogram,theathletecancontinuetostrivefortechnicalperfection.
Ihavecarefullyomittedcertainterms,liketorqueandlag,astheylendthemselvestoantiquatedtechniquesandconfusion.Therearecertainbasicprinciplesto
successfulthrowing.Weshouldnotbecloudtheeventbyaddingandalludingtotermsthatwillonlyserveasroadblocks.
Positivedirectionandreinforcementofthebasicsaretheonlytruevehiclestosuccess.
Page279
PARTV
RACEWALKINGANDMULTIPLEEVENTS
Page281
18
Racewalking
JeffSalvage
BohdanBolwicaski
GwenRobertson
IanWhatley
GaryWesterfield
Becausethetrainingmethodsofracewalkingaresimilartothoseofrunningandbecauseracewalking'stechniqueissoimportant,thischapterfocusesonthetechnique.
Racewalkingisacontesttocoverasetdistancefasterthantheopposition,whileabidingbytworules(USATF#39and#150).
Racewalkingisauniquesportoftrackandfield.Itcombinesenduranceandtechniqueasthetwokeyingredientsfortheathletetofocuson.Certainlystrengthand
flexibilityarealsoimportantbiomotorabilities.Theracewalkermusthavegreatmentalconcentrationandtenacitytomaintainproperform.
Page282
1.Racewalkingisaprogressionofstepssotakenthatthewalkermakescontactwiththegroundsothatnovisible(tothehumaneye)lossofcontact
occurs.Thismeansthatbeforearacewalkerliftstherearfootofftheground,theleadingfootmustmakecontactwiththeground.Forabriefmomenttheheelofthe
leadingfootandthetoeoftherearfootappeartobeincontactwiththegroundsimultaneously.
2.Theadvancinglegmustbestraightened(i.e.,notbentattheknee)fromthemomentoffirstcontactwiththegrounduntilintheverticalposition.Onfirst
hearingthisrule,beginningwalkersmaythinkthattheymustwalkwiththeirlegsstraightallthetime.Thisisnotthecase.Theonlystipulationisthatwhena
racewalker'sleadfootstrikestheground,hisorherlegshouldbestraight.Itmuststaystraightuntilitpassesunderthebody.Thenitwillhavetobendtoswing
forward.
Properracewalkingtechniqueisbothefficientandlegal.Theprimaryobjectiveistomaintainaconstantvelocityofthebody'scenterofgravitywithoutexcessive
verticalorsidetosidedisplacement.Thevisualimpressionofaneliteracewalkerisofasteadyforwardmotionwithoutexcessivebouncingorsidetosidesway.
Technique
Ourdiscussionofracewalkingtechniquecoverstheactionsofracewalkingfrommostimportantactiontoleastimportant.Themostefficientmotionforeachactionwill
bedescribed,and''WatchFor"sectionswillhighlightcommonmistakesintechnique.
Posture
Theprincipleofgoodracewalkingpostureissimple.Thebodyshouldbestraightandrelaxedthroughouttheentirestride.Thelowerbackisflatthroughoutthestride
withoutforwardorbackwardtiltofthepelvis(figure18.1).
WatchFor:
Bendingforwardatthewaist(seefigure18.2.)Thisstrainsthelowerbackandlimitshipmovement.Maybeduetomuscleweaknessoranimbalanceinthetorso
muscles.
Figure18.1
Properracewalkingposture.
Figure18.2
Incorrectposturebending
forwardatthewaist.
Figure18.3
Incorrectpostureswayback.
Page283
Swayback(seefigure18.3).Thislimitsthehipmotionandmovesthecenterofgravitybackward.Additionally,itshortensthestrideandmayleadtoanillegalstride.
Itmaybeduetoaweaknessortightnessofthelowerbackorabdominalmuscles.
Excessiveforwardorbackwardleanofthewholebody.Thesearepotentiallyinjuriousandreducemechanicalefficiency.
Tomaintainproperposture,aracewalker'sheadshouldbeinaneutralpositionlookingforwarddowntheroad.
WatchFor:
Headpointeddown.Usuallycausedbylackofconcentrationorweakneckmuscles,thismayleadtocrampsintheneckandshoulders.
HipMotion
Themovementofthehipsistheprimarysourceofforwardlocomotionprovidedbythebody.Byrotatingthehipsforward(inatransverseplaneparalleltothe
ground),therearlegispulledofftheground.Thehipsactlikeamotor,acceleratingthekneeandfootforward.Inthelatermovementsoftheswingphase,theknee
reachesapositionforwardofthehip.Atgroundcontact,theheelisslightlyforwardoftheknee.
WatchFor:
Excessivehipdrop.Modernracewalkingtechniquestresseshiprotationwithoutmuchverticalmovementofthehipjoint.
Excessivelateralhipmotion.Ifthehipsmovefromsidetoside,thebody'scenterofgravitywillmovewiththem.Thiswillslowforwardmovementandwasteenergy.
StrideLength
Correcthipactionleadstoincreasedstridelength(seefigure18.4).Thiswillalsoleadtocorrectfootplacementalongastraightline(seefigure18.5a).Insufficienthip
rotationorlimitedflexibilityinthepelvismayleadtofootplacementoneithersideofastraightline(seefigure18.5,bc).
Figure18.4
Correcthipactionleadstoincreasedstride
lengthasseeninthefigureontheright.
Figure18.5
Footplacement:(a)Correctfootplacementalongastraight
line.(b,c)Incorrectfootplacementduetoinsufficienthip
rotationorlackofflexibility.
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Aracewalkershouldnotattempttoincreasestridelengthbyreachingouttoofarinfrontofthebodyusingthefoot,asthiswillcauseoverstriding.Aracewalker
shouldvisualizethehipsleadingthelegsandfeet.Increasingthespeedofthehipswilldirectlyincreasethespeedofthelegs.
Asanindividuallearnstoracewalk,theincreaseduseofthehipswillcausethefeettolandinalmostanexactstraightline.Beaware:ifanonracewalkerattemptsto
mimicthisfootplacementwithoutproperhipmotion,heorshewillplaceanunneededstressacrosstheknee.
Figure18.6
Footplacementofawalkerlandingwith(a)toespointed
in,and(b)toespointedout.
Idealfootplacementhasaracewalker'sfeetpointingstraightahead.Somepeople'sfootplacementwillnaturallypointoutorinbecauseofthewaytheyarebuilt.
Thesewalkersshouldnottrytochangetheirfootplacement.Byusingtheirhipsproperly,theirfootstrikeswilloccurinastraightline,buttheirfeetwillnotbeparallel.
Whilethisislessefficient,forcingthestraighteningoffootplacementmaycausestressonthelegs,feet,andknees.Figure18.6ashowsthefootplacementofawalker
whoislandingwiththetoespointedin,andfigure18.6bshowsthatofawalkerwhoislandingwiththetoespointedout.
KneeAction
Thekneemustbestraightfrommomentofheelcontactuntilthesupportlegisintheverticalposition(seefigure18.7.)Thekneeisflexedintherecoveryswing,since
shortpendulumsswingfaster.Thepointatwhichtherearlegstartstobendvariesfromwalkertowalker.Theoptimumpointforittobenddependsonthestructure,
flexibility,andstrengthoftheathlete.
WatchFor:
Theleadkneeswingingthroughhigh.Thisisoftenduetoahabitcarriedoverfromrunning(seefigure18.8).Thiswastesenergyandmayleadtoillegalstrides.
Figure18.7
Theathleteshouldmaintainastraightkneefrommomentofheelcontactuntilthesupport
legisintheverticalposition.
Page285
Bentkneeonheelcontact.Thisisillegal.Causesareoverstridinginfrontofthebody,inadequatequadricepsstrength,andtightorweakhamstrings.
Theleadkneebendingbeforethelegisverticallyupright.Thisisillegal.Itmaybecausedbytheathletetryingtowalkatspeedsfasterthanhisorherfitnesslevelcan
sustain.
FootAction
Theheelstrikesthegroundfirstwiththetoeselevated,notflatfooted.Oncethefoothasmadecontact,itrollsforward,keepingthetoesoffthegrounduntilthelegis
supportingthebody'sweight.Howlongthetoesarekeptoffthegroundisdirectlyrelatedtothestrengthoftheshin.
Thereisapushoff,withthecalfcausingthefoottorolltovertical,beforeleavingtheground.Thefootoftheswinglegisbroughtforwardcloseto,butnotbrushing,
theground.
WatchFor:
Landingflatfooted,orwiththefootslappingtoosoon.Thishasabrakingeffectthatwastesenergy,shortensthestride,andmaycausethekneetobendearly.Itmay
becausedbyalackofshinstrengthorlackofflexibilityand/orlackofmobilityinthehips.
ArmAction
Thearmactioninracewalkingcanvaryfromathletetoathlete.Theelbowsofaracewalkerarebentatananglebetween90degreesand45degrees.Theelbowangle
mustbefixed,butwiththemusclesrelaxed,throughoutthearmswing.Thearmseachformashortpendulumandwillswingmorequicklythaniftheywereheld
straight.Thearmsaredrivenpredominantlybackwardandforward,notfromsidetoside.
Thehandstraceanarcfromjustbehindthehipatthelevelofthewaistbandtothesternum.Thehandsshouldnotcrossthecenterlineofthebody.Thearmmovement
islowandrelaxed.Thereshouldnotbetensionbetweentheshoulderbladesnorhunchingoftheshouldersattheendofarmswing.
Figure18.8
Swingingtheleadkneethroughtoohighmayleadtoillegalstrides.
Page286
AndrewHermannstrivesfortechnicalprecisionatthe1997
OutdoorTrackandFieldChampionships.
Aracewalker'shandsshouldberelaxed.However,theyshouldnotdangleorflopwiththearmswing.Thewristshouldbestraight,whilethehandshouldbeheldina
loosefistwiththefingertipsfacingthehipsasthearmswingspast.Ifaracewalkerishavingtroubleholdingthehandsinarelaxedmanner,heorsheshouldmakeafist,
holdingitloosely,thenplacethethumbbetweentheindexfingerandmiddlefinger.
WatchFor:
Excessivesidetosidearmswing,whichtendstocausesidetosidemotionofthecenterofgravityandwastesenergy.Thisiscausedbyincorrectmotorskills
learning.
Elbowangletootight(lessthan45degrees.)Thismayleadtoashortenedstrideandabouncingmotionthatwastesenergy.Thistendstogetworseasfatigue
increases.Itiscausedbyincorrectmotorlearningorlossofconcentration.
Elbowangletoolarge,whichleadstoaslowerstriderate.Thisiscausedbyincorrectmotorlearning.
Summary
Racewalkingimprovementcomesthroughthecarefulevaluationoftechnique.Thisnotonlyhelpstheathleteavoidthetendencyforillegalracewalkingmoves,italso
improvestheathlete'swalkingefficiencyand,therefore,herorhischanceforsuccess.
Formoreinformationaboutracewalking,visitwww.racewalk.com,ororder"WalkLikeanAthlete"bycalling1888WALK123.
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19
Heptathlon
CliffRovelto
Theheptathlonisthetestfordeterminingthemostwellroundedfemaletrackandfieldathlete.Theathletecompetesinseveneventsoveratwodayperiod.Onday
one,theathletecompetesinthe100meterhurdles,highjump,shotput,and200meterdash.Daytwoconsistsofthelongjump,javelin,and800meterrun.Forthe
athletetomaximizeherpotentialandachievesuccess,shemustadoptalifestylethatallowshertodeveloppsychologicallyandphysically.Theheptathletemustbe
dedicated,determined,andpossessgreatdesire.Physically,shemustconcurrentlydevelopallthebiomotorabilities:speed,strength,stamina,skill(coordination),and
suppleness.
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HeptathlonCandidates
Potentialcandidatesfortheheptathloncancomefrommanydisciplines.Historicallyspeaking,intheUnitedStatesmostofourathleteshavecomeintotheheptathlon
fromthesprinthurdleand/orjumpdisciplines.Inotherpartsoftheworld,wehaveseenathleteswhowereverystrongthrowersachievegreatsuccessinthe
heptathlon.Ifeelitisamistaketopredeterminethepoolofpotentialheptathletes.JackieJoynerKersee,whoisunquestionablythegreatestheptathleteinhistory,was
knownasagreathurdlerlongjumper,butherheptathlonpersonalrecordsof55feet,3inches(about16.8m)intheshotputand164feet,5inches(about50.1m)in
thejavelinaregreatheptathlonthrowsmarksinanyframeofreference.JaneFrederick,thetenthrankedheptathleteofalltimeandsecondrankedAmericanofall
time,setherpersonalrecordof6803withthrowsof50feet,10inches(about15.5m)and169feet,9inches(about51.7m)again,outstandingmarks.Atthe1997
WorldChampionshipsinAthens,SabineBraun,goldmedalist,andDeniseLewis,silvermedalist,bothearnedover26%oftheirpointtotalsinthetwothrowing
events.Themeanpercentageforpointsearnedfromthrowsforthetop10placersinthismeetwasunder25%.Inshort,outstandingheptathletesareveryproficientin
thethrows.
TrainingPhilosophy
Indevelopingatrainingphilosophy,thecoachmustconsidertheheptathlonscoringtables(seetable19.1),climate,facilities,and,morespecifically,theage
TABLE19.1HEPTATHLONSCORINGTABLESANALYSIS
Thefirsttablegivesaroughguidetothelevelofperformanceathletesareabletoachievebycomparingtheirbest
performancestothoseineachtable.Althoughnotanexactscore,thisabbreviatedtableismoreconvenientthan
lookinguptheresultsoneachevent'scompletescoringtable.
Thesecondtablegivesthecoachthepointvalueforadjustingscoresrelativetotheamountoftimeordistance
indicated.
Points
100m
hurdles
Highjump
500
17.89
4ft.63/4in.
600
16.97
4ft.101/4in.
700
16.12
800
Shotput
200m
Longjump
Javelin
800m
31ft.4in.
29.75
15ft.81/4in.
102ft.5in.
2:46.60
36ft.4in.
28.40
16ft.103/4in. 119ft.7in.
2:37.70
5ft.13/4in.
41ft.31/4
in.
27.14
18ft.1/2in.
136ft.9in.
2:29.47
15.32
5ft.51/4in.
46ft.23/4
in.
25.97
19ft.2in.
153ft.10in.
2:21.77
900
14.56
5ft.81/2in.
51ft.11/2
in.
24.86
20ft.3in.
170ft.9in.
2:14.52
1000
13.85
5ft.111/2in.
56ft.
23.80
21ft.31/4in.
187ft.7in.
2:00.00
Pointvalueadjustmentsresultingfromchangesinperformance
100mhurdles
.10=14pts.
Longjump
5cm=15pts.
Highjump
3cm=39pts.
Javelin
30cm=6pts.
Shotput
30cm=20pts.
800m
1sec.=1214pts.
200m
.10=9pts.
Page289
(chronologicalandtraining)andindividualstrengthsandweaknessesoftheathletes.Thesefactorshelpdetermineanathlete'spotentialasamultieventcompetitor.I
feelitisintheathlete'sbestinteresttoemphasizeherorhisstrengthsandtoworkoneliminatingweaknessesovertimethroughhertrainingprogram.Thescienceof
coachingempowersuswiththeknowledgeofhowtodevelopthebiomotorabilityareasofspeed,strength,stamina,skill(coordination),andsuppleness(flexibilityand
mobility).Theartofcoachingisidentifyingtheathlete'scurrentstatusofbiomotordevelopmentthroughtestingandevaluationanddevelopingaprescriptionfor
addressingtheathlete'sneeds.Thecoachmustalsoconsiderthecurrentstageofmotorlearningdevelopment.Thecoachmustlookateachathleteindividuallyand
prescribeanappropriatetrainingprogram.
Givenallofthephysicalareastobedevelopedandthetechnicalcomponentstobemastered,itshouldcomeasnosurprisethatthecoachandathletemustacceptthat
thepursuitofheptathlonexcellenceisalongtermproject.Thedevelopmentofbiomotorabilitiesandlearningofmotorskillsshouldfollowaprogressionofgeneralto
specific.Tofacilitateneuromusculardevelopment,thetrainingprogrammustallowfortheeffectiveperiodizationofthebiomotorabilities(seetable19.2).
TABLE19.2THEPERIODIZATIONOFBIOMOTORABILITIESFORTHEHEPTATHLETE
General
preparation
Special
preparation
Precompetitive
Competitive
Speed
Power/speed(3040
m)
Alacticspeed(5060
m)
Glycolyticspeed(40
60m)
Power/speed(3060
m)
Alacticspeed(6080
m)
Glycolyticspeed(60
80m)
Power/speed(3060
m)
Alacticspeed(6080
m)
Glycolyticspeed(60
80m)
Power/speed(3060
m)
Alacticspeed(6080
m)
Strength
Generalstrength
Bodyweightcircuits
Strengthcircuits
Hypertrophy
Maximumstrength
Multiplejumps
Multiplethrows
Generalstrength
Maximumstrength
Maximumstrength
Power
Maximumstrength
Power
Power
Multiplejumps
Multiplethrows
Specialstrength
Specificstrength
Eccentricstrength
Multiplejumps
Multiplethrows
Ballistictraining
Specialstrength
Specificstrength
Eccentricstrength
Multiplejumps
Multiplethrows
Specialstrength
Specificstrength
Skill
Generaldrills
Generaldrills
Specialdrills
Specificdrills
Specialdrills
Specificdrills
Modeling
Specialdrills
Specificdrills
Modeling
Stamina
Extensivetempo:
Aerobiccapacity
Aerobicpower
Extensivetempo:
Aerobicpower
Extensivetempo
Extensivetempo
(continued)
Page290
TABLE19.2THEPERIODIZATIONOFBIOMOTORABILITIESFORTHEHEPTATHLETE(continued)
General
preparation
Intensivetempo:
Aerobicpower
Suppleness
Staticflexibility
Dynamicflexibility
Mobility
Special
preparation
Precompetitive
Competitive
Intensivetempo:
Aerobicpower
Speedendurance
Specialendurance
Intensivetempo
Intensivetempo
Speedendurance
Specialendurance
Lactatetolerance
Speedendurance
Specialendurance
Lactatetolerance
Staticflexibility
Dynamicflexibility
Mobility
Dynamicflexibility
Mobility
Dynamicflexibility
Mobility
Speed
Mostheptathloncoacheswillarguethatspeedisthemostimportantbiomotorability,asitrelatesspecificallytoatleastthreeoftheseveneventsandindirectlytoall
sevenevents.Speedworkisneverabsentfromtheeffectivetrainingprogram.
Strength
Strengthtrainingisalsoveryimportant.Typesofstrengthwork,volumes,andintensitiesvarysignificantlyfromoneprogramtothenext,butitisabiomotorabilitythat
allcoachesaddress.Age,bodytype,andeventstrengthsandweaknesseswillinfluencestrengthtrainingdesign.
Skill
Skillortechnicaltrainingisgreatlyinfluencedbytheathlete'slearningcurvewithrespecttomotorskills.Weknowthatlearningisacontinualprocessandmovesback
andforththroughstages.(SeeMotorLearningsidebar.)Often,theathlete'sinabilitytolearnormasteraskillisduetoaphysicallimitation.Thatis,shemaynotbe
strongenoughorflexibleenoughtogetintoorholdadesiredposition.
MotorLearning
Learningisacontinualprocess.Withrespecttolearningmotorskills,wemovethroughthree
stages:acquisition,refinement,andstabilization.However,wecananddomovebackandforth
betweenthesethreestages.
1.Acquisitionneuromuscularpatternsaredevelopingthemotorprogram.
Ithappensthetapeisbeingfilled.Asteacherswewantittohappencorrectly.
Communicationisverycriticalusegeneralterms,particularlyforathletesofayounger
trainingage.
Usecues(triggerthatfiresgun)thatareappropriatetoeachathleteforexample,in
acquisitionphase,usespatialcuesforexample,wherelimbsareinspace.
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2.Refinementperceptionbeginstodevelopthisiswhatitfeelslike.
Structureiscriticaltheremustbeorganizationandfeedback.
Selfconfidenceimproves.
Anticipationincreasesathletecanaccepttemporalcuesforexample,rhythmand
sequence.
Accuracyimproves.
Automaticresponsesincreaseyouwillseereplicationofdesiredaction.
Bepatientinmovingthroughstages.
3.Stabilizationmotorprogramsaredeveloped.
Good,iflearnedcorrectly!
Selfevaluation.
Alwaysreviewthebasics.
Makesuretheskillisalwaysthereandstored.
Attheelitelevel,athletesarestudentsofthetechnicalaspectstheydonotjustgothrough
themotions.
Stamina
Staminatrainingisnotjustforthe800meters.Theathletemustimproveherworkcapacitytohandleeverincreasingworkloads.The"bigpicture,"ortotalvolumeof
training,mustbetakenintoconsiderationinordertoavoidovertraining.
Suppleness
Supplenessinvolvesstaticflexibilitythegoalshouldbetoimproverangeofmotion.Dynamicflexibilityandgeneralmobilityarealsoimportantintheheptathlete's
trainingprogram.
Basedontheimportanceoftheabovefivetraitsspeed,strength,skill,stamina,andsupplenesstable19.3outlinesacompletetraininginventoryfortheheptathlon.
DesigningaTrainingProgram
Theplanningofthetrainingprogramfortheheptathletecanbeanintimidatingprocess.Ifweascoachesfollowtheprinciplesofperiodization,wecanwithconfidence
greatlysimplifythetask.First,wemustestablishathemefortheyearormacrocycle.Withtheyoungheptathlete,itisrecommendedthatthecoachalternatetraining
emphasisfromphysicaldevelopmenttotechnicaldevelopmentfromyeartoyear.Withthemoreexperiencedheptathlete,youcouldchooseeitherbiomotorabilitiesor
eventsasthethemeforeachyear.Theprocessofdevelopingtheyearlyplanbeginswithestablishinggoalsforthatyear.Thecoachmustdeterminethenumberof
weeksormicrocyclesavailablefortraininganddeterminetheimportanceoftheplannedcompetitions.Thecoachmustworkbackfromthemostimportant
competitionfortheathlete(e.g.,conference,national,international).Obviously,thedevelopmentalleveloftheathletewilldictatethis
Page292
TABLE19.3TRAININGINVENTORYFORTHEHEPTATHLON
Speed
Typeofspeed
Distance
Intensity
Rest(min.)
Totalvolume
Speed/power
Alacticspeed
Glycolyticspeed
3060m
5080m
4080m
90100%
90100%
90100%
48
36
14
300600m
400600m
400600m
Strength
Anatomicaladaptation(general):bodyweightcircuits
Hypertrophy(strengthendurance):highreps
Maximumstrength:med.repsconcentricandeccentric
Power(speedstrength):lowreps
Conversion(elasticequivalent/staticdynamic):power,multiplejumps,multiplethrows,ballistic
training
Special:parachute,harness,hills,multiplethrows,multiplejumps,medicineball
Specific:forexample,hurdletraillegdrillswithresistance
Skill/Coordination
Forexample:Drillsgeneraltospecificforexample,developmentofacceleration
1.sticks
2.resistancestarts
3.crouchresistancestarts
4.resistanceletgos
5.crouchstartswithcommands
Stamina
A.Metabolic(energysystems)
1.Extensivetempo:aerobiccapacity,lessthan70%ofmax.speedeffort
aerobicpower,7080%
2.Intensivetempo:anaerobiccapacity8090%
3.Speedendurance:anaerobicpower,90100%
4.Specialendurance:anaerobicpower90100%
5.Lactatetolerance:90100%fullrecovery
Examples:
continuoustempo35Kruns
31000m(2min.rest)
33200m(13min.rest)
Example:5300m(5min.rest)
Example:2×(80m100m120m)(510min.rest)
Example:300m200m150m(8min.rest)
Example:2500m(15min.rest)
B.Neuromuscular
Takeintoaccountthetotalvolumeofworkthe''bigpicture"
Suppleness
Staticflexibility
Dynamic/ballisticflexibility
Mobility
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forthecoach.Thenextstepwouldbetodistributethepreparation,competition,andtransitionalperiods.
Recommendedguidelinesformacrocycleplanning:
Approximately6675%ofavailabletimeshouldbespentinpreparationperiod.
Approximately6675%oftimeinpreparationperiodshouldbeingeneralpreparation(trainingtotrain)phase.
Approximately2533%oftimeinpreparationperiodshouldbeinspecialpreparation(preparingtocompete)phase.
Approximately2533%oftotaltimeavailablewillbespentincompetition(trainingtocompete)phase.
Adoubleoreventripleperiodizedmacrocycleispossible.Theaforementionedpercentageguidelinesshouldbeadheredtoregardlessofthetypeofmacrocycle
plan.
Eachcompetitiveperiodshouldbefollowedbyatransitionalperiodtoallowforpsychologicalandphysicalrejuvenation.
Ifthevolumeandintensityofthetrainingloadwerequantifiedandgraphed,theselineswouldcrossinlatespecialpreporearlycompetitionphases.
Typically,athleteswillexperiencegreaterimprovementswithindoubleperiodizedmacrocycleshowever,theywillrealizeevengreaterlongtermimprovementif
singleanddoubleperiodizedmacrocyclesarealternated.
Theplandetailedinfigure19.1isdesignedforthefollowingathleteprofile:
Thisathletehasjustfinishedherbasketballseason,whichbeganinNovember.WeareclassifyingthisfourmonthperiodasGeneralPreparationinnature.
Thisathleteisaseniorinhighschoolwhohasthreeeventsthatshewillprobablyqualifytocompeteinattheindividualstatechampionships.
Thisathletewillnotcompetepastthestatehighschoolheptathlonchampionships.
Figure19.1
Samplemacrocycleofahighschoolheptathlete.
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Thecoachwillthenassignobjectivestothevariousperiods,phases,mesocycles,andmicrocycles.Oncewehavethisblueprint,webegin!Thisplanshouldnotbe
writteninstoneitisonlyaguideline.Thechallengeforcoachesistomakeadjustmentsasneededbecauseofinjury,illness,comprehensionplateaus,andthemyriad
ofobstaclesthatwillarisefromtimetotime.
Afterdevelopingthemacrocycle,specificworkoutsshouldbeputtogetherthatwillallowtheathletestoreachtheirgoalsandobjectivessetforthinthemacrocycle.
Table19.4presentssampleweeklyworkoutsforeachpartoftheseason.
SuccessFactors
Therearenearlyasmanydifferentphilosophiesabouthowtodevelopheptathletesastherearecoaches.Everyathleteandenvironment(geography,facility,climate,
interpersonaldynamicsoftraininggroup,etc.)isdifferent.Itstandstoreason,therefore,thatasuperficialsurveyofprogramswillshowtheirdifferences.However,a
moreindepthanalysiswillrevealthesimilarities,particularlyinprogramsthatconsistentlyproducesuccessfulheptathletes.
RecognizingSimilaritiesbetweenEvents
Duetothenumberoftechnicalcomponentsoftheheptathlon,mostsuccessfulprogramswillidentifythecommonalitiesoftheeventsinvolvedandtraintheirathletes
accordingly.Theeventsthatmakeuptheheptathlonarealsosimilarwithrespecttometabolicandneurophysiologicaldemands.
Fromatechnicalstandpoint,therearenumerouscommonalities.Theabilitytoovercomeinertiathroughefficientapplicationofforceisacriticalskillfortheheptathlete,
asitrelatestovirtuallyeveryevent.Thisabilitytoacceleratecanbeuniversallytrainedusingvariousgeneraldrills.Anotherexampleinvolvesthehighjumpandjavelin
events.Inthesetwoeventstherhythmoftheapproach,themechanicsofthepenultimatestep,andthepostureatthepointofpercussionareallsimilar.Froma
metabolicstandpoint,theimprovementofworkcapacityisimportantfordevelopmentofalltheevents.Fromaneurophysiologicalstandpoint,multiplejumpand
multiplethrowtrainingisspecifictoboththethrowandjumpeventsinthatwearedevelopingasynchronizationoffiringandtheabilitytocreateimpulse.
UsingCompatibleandComplementaryTraining
Anothernoticeabletraitofsuccessfulprogramsistheuseofcompatibleandcomplementarytraining.By"compatible,"wemeanthatthedifferenttrainingcomponents
willworktogetherharmoniously.Byhavingtheathletesperformcertaintrainingcomponentstogether,wecanactuallyenhancethetrainingeffect.Anexampleof
compatibletrainingisperformingmultiplethrowspriortoaccelerationdevelopmentwork.By"complementary,"wemeanthatthedifferenttrainingcomponentscanact
togethertoenhanceaskillortofacilitatethesequencingofactionstocompleteaskill.Anexampleofworksequencethatwouldnotbecomplementaryisdoingan
extensivetempoworkoutpriortodoingaccelerationdevelopmentwork.
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TABLE19.4SAMPLEWORKOUTSFORHEPTATHLON
Alwaysbeginwithawarmupandendwithacooldown.
Day
Generalpreparationphase
Specialpreparationphase
Monday
Hurdledrills
Longjumpdrills
Weighttraining
Multiplethrows
Hurdles
Highjump
Multiplejumps
Weighttraining
Tuesday
Shotputdrills
Extensivetempo
Medicineballcircuit
Abdominalcircuit
Shotput
Medicineball
Intensivetempo
Pillarstrength
Wednesday
Highjumpdrills
Javelindrills
Weighttraining
Longjump
Javelin
Weighttraining
Thursday
Hurdledrills
Longjumpdrills
Pillarstrength
Hurdleacceleration
Shotput
Speedendurance
Friday
Shotput
Extensivetempo
Medicineballcircuit
Multiplejumps
Javelin
Weighttraining
Saturday
Activerest
30min.ofbasketballorvolleyball
Extensivetempo/aerobicpower
Pillarstrength
Sunday
Rest
Rest
Competitionphase(10daysleadingtoandthroughevent)
1
Friday
Starts/acceleration
Specialendurance
Monday
8
Highjump
approaches
46jumps
Shotput
Weight
training
Friday
Heptathlonday1
Saturday
Shotput
Weighttraining
Tuesday
9
Longjump
approaches
34half
approach
jumps
Javelin
Saturday
Heptathlonday2
Sunday
Multiplethrows
Hurdletuneup
Pillarstrength
Wednesday 10
Warmup
only
Sunday
Poolworkout
Thursday
Starts
Approches
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DeDeeNathan'seffectivetrainingprogrampropelledhertosuccessinthe1998GoodwillGames.Hereshe
isshowncompetingintheheptathlonhighjump.
EstablishinganEffectiveTrainingEnvironment
Wealsofindthatmostsuccessfulheptathletesdevelopinenvironmentsthatareremarkablysimilar.Inmostsituationsthereisasinglecoach.Theathleteisnotshuffled
amonganumberofcoaches.Thiscoachcontrolsandmonitorsthetrainingprogram.Itiscertainlyappropriatetodrawonotherexpertise,buttheathletecananswer
toonlyonemaster.Thetrainingplanincludessomesortoftwotofouryearplanthatprovidesdirection.Anotherconstantisthatsuccessfulheptathletes"grewup"in
asystemwheretheywerepermittedtodevelopgenerallybeforetherewasagreatdealofspecialization.Theyparticipatedinothersports,experiencedvariety,and
hadfun.Theseathletesweretaughtmotorskillsproperlyandretainedthemthroughcorrectrepetition.
AnalyzingPointPercentages
Thereisinformationthatcanassistusintheplanningprocess.Inthe1997WorldChampionshipsheldinAthens,Greece,ananalysisofthetop10placersrevealed
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thatonaverage31%oftheirtotalscorewasaccumulatedinthe100meterhurdlesand200meterdash.Theyearned30.2%inthehighandlongjumps.And24.8%
wasearnedintheshotputandjavelinand14%inthe800meterrun.Ifthegoalistocompeteatahighlevel,itmakessensetostriveforthistypeofbalance.Tenth
placeinthismeetwas6253points.Wealsoknowthatforexperiencedheptathletes,onaveragetherewillbea200350pointdifferencebetweentheathlete's
personalrecordscoreandthesumoftheirheptathlonindividualeventpersonalrecords.Thisinformationtellsusthattorankamongthetop10inworldclass
competition,theathletemustownheptathlonpersonalrecordstotalingapproximately6450to6600points.Themoreskewedherpercentagebreakdownsare,the
greatertheriskofinconsistentscores.
RealizingtheLinkbetweenStrengthandSuccess
Recenthistorytellsusthattherearesignificantstrengthdifferencesbetweenthetoprankedheptathletesandthenextlowerrungofathletes.Thisisreflectedbypoorer
throwmarksandinconsistentscores.Theproperperiodizationofstrengthiscriticalfortheheptathlete'ssuccess,inpartbecauseofthethroweventsandalsobecause
ofhormonalconcernsrelatedtothefemaleathlete.(Thelevelsofestrogenandtestosteroneeffectstrengthsignificantly.)
Competition
Meetmanagementbyallathletesisacriticalfactorinthesuccessorlackofsuccessinanyathleticcompetition.Intheheptathlon,theathlete'sabilitytomake
successfultransitionsfromoneeventtothenextisperhapsthemostcriticalfactorin"puttingameettogether."Theathletemustmanagehercurrentstateofbiomotor
developmentandpsychologicalstateofreadinessandmakethemostofthecompetitiveopportunity.Aheptathletehaslimitedopportunitiestoperform,anditis
inexcusabletomakeerrorsofillpreparation.
Premeetpreparationmusttakeintoaccounttapering,blowoutworkouts,technicaltuneups,andmodeling.Therearemanylogisticalissuestravel,diet,hydration,
nutritionalsupplementation,equipment,supportgroup,andsoon.Meetdayconcernsincludewakeup,bothliteralandneuromuscular,andnutritionbefore,during,
andafterthemeet.
Transitions,bothbetweeneventsandbetweenthetwodays,needtobeaddressed.Therearelogistical,psychological,neurophysiological,andmetabolicdemandsto
beconsidered.Theeffectiveplanning,preparation,andcopingforthesetransitionsisabsolutelynecessaryandunfortunatelyoftenoverlooked.Issuessuchasthe
extentofwarmup,"safe"throwsandjumps,andstartingheightneedtobedealtwiththroughoutthecompetition.
Summary
Theheptathlonisawonderfuleventcontestedbysomeofthefinestathletesinallofsport.The"sorority,"ifyouwill,ofparticipantsandcoachesisaspecialgroup.
Thecompetitionitselfisboththerewardandapartofthecontinualdevelopmentalprocess.Thepursuitofheptathlonexcellenceneverends.
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20
Decathlon
HarryMarra
Thedecathlonisprobablythemostcomplexandtimeconsumingcontestintrackandfield,yetallofitsthrowshavesomebasicsimilarities,asdoitsjumps.A
thoroughstudyofthedecathlonasawholeshowsthatitisaseriesofeventsthat,withtheexceptionofthe1500meters,requireshort,explosiveburstsofenergy.The
successofamultieventathleterequiresthatthosesimilaritiesbethestartingpointoftheathlete'straining.Thetruemultieventathletewillfindnoeventtoochallenging.
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TheEvents
FirstDay:
SecondDay:
100MeterDash
110MeterHighHurdles
LongJump
Discus
ShotPut
PoleVault
HighJump
Javelin
00MeterDash
1500MeterRun
CharacteristicsoftheDecathlete
Today'sworldclassdecathletesaresuperiorjumpers,sprinters,andthrowers.Anathletecannotriskhavingaweakeventortwo.Infact,thedecathlonscoringtables
penalizethecompetitorwhohasaweakevent.Thebestdecathletesalwayshavebeenfast,agileathleteswithtremendousexplosivepower.Theyhavehadthe
willpower,persistence,andcompetitivenesstoovercomeallobstacles.Thesecharacteristicsareamustforsuccessattheelitelevel.
Desireisjustasimportantastalent.TheAmericandecathlonchampionssucceededdespitemanyobstacles.BruceJenner(1976championandworldrecordholder)
believesthatallotherthingsbeingequal,thedecathletewhomostwantsvictory(andiswillingtocommithimselftowardthatgoal)willbethebest.Psychological
toughnessandtrainingarecriticalinthesuccessfuldecathlete'sdevelopment.Heneedsasmuchpsychologicalpreparationoffthetrackashedoesphysicaltrainingon
thepracticefield.Theeventisallencompassing.Foranathletetopreparecorrectly,hislifestylemustrevolvearoundhistraining.
Decathlonperformanceshaveimprovedsharplyoverthelastdecade.Studiesofelitedecathlonperformersshowthattheywereneveruntalentedyouthswhobecame
decathletesbecausetheyhadnosinglestrongevent.Nottodiscouragelesstalentedathletes,butthosewhoreachthetoparegenerallyamongthecreamofthecrop
evenasjuniorlevelathletes.
Atthesametime,thechartshowsperformanceimprovementdoesnotcomeinaseriesofbigjumps.Itcomesasregular,smallimprovements,agradualrisein
performanceoverseveralyears(usuallyfourtofiveyearsfromthenationalleveltotheelitelevel).
Fortheyoungathleteatthenationallevel(7500to7800points),verygradualimprovementsinperformancearethenormformostevents,andbalanceacrossthe
eventsisaclearcriterionoflatersuccess.Again,elitedecathleteshavenoweakevents.
Theperformancesofeliteathletesshowthattheeventsthatimprovetheleastarethehighjumpandtheflatruns(100meters,400meters,and1500meters).Thisis
notbecauselittletrainingtimegoesintothoseevents.Rather,theyarethesimplesteventsintermsoftechnique.Theother,technicaleventsyieldlargerpointincreases
astheyaremastered.Still,acoachmustrequireacertainminimallevelofskillineventhesimplesteventsbecausethose(except,again,forthe1500meters)arethe
earliest"bigscore"eventsforjuniors.
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Technique
Recognizingandutilizingthesimilaritiesbetweeneventsmakesforefficientandeffectiveworkouts.Thefollowingaresomeofthefundamentalrelationshipsbetween
eventgroups.
Throws
"Balance"isakeyword.Withoutproperbalanceatthestart,andthroughoutdelivery,allotheraspectsofthrowingarenegativelyaffected.Oncebalanceisachieved,
thefollowingaspectsaregermanetosuccessinthethrows:
PositiveAccelerationFollowedbythesequentialdecelerationofbodysegments(blocking).
PostureThecenterofgravity(CG)isfunctionallyloweredthroughankle,knee,andhipflexion,asopposedtotrunkflexion.
AccelerationoftheImplementThroughafullrangeofmotionovertheshortesttimepossible.
PatienceThereisadifferencebetweenbeingquickandbeinginahurry!Remainrhythmicalandpatientatthestartofeacheffort.
RelaxationArelaxedeffortproducesgreaterforceandvelocity.
StartingPositionsFundamentalinallthrowingevents.Anefficientstartingpositionincorporatesallofthepreviouslymentionedparameters(15)andisessentialfor
thecorrectinitiationofmovementpatterns.
Jumps
Thefollowingsimilaritiesdealspecificallywiththeapproachandpreparationfortakeoff
1.ApproachAsuccessfuljumpispredicatedonaconsistent,uniformlyacceleratedapproach.
LengthThelengthoftheapproachisdeterminedbytheaccelerationpatternandwheretheathleteachievesmaximumcontrollablespeed.
StartingPosition
stand/walk/jog
posture/CGdisplacement
relaxation/concentration
RhythmShouldbeconstantthroughouttheapproach.
Rhythm/Posture/TempoFinalsixstrides.
2.PreparationforTakeoff
PenultimateStrideTheCGisloweredasaresultofflexionintheankle,knee,andhipofthesupportleg.
PuntStepAtempochangeattakeoff,whichenablestheathletetocreateliftwithoutsignificantlysacrificingvelocity.
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CenterofGravity(CG)Followingthepenultimatestride,theCGbeginsanupwardtrajectorythroughtakeoff.
DanO'Briencompetinginthedecathlonlongjump
competitionduringthe1998GoodwillGames.
RunningEvents
1.Sprinting
PostureErectandtallfromheadtotoe.Mustbemaintainedthroughouttherun.
TurnoverTominimizereductioninvelocity,youshouldemphasizestridefrequencyoverlengthduringthefinalstagesofsprintraces(keyword"active").
RhythmandRelaxation"Don'tbeinahurry!"Smoothlycompleteallmovementstogeneratemaximumforce.Specialemphasisshouldbeplacedonrhythm
andrelaxationduringthelatterstagesofallsprints.
AccelerationPatternsAccelerationspeedmaintenancedeceleration.Eachsprintencompassesthesephasestovaryingdegrees.Tooptimizeperformance,a
smoothtransitionthrougheachphaseisrequired.Conditioning,running,mechanics,andrelaxationhelpminimizedeceleration.
2.1500Meters:Posture,rhythm,relaxation,andtempo(turnover)areimportantfactorsforsuccessful1500meterrunning.Differencessuchaslowerkneelift,
increasedsurfaceareacontactwiththefoot,shorterstridelength,andmorelimitedarmmovementsarenecessaryforefficientmanagementoftherace.Rhythm,
posture,andtempoareinterdependentandcriticaltothesuccessoftherace.Finalacceleration(finishingsprint)isaddressedbyfirstincreasingtempo(stride
frequency)andultimatelycombiningtempowithstridelength.
Intheprocessofchangingmotorpatterns,onemustacceptthefactthattherewillbeinitialregressioninperformancelevel.Athletesmustbewillingtoremain
motivated,focused,andlookatthe"bigpicture."Eachathletehastheabilitytoimproveuponhisperformance.Keepanopenmind.
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TrainingPhilosophy
Onceanathletemakesacommitmenttothedecathlon,hisgoalsshouldbelongterm.Hecannotrealisticallyhopetomaster10eventsinashorttime.Hemustplanhis
trainingforthefuture,lookingfourtosixyearsdowntheroad.Theaspiringdecathleteshouldfocushisattentionintheearlyyearsonhisweakesteventsandshould
buildhistrainingprogramaroundthem.Forexample,a13footpolevaultermustmastertheeventsothatheightsof16feetandabovebecomepossible.Ofcourse,
onceperformanceinaweakeventisimprovedtoarespectablelevel,theathletemustcontinuetoworkontheevent.
Progress
Basictraininggoalsfortheyoungerathlete(afterreachingasub4:401500meters)mightbeatleast700pointsforeveryoneoftheothernineevents,alongwith800
pointsfortwotofour''specialty"or"highpoint"events.Forthemorematureathlete(intermsoftotalscore),thegoalsshouldrisegraduallyto800pointsperevent,
withsomeeventsrangingtowardthe900pointlevel.Thisapproachhasbeenthemostpopularoneforseveraldecades.
Thethingtostresswithyoungathletesisthatimprovementscomegraduallytheywillnotreachelitestatusovernight.Theeliteathletesaveraged7600pointsatage20.
Infourmoreyearsofcompetitivegrowth,theyreachedameanscoreof8350pointsbetweenages24and25.Mostathletesdidnothaveexplosiveimprovementsin
theirscores,exceptwherestillattainingfullgrowthwasafactor.Indeed,astrikingfactisthatformanyoftheathletes,therewerenoimprovementsinsomeoftheir
highscoringevents.
OrganizingPractices
Themostcommontrainingpatternistopracticetheeventsindividually,mostoftenintheordertheyoccurincompetition.Whenthetrainingsituationsimulatesthe
competitivesituation,theathletelearnshowtoachievethebestresultswithintheframeworkofthedecathlon.Forexample,throwingthediscusafterfirstrunningthe
110meterhurdles,asincompetition,isverydifferentfromthrowingthediscusasafreshevent.Thelegsarefatiguedfromthehurdles,nottomentionfromthefive
eventsofthepreviousday.
Knudson,Freeman,andMasloyskiandDubrogajevhave,however,suggestedchangesinthistrainingpattern.KrzesinskicitesPolishstudiesshowingthatgreater
gainsaremadebymoregeneraltraining,developingthetraitsandskillsthataresharedbyseveralevents,thusmakingmoreefficientuseoftrainingtime.Forexample,
aspectsofspeedtrainingandtechniqueareinvolvedin7ofthe10events.Thestartfromblocksoccursthreetimes.Certaintakeoffpatternsareusedinallthreeofthe
jumps.
RudskiandAptekmanrecommenddividingdecathlontrainingintothreestages.Thefirststage(ages14to17)isthebeginningtrainingstage,stressingthedevelopment
ofendurance(ratherthanspeed),strength,andmobility.Thesecondstage(ages18to20)concentratesondevelopingthespecializedmotorskillstomasterthe
techniqueoftheevents.Thethirdstage(afterage20)isthestageofspecializedtraining,emphasizingdynamictrainingandmakingthetechnicalskillsautomatic.
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Thecompositionofthescoringtablesisamajorfactorinplanningtraining.Decathletesperforminahighlysubjectiveenvironmentthescoringtablesgiveanedgeto
thesprinterjumper.Inworkingwithayoungathlete,youshouldstudythepointtablesandtheathlete'sbestmarksineachevent,thenplanthetraininginrelationtothe
tables,usingtrainingtimemosteffectivelyforpotentialscoringimprovements.
AsSykespointedout,morepointsarelostthanaregainedinamajorcompetition.Forthatreason,themostimportantgoalofayoungathleteshouldbetoimprove
hisperformanceineverylowscoringevent.Afterastableskillbaseisdeveloped,thetablescanberestudiedtoprobeforeventsthatarepotentially"easy"
sometimeseasyrelativetothescoringtable,sometimeseasyrelativetotheathlete'stalents.
Duringthisfocusedtrainingtime,however,theeventsthatdonothaveprioritymustnotbeneglected.Theathletemusttrainasadecathlete,notasaspecialistinone
event.
ConditioningProgram
Thedecathleteshouldnottrainaccordingtotheplansandmethodsofspecialistsintheindividualeventgroups.Thus,thedecathleteshoulddesignaprogramto
improvehisathleticconditioningbyconsideringthatall10eventsshouldbenefit.
Running
Thedecathlonisacontestthatusesshort,explosiveburstsofspeedinnearlyalloftheeventssospeed/formrunningtrainingshouldbeamajorconcerntoyouand
yourdecathlete.However,donotoverlookaerobicconditioningearlyinthedecathlete'scareerandearlyineachtrainingyearsoundconditioningisneededforall
skills.
SprintingMechanics
Propersprintmechanics,alongwiththemovementsthatcanhelpdevelopasprinter'sspeedandexplosiveness,shouldbeworkedonoftenintraining.Forexample,
longjumpapproachworkisanexcellentwaytoreinforcebothsprintmechanicsandspeedwork,whilesimultaneouslyworkingonanothereventbesidessprints.Asa
matterofadaptation,decathletesshouldalwaysdotwoorthreeoftheirwarmupaccelerationsonthelongjumprunwaywhiletheyprepareforthe100meterevent.
Notonlyaretheylooseningupfortherun,butgettingafeelfortheapproachinthejump.Thepolevaultapproachcanbeusedinthesamemanner.
Itisimperativethatthemechanicalefficiencyoftherunnernotbeoverlookedasheworksonspeeddevelopment.Atthesametime,hemustunderstandthatgiventhe
explosivenatureofthedecathlonandthetwoday,10eventprogram,injuriesaresometimesapartofthegame.However,goodperformancemechanicsdecrease
thelikelihoodofseriousinjury.Thedecathletewhoentersthecompetition100%healthyisastepaheadofhiscompetitors.
SpeedEndurance
Speedendurance(400meters)isanotherimportantquality.The400meterdashisakeyeventinmanyways.First,beingingoodshapeforthiseventisamajor
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steptowardbeingingoodshapefortheentiredecathlon.Second,thereisatremendousmentalliftattheendofthefirstdayifadecathletehasrunastrong400meter
dash.Highschoolandcollegedecathletesshouldrunalegonthe1600meterrelayattheendofeachmeettodeveloptheirconditioningandtheirfeelforrunningthe
eventcorrectlyandaggressively.Atleastthreeworkoutsessionsperweekshouldemphasizethe400meterevent.
DistanceRunning
Donottrytodevelopanoutstandingdecathlon1500meterrunnerattheexpenseofhisnineothereventsthiscanbedisastrous.Takealongrangelookattheevent.
Donotexpectayoung4:55/1500meterdecathletetorun4:10thenextyearsuchatimemaybearealisticgoalinfourorfiveyears.Commitmentandwillpowerare
amajorfactorin1500meterperformance,thoughdesirealonewillnotyetproducea4:10.Approachtheeventlogically.Adecathleteshouldnotputinthemileageof
a1500meterspecialist.Developabroadbasedaerobicfoundation,thentrainfortheeventspecifically.AttheendoftheregularMonday,Wednesday,andFriday
sessions,emphasizethe400meterevent.ReserveThursdayforspecific1500meterwork.Asampleworkoutfollows:
Run800metersin2:20,thenrest1minute
Run400metersin72seconds,thenrest1minute
Runahard300metersin45secondsorless
Theacutefatiguefromsuchaworkoutwillbetremendousthedecathletewillbetotallyspent.However,within15minuteshewillhaverecovered.Thisworkout
accomplishestwomajorgoals.First,thedecathlete'slegsarenotheavyandflat,astheywouldbefromexcessivelong,slowdistancework.Second,thedecathlete
experienceshowa1500meterrunwillfeelincompetition.RememberthatthisisThursdayandthedecathleteisgenerallytiredbythistimeoftheweek.
Duringthecompetitivephase,youmustmakesomeadjustmentsintrainingforboththe400metersandthe1500meters.Basicallythesechangesaremadetoincrease
thespeed(tempo)oftherunandexpandtherecoverytimebetweentheworkintervals.Qualityisthekey.Thestrongerthedecathleteisasheentersthecompetitive
season,theeasieritisforhimtocarryhis400meterand1500meterconditioningthroughouttheremainderoftheyear.
StrengthConditioning
Thebottomlineinstrengthconditioningistoapplyittotheevents.Strengthwithoutapplicationisuselesstoadecathlete.Thereshouldbetwotofourstrengthsessions
perweek.Whenthedecathleteispeakingforamajorcompetition,theamountoftimehespendsintheweightroomshoulddecrease.Totalbodystrengthshouldbe
thetrainingfocusfortheyounger,lessexperienceddecathlete.Ashematuresphysically,theliftsshouldbethosethatinvolvespecificgroupsofmuscles(cleans,
squats,andsuch).
Poweristheprimeconcernintheweightroom.Thus,asthecompetitivephasedrawsnear,thedecathleteshouldtrainat9095%ofhismaximumlifts,performing
aboutfourtosixrepetitions.Donotpermitthedecathletetousetheweightroomasatrainingcrutch.Toooftenhemaylosesightofthetechnicalendoftheeventand
trytomastertheskillsimplybygainingstrength.
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Thedecathleteshouldnotoverlookacompleteandthoroughprogramofflexibility.Stretchingatpracticetimeisnotenough.Thedecathleteshouldbeencouragedto
stretchatleasttwiceaday.Anidealtimeforthesecondsessionisintheevening,beforegoingtobed.
TABLE20.1GENERALDECATHLONTRAININGPLAN
Fitnessparameter
%Workload
PhaseI
Generalconditioning
Oct.1throughmidNov.
(6weeks)
Muscularendurance(ME)and
cardiovascular/respiratoryendurance
(CVE)
Muscularstrength(MS,anaerobic)
Neuromuscularconditioning(NM,
technique)
85%
0%
15%
PhaseII(a)
Lategeneralconditioning MEandCVE
MidNov.throughfirst
MS
weekofDec.
NM
(3weeks)
45%
30%
25%
PhaseII(b)
Late,lategeneral
conditioning
EndoffirstweekofDec.
throughJan.1
(3weeks)
MEandCVE
MS
NM
30%
45%
25%
PrecompetitiveseasonJan. MEandCVE
1throughmidMar.(10
MS
weeks)
NM
10%
50%
40%
PhaseIII
PhaseIV(a)
Competitiveseason(Pre MEandCVE
USATFChamp.)MidMar. MS
throughmidJune
NM
(12weeks)
5%
35%
60%
PhaseIV(b)
Competitiveseason(Post
USATFChamp.)MidJune
through
Sept.1
(12weeks)
ThepostUSATFphaseofthecompetitiveseasonshouldbea
microcosmoftheannualtrainingcycle.Thelengthofeach
phaseshouldbedeterminedbythelengthoftimebeforethe
nextdecathlon,andapostUSATFevaluationofperformance
there.
PhaseV
Postcompetitiveseason
September(4weeks)
Thisisaperiodoftimetorecoverbothmentallyand
physicallyfromtheentireseason.(Restand/oractiverest)
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TABLE20.2SAMPLEDECATHLONTRAININGSCHEDULE
SanMateo,California
Decathletes:BrianBrophy,RossKennedy,DarrinSteele
SampleWeek:FallSeason(SeptemberDecember)
1.Weighttrainingschedule:
Mon.P.M.andFri.P.M.fullprogram
Wed.P.M.auxiliaryexercises
2.Medicineballschedule:
EachTues.andSat.A.M.afterweights
3.A.M.runs(lowintensity):
EachA.M.afterhardrunningworkout
4.Runningworkouts:
Tues.sprintmode,grass,fromemphasis
Thurs.speedendurancemode
Sat./Sun.strength,hills,150200mlength,
shortrecovery
5.Technical/eventwork:
Mon.priortoweighttraining(2events
max.)
Tues.priortoruns(oneeventonly)
Wed.nothingtechnical
Thurs.oneeventdryrun,drills
Fri.restdayweightsonlyP.M.
Sat./Sun.dependinguponenergylevels
6.Boundingschedule:
AfterrunsonThurs.and/orSat.
7.Multithrows:
Asneededchangefrommedicineball
8.Flexibility:
23timesdaily,especiallyP.M.beforebed
WeeklyOutline:FallProgram
9A.M.11A.M.
2P.M.6P.M.
Monday
Physicaltherapy
(regenerativethingssuch
aswhirlpoolormassage
treatments)
12events(throwsor
jumps)
Basketballwarmup
Weighttraining
Multithrows
Flexibility
Tuesday
Medicineballthrows
(2025min.routine)
1event
Sprintwork
Flexibility/abdominals
Wednesday
1012min.run
Physicaltherapy
Multithrows
Circuitstyleweighttraining
Flexibility
Thursday
Hurdleflexibilitydrills
1event
SpeedendurancefartlekBounds
Flexibility
Friday
1012min.run
Physicaltherapy
Weighttraining
Flexibility
Saturday
Medicineball
12events
Hillrunning
Flexibility/abdominals
Sunday
Recoveryday:
Swimmingpool
Formrunningdrills
Nonimpactwork
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DesigningaTrainingProgram
Foranyworkouttobesuccessful,coachesmustconsiderthestrengthsandweaknessesofeachathleteandalterthetrainingprogramaccordingly.Tables20.1and
20.2illustrateageneraltrainingplanfordecathletesandadecathlonschedule,respectively.
Competition
Aproperwarmupforthedecathlonisanartform.Thebestathletesfullyunderstandwhattheirbodiesaretellingthem.Thewarmupshouldbeprogrammedtoget
thedecathletereadytocompeteatasuperiorleveleverytime.Thereisnoroomfortheexcuse,"Iwarmeduptoomuch"(ortoolittle).Whenadecathleteiswarming
upforthefirstdayofcompetition,heshouldbespecificallyconcernedwiththe100meterevent.
Stayingwarmbetweeneventsiscritical.Oftenanovicedecathletewillwalkaroundandtalkwithotherdecathletes.Thisisovertiring.Thedecathleteshouldconsider
thewarmupanintegralpartofhistrainingprogram.
Preparationfortheseconddayofcompetitionactuallybeginsattheendofthefirstday.Afull,thoroughcooldownisessentialaftersprintinganallout400meters.A
walkjogofatleastonemileshouldbetheminimumcooldown.Itshouldbedoneassoonaspossibleafterthe400meters.Thedecathleteshouldnotliearoundfora
whilebeforestartinghiscooldown.
Thedecathleteshouldwakeupatleastthreeorfourhoursbeforecompetitionontheseconddayand,ifpossible,takeashortfourtosixminutejogbeforeeatingand
showering.Thisruncanaidhisperformanceinthe110meterhurdlesandgethisbodypreparedfortherigorsoffurthercompetition.
Thethoroughlytrainedandprepareddecathleteshouldbeabletostartthreeorfourdecathlonsperyear.Thenovice,nomatterwhathisabilitylevel,shoulddoatleast
oneperyear.Theexperiencegainedincompetitionisextremelyvaluable.Normallyanathleteshouldnotbeginanotherdecathlonuntilatleastthreeweeksafterthe
previousone.
Whilepreparingforamajorcompetition,theathleteshouldmakethelastweekoneofrestandmentalrehearsal.Forexample,thedecathletemightwarmupeachday
andcheckhisfinalpreparationsfortheevents(suchaslongjumpsteps,highjumpapproach,andblocksetting).Ofcourse,somespecificrunsareneededfor
sharpnessevenwhilehe'sgenerallyrestingforthecompetition.
Agreatwaytoprepareformultieventcompetitionisbyhavingminimeetsofthreetofourevents,suchasthe60meterhurdles,thepolevault,anda1000meterrun.
Theathletecanalsogocompletelythroughthefirstorsecondday'seventsearlyintheseasonasapartofthepreparation.Theseexperiencesareoftremendousvalue.
Whenadecathletecompetesaspartofahighschoolorcollegeteam,heshouldcompeteonlyineventsthatarenotscheduledforthesametime.Heshoulddotwoor
threeeventsthathecanconcentrateon,ratherthananumberofeventsthathavehimrunningallovertheplace.
Summary
Decathletesmusttakepartinatrainingprogramthatdevelopstheirskillsineveryevent.Theycannotaffordtohaveaweakevent.Asuccessfuldecathletemust
containthephysicalandmentalperseverancetotacklesuchagruelingcontest.
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Stolley,S.,andE.Derse.AAF/CIFTrackandFieldCoachingManual.LosAngeles,CA:AmateurAthleticsFoundation,1991.
Thompson,P.IntroductiontoCoachingTheory.London:InternationalAmateurAthleticsFederation,1991.
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Cavanaugh,P.R.BiomechanicsofDistanceRunning.Champaign,IL:HumanKinetics,1990.
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Martin,D.,andP.Coe.BetterTrainingforDistanceRunners.Champaign,IL:HumanKinetics,1997.
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Vigil,J."MethodicalApproachtoTrainingbytheEnergySystems."1984.
Chapter13
Attig,R."PoleVaultTechniqueandTrainingSequence."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview90,no.4(winter1990):29.
Falk,B."TakingtheMysteryOutofFiberglassPoleVaulting:Book4."MFAthleticCompany,1993.
Houvion,M."PerfectingPoleVaultingTechnique."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview8,no.4(winter1985):34.
Kochel,G.TacticalCoachingforthePoleVault.Ames,IA:ChampionshipBooks,1981.
Fraley,B.,andE.Jacoby.TheCompleteBookofJumps.Champaign,IL:HumanKinetics,1995.
Krzesinski,A."MyViewsonPoleVaulting."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview81,no.4(winter1981):42.
Petrov,V."PoleVaultingTechnique."LecturepresentedatEuropeanAthleticsCongress,Birmingham,England,1995.
Ward,J."PlantFoodforThought."PaperpresentedatUSAPoleVaultEliteAthleteClinic,Lawrence,Kansas,1985.
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Dunn,G.Jr."DevelpingtheYoungShotPutter."NewStudiesinAthletics,March1990.
Dunn,G.D.,Jr.,andK.McGill.TheThrowsManual.MountainView,CA:TafnewsPress,1991.
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Venegas,A."UCLAShotPutDiscusConditioningProgram."XIInternationalTrack&FieldCoachesAssociationCongress,Barcelona,Spain,December1988.
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Arbeit,E.,K.Bartoneitz,andL.Hillebrand."DifferencesinThrowingTechniqueintheDiscusforMenandWomen."InTheThrows:OfficialReport,Federation
ofEuropeanTrackCoaches,editedbyJ.BoteandJ.L.Gastaldello,7581.Paris:L'AmicaledesEntraineursFrancaisD'Athletisme,1987.
Jarver,J."DiscusFundamentalsfortheNovice."InTheThrows,3ded.,editedbyJ.Jarver,8288.LosAltos,CA:TafnewsPress,1985.
Tidow,G."ModelTechniqueAnalysisSheetsPartIX:TheDiscusThrow."NewStudiesinAthletics9,no.3(1994):4768.
Venegas,A."UCLAShotPutDiscusConditioningProgram."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview89,no.3(fall1989):68.
Vrabel,J."ProblemsofTechniqueofAdvancedDiscusThrowers."InTheThrows:OfficialReport,FederationofEuropeanTrackCoaches,editedbyJ.Bote
andJ.L.Gastaldello,91103.Paris:L'AmicaledesEntraineursFrancaisD'Athletisme,1987.
Ward,P."TheDiscus."InTheAthleticsCongress'sTrackandFieldCoachingManual,editedbyV.Gambetta,11731.Champaign,IL:LeisurePress,1981.
Wilkins,M."TechniqueConditioningDrillsfortheDiscus."InTheThrows:OfficialReport,FederationofEuropeanTrackCoaches,editedbyJ.BoteandJ.L.
Gastaldello,8389.Paris:L'AmicaledesEntraineursFrancaisD'Athletisme,1987.
Woicik,M."TheDiscus."InTheThrows,3ded.,editedbyJ.Jarver,9397.LosAltos,CA:TafnewsPress,1985.
Yingbo,Z."PreCompetitionPreparationforThrowers."NewStudiesinAthletics9,no.1(1994):4345.
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SportPhysiology,1993.
Lawler,P."TheJavelinThrowThePast,PresentandFuture."NewStudiesinAthletics8no.3:1523.
Naclerio,T.TheTeachingProgressionsoftheShotPut,Discus,andJavelin.Rockaway,NJ:T.Naclerio,1988.
Ogiolda,P."TheJavelinThrowandtheRoleofSpeedinThrowingEvents."NewStudiesinAthletics8,no.3:713.
Paish,W."TheTrainingofPower."TrackTechnique120:382729.
Shannon,K.,C.H.Brown,andJ.Donins."TheJavelinThrow."TheAthleticsCongress'sTrackandFieldCoachingManual,1sted.,editedbyV.Gambetta,
13341.Champaign,IL:LeisurePress,1981.
Webb,B.,andB.F.Sing."TheJavelin."InTheAthleticsCongress'sTrackandFieldCoachingManual,2ded.,editedbyV.Gambetta,18999.Champaign,IL:
LeisurePress,1989
Page311
Chapter17
Connolly,H."WhatMakesSyedikh'sTechniqueSoEffective."TrackandFieldTechnique102(Winter1988):260.
Dunn,G.D.,Jr.,andK.McGill.TheThrowsManual.MountainView,CA:TafnewsPress,1991.
Gambetta,V.,editor.TheAthleticsCongress'sTrackandFieldCoachingManual.Champaign,IL:LeisurePress,1981.
Kohlhepp,T.,editor.USAThrower(Multiplearticlesontopnationalandinternationalthrowersandcoaches).
McGill,K."Hammer."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview89,no.3(fall1989).
Payne,H."TheMechanicsofHammerThrowing."ConferenceproceedingsfromTechniquesinAthleticsfirstinternationalconference,Vol.1.Cologne,Germany:
DeutscheSporthochschule,1990.146197.
Chapter19
Bompa,T.O.TheoryandMethodologyofTraining.Dubuque,IA:Kendall/Hunt,1983.
.PeriodizationofStrength:TheNewWaveinStrengthTraining.Toronto,Ont.:Veritas,1993.
Myers,B."TheHeptathlon."InTheAthleticsCongress'sTrackandFieldCoachingManual,editedbyV.Gambetta,20918.Champaign,IL:LeisurePress,
1989.
Schmolinsky,G.,editor.TrackandField.2ded.Berlin:Sportverlag,1983.
Chapter20
Dick,F.W."JumpsandtheCombinedEvents."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview86(summer1986):5054.
Freeman,W.H."AnAnalysisofEliteDecathlonPerformances."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview79(summer1979):4952.
."DecathlonPerformanceSuccess:ProgressandAgeFactors."TrackTechnique96(1986):305052.
Henson,P.L."CoachingAthletesforMultipleEvents."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview86(summer1986):4849.
Jenner,B."BruceJennerontheDecathlon."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview86(summer1986):2629.
Knudson,L."InternationalCombinedEventsCongress(SummaryofPresentations)."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview79(summer1979):63.
Krzesinski,A."TheSpecificFeaturesoftheDecathlon."TrackTechnique89(1984):282830.
Masloyski,E.,andI.Dubrogajev."TheOrderofEventsinTraining(Decathlon)."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview79(summer1979):19.
Rudski,A.,andB.Aptekman."StagesintheTrainingofDecathloners."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview86(summer1986):1617.
Sykes,R.C."Balance:TheDecathlonKeyword."TrackTechnique45(1971):144243.
Tolsma,B."AScientificViewofDecathlonTraining."InProceedingsoftheInternationalTrackandFieldCoachesAssociationIXCongress,editedbyG.W.
Dales,12124.Kalamazoo,MI:NCAADivisionITrackCoachesAssociation,1984.
Yang,C.K."DecathlonTraininginPreparationforCompetition."Track&FieldQuarterlyReview87(spring1987):5758.
Zarnowski,C.F.TheDecathlon.Champaign,IL:LeisurePress,1989.
.ABasicGuidetotheDecathlon.Glendale,CA:GriffinPublishers(USOCSeries),1996.
Page312
ABOUTUSATRACK&FIELD
USATrack&Field(USATF)isthenationalgoverningbodyfortrackandfield,longdistancerunning,racewalkingandcrosscountry.ItistheUnitedStates'
memberoftheInternationalAmateurAthleticFederation,theworldgoverningbodyforAthletics,aswellasaGroupAmemberoftheU.S.OlympicCommittee.
Throughtheirnationwidemembershipofmorethan2500clubs,schools,colleges,universities,andotherorganizationsinterestedintrackandfield,longdistance
running,andracewalking,USATFpromotesprogramsoftrainingandcompetitionformenandwomenandboysandgirlsofallagesprotectstheinterestsand
eligibilityofitssome125,000memberathletesandestablishesandmaintainsthesports'rulesofcompetition.TheUSATFiscomprisedof56memberAssociations.
USATrack&Field'smissionistocontinueitsleadershiproleastheworld'spreeminentnationalgoverningbodyinAthleticsfromthegrassrootstotheelitelevel.It
willprovideopportunitiesforathletesofallagestopursueexcellenceinlongdistancerunning,racewalking,andtrackandfieldintheUSA.USATrack&Fieldis
locatedinIndianapolis,Indiana.
Page313
ABOUTTHECONTRIBUTORS
ThecontributingauthorsofUSATrack&FieldCoachingManualareamongthebestcoachesandexpertsinthesportoftrackandfield.Thisuniquecollectionof
elitetrackandfieldexpertssharethetrainingmethodsandcoachingphilosophiestheyhaveusedtotrainnational,world,andOlympicchampions.Thelistof
contributorsincludesthefollowing:
JosephL.Rogers(OrganizingaSuccessfulProgram),HeadTrackandCrossCountryCoachatBallStateUniversityandformerchairoftheUSATFCoaches
EducationCommittee,contributeshisexpertiseintheorganizationofasuccessfulprogramandservesaseditorofthemanual.Hehasbeencoachingsince1965and
atBallStateinNCAADivisionIsince1984.Hehascoached22NAIAAllAmericansandthreeNCAAIAllAmericans.
PhilHenson(PredictiveTestingofAthletes),investigatoroftrackandfieldtalentidentification,hasbeencoachingtrackandfieldfor25yearsatthejuniorhigh,high
school,anduniversitylevel.HealsowasformercommissioneroftheU.S.OlympicFestivalfrom1983to1995andCompetitionManagerofthe1996Olympic
Games.
PaulTurner(PredictiveTestingofAthletes),AssistantTrackandFieldCoachatHarvardUniversity,has17yearsofDivisionIcoachingexperience.Hebringsto
themanualexperienceinthepracticalapplicationoftalentidentificationandhumanperformance.
CurtisFrye(100and200Meters),coachofAllenJohnson(1996goldmedalist)and30NCAAchampionships,wasnamedthe1999WorldChampionship
Coach.HecurrentlyistheHeadTrackandFieldandCrossCountryCoachattheUniversityofSouthCarolina.
ClydeHart(400Meters),headtrackandfieldcoachatBaylorUniversity,isaworldrenowned400metercoachwhohastrainedmanyworldandOlympic
champions,includingworldrecordholderMichaelJohnson.
RalphLindeman(100and110MeterHurdles),HeadTrackandFieldCoachattheU.S.AirForceAcademy,hasbeenontheNCAATrack&FieldRules
Committeesince1996andChairmanoftheUSATrack&Field'sMen'sDevelopment/HurdleSubcommitteesince1992.HewastheHeadCoachoftheUSAMen's
teamatthe1999PanAmericanGamesinWinnipegandonthecoachingstaffoftheUSAMen'steamatthe1992WorldJuniorChampionshipsinSeoul,Korea.
JohnMillar(100and110MeterHurdles),AssistantTrackCoach/SpeedCoachattheUniversityofNotreDame,hasalistofaccomplishmentsthatinclude
HeadCoachofU.S.NationalTeamatthe1999WorldIndoorChampionships,Women's
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HurdlesCoordinatorforUSATrack&Field,AssistantCoachoftheU.S.PanAmericanJuniorTeamin1993,andCoachofthe1984goldMedalistin100m
hurdles,BenitaFitzgerald.
GaryWinckler(400MeterHurdles)iscurrentlytheHeadWomen'sTrack&FieldandCrossCountrycoachattheUniversityofIllinois.HehasbeennamedBig
TenCoachoftheYearfivetimes(1988,1989,1992,1993,and1995).Alongwithhismanyaccomplishments,hehascoachedthreeNCAAI400meterhurdle
champions,four400meterhurdleOlympians,andseven400meterhurdlesAllAmericans.
MikePoehlein(800MeterstoMile)hasbeentheHeadTrackandFieldandCrossCountryCoachforPurdueUniversityfortwentyfiveyears.HewasHead
CoachfortheU.S.teamintheJuniorPanAmericanGamesin1997andwasnamedBigTenCrossCountryCoachoftheYearin1995.From1989to1997,healso
traveledtoEuropewiththeMen'sMiddleDistanceOlympicDevelopmentforsummercompetition.
LanceHarter(3000to10,000Meters)iscurrentlyHeadWomen'sTrack&FieldCoachattheUniversityofArkansas.HarterwasselectedtocoachtheU.S.
women'steamatthe1999WorldOutdoorChampionships.HealsowasTeamUSAwomen'scoachatthe1987WorldChampionshipsinWarsaw,Polandleading
thesquadtoateamtitle,aswellascoachingthe1984U.S.teamattheWorldIndoorTrackandFieldChampionshipsinParis,France.
HarryGroves(3000to10,000Meters)iscurrentlyHeadMen'sTrackandFieldandCrossCountryCoachatPennStateUniversity.HewasHeadCoachofthe
USATeamatthe1989WorldCup,aswellasHeadCoachattheWorldChampionshipsin1995,Gothenberg,Sweden.HealsowasAssistantOlympicCoachin
1992.Hehascoached11Americanrecordholders,19nationalchampions,and13Olympians.
RobJohnson(Relays),HeadTrackandFieldCoachatWabashCollege,willbeoneoffiveassistantcoachesfortheUSATrackandFieldTeamatthe2000
OlympicGames.SomeofhisaccomplishmentsincludelongtimeworkwiththeOlympicDevelopmentCommitteeandtwoU.S.JuniorNationalTeams,oneofwhich
broketwoworldrecords,aswellasheadtrackcoachfortheNorthTeamatthe1983OlympicSportsFestivalinColoradoSpringsandassistantcoachatthe
NationalSportsFestivalinNewYork.
KarenDennis(Relays),HeadCoachforthe2000OlympicsUSATrackandFieldteam,currentlycoachesattheUniversityofNevadainLasVegas.Shehas
coachedmanyoutstandingathletes,includingJudiBrownKing,1984Olympicsilvermedalistinthe400meterhurdles12timeBigTenchampionsprinterCheryl
GilliamthreetimeAllAmericanand13timeBigTenchampionOdessaSmallsandcrosscountryAllAmerican,10,000meterAllAmerican,andBigTenchampion
MaryShea.
KyleTellez(LongJump),AssistantCoachattheUniversityofHouston,hascoachedNCAAAllAmericansJohnDavis,NathanLabus,andEdwinaAmmonds.
KathyJames(LongJump),formerlytheAssistantTrackandFieldCoachattheUniversityofTexas,wastheUSATrackandFieldWomen'sDevelopment
CoordinatorforLongJumpandTripleJumpfrom1990to1995.Shealsowasinvolved
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withtheOlympicSportsandFestivalTeamsfortheSouthin1990and1991.In1991,shetraveledwiththeU.S.JuniorNationalTeam.
DeanHayes(TripleJump),HeadTrackandFieldCoachatMiddleTennesseeStateUniversity,hascoachedseveralAllAmericansandthreeOlympians.These
OlympiansincludeTommyHaynesandRayfielDupreeinthetriplejumpandBrianOldfieldinshotput.Hiscoachingaccomplishmentsalsoincludeheadcoachofthe
U.S.teamthatcompetedintheWorldUniversityGamesin1985,coachfortheU.S.teamatthe1988OlympicGames,headcoachofthe1990GoodwillGames,
headcoachoftheU.S.teamthatcompetedintheWorldCupin1994,andheadcoachofthe1997WorldChampionshipteam.
SueHumphrey(HighJump),USATFWomen'sDevelopmentChairman,hasbeennamedtheNikeEliteCoachoftheYear.ShewasanOlympicCoachin1992
and1996.SomeofheradditionalaccomplishmentsincludeUSANationalTeamCoachsince1974,HeadPanAmGamesCoach1987,HeadWorldCupCoachin
1985andHeadOlympicManagerin1992.
DougNordquist(HighJump)isaformerUSAOutdoorHighJump(7'8'')Champion.Hewasfifthplaceonthe1984OlympicTeam,the1986Goodwill
Champion,andatwotimeNationalChampion.HecurrentlybelongstotheUSATFHighJumpDevelopmentteam.
JimBemiller(PoleVault),PoleVaultCoachattheUniversityofTennessee,hascoachedfiveNCAAtitlewinnersandseventeenNCAAAllAmericans.
BillGodina(ShotPut),authoroftheUSATFInstructorTrainingCourse,alsowasthecoachofthe1990JuniorNationalDiscusChampion.Hebelongstothe
USATFCoachingEducationProgramandcoachesthrowsforCheyenneCentralHighSchoolinCheyenne,Wyoming.
RonBackes(ShotPut)iscurrentlyAssistantTrackCoach(throws)atOhioStateUniversity.Hewasashotputcompetitorinthe1992SummerOlympicsaswell
asU.S.IndoorShotPutChampionin1991andU.S.OutdoorShotPutChampionin1987,1988,1991,and1992.
DonBabbitt(Discus)throwsandMultiEventsCoachattheUniversityofGeorgiahascoached45NCAAqualifiers,45AllAmericans,and15NCAA
Champions.OneofhisoutstandingperformersincludesJanetHill,whostillholdstheNCAADivisionIIdiscusthrowrecordsheisathreetimequalifierfortheU.S.
OlympicTrialsandwasrankedsixthintheUnitedStatesin1993.
C.HarmonBrown(Javelin)hascoachednumerousAllAmericansandthreeOlympiansinthrowingevents.HecurrentlyisthethrowscoachforMillbraeLions
TrackClub,CaliforniaStateUniversity,Hayward,andSanFranciscoStateUniversity.Hehascoachedattheclub,highschool,collegiate,andnationaland
internationallevelssince1953.
BillWebb(Javelin),HeadCoachattheUniversityofTennessee,hascoached10NCAAChampions,49DivisionIAllAmericans,51DivisionIIAllAmericans,
35SECChampionsandatotalof24OlympicTrialscompetitors.IncludedintheseoutstandingathletesisTomPetranoff,formerworldrecordholderinthejavelin,
andBobRoggy,apastAmericanrecordholder.
BobSing(Javelin)iscurrentlypracticingasanEmergency,Family,andSportsphysician.HeauthoredthebookDynamicsoftheJavelinThrow,1984.Hewasa
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DivisionIIINCAAChampionin1974andafinalistinthe1980U.S.OlympicTrials.
KenBantum(Hammer),formerNCAAandUSATrackandFieldShotPutchampionandOlympian,formerlysharedhistalentatSaintJohn'sUniversityasthe
ThrowsCoach.Hehascoachedathletesto10NationalChampionships,andindoorsandoutAmericanrecordholdingathleteshavecompetedinthePanAmerican
Games,WorldGames,andOlympicGamesinHammerThrow.
JeffSalvage(Racewalking)holdsthepositionofU.S.JuniorNationalRacewalkCoordinator.Healsoisthecoachofnationalclassracewalkers.Heisaformer
internationalracewalkingcompetitorhimselfandhasbeenthedirectorofracewalksatthePennRelays.
BohdanBolwicaski(Racewalking)wastheformercoachinresidenceattheArcoTrainingCenterandaformerOlympicracewalker.
GwenRobertson(Racewalking)iscurrentlyHeadGirlsandBoysTrackCoachatIssaquahHighSchoolinWashington.SheistheNationalTeamCoordinatorand
aformerNationalTeamracewalkingmember.
IanWhatley(Racewalking)istheUSATrack&FieldSportsandSciencesSubcommitteeChair.HehascompetedinthreeU.S.Olympictrialsandhascompeted
internationallyinracewalking.Hecurrentlyisanadvancedconceptsandresearchanddesignconsultantinthesportinggoodsindustry.
GaryWesterfield(Racewalking)iscurrentlyontheIAAFracewalkJudgesPanel.Atthistime,heisoneofonlythreecertifiedjudgesintheU.S.andoneofonly
60aroundtheworld.HeisthecoachofnationalclassracewalkersandcoachesBoy'sTrackandFieldatSmithtownHighschoolinNewYork.Formerly,hewasthe
TACNationalTeamCoordinatorforracewalking.
CliffRovelto(Heptathlon),HeadTrackandFieldCoachatKansasStateUniversity,hascoachedtwoOlympians,threeNCAAChampions,and59NCAAAll
Americans.TheseincludeNicoleGreen,NCAAoutdoor400meterchampionPercellGaskins,1993NCAAindoorhighjumpchampionConnieTeaberry,sixtime
AllAmericanhighjumperandCliftonEtheridge,sixtimeBigEighthorizontaljumptitlewinner.
HarryMarra(Decathlon)iscurrentlythecoachoftheUSANationalDecathlonTeam.Sinceitsfoundingin1990,theNationalTeamnowholdseverypossible
WorldRecordindecathloncompetition.MarrahasbeennamedascoachfortheOlympicFestival(1981and1982)andthreetimescoachfortheUSADecathlon
TeamthatcompetedagainsttheGermans,Russians,andCanadians.HehasrecentlybeennamedasAssistantCoachforthe1999PanAmericanGames.Brian
Brophy,Marra'scurrenttopdecathlete,madetheUSAWorldChampionshipTeam,Gothenborg,Sweden,1995,wasthirdatthe1998USANational
Championships,andrepresentedtheU.S.atthe1998GoodwillGames.