Training for the 400m Hurdles Mike Boykin m.boykin@altis.world
Who Am I and What do I do? The answer to this impacts how I coach
My Journey
My Philosophy on Coaching/Life September, 2016 1. I am a stress practitioner and adaptation specialist -Jim Snider 2. Develop the entire individual- both from a training and life perspective 3. Use sport as a platform for improvement in other areas of life 4. Study your craft broadly in non-specific areas, and deeply in specific areas 5. Respect the individual and their epigenetic make-up 6. My knowledge area must support the individual I coach in all facets needed, and when inadequate, the support network must be there 7. Specificity of the stressor will ultimately determine the adaptation, and the improvement in the desired area 8. Nothing in training/life occurs in isolation and communication drives the bus for improvement 9. Train all abilities concurrently, modifying exposure to suite that individual, at that point in time 10. Continued growth
Programming for the event Perform a needs analysis What do you see? What abilities are needed here What lenses do you use to see the event? What lenses do you use to see training for the event? How do menu items address an aspect of each? Edwin Moses 1984 US Olympic Trials 2016
Programming for the event Distribution for the 400m and 400mH almost identical- Vince Anderson first 200m 47.1-48.1% of full race Speed Reserve in the 400m Vazel, 2010
Programming for the event Many roads to Rome What does it take to well and how can the individual in front of you get there? Respect the need to run an open 400m well How do you merge general training into specifics for the 400m hurdles?
Abilities Know the rules before you can break them Reductionist approach to coaching Assists in creating a system
Acceleration Why? Train year round Mechanics Variety load, surface, footwear, external stimuli Merge into approaches over 1-2H
Acceleration
Max Velocity Why? Critical ability to develop early Variety wickets, build ups, SFS, flys, traditional distances Efficiency and speed reserve
Max Velocity
Speed Endurance Why? Variety shorter runs on a walk back (3-5x60-80m) 80-150m Merge into runs over H4-6 Rhythm, efficiency, race distribution
Speed Endurance
Special (Specific) Endurance Race modeling Specific to race velocity and distribution Structure it for individual needs of the athlete
Special (Specific) Endurance
Extensive Tempo Aerobic development Tissue resiliency and generally capacity early season Recovery later in-season
Intensive Tempo More specific capacity Tissue Resiliency Metabolic vs. neural adaptations Where do you go from here?
Technical Development Over-arching goal is to improve technical and mechanical efficiency How do we accomplish this? Drills Non-preferred lead leg Steering Race modeling
Technical Development Drills What are you trying to accomplish? Build context to acquire and develop skills necessary for hurdling in more demanding scenarios March Over, 1 step (limited), 4 and 6 step at reduced spacing, 5 step at reduced spacing Serve as the technical stimulus early in the season, a warm up later on, or cut out if redundant
Technical Development Drills
Technical Development Non-preferred lead leg 5, 7, 9, etc Year round Vary demands based upon athlete, time of year, and purpose 5 step over 5 hurdles alternate at pace you would cut down in a race
Technical Development Non-preferred lead leg Distance calculation 35m-3m (take off/touchdown) / stride length Gives you stride length Multiply by # of steps, add 3m Ex: 35-3= 32m/ 14 = 2.29m/stride 2.29m/stride * 8 strides = 18.29m + 3= 21.29m to take 8 steps at 14 stride pattern pace
Technical Development Non-preferred lead leg 5 step up-backs
Technical Development Steering Hold athletes accountable -Dan Pfaff Addition of hurdles to extensive and intensive tempo taking randomly spaced hurdles with various levels of fatigue Your imagination is the limiter spacing, hurdle height, number of hurdles, first half of rep vs. second half, first half of workout vs. second, etc
Technical Development Race Modeling Exactly what it sounds like >250m (H7) Straight rep (discount hurdles as needed) Split reps Can be followed by Optimal Hurdling Gary Winckler, Vince Anderson, Kebba Tolbert, Andreas Behm Model specific portions of the race Times and intensity must be race specific Varying levels of fatigue
Technical Development Race Modeling
Coaching the Individual Types of athletes Sprint Type 200, 400, 400H Hybrids 400m, 400H Endurance Type 400m, 400H, 600 Density and placement of each ability modifications within each bucket Race pattern modifications
Race Modeling Similar to the 400m Rhythm and efficiency Cutting down Flexibility and resiliency
Sample Microcycles
Sample Microcycles General Preparation Monday Accels: 2-3x(10, 20, 30) w/ 1-2 /3-4 ^; MJ and/or MT (introductory, teaching emphasis); Lift Tuesday Hurdle Tech: Drills/ Non-preferred leg hurdling; Extensive Tempo: 1500-2000m Wednesday Regen: MB and/or BW GS, Hip Mobility Thursday Speed/Power: Sleds OR Hills OR Wickets/Build Ups; MJ and/or MT (complementary); Lift Friday Extensive Tempo: 2000-2500m OR Intensive Tempo 1200-2000m, Restorative Lift
Sample Microcycles Pre Competition Monday Accel/Speed: 3x1H, 2x2H, 1x3H w/ 3-6 ^; MJ, Lift Tuesday Extensive Tempo (1500-2000m) Wednesday Intensive Tempo: 500m Breakdown w/ 3-6 ^ (descending), MT, Lift Thursday Regen: MB and/or BW GS, Hip Mobility Friday Special Endurance: 2-3x150-250m w/ 6-8 ^; optimal hurdling 4x(H5-8) w/ walk back rest, Restorative Lift
Sample Microcycles Competition Monday Extensive Tempo (recovery): 800-1500m Tuesday Accel/ Intensive Tempo: H1-3 as needed; 5x250 w/ 5 ^, hurdles on second half or reps Wednesday Regen or OFF Thursday Pre-meet/Shakeout Friday Competition
Thank you Email: m.boykin@altis.world Dan Pfaff, Kevin Tyler, Stu McMillan, Andreas Behm, Dustin Imdieke, Chidi Enyia, Kyle Hierholzer, Ricky Soos ALTIS Athletes, Nate Davis, Ed Nuttycombe, Matt Gardner, Kebba Tolbert, Jim Snider, Brijesh Patel, Art Horne, Eric Cressey
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