I used to have this and my comp crashed lately and it was deleted. Could someone forward it to me if they happen to still have it? Thanks a ton
I would like a copy of the 20 page document about Hart's training also... Thanks
i'd also be very interested in seeing the doc from clyde hart .... could someone please send me a copy?
I'd love a copy of that document please joe_lightfoot@hotmail.com, Cheers
may i have a copy of that 20 page clyde hart too?
may i have a copy of that 20 page clyde hart too?
Can someone please send a copy to me too. Thanks.
Can someone please send a copy to me too. Thanks.
can someone just put that article online so people can download it
Forgive the length of this post. Here are 3 articles I have acquired over the years. The format in one of them isn't the greatest, but you'll get the idea.
400 METER TRAINING
Clyde Hart, Head Track and Field Coach
Baylor University
Waco, Texas
Introduction The 400 meter dash is an endurance sprint incorporating the speed of the sprinter and the endurance of the half miler. It is considered by many to be one of the most demanding and grueling of competitive events. Usually the 400 meter runner will fall into two distinct categories sprinter types and half miler types. Both of these types have had their share of success over the years. Occasionally you will find an athlete who possesses some characteristics of both the sprinter and half miler.
Michael Johnson, a former Baylor University and World Champion in both the 200 and 400 meters, is a prime example of the sprinter type 400 runner. However, he has developed his strength and endurance over the years to the level now that he can better maintain his superior speed over a longer distance than his competitors.
Technique The ability to distribute one's speed and energies in the most efficient manner over the total racing distance becomes the primary concern in reaching success in the 400 meter dash. No one is capable of running the 400 meters from start to finish all out. Good pace judgment in effort and distribution is a must. Remember, the 400 meters is not a full sprint. Speed at 100 and 200 meters can be a tremendous advantage to the 400 meter runners but only if they learn to distribute these energies properly. Generally the outstanding 400 meter runner will have approximately a one second deferential between their best open 200 meters and the time it takes them to run the first 200 meters of the 400 meter dash. The less experienced 400 meter runner should have approximately a two second deferential. A good formula for predicting the potential 400 meter time for 200 meter runners, providing they are willing to train and to give all they can to become a top 400 meter runner, would be to double the time of their best open 200 meters then add 3.5 seconds to this. It is obvious that the sprinter type has the advantage through the early stages of the 400 meters; however, if they are not trained properly, this advantage can melt away in a hurry toward the end of the race. The half miler type will definitely have an advantage from the 300 meters mark on into the finish. The main reason we are seeing more of the sprinter type succeed in the 400 meters today is largely due to the fact that we are able to develo p "stamina and endurance more effectively than we can increase the sprinting abilities of the middledistance runner.
Training The 400 meters is an oxygen deficient event. This means that the level of oxygen absorption is below that which is necessary to supply the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) requirement. The energy used during the 400 meter run is derived from the breakdown of high energy phosphate compounds and from the splitting of glycogen to lactic acid. This event will rely primarily on two anaerobic systems the ATP PC and lactic acid systems. Physiologists have not found a good way to measure anaerobic power, and this makes it very difficult to know if one is increasing the anaerobic reserves or not. We must rely on what we have learned from the physiologists concerning the components of fatigue during the running of the 400 meter dash. This gives us input concerning the types of stress that we must deal with during both the 400 meter training sessions and competition.
Proper training will help the athlete learn to deal with the stress that they will face toward the end of the 400 meter run. We know that severe exercising imposes great stress on the body, and it must learn to adapt to this stress or it will break down. We also know that when the body is gradually.put under stress, it will do whatever is necessary for its own well being to adjust to this new environment. When an organism is conditioned to the stress of athletic competition, it will be able to perform in that environment when called upon.
Training Segments The training year of the 400 meter runner will be divided into four segments:
a) Off Season (Summer and Fall September through December) b) Early competitive Season (January February) c) Mid Season (March April) d) Late Season (May June)
Based on the demands of the 400 meter event, the following training workouts are recommended in varying degrees of emphasis during the training year. The time frame that each workout is used in the course of the training year is of vital importance. To derive the most from any training program, the runner must pay close attention to the proper introduction of a specific workout.
Types of Workouts
1. Speed Endurance This is running where the runner incurs a high oxygen debt, and there is a definite lactic acid buildup. This workout is vital to good 400 meter running. Distances that are run can vary from 100 to 600 meters. Number of repetitions is figured by multiplying the race distance 2 1/2 times; in this case this would be about 1000 meters. The recovery period will usually be around 10 minutes this is to give the runner almost full recovery so that there will be quality in the runs. This drill is designed to help the lactic acid energy systems.
Examples of Speed Endurance Workouts
a) 10 x 100 5 10 minutes rest
b) 6 x 150 5 10 minutes rest
c) 5 x 200 10 minutes rest
d) 4 x 300 10 minutes rest
e) 3 x 350 10 minutes rest
f) 2 x 450 minutes 10 minutes rest
2. Tempo Endurance This aerobic workout will pay great dividends for 400 meter runners. Not only will it help them to increase their oxygen uptake, which will help to shorten their recovery time, but also it will aid them in being able to accomplish more and longer workouts. This workout, since the runs are done at a slower pace, will help the runners learn rhythm; and as the workout suggests, tempo. Another vital byproduct of this workout is that it will also help to train the body to increase production of phosphate, which is a primary energy source. The emphasis in the workout should be on quantity and not on quality as is true in the aforementioned speed endurance workouts. The rest factor is generally kept short usually 2 to 3 minutes.
Examples of Tempo Endurance Workouts
a) 8 x 200 2 minutes rest
b) 6 x 300 2 minutes rest
c) 50 100 150 200 300 350 Walk same distance for rest.
3. Strength Endurance This workout involves activities that will last longer than 10 seconds in duration. Such activities will include resistance running, long hill running and stadium step runs.
Examples of Strength Endurance Workouts
a) 6 x 150 meter hill
b) 6 x 60 stadium steps
c) 6 x 15 second duration long rope runs
4. Endurance Running This workout is pure aerobic running. It will consist of continuous runs of 15 to 45 minutes at a steady state speed. Although the 400 meters only requires about 5% aerobic running, it is important to the 400 meter runners to get a good base of aerobic running in order that they can improve their oxygen uptake so that their recovery time between efforts will be cut to a minimum.
Examples of Endurance Running
a) 15 minutes at steady state speed
b) 30 minutes of fartlek running
c) 6 x 800 meters on cross country course with 3 minutes recovery time
5. Power Speed This workout emphasizes speed of muscle contraction. This is usually done with less than 10 repetitions and no more than 10 seconds per repetition.
Examples of Power Speed
a) short hill runs of about 60 meters
b) 10 x 30 meter harness runs
c) 10 x 10 second fast rope jumps
6. Event Running This workout does exactly what the name implies. The runner will run different distances at a pre determined race strategy in order to learn to work on different aspects of running the 400 meters. We also refer to this as segment running.
Examples of Event Workouts
a) 3 x 300 meters. First 50 meters all out. Next 150 meters, relaxed floating action. All out on last 100 meters. All timed and recorded.
b) 2 x 450 meters. The first 200 meters, 300 meters, 400 meters and final 50 meters are all timed and recorded.
c) 1 x 350 meters. Quality run, with each segment run as if in the 400 race coming up.
7. Speed These workouts will vary from distances of 30 meters to 150 meters. Work will be done at full speed either on the straight away or curve. Rest is usually long between runs in order to give full recovery so that we might receive quality performances. Relay hand off work will count as doing speed workouts.
Example of Speed Drills
a)6 x 40 meter starts
b)6 x 60 meter flying starts
c)6 x sprint relay hand offs 60 meters
8. Strength Strength workouts consist of both general and specific strength development. Our general strength development is done through the traditional weightlifting programs of both free weights and machines. We also recommend the use of plyometric drills to give us our specific weight work.
Examples of Strength Training
a) 30 minute traditional weightlifting workout (1 set 13 reps)
b) Explosive jumps for the development of starting power and acceleration
c) 3 sets of 10 hops each leg
d) fast 50 meter bounding runs with bar bell.
The following chart indicates the percentage of emphasis to be placed on the above
listed workouts.
Percentage of Emphasis Chart For Workouts
Types of Workouts Fall Early Mid Late
Speed Endurance 75 90 100 100
Tempo Endurance 100 100 100 75
Strength Endurance 100 90 80 70
Endurance Running 100 20 10 5
Power Speed 20 60 70 80
Event Runs 25 90 100 100
Power Speed 20 60 70 80
Strength 100 100 100 100
Emphasis is given in terms of % of use recommended for each workout in relation to each segment of the training year
400 Meters
Sample Workouts
1. Fall (September through December)
Monday 1. Warm up: 1 mile cross country run
2. Flexibility exercises
3. 2 x 600 Speed 60 sec. 400/ rest 15 minutes
4. 3 x 300 Speed 50 sec./rest 1 minute
5. 3 x 300 Speed 40 sec./rest 5 minutes
6. Cool down: 1 mile cross country run
7. Weights
Tuesday 1 . Warm up: 1 mile cross country run
2. Flexibility exercises
3. 10 x 200 Speed 30 sec./Rest 3 minutes
4. 6 x 150 long hill runs Speed fast/rest, jog back
5. Cool down: 1 mile cross country run
Wednesday 1. Warm up: 1 mile cross country run
2. Flexibility exercises
3. 4 x 350 (Event Run) Speed 48 sec/Rest 10 minutes
(50 fast 1 50 relaxed, 200 time 28 seconds l 00
picked up fast dast 50 steady and keeping good form)
4. 3 x 200 Speed 30 29 28 sec/Rest 3 minutes
5. Cool down: 1 mile cross country run
6. Weights
Thursday 1 . Warm up: 1 mile cross country run
2. Flexibility exercises
3. 600 400 200 400 600 Speed 30 sec pace/rest 5 minutes
4. 6 x 100 strides Speed medium/rest 1 minute
5. Cool down: 1 mile cross country run
Friday 1 . Warm up: 1/2 mile cross country run
2. Flexibility Exercises
3.Two mile cross country timed run
4. Weights
Saturday No organized practice, encouraged to do 3 miles running
Sunday No organized practice, encouraged to do 20 minute fartlek
2. Early Season (January February)
Monday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs (100 sprint/100 walk,
3 laps, faster each lap, 4th lap run 200, 26 seconds)
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 2 x 500 Speed 56 seconds 400/rest 15 minutes
4. 3 x 200 Speed 30 29 28 seconds/rest 3 minutes
5. 8 x 10 second rope jumps/rest 10 seconds, repeat
Tuesday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 8 x 200 Speed 28 seconds rest 3 minutes
4. 6 x 150 long hills speed fast/rest jog back
5. Weights
Wednesday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 4 x 300 (Event Run) spped 42/rest 5 minutes
4. 3 x 200 Speed 30 29 28/ rest 3 minutes
5. 6 x 10 second rope resistance runs speed f ast/rest 10 seconds.
Thursday 1. Warm up: I mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 1 x 350 Speed fast/rest 15 minutes
4. 4 x 200 Speed 26 seconds/rest 5 minutes
5. Weights
Friday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 3 x 200 speed 30 29 28/ rest 3 minutes
4. 1600 relay hand off work
Saturday Meet
Sunday NO organized workout, encouraged to do some light cross country running, about 20 mins
3. Mid Season (March April)
Monday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 2 x 450 Speed 52 seconds 400/rest 15 minutes
4. 3 x 200 Speed 28 27 26/rest 3 minutes
Tuesday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 6 x 200 speed 26 seconds/rest 3 minutes
4. 5 x 20 seconds long rope resistance runs speed slow/rest 3 minutes
5, Weights
Wednesday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 4 x 300 (Event run) Speed 42 seconds/rest 5 minutes
4. 8 x 100 short hill runs speed fast/rest walk back
5. 8 x 100 short hill runs speed fast/rest walk back
Thursday 1 Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 3 x 200 speed 26 25 24 seconds/rest walk 200
4. 3 x 150 (build ups) speed slow medium fast/rest walk back
5. Weights
Friday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 3 x 200 speed 26 seconds/rest walk 200
4. 1600 relay hand offs
Saturday Meet
Sunday No organized practice, encouraged to do some cross country running, about 20 mins
4. Late Season (May June)
Monday 1 Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 1 x 450 speed 50 second 400/rest 15 minutes
4. 3 x 200 speed 26 25 24 seconds/rest walk 200
Tuesday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 4 x 300 speed 42/rest 5 minutes
4. 4 x 200 speed 28 27 26 25/rest 3 minutes
5. Weights
Wednesday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 1 x 320 (Quality run) speed fast/rest 15 minutes
4. 3 x 200 speed 26 25 24 seconds/rest walk 200
5. 8 x 80 meters short hill speed fast/rest walk back
Thursday 1. Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 3 sets speed makers speed fast/rest jog
(50 meter all out sprints 50 meter swing down 50 meter
slow jog repeat until 4 all out sprints are done) 3 minutes rest between sets
4. Weights
Friday 1 Warm up: 1 mile in and outs
2. Flexibility Exercises
3. 2 x 200 speed 26 seconds/rest walk 200
4. 4. 1600 relay hand offs
Saturday Meet
Sunday No organized practice, encouraged to do a little cross country running, about 20 minutes
These workouts can be applied to all levels of 400 meter runners, but performance times given in this sample are for a potential 46 second quarter miler, so adjustments should be made accordingly.
400 Meter
Running Exercises
Exercise Brief Description Benefits Season
Endless Relay Baton is kept moving, mov Endurance, stamina All
rest and run are controlled. and exchange work
Australian Sprints and slow jogging Endurance, speed All
Pursuits for total of 3 minutes and kicking drill
Long hill 100 meters or more, Endurance, stamina Fall/Early
slow runs and knee lift
600 meters Pace 400, pick up Endurance and stamina Fall/Early
last 200
500 meters Pace 400, pick u p last Endurance, stamina and Early/Mid
100 meters knee lift
350 meters Quality and training Mental preparation, Early/Mid
distance, all 5.5 7 endurance and stamina and late
second 400 time
300 meter event 200 meters slow pace, Mental preparation Early/Mid
last 100 meters faster endurance, running and late
efficiency
450 meters Pace 400 and pick up Mental preparation, Mid/late
relaxed last 50 meters endurance, stamina and
knee lift
Short Hill Less than 100 meters Speed, leg drive and Mid/Late
fast runs stamina
Flying Bears Repeat 100s with Speed, strength & Mid/late
jogging running efficiency
320 meters Quality distance, add Mental preparation, Mid/Late
10 12 seconds for 400 time speed and running
efficiency
Speedmaker Short 50 meter sprints Speed, strength & Mid/Late
jogging running efficiency
150 meter Build- 50 meter 1/2 speed, 50 Running efficiency, Early/Mid
ups meter 3/4 speed, 50 speed, endurance and and late
meters near full speed mental preparation
Competing The ideal race pattern will be one of smooth deceleration if the runners have dispersed their energies properly, with as little tightening up at the finish as possible. The 400 meter runners should try to cover the first 50 meters at near top speed. At this point they should relax the actions of the upper body while still trying to maintain their leg speed. Their thoughts should be those of trying to settle into the rhythm of the race and to get a feel for their competition. They should also begin thinking about the next big effort they will make, which will be at the 200 meter mark. They should be trained and conditioned to know that at this point in their race plan, they will make a determined effort to increase the actions of their arms and to begin driving and lifting their knees, trying to resume more of a sprinting action. The runners who learn to work this turn from the 200 to the 300 meter mark will usually find themselves in good position to win the race. It is a controlled pickup, one that should allow the 400 meter runner to come off the final curve even or ahead of their opponents. During the final 100 meters of the race, the runners must learn to stay relaxed while fighting the effects of fatigue One of the best ways to do this is by thinking of proper running technique and good form which they have been taught and concentrating on this.
Summary Before coaches plan their 400 meter workouts, they should ponder several concepts: (1) The basic concept of going from quantity to quality has not changed over the past several decades. (2) All workouts should follow a progressive pattern; you should standardize your workouts so that speed of the running distance should progressively be shortened and in some cases the rest factor as well. (3) The concept of overloading is also one, which pays dividends. An example of this would be having the 400 meter runner run 2 x 600's, coming through the 400 meters at a very slow pace. As the first 400 meters time is gradually lowered to the point that the runner has difficulty maintaining pace, the distance is lowered. At the next distance, 500 meters, the runners will run at the same pace through the first 400 meters as they were running at the previous distance. The athletes will continue this workout drill until the distance is reduced to 450 meters. This final distance will hopefully be reached by mid season and
will be continued to the end of the year. It is suggested that the athletes run a single run as opposed to two runs before a major competition. Although the runner is getting less distance, effort is becoming greater thus more stress is being put on the body. (4) Another factor to consider in planning 400 meter workouts is that it takes a hard run of around 40 seconds in order to incur a significant lactic acid buildup. This being the case, the ideal distance for women would be 300 meters and for men 350 meters. Most quality 400 meter runners will cover this distance in slightly over 40 seconds, thus they are working a couple of seconds into lactic acid buildup. By running this distance, the runner can accomplish several of these runs in a workout session.
Finally, the coach must become personally involved in the race strategy of the 400 meter runners and be more than just a trainer. Time the different segments of the workout runs as well as competitive races. Let the runners know beforehand what you expect them to come through the 200 meters or even the 300 meters, if necessary, in order to get an idea of what kind of pace they are keeping. Oftentimes, the race will dictate what pace the runner will have to carry in order to be competitive, but this is no excuse for not having the runner mentally ready to perform at a certain level. It will give them valuable confidence if they know they have been through different checkpoints at a certain time in practice, thus they will not have a fear of doing this in actual competition.
Requirements:
The 400m Sprint is a perseverance print, which contains the speed of the Sprinters and the perseverance of a 800m of runner. The 400m is ranked among that physically and psychologically most fastidious distances. Normally the 400m runner falls into one of the two categories:
1. Sprinter type
2. 800m type
Both types have pro in addition, cons.
The 400m is a discipline in the one oxygen debt is received. That is called the oxygen admission is under which the ATP resynthesize necessary. The energy the one such run necessarily is thus made available by the Creatine phosphate and the glycogen, which are converted into Lactate. Physiologists have to measure still no simple way up to now found the anaerobic capacity, what makes it very difficult to know whether the anaerobic reserves to have improved or not.
It must refer thus to which the physiology regarding the components of the fatigue of the 400m of match found out. From this can be closed like the load in training and match to look is. Correct training helps to deal the Athlete with the stress on the last meters of a 400m of run. It is well known that different exercises can exercise large stress on the body. The body must learn with this stress deal or he breaks down.
It is in addition, well-known that the body is set if it regularly under stress, everything for its well-being being issued does, and itself tries to its environmental condition to adapt. If an organism is conditioned on the stress of a match, it able will be with these conditions to deal. Most 400m runners are medium sized to large and of muscular type.
Obvious it is to be possessed for a 400m runner of advantage a high speed level. World class runners are to be converted in addition in a the position of 94% of their average speed of their 200m Bestzeit on the 400m. The ability the own speed and energy over the match distance as well as possible to distribute can be attained one of the most important conditions around a good 400m end time. Nobody is to be gone through in addition in a the position the 400m from the start to the goal maximally fast. A good running organization is must!
For memory, the 400m is not full Sprint. A good 100m or 200m Bestzeit can be of great advantage, but one must be able to divide this energy. Normally an experienced 400m runner a close time of one second does not have so experienced runners on the first 200m. should with a close time of two seconds begin.
A good formula around the possible 400m final achievement of a 200m of runner to compute, presupposed it has to train the will and do everything around a good 400m runner to become, is the 200m Bestzeit to be doubled and 3.5 seconds in addition to be added. It is obvious that the Sprinter type on the first meters is in the advantage, but if it is not well enough trained, this advantage in running can there-melt very fast. The 800m type is on the last 100m in the advantage.
The principal reason more with the Sprinter type is entered why here, lies in the fact that more simply and more effectively can perseverance and durability be improved than the Sprint faehigkeit of a 800m of runner. The 400m runner should be running to arrange as follows:
1. He should try on the first 50m to reach top speed.
2. Starting from this point it should ease the torso, while the legs work further fast.
3. The thoughts should be thereby into the rhythm of running to find and a feeling for the match to get.
4. It must remember starting from the 200m marking again to add.
5. Starting from this point the arm employment and the knee stroke should become stronger.
The runners, learn to deal with the change of 200m on 300m in good position will normally appear a running to win. It is control pickup, it the runner to permit should up or before its competitors out of the last curve go. On the last 100m of running should the runner learn to remain relaxed, while it fights against the rising fatigue.
One of the best possibilities this to do, is of its good movement technique and the good form to think in which it is and on it to only concentrate. The importance of the mental condition of a 400m of runner increases with rising requirement for success. The match is a controlled Sprint, which needs large attention and self-check.
The runner must be in addition able to be able to change its running tactics fast if running requires it. It is the Sprint of the "philosopher", not like the 100m, where a bad start makes a running already lost, before one ran at all the first meters. With the 400m there is more place for errors, one has even the possibility with its running organization to experiment.
The strongest personality characteristic of a 400m of runner should be certain aggressiveness. The 400m is not discipline for the psychologically weak one. The runner must be able to become finished with pain and fatigue and nevertheless the will have when next running again to begin. If the attitude is correct comes success! Related to the requirements of a 400m of run the following training plan is developed on the USA the school training year. The temporal sequence of each training unit in the course of the training year, is of large importance.
Training programs:
1. Speed perseverance:
Here the athlete a high oxygen debt is received, and it forms for Lactate.
The distances vary from 100m to 600m.
The number of repetitions is calculated in which one the running distance with 2.5 multiplied, in this case 1000m.
Tracing are long to 10min, in order to make for the runner possible a nearly complete recovery. Thus a high quality of the runs is reached.
Examples:
10x100m (5-10min break)
6x150m (5-10min break)
5x200m (10min break)
4x300m (10min break)
3x350m (10min break)
2x450m (10min break)
2. Speed perseverance:
The Athleten its oxygen admission helps to improve to shorten the recovery periods and get over longer units.
Because the runs are slower, the runner gets speed feeling.
Also in this to be workout along-trains the phosphate memory.
Here the special attention is on quantity and not on quality.
Traces is long 2-3min.
Examples:
8x200m (2min break)
6x300m (2min break)
3. Force perseverance:
Everything which longer than 10 seconds lasts. It contains resistance runs, long hill runs and treppenlaeufe.
Examples:
6x150m of hill runs
6x60 stairway steps
6x15sek of resistance runs
4. Perseverance:
Mainly aerobe work, with one duration of 15 45min with Steady State speed. Although the aerobe portion of the 400m is very small run, it is for the 400m runner importantly a good aerobe basis to have around recovery periods to shorten.
Examples:
15min with Steady State
30min travel play
6x800m CROSS country with three minutes of break.
5. Force speed:
Here the muscle speed is trained. The repetition number should not be more highly as 10 and the duration of the exercise not longer than 10sek.
Examples:
short hill runs to 60m.
10 x 30m of tensile strength runs
10 x 10sek fast rope hops
6. Event Workouts
The Athlete runs different distances with given run strategy around later with different running situations to deal to be able.
Examples:
3x300m. The first 50m maximally, the next 150m to float leaves and the last 100m again maximally. All sections are stopped and noted.
2x450m. Here the 200m, 300m, 400m and last 50m are stopped and noted.
1x350m maximally
Run with that the different sections in the running speed to be run.
7. Speed
The distances vary from 30 to 150m and in the curve or on the straight line are run. Around high quality with the runs to attain the tracing length is very high. Relay training is counted to speed training.
Examples:
6x40m start
6x60m flying runs
6x60m relay change
8. Strength
Force training consists of general and special force training. General force training is accomplished by the traditional programs at Freihanteln and machines, the special by different jump exercises.
Examples:
30min traditional force training (1 series with 13 repetitions)
Explosive jumps for the development of the starting strength.
3x10 of installation re-entry points
snaps 50m tensile strength runs
Before one begins as a coach with the 400m training, one should work in the case of doubt always after the concept "from quantity to the quality". All training units should be increased progressively. Also it should after the "Overloading" - theory be worked i.e. that a 400m runner in the autumn with for example 2x600m begins, with which he runs the first 400m very calmly (60 seconds).
The distance is changed in the course of the yearly on 2x500m (400 in 56 seconds) to 1x450m (400 in 50 seconds). Around a significantly high Laktatkonzentration to reach it needs a time of approximately 40 seconds. Hochklassige 400m runner need over a distance of 350m scarcely over 40 seconds. Therefore the 350m can be used outstanding as test track. When one can add rule of thumb for the 400m end time at the beginning of one season 7 seconds to the 350m achievement, later about 5.5 6 seconds.
The coach should be also included always into the running organization. He should stop and note the different distance sections both in training as well as in the match. Before running the coach should the Athleten know let which for a 200m or a 300m transit time he by them expected.
Here are some more detailed notes.
Strived primarily to be consistent, it was his number one priority.
Program designed to create this.
Did not believe in peaking
Built a base and then did not "milk" it too much, kept topping it up
Consistency - coach , training environment, everything - nothing ever changed much
Setting goals - big goals with small goals to lead to it.
Maintaining work ethic required reminding self of goals, 100% perfect training,
Coach learns from athlete, athlete learns from coach - feelings of athlete shaped work done either quality or quantity. Athlete had superior mental understanding of program,
Athlete-Coach rely on one another
Strategy
Initial College strategy was : Slow as possible for first 200m then go hard, this strategy was shaped and tuned over the years to be - reach race speed as early as possible in first 50m cruise to 200m then accelerate steadily next 100m and hold form for last 100m
Workouts done to rehearse strategy called EVENT workouts
eg 3 x ( 350m in 46s rest 1min 100) 5min rest
or
Event 300s
Which were run with first 50m very quick but then relaxing to go through first 200m in 28s and then the last 100 sub12s rest 10min between (in College) shorter later to maybe 5min
Aimed to have consistent stride frequency and length for duration of race - not a longer stride at end, Allow a shorter stride to just happen but maintain cadence.
Holding Form
Improved by Strength Endurance
Upper body strength from exercises like running arms with good form 5 x 15 each arm with 30s rest.
Did mostly 400m training even though he ran 200m in 19.32
Off season did two aerobic runs a week 20-45min max. This was for first 3 weeks mostly but off season was usually 6 weeks.
Longer reps 2 x 800m or 3 x 600m rest 15min
Common key workout In pre-season
3 x 350m rest 5min in College , later it became 3 x 350m rest 3min , each 50m at same speed.
One Speed workout was called 60 -40m
2 sets of 2 laps of 60m at 95% slow down 40m then pitter-patter jog 40m then 60m at 95% 40m slow down - pitter patter jog 40m. rest between sets 5min
Speed work often was
30, 40, 50, 60, 70 on bend with full recoveries
Weight Training
3 Gym sessions a week usually in morning
from about 9am till 10am - over in an hour
On any day sometime done Mon-Tue-Wed or spread out in week.
Track is at 3pm usually over within 1:45
Weights is general all body work with short recoveries and usually 3 sets of 10 rest less than 1min maybe 30s
No squats , no Olympic lifts, Also did good variety of core work eg 3 x 30m sit-ups 1min rest
Gym did not change in format throughout the season
Did not ever lift really heavy , he did lunges
Normal Warm up
4 laps jog straight - run bends
Stretch 30min
Drills 4-5 x 30m over a speed ladder with fast cadence. This Michael believed was significant effect on his turnover. These were done with a flatish footed contact not with feet pointing down and a quick recovery.
Buildups sometimes for example 3 x 150m with each 50m quicker
Then workout
Comp Warm up
4 laps as usual
Stretch 30min
3 x 100m - first moderate, harder, fast with full recoveries
a few pre-race drills
Time Trials
Did not like Time Trials rather use a key session and base of ease of pace and recovery.
Typically when 2 x 350m rest 3min in 46s was feeling great - race form was great.
At Competition
Expect the unexpected
Visualization
Train the mind to control the body in competition in the way that is wanted.
Sustained Speed work
60m & over was at 95% - never 100%.
Longer work was done for stimulus not for race pace rehearsal, so nearly all was at paces slower than race pace.
Speed
6 x 100m at 95% non-timed from standing start rest 5min
Plyometrics
Never did plyometrics
Overtrain - Undertrain
Better to undertrain than overtrain
Going into Championship
More taper (already doing less volume anyway)
Workout Accuracy
- cones every 50m - beeper sounded at set intervals - athlete ran each 50m at same speed. - Be on the buzzer
- Standing starts
- Workouts done at times planned not faster - not slower.
Important not to go faster than predetermined targets even with 200s in 32s!!
The program includes a plan that divides
Off season - 6 weeks (first 3 weeks on grass)
Pre season
Early season
Late Season
But almost year the program is similar
Monday - Tempo 200s starting with more at 32s and progressing to less late in year in 25s
Tue - long reps starting at 2 x 800m progressing to 2 x 450
Wed - 350m reps x 2-3 - improving in speed
Thu- hills, speed or event specific
Fri - similar to Thurs
Sat - similar to Thurs
Refreshing Base
Coach needs to decide when to refresh base by going back slightly from quality to quantity even if just for a week or two mid season , important not to take too much from base.
Athletes rewarded
Athletes rewarded with fun things - more speed , less reps by doing well at quantity stuff and proving they are ready to do less with more quality. Coach decides timing.
Elite coaching special - Clyde Hart coach to Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner
Page 1: The greatest 400m coach of all time - Clyde Hart
The greatest 400m coach of all time? Clyde Hart
Clyde Hart can stake a claim to being the greatest 400m coach of all time.
He has guided Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner to the top but there is far more to the man than that. He has worked with a 3min 50sec miler and 1min 44sec 800m runner. On top of that the man from Baylor is always fun to listen to.
So we found out what he had to say about training and preparation when he visited the UK.
Introducing the system
Clyde told us about the set up in Texas. He said: "I have been coaching for 40 years and have always admired the British system. A lot of what I have done in coaching I have stolen from the British and the best coaches around the world. With any good coach if they have not stolen from the best men in the business then they are a fool.
"This is what not only Michael Johnson did for 15 years but what the kids will be doing in Waco, Texas, today and what was done before Michael Johnson got on the program. He didn't influence us to change the program. I learned a lot from Michael - I have stolen from coaches and gained from every one of the athletes I have had.
"A lot has been added to the program that is there due to the problems Michael Johnson and the others were having.
"Our system is different to that in the UK but you should never criticize until you have walked a mile in another man's boots.”
Clyde believes the 400m is a good event to focus on when building a team: "When I first came to the university I coached all the running events. I thought, 'you have got to have quarter milers as they can move up or down'.
"Our relay squad would often be two quarter milers and the others may be hurdlers or half milers.”
"I have had sub-four minute milers - I have coached Todd Harbour- a 3min 50.34sec miler. But the quarter mile has always remained the focal point of our track program.”
Hitting top form at the right time is a key part of Clyde’s program: "If you look at where my kids have run their best times most of them have been run at the big championship meets.”
Page 2: Learning from schedules & no-one's perfect
Learning from schedules
Clyde is keen to point out that it is not just a case of copying his schedules to run well. He said: "When you get a workout whether from a book or a magazine [you are not going to get the same results out of them]. I have got Seb Coe's workouts but I have never had a 1min 41sec runner - I have had a 1min 44sec guy. Some of the stuff I have got from them is good information but I am not going to get exactly the same results out of them.
“Going over Michael Johnson's workouts - which is what I am going to do - is much the same as if we were all chefs and I was giving out a recipe. If I gave some recipe out and said to bring back your casserole I doubt that any one would taste the same as any other. Some of you would take a taste and decide to add a little salt, or some more spices. The secret is not in the workout or training, it is in why you are doing it or the time of year you are doing it. You need to know when to implement it, when to back off, when to add to it - you need to know why and analyse it."
No-one’s perfect
When Hart started out it was a case of ‘We ran speed yesterday, let's do strength tomorrow and then lets do over-distance’. The systematic approach has been developed over the years.
"I was a bit better for the distance runners. But it was a bit of flying by the seat of your pants, there was no systematic approach. But I had national champions before Michael Johnson.”
As with all coaches Clyde has had his regrets: "I probably made my biggest blunder in 1990. But hindsight is always 20:20. I had always dreamed of winning the national champs. I had Michael Johnson, Tyrell Davis and three pole-vaulters. That was not enough to win unless each of them won or got pretty high. We got second in the 4 x 100m and a half miler got second in 1min 47sec. Michael won the 200m, in second was Frankie Fredericks and then 45min later he ran a 43.4sec relay leg. If he'd run the 400m we'd have won.”
But Clyde knows if he had done things differently history may have run a different course: "In 1995 he [Michael] wanted to double at the Olympics. I said, 'Why don't you think about winning the 200m or 400m?' He said that had been done and that he wanted to do them both. He won both at the World's in Gothenburg. If he'd run it in 1990 and got second we'd have won. But may be it would have soured him and then he'd have not gone on with the event [the 400m].
Page 3: The learning process & The system
The learning process
Clyde has always been a scholar of coaching and looked to learn and improve.
He said: "I thought, 'There has got to be a better way to train the 400m people. I am not training people to produce Olympians, I am doing it to produce a team for the university, our job is to produce a good collegiate team.
"Talking to coaches around the world I came up with the best things people are doing to train 400m people. We have cleaned it up here and there and learned a bit. But basically the program we use is the same as 30 years ago but a bit better. We have got it better. The rest factor has changed because we are learning all the time.”
The system
Clyde has developed a highly successful framework that leads to success: "Virtually every Monday we are going to do 200ms. In our system we have a year round program. We do get some kids who have been playing football. One ran 45.1sec - he'd played football all Fall and I got him in the January.
"We start in the fall. Our college season is on until June - about six weeks to two months out from here.
"From September to December is basic training. The four to five weeks up to October they are on the grass areas, running ideally on a slight hill. They build basic conditioning with aerobic work. Aerobic ability is important. The 400m is not just about anaerobic - that view is antiquated.
"From what I have learned in the last 30 years I am not learning much new knowledge but my knowledge is being reinforced. Coaches today are not smarter than in the past but they have a bigger vocabulary. We used to do ‘related work’ - now we do ‘plyometrics’, everything has a label to it and science proves what we're doing.”
Clyde believes the principles of training are the same for many events: "I trained Michael Johnson like I trained a four minute miler. A four minute miler was doing a lot of the same things Michael Johnson was - a lot of the same things in training but more of them.
"Everything in the program is based on progression or regression.”
This gives Clyde his first ‘golden rule’: "The best coaching advice I have ever had is 'Go from quantity to quality'. That is for anything you ever do for a sprinter, quarter miler, miler or whoever. You get a base of quantity and go to quality.
"Right now [October 11] we are doing quantity - 30min running each day. That could be 6 x 5min run or 2 x 15min run, running some stadium steps and plyometrics. They are going to be in good shape.
"On Monday is 200ms. Then for two days a week for six weeks we are on the grass doing over distance work. We want to keep the oxygen uptake there. Some kids have never gone beyond 200m but they are going to do some half mile runs.
"I'm not interested in how fast they run their half mile runs. I'm interested in what they come through 400m in during their half mile runs. I put them down a cone at a quarter mile. I tell them what to go through in.”
Clyde is very clear that ‘training’ is just that – it is where you get fitter, not where you prove yourself.
"We race when they fire the gun, we train to train.”
So there are not big hang ups on what the training times are at this stage: "I say, 'Come through [400m] in 70sec and then see what you can finish in'. Some of them die, some finish strongly. Then you say come through in 69 or 68. When you have got the point where they are hitting half a mile comfortably instead of saying, 'We are now going to do 1100m' you say ‘It's 750m’. Then they come through faster. You don't have to tell them to do that. They give it a bit more as they know they are not running as far. Then you cut it to 700m.
"By the time we are taking them to train on the track I want them to be running a 600m. Then we stay at that until they have got their 400m time down.
"In March-April-May we get down to 450m. That's still 50m further than they will run in a race.
"From March we never run more than 450m. I give them 50m more than they need. They may be do two of them with a 10min break. Each one is in 57-58sec. We tried 15min and then cut it to 14min, 13min...I found that they could handle 10min. Michael could handle 6min to 8min rest. At his best he would run 2 x 450m in 50sec with 8min rest.
"The longest workout we have ever done - not counting warm up and warm down - would be under 20min, I think we have never worked more than 20min. That's not counting the Fall phase.”
Page 4: The 200m session
The 200m session
The 200m session is bread and butter work for Clyde’s 400m runners. It also reveals a lot about his training ethos – the emphasis on controlling the level of the work rather than flogging his athletes hard.
He explained the way it works: "The first time we do 15 in 35sec for the guys and 38sec for the women with a little over 2min rest. We run them as a five man relay - that means they can't go off to the rest room and they can't go and be sick.
"By accident I came across the greatest instrument - coach beeper. It is a box with a horn on it. You set a time and it will go off every however-many seconds. I got it for the distance kids so I could see how they were going while I was working with the high jumpers."
He could set it to go each 8sec, for example, for what should be a 64sec 400m pace session, and with cones each 50m he could see if they were running at the right pace.
"They keep going until they have run the number of 200ms they need to do. We call it a cold weather work out because you don't get cold - you can keep your sweats on to do it.
"One of the kids would run 28sec for one and the next would be 32sec. I didn't like the fact they were inconsistent but they still got the workout done.
"One day I said it was 8 x 200m in 28sec. They would run one in 26 then one in 32 to take a rest and that was not doing what I wanted. I introduced coach beeper and said he would be running 7sec for each 50m.
"The first time they were 15m ahead at the cone. By number six they were back on the beeper and a number of them were struggling. On number eight one guy actually leaned to beat the beeper on the line. I looked around and couldn't see the rest of them. They were all lying around or being sick. Even pace is harder than running hard and then taking a break. The rule is now they can't get more than two strides ahead of the beeper or I stop it.”
The second golden rule Clyde has is this: "Speed and strength are synonymous. Or put the other way strength and speed are synonymous."
The 200m session sees the target time being the number of reps plus 20. For example, 8 in 28sec, 10 in 30, or 15 in 35sec.
"Michael Johnson did eight in 28 in 2000 and he did the same in 1987. It is for training the body, it is not he couldn't go any faster. He could have been doing 5 in 25sec but where was he going to go? He would hit a wall. It is about the amount of work being done. You can use a whistle and a watch or a watch with a beeper.
"By mid-May it is 5 x 200m in 25sec for the top kids. If you have got five people per team you only get 1min 40sec rest rather than the 2min 20sec for the 35sec efforts. You have got to go faster with shorter rest. There are only a handful that can do five in 25sec. Michael got down to three in 23sec before Atlanta. He was taking 1min 30sec rest and did it from a dead start not a rolling start as a relay.
"Other kids have tried four in 24 and not managed it. It depends on how you time it. It should never be a race and never be a time trial. It is a progressive session.”
Page 5: From Blue Monday to Tuesday, speed and strength are synonymous
From Blue Monday to Tuesday
Clyde does not have the sessions on given days by chance there is method to what is done when. Clyde explained the thinking behind Tuesday’s training. He also gave proof of how conditioning is key.
He said: "Monday is a good day to do the session. We used to do it on Tuesday's. They race Saturday and rest Sunday so Monday ought to be a good work out. But they complain and moan on a Monday - we call it ‘Blue Monday’ as they gripe and moan. By Tuesday most of the kids have got it out of the system.
"Tuesday is an over distance day. We start it early in the year doing the half miles and cutting it down, moving the finish cone, getting shorter but faster. We do them in sets of two. The half milers may do more sets but with the same principle.
"For 400m we do 2.5 times race distance so workouts are about 1000m long but we can go well over that when building the base.
"I'll give you two examples of why these workouts work. We don't have the luxury of going in the lab to measure VO2max or lactate every day.
"The very first year I put it in the 200m workout we had our mile [4 x 400m] relay team run 3min 12sec mid-April - that's a 48sec average. It was going to take 3min 10sec to win the Texas relays. We had always put off speed work until two weeks before the Texas relays but we kept postponing our speed work because of the bad weather. The kids kept saying ‘We have not done our first speed work’. One kid said: ‘All we have been doing is those stupid 200s’. They had done seven in 27. As I have said I believe that strength and speed are synonymous. We had been doing drills and quick step work in the gym.
"We got in a battle with Texas Southern in the relays and finished in 3min 6.8sec - a dead heat.”
The team had averaged 46.7sec per 400m leg.
Clyde revealed: "On the way back I asked our anchor leg runner, "How did you feel, you were worried about not being quick and fast?" Without hesitation he said, ‘Number five.’ I asked what he meant and he said he felt like he was running number five of the 27sec efforts. That was in 1975.
"Six in 26sec still hurts even for Michael Johnson. The 400m is a phosphate race. You can replenish your reserves even if you take a short rest.
"In 1997 in the third week of April Michael ran 43.68sec. Michael had not run faster than 28sec for 200m - he had done drills and 40 yard sprints and he had done hills. I also had a collegiate runner do 45sec the same day so it was not just Michael.
"Speed and strength are synonymous."
Page 6: Faster work and injuries
Faster work and injuries
Clyde has had to work out ways to ensure the athletes reach the races fit – and that includes injury free.
Clyde said: "This system was working for him [Michael Johnson] but he was getting hurt doing 150m to 100m one day a week. So we changed his stretching and weight room routine. By 1990 he was injury free. Michael only ran 100m twice. He ran 10.11sec in the prelims at Waco but hurt his hamstring before he ran the final. At Knoxville he wanted to run the 100m, he ran 10.08sec but injured his hamstring again. That is why he never ran a lot of 100ms. From 100m to 400m is too far apart.
"We decided that nothing was to be all out except the relay exchange practices and starts. We would go from 15m to 60m run hard off blocks on the bend prior to competition. Other than that it was 400m type workouts.
"We did some 150m build ups or 50m hard, 50m relax, hard 50m."
"He didn't do a lot of speed work, he did a lot of hard work. The rest of them were doing the same workouts.”
Clyde was asked about Johnson’s training before running 19.32sec for 200m and said that this was still the case then.
Clyde said Johnson would not go flat out in training and that it was not desirable to do so: "We were not trying to set world records [in training] we were interested in getting fast. Michael Johnson can't run as fast as he can race in training. It has got to be sub-maximal. You need to slow it down and get more work done. I have nothing against doing faster 200m intervals but it can be done the other way.
"We don't do full racing speed or time trials but after training we will do 4 x 40m hard with 30sec rest. I tell them that's their reward for a good workout.”
Page 7: The 350m session
The 350m session
Clyde coaches with a mix of science, intuition and humor. His sense of fun comes out as he tells the story of why his athletes moved from a 300m session to doing 350m runs.
He said: "The workouts changed because of what research said. Many people get into their mind that running 300m is a 400m workout. It is not. It's a long speed workout. 3 x 300m is a 400m workout - or the last one is. But why waste the three others? You need a hard run of 40sec to get anaerobic. There is not a quality sprinter who won't run better than 40sec for 300m in practice so they are not getting lactate until the second or third. So the next time they came to the workout of 352 yards [300m] I had moved the cone to 350m. The first kid hadn't noticed and went off as though it was 300m and then at 320m it was like he had been shot.”
Clyde’s sense of humor was really shining through as he related the tale: “When he got off his knees and came through the finish he was saying some very bad things about the stadium manager for putting the cone in the wrong place.”
Clyde then explained what he had done and why.
"The guys were coming through in 28sec and running 48sec to 350m so they had 8sec of lactate build up. They were doing four off 5min to start.
"I got the ladies to run the same distance, they were running 31sec and 51sec."
Due to hitting 40sec earlier than the men the girls were filling up with lactic acid earlier and not hitting targets. They had 15sec of build up. It is about the amount of time spent in lactate. So the men do 350m and the women 300m.”
But the women do not get off so lightly! Clyde seems to enjoy adding a twist to their session: "The men do 350m x 3. The women do 300m, 300m then 350m. Why 350m on the last one? Because they have got all day to go throw up then.”
"Michael would run 3 in 45 sec off 5min. When he ran three in 43sec off 4min I knew he had never done that so I knew he was in the best condition for running off lactate that he had ever been.”
Clyde underlined the principle of training not being racing. It is about preparing the body to race: "The body, like anything else, responds to stress. You can't put it under stress in a big competition and expect it to respond unless you have put it in stress in training.
"With the 350ms I can get three out of them. They can run them fast and take 5min off and do another. Cutting the rest is the way to progress. Michael tried 3min recovery once and it got to him more than anything."
Page 8: Using 300m runs
Using 300m runs
While 300m have limitations in terms of conditioning for a 400m race Clyde uses them for other purposes: "The 350m is not done each week. We also do 300ms - it is not as good for conditioning but it is not that 300m can't help at 400m. I call them event 300m, they go through in 28sec and 300m in 40sec. They have got to run faster in the third 100m.
"After 50m nothing is going to happen to your body that can hurt you. Whether you run 7/8sec or 9/10sec nothing much different happens to the body. Someone that gets out hard for 50m then gets their breath and relaxes, will always be better than someone who comes out slow and has to get hard to hit the time for the first 100m.
"The second biggest mistake 400m runners make is not going out hard enough.”
Clyde broke off to tell us the biggest mistake made by 400m runners: "There is no bench to take a rest on in lane 9, so don't go out too fast. If you are slow at 200m you have got time to make it up. If you are too fast you have got a problem.”
Then it was back to the Event 300ms: "In the session they run 50m hard then back off for 150m then back on to get the 7sec beeper. Then with 28sec at 200m they start to use their arms a bit more so they are 2sec faster than the beeper at 300m.”
This simulates 400m running.
Page 9: The four Ps & Stride length
The four Ps
Clyde has a simple way of remembering the key points of 400m racing: "There are four Ps of 400m running: Push - the first 50m. Pace - 200m at target time. Position - the race starts at 200m so move into position. Then Pray – there’s no more that can be done so pray that you keep technique and drive through the line.”
Stride length
One thing many people have noted about Michael Johnson was his distinct stride. Clyde spoke about the key principles of 400m technique.
He said: "Don't try to overstride and try to get to the finish line too quickly. There is not a big jump at 300m. The biggest strides are taken by the 100m runners. Distance runners take shorter strides - shorter strides are more efficient.
"You need to get your footstrike right. It needs to be under your centre of gravity. It won't be too far back as you will fall over if it is.”
So Clyde said try to pull your footstrike back – if you end up on your nose it is too far back! That is not the same as removing all knee lift though – it’s that which allows you ‘time’ to get your foot down rather than it hitting the ground in front of you.
"One thing Michael could do different to other sprinters was his recovery leg came through quicker than any of the others. If your foot is hitting too far forward it is hitting the brake.”
Page 10: Targeting the 400m World record
Targeting the 400m World record
Clyde told us the tale of the 400m world record that many thought Johnson was capable of long before he broke it. From it comes the story of another of Hart’s tricks to boost fitness.
Clyde said: "In 1999 he decided he wanted to break the world record. But he got injured and didn't run another race before Seville - so it shows you can race train and not race to run your best. He had run 43.39 at Gothenburg in his seventh race so he could have broken the world record. In Seville his splits were 21.2sec and 31.7sec. In the semi-final his splits were 21.0sec and 31.5sec and then he walked in. The way he ran on that could have been sub-43sec. But he'd decided that he wanted to do it in the final.
"So [in order to help break the WR] in 1999 we put in an additional drill. He'd run 37/38sec to 300m, then take 1min and then have to run under 12sec [for 100m]. He'd take 5min rest and do three. He got down to 11.2/3sec. We had started it early in the year because your body learns and adapts.”
But Clyde also knows that more is not always better.
"Once we were in another catch up situation. We went to three work outs a day getting ready for the championships for about 11 days. He would work out in the morning, do running in the early afternoon and lift after that."
But after that 11 days Johnson was cooked and went back to a more normal routine.
Clyde learned other ways of getting extra fitness out of his athletes. He took pieces of knowledge from one area and applied them elsewhere.
"When a guy I coached said he wanted to break 4min [for a mile] I said you have got to know what it feels like to run at that speed so he ran 15 x 200m in 30sec off 30sec rest. It got his body settled at running at 30sec pace, he got to doing 24 at that pace.”
Hart adapted this for use by Johnson to add endurance to his training given even he could not sustain three sessions a day!
"After practice we would do a 30sec 200m as part of the cool down for Michael. Then he did a 30sec 200m, 30sec rest and then another one. He said that hurt more than the workout! That little extra push made a difference. You don't have to be 10% better than your opponent, you just have to be 1% better. We even got to a point of doing 3 x 30sec 200m and two sets.
"The Australian scientists have come to the conclusion that the 400m is more aerobically demanding that people had ever thought.
"Only 10% of the 400m is anaerobic. But the more aerobic work you do the more training you can do and that comes out in competition.”
Page 11: In the gym - no short cuts & Conditioning the key
In the gym - no short cuts
Clyde told how Johnson developed his weight training routine. He said: "In 1988 Michael didn't like to lift. He was just doing the routine - just doing what he had to. He needed a long term plan. Other people were using drugs.”
The significance of 1988 was that it was the year of the scandal of Ben Johnson’s positive test in the Seoul Olympics. Hart and Johnson knew it would take hard work to stay clean and beat the drug cheats.
"So I said we have got time to get where you need to be if you work in the weight room. This registered and he spent a lot of time working on his abs and hamstrings. He was a demon in the weights room for five years. My assistant would work out with him and it was something else to see them work out in that room - there were no short cuts. People think there are short cuts but people who want instant results are not going to get there."
Conditioning the key
Clyde kept going back to the theme of conditioning being key. He said: "Your body has two engines. One burns oxygen the other is anaerobic. The longer you can use engine one the more that delays going on to engine two.”
‘Going lactic’ means a build up of waste products. Clyde likened this to the build up of ash in a fire that then inhibits the proper burning of the remaining fuel. Going to the anaerobic system means more build up of lactate which is like the ash. So the late you move to the anaerobic system the better.
Clyde said: "I had thought you would have to train fast to run fast. I no longer think that. You have to know how to run fast and you need a coach who teaches you to run fast. You need drills to enhance your fast twitch fibres but then it is a matter of conditioning.
"Michael ran a 0.6sec difference between his first and second 200m in the world record. He could do that because the difference between his 200m split and 200m speed was good. Even pace is the best way to run. You were never going to beat Michael Johnson by beating him to 200m."
Page 12: From 400m to 200m & drill and strength training
Switching from 400m to 200m in championships
It was hard to do specific training for 200m in major champs because of all the rounds including the 400m. But Hart had a few ways of helping that transition to occur.
"At Gothenburg we realized Michael had the slowest reaction time in his heat. We went to the warm up track and did reaction work. That still worked the nervous system and got him switched over from the 400m. The music he listened to for the 400m was a lot more mellow than for the 200."
Clyde Hart’s drills and strength training
In terms of drills Clyde keeps it simple. He said: "We do high skips, low skips - it is basic mechanical stuff - I have never seen a kid run sideways in a race yet. The backwards runs we do use. They do stretch out the hamstring and you push off with the feet. We don't do high bounds."
"We also do as many steps as you can in a small space - for example 10 yards."
Another drill his athletes do is what he calls 'Speedmakers'. For this you run the width of a football pitch as slow as you can. ‘Pitter patter’ (fast feet) into the corner then explode - no build up. Run 60 yards fast with full relaxation – what Clyde calls ‘jaw bounce’ as your face is fully relaxed. When you are at 60 yards stop using your arms. You are not putting on the brakes just relaxing and slowing down. Do 4 of these sprint. The 800m guys do 5 laps, then 4 then 3 then 2 then one.
The athletes do use the gym: "There are certain muscles that need strengthening in the weights room. We feel that abs are key and the upper body is more important than some people seem to think. We do hamstrings and compensate with the quads. There are a lot of pull-ups and dumbbell work, lots of flies, a lot of sit ups with weights."
In conclusion Clyde told us: "Very little of what I do is scientifically proven - it is based on 40 ye
I would love to have the 20 page document as well. Please send it to me at pb10286@web.de !! Thanks!!!
Hey if you still have any copies of Michael Johnson\'s training i would love to have em
Can you please send me a copy of Clyde Harts general training paper? Thank you sporting_skillz@yahoo.com
Is it possible to have a copy of the Clyde Hart training document ?
But isn't it possible to put in on a server in order to make it downloadable ?
Thx
thank you