400m Hurdles Critique

Track & Field 400m
1

Please find below a setup I’ll be running for my 400m hurdles for the next 40 days. The setup is the first compitition phase of our season and will run from September 11 to October 28. There will be 11 compititions in this period, although most are not significant. The compititions of significance are on: Sep 27, Oct 7, Oct 18, Oct 28.

11-Sep M Short Speed Endurance 85% SE “3 x 60m 3 x 80m 3 x 100m” Over hurdles 5 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

12-Sep T Speed Endurance 90% - SE2 (SE2) “2 x 300m 1 x 350m” 20 min Rest per rep

13-Sep W Speed or competition ATP 6 x fly 20m 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

14-Sep T Rest

15-Sep F Run Throughs

16-Sep S Competition

17-Sep S Rest

18-Sep M Strenght - Gym (small load)

19-Sep T Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) SE2 3 x 500m (300m Over hurdles, 200m sprint) 20 min Rest per rep

20-Sep W Power - Functional (Sled)

21-Sep T Short Speed Endurance 85% (SE) SE “5 x 120m 2 x 150m” Over hurdles 5 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

22-Sep F Speed Endurance 95% (SE1) SE1 3 x 250m Over hurdles 15 min Rest per rep

23-Sep S Alactic Speed AS “5 x 30m 4 x 40m” 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

24-Sep S Rest

25-Sep M ATP Speed ATP “5 x fly 20m 5 x 30m” 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

26-Sep T Run Throughs

27-Sep W Competition

28-Sep T Strenght - Gym (small load)

29-Sep F Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) SE2 3 x 450m 300m Over hurdles, 150m sprint 20 min Rest per rep

30-Sep S Power - Functional (Sled)

1-Oct S Rest

2-Oct M Short Speed Endurance 85% (SE) SE “3 x 60m 3 x 80m 3 x 100m” Over hurdles 5 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

3-Oct T Speed Endurance 90% SE2 “2 x 300m 1 x 350m” Over hurdles 20 min Rest per rep - Rest per set

4-Oct W Speed or competition AS “4 x 30m 4 x 40m 4 x 50m” 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

5-Oct T Rest

6-Oct F Run Throughs

7-Oct S Competition

8-Oct S Rest

9-Oct M Strenght - Gym (small load)

10-Oct T Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) SE2 3 x 500m (300m Over hurdles, 200m sprint) 20 min Rest per rep

11-Oct W Power - Functional (Sled)

12-Oct T Short Speed Endurance 85% (SE) SE “5 x 120m 2 x 150m” Over hurdles 5 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

13-Oct F Speed Endurance 95% (SE1) SE1 15 min Rest per rep

14-Oct S ATP Speed ATP 6 x fly 50m 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

15-Oct S Rest

16-Oct M Alactic Speed “5 x 30m 4 x 40m” Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

17-Oct T Run Throughs

18-Oct W Competition

19-Oct T Strenght - Gym (small load)

20-Oct F Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) SE2 3 x 450m 300m Over hurdles, 150m sprint 20 min Rest per rep

21-Oct S Power - Functional (Sled)

22-Oct S Rest

23-Oct M Short Speed Endurance 85% (SE) SE “3 x 60m 3 x 80m 3 x 100m” Over hurdles 5 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

24-Oct T Speed Endurance 90% SE2 3 x 400m Over hurdles 20 min Rest per rep

25-Oct W Speed or competition AS “5 x 30m 4 x 40m” 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set

26-Oct T Rest

27-Oct F Run Throughs

28-Oct S Competition

Could you all please have a look and give some feedback. It will be much appreciated. this setup is run for high school hurdlers.

2

just a thought, if i was one of your hurdlers i would wonder if and when (presumably done already) i will be working on stride pattern for races. My limited experiance tells me this is most mportant. I am imagining alot of work has already been done and will be concentrated on when working with longer recoveries.

3

Jim, thanks for the comment. We have already done a lot of pattern work. The focus for the next couple of weeks will be working at race paces. Most of the hurdle work will take a Speed/Special Endurance form. The majority of races in this competition phase will not be hurdles, but indeed flat 400’s. The serious hurdeling only starts in Feb nex year.

4

Jim, thanks for the comment. We have already done a lot of pattern work. The focus for the next couple of weeks will be working at race paces. Most of the hurdle work will take a Speed/Special Endurance form. The majority of races in this competition phase will not be hurdles, but indeed flat 400’s. The serious hurdeling only starts in Feb next year.

5

i dont know about the level af your athletes(elite??)

I just looked for thew fisrt week, but its HARD!!
2x SE then speed.
that is way more than i’d ever do.
luckilly i saw some easy days after that…

Whats your templáte?
21st sept-28 sept seems hard.
speed 85%= lactic 10 runs
than next day 3x250H in 95% with ONLY 15’rest.
than next day alactic work.

i would take these hard workout a part, or start with the alactic 1st in the micro cycle.(after resting or easy(weight?) day)

These 3consequtive days just seem too hard.
Fysicly and metally.
i am not sure how your athletes handle this, from personal experiance, after lactic work i dont want to do another lactic session.

then about yous SE hurdle work
I mean you almost cant run lower than 100% effort on long hurdle runs, because of stride patern. or are you using it as a non specific workout? Wich i find rather strange if you would.

6

i just saw it about high school athletes.
If possible skip half the programm in the last 2,5 weeks for a taper effect.

7

Pinda, how do you mean skip? Skip in terms of reps and sets or skip certain days?

8

cut your workouts in half.

9

Something i’d like more interms of a cycle

7-Oct S Competition
8-Oct S Rest
9-Oct M alactic work + Strenght - Gym (small load)
10-Oct T Short Speed Endurance 85% (SE) SE “5 x 120m 2 x 150m” Over hurdles 5 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
11-Oct W Rest
12-Oct T Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) SE2 3 x 500m (300m Over hurdles, 200m sprint) 20 min Rest per rep
13-Oct F weights small loads/ tempo variation??

14-Oct S ATP Speed ATP 6 x fly 50m 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
15-Oct S Speed Endurance 95% (SE1) SE1 15 min Rest per rep
16-Oct M rest
17-Oct T Alactic Speed “3 x 30m 2 x 40m” Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
18-Oct W Competition
19-Oct T Strenght - Gym (small load)
20-Oct F Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) SE2 3 x 450m 300m Over hurdles, 150m sprint 20 min Rest per rep

this what i’d think of a more distributed load for you r athletes. your comp = mainly 400 you say so that counts as a SEII

yor hurdle SE work i think could be shorter/ or in lesser reps(3x5 hurdles+150 or just 2 long with full rec)

10

Thanks for the comments Pinda. The template is really for 110/100m hurdles. I agree with your comments, I will rework it a bit over the weekend and post it on Monday for your comments.

11

Pinda, I’ve reworked it a bit. What SE1 workout would you recommend? I was thinking of doing the SE1 without hurdles, as I already have a fair bit of hurdles in the program. The competitions in bold print are the ones where I need peaks. Do you think the loads are ok for high school girls?

19-Sep T Alactic Speed 3 x 30m + 2 x 40m Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
20-Sep W Rest
21-Sep T Strenght - Gym (small load)
22-Sep F Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) 3 x 450m (300m Over hurdles, 150m sprint) 20 min Rest per rep
23-Sep S Rest
24-Sep S Rest
25-Sep M Alactic work + Strenght - Gym (small load) 3 x 30m + 2 x 40m Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
26-Sep T Short Speed Endurance 85% (SE) 5 x 120m + 2 x 150m Over hurdles 5 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
27-Sep W Rest
28-Sep T Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) 3 x 500m (300m Over hurdles, 200m sprint) 20 min Rest per rep
29-Sep F Weights small loads/ tempo variation??
30-Sep S ATP Speed ATP 6 x fly 50m 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
1-Oct S Speed Endurance 95% (SE1) 15 min Rest per rep
2-Oct M Rest
3-Oct T Alactic Speed 3 x 30m + 2 x 40m Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
4-Oct W Competition
5-Oct T Strenght - Gym (small load)
6-Oct F Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) 3 x 450m (300m Over hurdles, 150m sprint) 20 min Rest per rep
7-Oct S Competition
8-Oct S Rest
9-Oct M Alactic work + Strenght - Gym (small load) 3 x 30m + 2 x 40m Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
10-Oct T Short Speed Endurance 85% (SE) 5 x 120m + 2 x 150m Over hurdles 5 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
11-Oct W Competition
12-Oct T Rest 3 x 500m (300m Over hurdles, 200m sprint) 20 min Rest per rep
13-Oct F Weights small loads/ tempo variation??
14-Oct S Competition
15-Oct S Speed Endurance 95% (SE1) 15 min Rest per rep
16-Oct M Rest
17-Oct T Alactic Speed 3 x 30m + 2 x 40m Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
18-Oct W Competition
19-Oct T Strenght - Gym (small load)
20-Oct F Competition
21-Oct S ATP Speed ATP 6 x fly 50m 3 min Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
22-Oct S Speed Endurance 95% (SE1) 15 min Rest per rep
23-Oct M Rest
24-Oct T Alactic Speed 3 x 30m + 2 x 40m Rest per rep 10 min Rest per set
25-Oct W Rest
26-Oct T Strenght - Gym (small load)
27-Oct F Competition
28-Oct S Competition

12

if 27th is one of the last coms , you might consider some taper.
take some extra rest after the 14th october and just do workouts to prepare for the competition.
so some low workt, and hi intensity work has to be 98-100%.
and take more days off.
like this beore a comp.

whatever planned…
rest
rest
3x20 starts-1x40-1x60 ,just some alactic work.
comp

13

Pinda, I’ve reworked it again taking your suggestions into consideration. How does this look?

23-Sep S ATP Speed 6 x fly 50m (5 min rest)
24-Sep S Rest
25-Sep M Alactic work + Strenght - Gym (small load) “3 x 30m 2 x 40m (5 min rest)”
26-Sep T Short Speed Endurance 95% (SE) “3 x 60m 2 x 80m 1 x 100m”
27-Sep W Rest
28-Sep T Over distance - Long SE 80% (SE2) 3 x 500m (20 min rest)
29-Sep F Weights (Small loads) + Tempo
30-Sep S ATP Speed 6 x fly 20m (10 min rest)
1-Oct S Rest
2-Oct M Alactic work + Strenght - Gym (small load) “3 x 30m 2 x 40m (5 min rest)”
3-Oct T Short Speed Endurance 90% (SE) “3 x 150mH 150m (10 min rest)”
4-Oct W Competition Coetzenburg Series 1
5-Oct T Rest
6-Oct F Alactic Speed “3 x 20m Starts 1 x 40m 1 x 60m”
7-Oct S Competition Clover Top 20
8-Oct S Rest
9-Oct M Rest
10-Oct T Alactic Speed “3 x 20m Starts 1 x 40m 1 x 60m”
11-Oct W Competition Overberg Top 10
12-Oct T Rest
13-Oct F Alactic Speed “3 x 20m Starts 1 x 40m 1 x 60m”
14-Oct S Competition Boland TID
15-Oct S Rest
16-Oct M Alactic work + Strenght - Gym (small load) “3 x 30m 2 x 40m (5 min rest)”
17-Oct T Short Speed Endurance 90% (SE) “3 x 150mH 150m (10 min rest)”
18-Oct W Competition Coetzenburg Series IV
19-Oct T Alactic Speed “3 x 20m Starts 1 x 40m 1 x 60m”
20-Oct F Competition Bredasdorp Top 10
21-Oct S ATP Speed 6 x fly 30m (5 min rest)
22-Oct S Rest
23-Oct M Alactic work + Strenght - Gym (small load) “3 x 30m 2 x 40m (5 min rest)”
24-Oct T Rest
25-Oct W Rest
26-Oct T Alactic Speed “3 x 20m Starts 1 x 40m 1 x 60m”
27-Oct F Competition Matie Droommyl
28-Oct S Competition Moorreesburg Top 10

14

This setup has been working great. All the girls have been running great. All of them have dropped their times dramatically. One of the athletes, Sumari, 14 years old, had a pb of 66 before this comp phase, and have run two sub 61’s and one 60 so far. Friday she’ll be going for her first sub 60.

15

Great to hear things are going well.

let us know how friday will be going.