400m S-L questions

Charlie_Francis · April 10, 2009, 2:31pm

Although I didnt follow a strict 400m S-L approach, one of my winter seasons was to train purely as a 100/200m runner in order to bring my speed down (PBs 11.1/22.2/47.5) to make my 400m progress.

I did mainly weights and plyos in the GPP then moving onto short track work, hills and maintained aerobic work.

I started the season runnign ugly in 49.3 as I wanted to maintain the local champs title - but running 10.8 and 21.4 my speed had improved - my next series of 400s (I hadnt planned to do any but couldnt resist!) went - 47.6/46.9/46.5/46.4 and 44.7 relay - at the end of the season.

This showed that the development of SE on top of the speed realy moved me on. The following year we maintained the speed into the winter as i had finished off the season so fast and went on to impove down to 46.0 and 21.1.

Speed worked for me and I had alot less injuries during this time too.

That’s great. Speed is critical to lowering performances via the mechanism of speed reserve- as you can see. Of course, if you hadn’t competed at 400, you might not have realized what you were actually ready for!

tinsoldier · April 12, 2009, 12:05pm

Yeah it was good to see what a speed orientated approach could do. I was still very fresh at the end of the season too as opposed to previous seasons where I was pretty drained by the end.

Looking back I never shaved as much time off again as I did training i that way - 48.2 to 47.5 endurance based then 47.5 to 46.4 with the speed based approach.

This is how I coach my athletes now while others are still jogging along repping out the endurance we are working on speed as well with a more ends to middle approach with a speed emphasis.

I have a 100/200 guy who can out out mean 300m special endurance reps and the odd 4x4 relay split too.

yelood · April 13, 2009, 10:47pm

Taliban,

Was your S-L approach the same as outlined in Charlie’s 2006 400m template.

It’s a smart time to get down to 46.0.

Michael

Charlie_Francis · April 14, 2009, 9:19am

check the heading- it shoulds say 400m short to long at the top of the graph (there are both approaches in graph form.)

Stefan · April 14, 2009, 2:41pm

How can I get this graph? I have the Vancover and Edmonton downloads but its not in any one.

python023 · April 14, 2009, 3:31pm

I’ve tried PM’ing Rupert without luck. I also have those downloads and would like to have the plan but I’m not sure what to do.

jpspeeddemon · April 14, 2009, 7:37pm

i also PM’d Rupert a couple weeks ago about the S-L 400m graphs as i have the Vancouver and Edmonton downloads. i have not heard anything yet.
Sorry about getting a bit off topic.

John · April 14, 2009, 9:02pm

instead of PMing email info@charliefrancis.com

John · July 12, 2009, 1:33am

Charlie,
in your 400 S-L template for the SE you spend the first 10 workouts not running past 80m at a time then in week 6 you go session 1 to 100m then session 2 is a split run with 200m as the first part and then the 2nd session of week 7 is out to 300m. While the number of split reps drops and the total volume is similar that seems a comparatively fast progression. Why is that and not more in the 120-150- 180 range?

Charlie_Francis · July 12, 2009, 2:18pm

Anything is possible but remember that you adjust indoor to outdoor here and must be ready on time and the adjustment is not as dramatic as it seems when you consider the totality of the split runs.

RB34 · July 12, 2009, 2:56pm

Charlie do you have a problem with a lower level sprinter doing 80-120 in SPP1 on a indoor track. For example:

SPP1:
4 weeks:
3x4x60

4 weeks:
4x70
4x80
3x100
3x120

4 weeks:
3-4x60

Indoor comp:
3-5x70-80

Charlie_Francis · July 13, 2009, 3:26pm

I don’t like the turns as they can lead to back problems and ham injuries, especially for males

Track007 · July 13, 2009, 3:37pm

Hi Charlie

Would you have your 400m athletes on the S-to-L run speed sessions like 4x30 1x60 1x80 during the week in the outdoor season or did you more encourage an SE session like 4x30 1x300 with the speed coming from 100/200 competitions on weekends where no 400 race is planned?

vedette · July 13, 2009, 6:42pm

I am really frustrated regarding the 400 M S-L template. I have all the templates from both the Edmonton and Vancouver downloads. Neither of them has the 400 S-L template. Rupert says he has sent everything - there isn’t anything more. But John actually has the 400 S-L template, so it has to exist. Can anyone help on this?

tamfb · July 13, 2009, 10:15pm

Yes, check your box…

Charlie_Francis · July 13, 2009, 11:08pm

There has been considerable confusion about which files are out there and from where. I think John’s 400 S-to-L SPP prob came from the Australian seminars and prob wasn’t in any other files though we thought it was (Hell! We’ve created a lot of stuff!).
In any event, some of you have seen the S-to-L 400 program but none of you have seen the L-to-S 400 SPP graph.
Rupert and I will pull the appropriate graphs and create a new file which we will post here on the forum free as a thankyou to our forum members.
It should be ready shortly- hopefully by the end of tomorrow (July 14th)
I’ll be interested to hear the feedback on them. I can say that both SPPs have been used successfully in international competition exactly as you see them.

vedette · July 13, 2009, 11:13pm

Thanks very much, Charlie.

John · July 14, 2009, 2:41am

Correct, that is where mine came from along with the 400m L-S dated 2006.

oldspeeder · July 14, 2009, 7:37am

Rupert and I will pull the appropriate graphs and create a new file which we will post here on the forum free as a thankyou to our forum members.

Thanks Charlie and Rupert, that’s why you are # 1 in our book.

RB34 · July 14, 2009, 8:29am

I ask because last year I ran my fastest 60m times when I started to increase the sprint distance to 70-80m and compete in the 200m 2-3 times.

I think performing submax 100-120’s could help a lower level athlete.