Charlie was remarking about how longer sprints seem daunting for kids…he recommended having kids do shorter sprints for a variety of reasons. I cannot find the specifics of this line of thinking. I found the quote, forgot to mark the thread, and am lost. Does anybody have any idea where this might be covered?
I don’t know specifically but know he talked about 100m was way too far and 200m…well don’t even go there. I recall him saying something like the kids to nab were the ones who were first to 10m and then died.
There’s a good chapter in Key Concepts called Training Plans over the Long Term. Here Charlie discusses how up until the age of 8, only distances up to 50m should be performed. A kid outperforming his peers over 100m is probably doing it due to superior endurance. ‘…it will likely be the runner with greater endurance, but lesser maximum speed, who will win the race, in other words, not the sprinter.’
From the Edmonton 2007 Charlie says "If you do not have the testosterone present and you train aggressively, GH has to take over the role of testosterone and it has to come from somewhere… the end result it limits growth. An example he gives is compare youth gymnast of non-gymnast background parents, they are usually alot smaller.
He produced one slide which came with the Edmonton video and produced for schools with recommendations for the support requirements piece (teachers, gyms, equipment), but also provides basic recommendations for distances and exercises for youth that I reference regularly.
I just had this conversation, a bit of an argument with a soccer mom whose daughter plays all year round and she was poking my wife and me as to why our daughter was the next few months off of team sports… she did not listen to my reasoning.
Charlie
I do volunteer coaching for track at our son’s local public school and one of the boys I coached was 2nd at the city finals for grade 6 in the hurdles. He was fast but could not hang with the true sprinters but still he had leg speed.
The most we would do would be 30 minutes a few times a week maybe 3 which consisted of a simple warmup with small jog ( 2 minutes max) arm circles, grape vine and easy drills over less than 15 meters. ( bumkicks, a skip and running A’s )
then a few strides very easy over say 4o meters, walk back, stretch and then a few hurdle drills done to get the feel
Max we did after that was up to 3 to 4 runs over 5 hurdles roughly 40 to 5o meters. Maybe 2 would be their max effort. I always timed the runs.
The next year he switched schools into grade 7 and the track coach began practice with a 5 k run! ( this was the warm-up) The boy started to hate track because his results went down the toilet. I took him back and had him skip practice and train with me and we did more of what he had done the previous year and the volume was small as per what I saw he needed. At most we did a few clap drills = you are on your tummy, I clap and the athlete runs from the sound. WE did this over say 10 and 20 meters. Its a great acceleration drill for all but esp kids. Charlie says it is idiot proof as everyone will benefit and improve with this drill. Plus everyone seems to love it and it is useful for all sports.
this was not an organized program, somewhat random in that we had a very small period of time but he improved right away and was able to salvage some of his season.
I had to make sure this boy understood that he was not the problem.
A good deal of serious food for thought here. Thanks to all. I also hope for a speedy and strong recovery for Charlie.
One of Charlie’s favorite lines which for the past 20 years I have found to be useful working with all types of people athletes or not.
Error on the side of less not more
You can always add but you can not take away.
The younger the person or less experienced will be at greatest risk if you fail to follow this rule
Ange