400 Meter Track

racer501 · Post by **racer501** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 8:02 pm

Hey I run the 400 meter in track and sometimes the 4x4 and 200. We have started track and had our first meet last friday 400 time was 59.2. Not the fastest but way faster then previous years. I was wondering some good things to add besides our general running we do and minor lifting.

Lifting:
Arms: Stationary running, front raises, vertical rows (pulling it straight up while standing), cable rows, flies, and bench

Legs: Hip abduct and addcut, along with kick back and knee ups with weights, leg extention and leg curls

I was wondering if there were a few more exercises i could toss in there to help get times faster. I went from a 63 second 400 last year to a 57.9 or 58.1 not sure... I'm hoping to hit the same time difference from first meet to last and qualify since its last year.... Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!!!

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 8:13 pm

- you don't want to over do it
- best exercises you can do in the wt room are deadlifts, lunge variations and chin ups along with whatever technique and posture correction type exercises they give you...ni isolation or machine exercises like you listed

how does your schedule look training and competition wise/ do you play anything else? wt training will need to be scheduled around your other committments

racer501 · Post by **racer501** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:46 pm

well im only in track here during the spring. I work only the weekends so i don't were myself out. Our next meet is tomorow on a slightly smaller indoor track 160m. Our meet schedule from there on is as follows...

Tuesday March 25. Friday march 28. Thursday April 3. Thursday April 10th. Tuesday April 15. Friday April 18. Tuesday April 22. Friday April 25. Tusday April 29th. Friday May 2 (4x4 relay). Saturday May 10 (relay again). Monday May 10 last chance. Saturday May 17th EDC. State Friday may 23 & 24th

We train every day Mon-Fri days before a meet its just a light jog for 10 minutes to stay loose. Otherwise its a workout for running. I've got to get some instructions on what to do during our longer weekends.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:46 pm

well we're maybe looking at something like this:

Tuesday March 25 - wts wed
Friday march 28 - wts sun, tue
Thursday April 3 - wts sat, tue
Thursday April 10th - wts sat
Tuesday April 15 - wts wed
Friday April 18 - wts sun
Tuesday April 22 - wts wed
Friday April 25 - wts sun
Tusday April 29th - wts wed
Friday May 2 (4x4 relay) - wts sun, tue, thu
Saturday May 10 (relay again) - none
Monday May 10 last chance - wts tue, thu
Saturday May 17th EDC - wts mon, wed
State Friday may 23 & 24th

obviously you won't be training the house down wts wise during this time as you still need to be fresh for all the comp's coming up

you'd have to see what your coach thinks too

racer501 · Post by **racer501** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:31 pm

so basicly add some heavy deadlift, sqwat, lunges and pull ups to workouts those days?

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:25 pm

yeah...sets of 6 or so but keep 1 or 2 reps in the tank on each set i'd say until all your competiton stuff finishes...chin ups are better than pull ups too

racer501 · Post by **racer501** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:27 pm

chin ups are palms facing me pull ups are palms facing out right? just want to make sure i have it clear

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:48 pm

palms facing you...they are best correlated exercise to sprinting speed as it is training relative strength which is what sprinting basically is

racer501 · Post by **racer501** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:17 am

yeah right now i can't do 800 because were still indoor and there are limited spots for events. but at last meet i ran a 59.6 in 400 then in 4x4 that same meet i rand a 58.03 so close to the 57 i was hoping to hit at that meet. i just need to shave another 4 seconds off in 2 months the last 2 years i have run it i have cut big times from begining till end. first year a 63-59 second year 62-58 this year a i started out at 60 and have all ready hit a 58 so i might be able to break it faster then thought idk...

psykid15 · Post by **psykid15** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:30 am

the problem with the 4 x 4 time is that the clock doesnt start for your split until you have the baton about 5-10 meters into the track so that takes off about half a second. How have your times been recently?

ywkma · Post by **ywkma** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:07 pm

I dont know if the author is still reading this thread, but when I ran track I still did heavy lifting everyday (a lot lighter 2 days before a meet and rest the day before and day of) actually it was a 3x2 day rotation with a day off...except when the meets were, but I would just start right back where I left off. I ran the 400,200, and 4x4 and it really did help me continue to improve times. The key is the rest...and just because it worked for me doesnt mean it will for you obviously...