100 Meter Sets Workout
One of my staple off-season conditioning workouts for sprinters and hurdlers involves sets of 100 meter sprints, and with the hurdlers I’ll include hurdles in the equation. This is a good workout also if you’re short on time, as it doesn’t take long to complete. Here’s what it involves:
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4 sets of 6×100.
In each set, sprint 100 meters, rest 30 seconds, turn around and sprint 100 meters in the other direction. Repeat four more times for a total of six reps.
Rest three minutes between sets.
The goal is to stay consistent, not to be exceptionally fast. The athlete should be able to maintain a certain pace for the whole workout. So, someone with an 11.00 personal best in the 100 meter dash, or with equivalent speed, should be trying to hit these in the 14 second range. In addition to staying consistent with the times, the athlete wants to stay consistent with running mechanics, not allowing for any breakdowns in form late in the workout. Staying on the balls of the feet with the ankles dorsi-flexed is most important.
This workout can be done on the track or on the grass, although grass is preferable just because it’s softer.
With hurdlers, I’ll often add a hurdle at midfield if I’m having them do the workout on the football or soccer field. Well, two hurdles – one facing one way, one facing the other, so that they’re clearing a hurdle each rep. The challenge then becomes staying consistent with the times even with the hurdle there, and not allowing themselves to stutter or stretch at each hurdle.
Generally speaking, in all off-season conditioning workouts, I like to add hurdles into the equation for the hurdlers just so they get used to the mental challenge that hurdles present. Hurdlers are hurdlers and sprinters are sprinters. They’re similar but they’re not the same.
Usually I’ll follow up this workout with some uphill sprints of about 50 meters. I’ll have my kids do maybe six of these, with walk-back recoveries.
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