Guideline for training Junior athlete

Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
Preparation Phasing
Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü Racewalking is an endurance event.
ü The principal international racing distances for
Juniors (U20) are 10klm for men and 5klm for
women. Training is therefore aimed at increasing
cardiovascular capacity both aerobically and
anaerobically.
ü Also required is the development of upper body
strength, flexibility of shoulders, torso, hips and
legs for efficiency and range of motion. The final
objective and possibly the most important is that
of efficient technique.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü  For most Sub – Juniors, there should be an incremental
increase in distances raced as the athlete gets older
and progressively stronger. eg . U12 – 2klm, U14 –
3klm, U16 – 5klm, U18 – 10klm, U20 – 10klm. These
distances should not be advanced at each age level
thus allowing the athlete to grow and develop into the
sport progressively.
ü  Because strength and endurance levels increase with
age over a period of time, it is much wiser for Juniors to
stay within these race distance limitations unless that
athlete is exceptional and has the opportunity to be a
part of a senior international team. A Junior should
concentration racing within his age group.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü There is plenty of time to pit yourself amongst
the best in the world when you are fitter, faster
and stronger. The psychological impact of a
number of losses at senior level for a Junior
could be devastating.
ü Periodisation is a word used to explain the
division of the training year to meet short and
long term objectives.
ü It is usually broken up into 3-4 phases where
each phase represents a block of time allocated
to a particular work load or period
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
Phase 1
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü  Preparation phase where basic conditioning is established.
Possible long slow mileage with one hard race distance session
per week. There is no accent on racing throughout this period at
all. Technique, flexibility, mobility drills are to be emphasized
throughout. Strength work and good general conditioning are
required to toughen the body. Track work, fartlek sessions and
hill work are a good way to vary speed sessions.
ü  When getting back to the track for the first time after a break, start
slowly emphasizing technique as differing surfaces tend to induce
“shin soreness”.
ü  Track work and the degree of speed and distance and recovery
between reps should be monitored closely. It should also be
centered on race distances rather than over-distance. eg: race
goal 5,000m – 10,000m.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
Phase 2
ü Same as phase 1 except the long slow mileage
is reduced along with reduced weight training.
Continue conditioning training (circuits) and
increase specific race distance training.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
Phase 3
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü T ransition to Speed.
Brings the
introduction of speed work once or twice
a week for two weeks, then leading up to
eg. Championships.
ü Racing is important to establish “race
legs“, but without emphasis on results.
ü Maintaining good mileage is important
ü as long as it is of quality work.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
Phase 4
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü Track Work, Fartlek Sessions and Hill Work are
a good way to vary speed sessions.
ü When getting back to the track for the first time
for a long time, start slowly, emphasizing
technique as the different surface can induce
“shin soreness”.
ü Track work and the degree of speed and
distance and recovery between reps should be
monitored closely.
ü It should also be centred around race distance
rather than over-distance. eg. race distance
500m / 10000m.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
Phase 5 - Recovery
ü Usually a 4-6 week block
where of active rest /
recovery.
ü Keep away from races.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
Speed Training for walkers
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü Race period. It’s time to lighten back mileage
but maintain one good rhythm session per day.
ü Speed work can be done at 80 -100%,
ensuring that all sessions are monitored and
adjusted according to fatigue factors.
ü Try to finish each session feeling “toey “.
Never do another session just because you
feel good.
ü Save it for the race.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü  Typical Track Sessions can be of straight repetition
sets eg. 8 x 400m with 2 minute recovery, or a
Pyramid set (200, 400, 800, 400, 200) x 3 etc.
ü  With all Track sessions a suitable warm up should be
introduced covering 3-5 laps with drills / skills
reinforced along the way.
ü  A typical Track session will cover 3,600m of Speed
work for a Junior athlete along with approx. 2000m of
recovery between sets.
ü  With a Warm up and Warm down, you could assume
that the athlete has covered approx 8-9 klm in a
session
ü  More than sufficient for a Junior athlete (age 15-18).
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü Pyramid type sessions are quite beneficial as it easy
to step up the length of each rep as an athlete is
adapting and improving with a given workload.
ü Accordingly, recovery rates can be altered to
enhance a training effect on the same workout.
ü Speed factors on a long workout should not be
paramount, but the focus should be on good
technique at around or below race pace.
ü It helps to document each workout and use this
information as a referral for future workouts.
ü Ensure that each athlete has a diary and fills it out
daily.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
Fartlek sessions
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü Fartlek sessions can be done once or twice a
week while training is restricted to the roads. A
good way of doing this is to walk from light pole
to light pole maintaining good rhythm and then
short sharp burst between poles lengthening the
distance as you feel. Always give the athlete a
few kilometres to warm-up initially.
ü Secondly, you could use a stopwatch (on Road
or Track) and with a solid walk of say, 5 minutes,
then time consecutive reps at set intervals
allowing a good 5 minute recovery walk at the
end.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü Hill work involving timing a set distance on a
course that will give sustained climbing is also
very good once a week. This strengthens
heart and lungs and legs and could be used as
a good indicator of form.
Ensure that the
athlete has a good warm-up before setting out
up the course.
ü Speed work, once initiated through the
transition period really never has to be flat out.
ü Leave that to racing as many athletes leave
their best performances on the training track.
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Racewalking Training Manual for Junior Athletes
ü L eave a session with a feeling of
accomplishment rather than exhaustion.
ü It will make it easier to do the next session.
ü All work should be focused on Stride
Frequency, Stride Length, Hip Mobility,
Arm and Shoulder Drive, Body Position,
Posture
in other words
Technique, Technique, Technique.
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