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Coaches know that offseason adjustments are essential for keeping speed and sprinting programs effective. Maintaining high performance throughout the season can be challenging, which is why we turn to Tony Holler.

With 43 years of coaching experience across multiple sports and a member of the Illinois Track & Field Hall of Fame, Tony Holler created the revolutionary Feed the Cats program in 1999. 

His methods have transformed sprint training, and his ‘Feed The Cats: Developing a Practice Plan - Programming’ clinic shares some adjustments you can make to your sprinting workouts to ensure your athletes remain fast, fresh, and effective for the season.

Speed Workout

Speed Workout

The "Feed the Cats" speed workout focuses on short, intense bursts of effort, typically lasting 5-6 seconds, followed by full rest to allow ATP recovery for maximal performance.

This alactic approach is designed to avoid fatigue, ensuring athletes maintain top speed, as opposed to longer, lactate-building sessions.

X-Factor Workout

X-Factor Workout

X Factor workouts are high-intensity, short-duration sessions designed to maximize effort without causing fatigue or soreness the following day. 

The focus is on avoiding conditioning or submaximal work, ensuring that athletes remain fresh and perform at their peak during each exercise. 

Lactate Workout

Lactate Workout

Lactate workouts are high-intensity sessions focused on running at or faster than goal 400-meter pace, with incomplete rest to simulate the feeling of fatigue or "poison" during the final rep. 

The goal is to teach athletes how to maintain speed despite feeling uncomfortable, preparing them for the demands of longer sprints like the 400 meters. Thank you Coach Holler for sharing the clips from Developing a Practice Plan - Programming.

Never get out-coached,

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