how can i improve my 400meter times?

Answer 1

Many of the people who answered this question have given some pretty good advice but i don't know if any of them have actually run the event. This was my event in high school and college and i now run sub 50 sec. This event requires a lot of discipline as do most events. I had a very rigerious weekly schedule that wasn't set in stone but i followed most weeks. Everyday i would warm up with a mile to mile 1/2. then stretch (very key).
my work out on Mondays was mid distance ladders of 400, 600, 800. going up and down the ladder. If you can run a good 1/2 mile you can run an even better 1/4. on Tuesdays I would do at least 8-10 200m sprints and practice your starts, a lot of time can be saved with good starts. Wednesdays are the toughest, usually consisting of 8-10 400m sprints. Thursdays...more 200s, pretty much a Tuesday. Friday I would do some ladders of 100, 200 ,300 as well as a small distance workout of your choice.
After practice i would stretch again and go in the weight room. It was a very tough schedule and you wont be able to start at the high reps. Really if you can find a good workout that works for you and stick to it, you will get faster. Running this race is about finding little problems and fixing them. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Well, the 400m is one of my favorite events. It is the perfect balance between speed and stamina and it takes a long time to master. So first off, how long have you been running the 400? The first time I ran, I got 66, then took it down a full second, and I'm sure I could do more.

For the 400, you have to find the right pace. If you can't sprint the whole thing, you could work on stamina. That would really help. Also, find the right pace for yourself, and stick with it. For the 400m, lots of people tend to go too slow at the beginning. I sprint the first 100 then stride out the next straight and then make a mad dash for the finish. The important thing is to get the speed in there because the 400 is a sprint. Before the home stretch, I like to get in at least 50m of easy running (when I say easy, I mean pretty fast, but not all out) before taking off.

There are also three parts of a sprint which you should look at

Stride length: Practice butt kicks, high knees, skipping, and exaggerated strides

Leg turnover: Speed is gained by practicing foot exercises and just running. Be careful not to do too much full out sprinting because it can hurt you if you do too much. Leg strength will help with this as well. Try this: Take one big step forward with one foot, then bend your knees so you move closer to the ground, then slowly back up. Do 20-30 reps in between rests and train both legs. This will get your legs a little stronger and faster.

Endurance: Not really endurance like a distance runner, but you should try to keep up top speed for as long as possible. if you seem to falter near the end of the race, that's normal, but not good. Either your lungs are getting tired or your legs are. In the 400, it is equally important to have good speed and be able to keep that speed up as long as possible. Try effective breathing to get as much oxygen as you can. Cellular respiration (the process by which cells make energy) requires oxygen and if you don't have enough, your cells will stop making energy. If you cramp, try breathing regularly, eg. every 3 steps or so. If your legs get tired the leg strength exercises will help.

Also have fun out there and that will make things much more enjoyable and easier to improve.

Answer 3

You need to train. You must do speed intervals, stress intervals and pace intevals. The 400 is a sprint, and you must train your body to tolerate high levels of lactic acid. Running from 150 to 320 meters will enable you to do this, plus in the early season you can do 450 and 500 meters. Your workouts depend on the time of the season and how you are responding to the training. Repeat 200 is good because you can work on your race pace and train yourself to run relaxed at a fast speed. Some workouts can be: 5x200 with 200 walk for rest; 10x150 walk back to the start for rest; 4x400 walk 400 for rest; 2x320 as fast as you can run resting 10-15 minutes between; 3x450, or 3x500, running the 400 about 5 seconds slower than your 400 race time, with 10 minute rest; 4x300 at race pace with 4 minute rest. You can do combinations like, 200-250-300-400-300-250-200. You can do 450,400,350,300,250,200. There are lots of intervals.

Answer 4

I saw lester gave you some good advice so I was getting ready to move on.
UNTIL
I saw someone told you to run XC. DO NOT run XC if the 400m is your main race. Get a good off season program going like lester told you. Every few days you can go for a 30-40 minute JOG(not run), but you dont need to put in the miles a XC team will have you do and you DONT need to do the long intervals a XC team will have to do.
You need to get in hill workouts, stadiums, plenty of pyos, intervals 4-600m, a lot of form work, weights, etc...
If you need more help Ill be glad to give you some more detailed tips or suggest a good track coach in your area.
Also check and see if the track coach has an off-season program or if there is a club team you can workout with in the off-season.

Answer 5

in the pre-season, you need early strength/speed endurance called a development phase.
You need to run a series of 200m reps,e.g 2 x 3 x 200m reps with a 3-minute recovery between runs and a 20-minute gap between sets.
Also
power-orientated sprinting technique drills, such as tire-pulling,plus varied weights with the main emphasis on developing power.
Circuits are an important part of training mix. (Various exercises, implemented on a very short recovery basis:) press ups, standing squats, squat thrusts, burpees, etc.

training programme
Monday: Weights
Wednesday: Track: 5 x 300m, 5 mins rec
Friday:Technical session sprint drill
Week 2
Monday:Weights: heavier, with fewer reps than on Week 1
Wednesday:Technical session sprint drill,
Friday:Aerobic session: 6 x 600m on grass

Answer 6

To be able to handle the intense training sessions before the track season starts, you need to build up a good base. The best way to do that is to go out for cross country in the fall. Yeah, I know you only need to be able to run 400 meters and not 5,000; but the extra endurance and body strength is what is needed to survive all of the sprint training and to be able to blow pass people in the last 100 meters. You may even find out that the 800 or 1500 is your best race.

Answer 7

properly you ought to do greater lie 4 hundred repeats or 800 repeats and stuff like that sprinting yet for a protracted time that must be a sprint greater suitable than 400m..thats what my coach tells me yet i run the 800 yet there are some 4 hundred runners that run with me so i assume you ought to objective that

Answer 8

Speed work and upper body strength.