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Track & Field/Questions Answered by Expert Ross Dunton
| Subject | Date Asked |
| 800 meter training (winter) | 11/16/2011 |
| Q: I have a sophomore in high school (6' and 150 lbs.)that has always played basketball during the ... A: Coach Walker, If possible in the winter he needs to run some simulated races. Without competition he ... | |
| Track and field off season weight lifting workouts | 11/7/2011 |
| Q: I coach at a Urban public school. I am trying to build a competetive girls track program. many of ... A: Coach Ahmad, My web www.coachr880.com has T&F training information on it. There is one article there ... | |
| Training | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if a decrease in speed is common after a hamstring tear or strain, and how to build ... A: Paul, You tore your hamstring because you accelerated while running on your toes. Proper running ... | |
| Sprinting Technique | 7/2/2011 |
| Q: When your running the 100 should you be trying to pump your arms and lifting your leg and if you do ... A: Paul, You should pump your arms. The arms should be bent 90 degrees at the elbow. They should be ... | |
| sprint training | 6/14/2011 |
| Q: I have a 14 yr old athlete that needs help .. he is an out fielder so his sport is baseball .. I ... A: Jonathan, The only way to get faster is to run faster than you normally can. You can do this by ... | |
| running hurdles | 5/4/2011 |
| Q: When i am doing hurdles i feel like i am bounding between them what can i do to sprint between the ... A: Paul, If you are going up and down when running you are most likely running on your toes. Going up ... | |
| Predictions | 4/5/2011 |
| Q: I ran a 56.4 indoor which could have easily been a 54 or 55 because i quit the last 5 meters and ... A: Paul, Based on what you wrote there is no way for me to predict what you will do in the future. What ... | |
| long jump | 4/3/2011 |
| Q: My daughter is in 9th grade and has been long jumping since 4th grade. What distance should she be ... A: Sandy, 14-15 feet is probably about average or slightly better for her age group. To be among the ... | |
| triple jump | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: My son is in seventh grade and does the triple jump. I'm curious as to what a good distance and the ... A: MR. Edwards, Unfortunately, I do not know what a good or average TJ distance is for his age group. ... | |
| Electronic timing of meets | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: Does electronic timing of meets speed up the running of events A: Jim, Yes, electronic timing does speed up the meet. When the race is over, with the electronic ... | |
| shot put | 1/30/2011 |
| Q: i was wondering how far you have to throw in shot put if ur a girl, or at least get recongized by ... A: Brianna, There is not a set distance. It will depend on whether it is a Division 1, 2 or 3 college. ... | |
| starting blocks | 1/26/2011 |
| Q: I have a question how big the first step out of the block should be? A: Dolores, Your first stride out of the blocks should be quick, powerful and natural. Don't try to ... | |
| Speed | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: i understand that your expertise is not in the 100m range, but maybe you can still help. I was ... A: Jordan, The only way to get faster is to run faster. The weight/strength training will not help. ... | |
| Track | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: I am coaching track and field this year for our middle school, and I am in need of some ideas for ... A: Sharon, My web www.coachr880.com has technical articles for all of the T&F events. Let me know if ... | |
| 100 meter dash and 800 meter run | 12/14/2010 |
| Q: I am conducting a study about mineral supplementation that may enhance physical performance of ... A: Renato, I have never seen or heard about any collection of data about non-athlete elementary pupils ... | |
| 400m | 12/5/2010 |
| Q: I am a Grade 8 and i am practicing 400m I want to run a under a minute 400m by june Could you ... A: Richar, For speed you should run the ten 100s twice a week. Run them as fast as you can then walk ... | |
| 400 meter | 11/14/2010 |
| Q: I am 52yrs old/male, I have a job walking all day about 80to 12 mile a day m-f. I would like to ... A: Orion, Walking that much in a day would make it tough to practice track the same day. My web ... | |
| ankle weights | 10/16/2010 |
| Q: Hey, I have had problems with shin splints in the past, and I was wondering if ankle weights ... A: Maggie, Your shin splints were not caused by the ankle weights. They were/are caused by running. It ... | |
| 100m dash | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: Hey, I am 15 years old and a freshman in HS. I can run the 100m dash in 13.46 seconds. What is ... A: Maggie, Do your weight/strength training after you run. For your arm work use the weight that you ... | |
| Athletics | 10/5/2010 |
| Q: COACH, What is the size of spikes that a person should buy should it be very tight or a little ... A: Nithin, Your coach/instructor should be answering your questions. This is the last one that I will ... | |
| Jumping pit sand | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: Ross, We are looking into replacing our "bad" hard sand in our school jumping pit. To keep the cost ... A: Jay, I suspect that you may have a problem with the sides and base of your pit that keeps the water ... | |
| Practice workouts | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: My son runs the 300& 500 indoors; personal bests 36.5 & 1:08 We have goals of 34/300 & 1:05/500; we ... A: Mark, I have to assume that you were not impressed by your son's coach and his training plan. My ... | |
| Discus Throw | 7/26/2010 |
| Q: I'm about to go into my junior year of high school and my PR for Freshman year was 90 ft. My PR is ... A: Pro, The first thing that you should do is to quit using the Olympic size discus. My web ... | |
| Diet | 7/5/2010 |
| Q: I am 14 years old, I am a 400m and 800m runner. What kind of foods should I be eating? Should I cut ... A: Ben, You should not change what you have been eating just because you are running. You can eat ... | |
| senior sprint training | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: I'm a senior athlete (64) and just won the CA senior Olympic triple jump. All of my training for the ... A: James, There are technical articles on sprinting and jumping on my web site www.coachr880.com They ... | |
| Summer Workouts | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: first of all I really appreciate what all the experts are doing for the people with questions like ... A: Luke, There are a number of different coaching/training experts including Clyde Hart. The training ... | |
| track | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: iam 21 years old from desert hot springs ca iam 6'0 and 219 i want to run track its always been a ... A: Sharome, It is not too late for you to start training to run track. It will take some time for you ... | |
| 100m and 200m training | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: my 100m time is 10.70 and my 200m time is 23.09, so as you see I really need to work on my speed ... A: Tim, The 100 and 200 are speed events and not strength events. You should do running sessions six ... | |
| 100Dash v 400dash | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: My son is 16 and does the long jump, 4X1, 4X2, and the 100 dash, sometimes he does the 200 dash. ... A: John, The training for the 400 is entirely different from the training for the 100 and 200. If he ... | |
| Hurdling form | 4/25/2010 |
| Q: I am a junior doing the 110 and 300 hurdles. I have not looked at the way I have hurdled and taken ... A: Luke, You are not getting your lead leg down fast enough. When you get on top of the hurdle you ... | |
| sprinting | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: My 18 year old son won state in the 100 and 200 meters last year. He never lost a race. His ran ... A: Jimmy, Your son probably has not fully recovered from his injury. When I tore my hamstring it took ... | |
| 400 dash | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: i am the 4th leg of the 3200 relay and an 800m runner. last season i ripped my quad doing the 100m ... A: Jared, Distance running will help with the 400 and 800, but you need to train specifically for those ... | |
| Improving my 100m time | 4/2/2010 |
| Q: I have 16 weeks before I have my school athletics carnival. Right i am training my legs with heavy ... A: Alexander, Yes, 16 weeks is enough time to improve your sprint speed/time. My web www.coachr880.com ... | |
| sprinting,hurdling | 4/1/2010 |
| Q: 16 years old I'm in springing and hurdling and i was wondering what kinds of things your supposed to ... A: Tainika, You should drink water and not sports drinks. On my web site: www.coachr880.com you will ... | |
| Track and Field | 4/1/2010 |
| Q: I have never been a competitive runner so I am wondering: What exactly are splits and why do ... A: Sean, In the 400 the splits are at the 200 and 400. In the 1500 they are at the 300, 800, 1300 and ... | |
| 40 yard dash | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: I'm 16 and have been out of the sports scene for about 4 years now.I want to get into track and ... A: Steven, We are all born with type A (fast twitch) and type B (slow twitch} muscle fibers. Sprinters ... | |
| Short term training | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: I would like to help my son train for the I'm, 800 and 1500m runs at our district Track meet. I am a ... A: Bart, Two or three days per week is not enough training to really improve. In training it takes the ... | |
| long jumping | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: hey, just got a few questions for you... i'm thinking about going pro for track and field after ... A: Wendell, The jumps do not draw a lot of public attention like the sprints do so it is very difficult ... | |
| overtraining for track team | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: My 14 year old son just started track 3 weeks ago for the firt time and was very excited about it. ... A: Chris, The session usually takes about 90 minutes, but not all of that time is spent running. There ... | |
| Sprinter Dieting | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Dunton My name is james and I am 16 years old. I run varsity track at my high school, I run the ... A: James, Eating chicken is OK if it does not have fat in it and if it is not coated with anything. ... | |
| Avoiding scratching in triple jump | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: I started off the year jumping 39'11'' at the first meet, with limited practice due to shin splints ... A: Zac, Obviously, you have no confidence in your jumping ability. You need to build your self ... | |
| Sprinter Dieting | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Dunton My name is james and I am 16 years old. I run varsity track at my high school, I run the ... A: James, Your coach is correct. You weigh too much caused by what you are eating. You need to lower ... | |
| what diameter shot put should i use | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: iam a freshman in high school and i throw shot.my throws are usually 36-39 feet.my goal is to break ... A: Dillon, A smaller diameter shot would weigh less so you would be able to throw it farther. However, ... | |
| track | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: is a 13.5 a good 100m time, and i just started doing squats and i did 3 reps of 100, is that good? ... A: Brandon, For a first time run your 13.5 was pretty good. You should do push ups, sit ups, leg lifts ... | |
| how much is too much running | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: I need some advice. My daughter is a junior and has ran track since jr. high. Last year she ran the ... A: Tracy, The training for the 800 is somewhat different than the training for the two mile. If she has ... | |
| IAAF championship 2010 | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: According to "Placing Table" (http://www.iaaf.org/wic10/results/eventCode=4144/placing/index.html) ... A: Igor, You wrote "What is a "point" here". Do you mean how did the US get 165 points? I do not know ... | |
| Opposite Leg | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: how would you go about training an athlete to hurdle with his opposite leg. I am a dominant left ... A: Luke, You have to be born ambidextrous to be able to hurdle using alternate legs. I am not. I tried ... | |
| track athlete | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: Ok I'm 11 but when i get older i want to be a professional track athlete, but i don't know how to ... A: Heaven I was a very good T%26F athlete in high school and college where I was the conference ... | |
| 55m dash | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: I am a sophomore in high school and I ran a bad time of 7.56 seconds in the meet today. we have ... A: Bobby, A key factor in the sprint events is the start. To get more force/speed coming out of the ... | |
| Average discus and 100m dash times for freshman boy | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: Two questions: How much is avg discus distance for freshman boy 5'8, 147 lbs? and What time is avg ... A: Robert, No one has ever calculated the averages for 8th grade T%26F athletes. What you need to look ... | |
| long jump shoes for overpronator | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: Is there anything you can suggest? A: Steffan, I recommend that you use the long jump shoes when practicing the approach run and when ... | |
| 800m progression... | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: Hey mr. Dunton. I am 22 years old i feel like i have a lot of potential in the 8. I ran 1:53 and ... A: AGG, It is much easier to train for the 880 %26 1500 or the 200 %26 400 than it is for the 400 %26 ... | |
| Hurdle drill | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: I am a Junior female hurdler at a Division II University. We have recently got a new "coach" ... A: J.J. Often we take with us what we were taught. I suspect that your coach was taught that drill by ... | |
| 100m and 400m for 7 yr old girl | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: I am training my 7 yr old daughter for a meet coming up in 1 month. She will be running the 100m ... A: Myles, Personally, I do not know what good times are for seven year old runners. If I did know and ... | |
| track and field the relay | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: how do i run fast and not let the baton fall and when do i run when the runner is already going to ... A: Ashley, You must practice passing the baton a lot of times. In the 4 x 100 relay, the baton ... | |
| times | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: I don't know them off hand but I can get them for you. PS I am willing to lift or buy whatever ... A: Zack, The only way that you can get faster is to run faster. I recommend that once a week you run ... | |
| lifesaving- sprints and flags | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: flags usually last for about 4 seconds but is a knockout event.could i take red bull in the same way ... A: Gary, I have never heard of "flags" so I don't know what they are. You should not take Red Bull of ... | |
| track & field | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: how to set feet properly in the starting blocks A: Larry, Setting the feet properly varies from runner to runner. Most of the setting is determined ... | |
| Track | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: my name is Zach. I was wondering what the average shot put distance is if you are in 8th grade, your ... A: Zach, There is no average based on height and weight. The average for 8th graders is in the 35' ... | |
| Race Day Event Advice | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: Is it a bad idea to have a 13 year old girl run both the 400 and 1500 at the same track meet? or ... A: Chris, It depends on how much recovery time she has between the 400 and 1500. She should have at ... | |
| Improving in Triple Jump | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: I'm a junior in high school who has been triple jumping throughout high school. I've improved ... A: Speed and form are the two most important items for jumpers. Leg lifts, curls and squats will ... | |
| Good workout to reach goals | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: I am running 10.84 in the 100m and 21.98 in the 200m and i've only been sprinting since my senior ... A: Tim, When in the blocks the heel of your rear foot should not be against the block. There should be ... | |
| upcoming school carnival | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: i' am a 17 year old girl & the school has an upcoming athletics carnival. i' am a fast sprinter but ... A: Fiona, I recommend that twice a week you run 8 or 10 100s as fast as you can with a 2 minute rest ... | |
| junior high track | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: My husband and I will be coaching 7th and 8th grade girls and boys track this year. We are distance ... A: Laura I have a lot of information for you and your husband. Because of the size of the files I can ... | |
| conditioning | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: My name is Brandon and I run high school track. I'm in ninth grade and I feel like I need to do ... A: Brandon, We are all born with fast twitch (Type A) and slow twitch (Type B) muscle fiber types. ... | |
| sprints training for 45 year old male | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know if there are resources I can consult (Internet, books, etc.) for establishing a ... A: Robb, I am 77 years old and after college I did not start running again until I was about your age. ... | |
| Track and field | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: i am a track&field sophomore in high school and I really want to be a faster sprinter,however, I ... A: Missy, I recommend that you run 100 then walk around the turn and run another 100. Run ten 100s. In ... | |
| Track and Field | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: i have been doing a lot of weight training since it is my off season for track, i do long jump, ... A: Nick, We all have a strong side and a weak side. If you do weight/strength work with both arms/legs, ... | |
| sprints-100 m | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: How old is too old to be competing in sprints ? I just turned 26 and would love to get back into ... A: Adailia, Yes, you can still run and sprint. I am 77 years old and still compete in the 400 and 800. ... | |
| Jogging - Shorten strides or make cadence longer? | 12/7/2009 |
| Q: i'm a 400 runner/hurdler in highschool. I have a question about the right way to jog if there is ... A: Luke, When you are jogging or running fast do not try to lengthen your stride. When you ... | |
| Help Training for Masters Middle Distance | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: I am 42, maried with 2 children, and work full time. I ran 48.6 and 1:48.8 in the 4x8 at EMU and ... A: Jeff, Hope that you and your family have a great Thanksgiving. I am 77 and still compete in the ... | |
| treadmill training | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: I am wanting to train this winter for the 800 meter, however, I live in Northern Michigan where the ... A: Cody, Running on a treadmill is very boring. If possible have a TV that you can watch. Also have a ... | |
| Masters 400 meter winter training. | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: Ross I turn 50 this spring and i plan to begin competing in the 400 meters. I am currently running ... A: Ken, I am a 77 year old masters athlete who runs the 400 and 800. I have a very detailed training ... | |
| SPORTS | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: i am 16 year old female and i want to know what diet i should be on. tips i need. how often i should ... A: Emi, You should follow your coach's advice on your training. You should practice five or six days ... | |
| Diet for sprinters/ training | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: I want to know what kinds of food i should eat before a race as well as throughout the season. I am ... A: Amber, You should eat what you normally eat. Do not eat for four hours before practice or a race. ... | |
| winter training plan | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I want to thank you in advance for taking your time to help me out. I am a senior in high school ... A: Joey, Do some weight training but not too much. You do not want to add a lot of muscle mass that is ... | |
| 400 meter training | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: how are you? my name is akeem and i have a question about the 400 meter run. i am a 12th grader @ ... A: Akeem, No one runs as fast indoors as they do outdoors. The shorter the track, the slower you will ... | |
| winter training plan | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: I want to thank you in advance for taking your time to help me out. I am a senior in high school ... A: Joey, Your 800 time is the best of those you listed, so you should concentrate on that and nothing ... | |
| dimensions of a 16 times around track | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to design a track for an elementary school for my Boy Scout Eagle project. I want a ... A: Ryan, The distance around 1/2 of a circle is 3.142 times the radius of the circle. If the oval is ... | |
| Improve Running Form | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: My running technique is not as good as it could be. Earlier I run “sitting in the bucket”. I’ve been ... A: Bert, Send me your e-mail address and I will send you specific training information on sprints and ... | |
| Improve Running Form | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: My running technique is not as good as it could be. Earlier I run “sitting in the bucket”. I’ve been ... A: Bert, You need to keep your body straight up and down when you run. If you lean forward when you run ... | |
| Middle Distance Training | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: I don't know whether you know much about middle distance or not, but I'll ask my question anyway. ... A: Justin, If you send me your email address I will send you a detailed annual training program for the ... | |
| 800 Meter Training | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: My current best 800m is 2:17. I am a freshmen this year. I am running cross country right now this ... A: Aziz, If you can run a 1:00 400 you should be able to run faster than 2:17 in an 800. I have a lot ... | |
| Running technique | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: I have been a sprinter for about a year now and have a personal best of 11.3s in 100m and 23.2 in ... A: Sumugan, You should not run on the balls of your feet. You should run flat footed. You are probably ... | |
| wooden tracks | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: Whats the best track shoe/flat for a wooden surface? We run on a wooden track and corner boards. Any ... A: Mike, I have not run on a wooden track since I was in college a whole lot of years ago, so I am not ... | |
| 100 meter | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: i am a 17 year old from South Africa. i am a big fan of the 100 meter sprint and i wish to ... A: Rui, You have to live with the muscle fiber types that you are born with. You can not increase the ... | |
| Discus throwing | 8/15/2009 |
| Q: I am a 15 year old discus thrower now, 5.9ft, 80kg, and has a PB of 47m with the 1.5kg discus.(spin) ... A: Sean, The two most important things in throwing the discus are the height of the discus when it ... | |
| 400 time | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I'm going to be a senior this upcoming track season and ran my first year of track last year as a ... A: Matt, Once or twice a week you should do some speed work such as 8 or 10 100s with a three minute ... | |
| sprinter/jumper | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: Hey Mr. Dunton, I am a NAIA level track athlete and my events/results from this past season are: ... A: Tasia, If you are as bored with track and field as you wrote, then you should switch to another ... | |
| Training | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: I'm Joshua and I'm going to be a sophomore in high school in Rhode Island. I'm mostly a distance ... A: Joshua, Jumpers are almost always sprinters. How far you jump depends on how fast you are going when ... | |
| track 200m 400m | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: and if possible could you also help me with a training program for my 400m (am a beginner) i am ... A: Wes, You need to find a relatively flat surface to run on. For the 200, run 100 as fast as you can ... | |
| track & field training | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: i am a 15 going on 16 and i have thought about running track for my school and i just need to know ... A: Montel, You should start by running for 20 to 25 minutes. Run easy and when you get tired, stop and ... | |
| 100m Hurdle Drills | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: Over the summer I've been working on hurdles. I've gotten the basic lead leg and trail leg drills ... A: Bethany, I have some questions for you: How old are you? What is your best time in the HH? How many ... | |
| Female 55m/100 hurdling | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: Heelo Roos: I've spoken to you before via another site, I don't remember how we connected, however ... A: Sharon, To fix her problem have her work on running 100m then rest for two minutes and then run ... | |
| 100/200m sprints | 7/17/2008 |
| Q: A: Adam, You should eat what you usually eat and eat one banana each day. To train for the 100/200 you ... | |
| 400m | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: I am 15 years old. I have started training for athletics opne month ago after doing well in recent ... A: Sean, To train for the 400 this is what you should do. On a track run 100 fast then slow down, turn ... | |
| STATE GAMES! | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: I am a 13 year old female.. 5' 1"... and i just finished my first year of track! i plan on running ... A: Hayley Yes, those are pretty good times for your age. At this level of competition there will be ... | |
| 400m and 800m | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: I have just turned 16 and weigh about 70kg. My main race is the 800m, however I am very keen to ... A: Jamie, Don't bulk up because that will cause you to gain a lot of weight. If do you get you will run ... | |
| tight muscles | 7/6/2008 |
| Q: Hey Ross, I have a 15 year old, 5 foot 9, 140 pound son who is currently in track and runs the ... A: Mr Obeeka, Your son should only run very easy between now and his meet. From your description he ... | |
| 200m | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: at the starting point become so nervous,but when i come to the curve i begin to slow down ... A: Toshia, The only reason to be in a race is to win that race. If you do not believe that you can not ... | |
| improved long jumps with weights? | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: This question was posed in 2006 but was answered with more questions rather than an answer. So I ... A: Steve, NO! I am 75 years old and I went to the USATF Masters Championships in Maine last year. I am ... | |
| Improving 300 Meter Sprint | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a question about how to improve my 300 meter sprint time for a Law Enforcement Physical ... A: Mike, You have to believe in yourself. If you don't believe that you can do something you will never ... | |
| Improving 300 Meter Sprint | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a question about how to improve my 300 meter sprint time for a Law Enforcement Physical ... A: Mike, I recommend that you do this twice a week. Run 100m as fast as you can then rest for three ... | |
| Relay Racing | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: (It's me again!) On June 24th I am involved in a 200m, shot put and relay at a District event. Are ... A: Olivia, The most important thing in the relays is passing the baton. You and the members of your ... | |
| 400m sprint | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: I really need some help. I am a 15 year old girl and I am running a 400m sprint in my school field ... A: Elly, It will take you a little longer than four weeks to get as fast as you used to be. When you ... | |
| Sprinting | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: I am running the 200m in about 2-3 weeks. My PB at the moment on grass is 30.69. I really want to ... A: Olivia, For your age and size a 30.69 200 is pretty good. You should set your goal for next year at ... | |
| Off-Season Weight Training | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: I'm an incoming high school sophomore and am planning on competing in Track and Field next year, ... A: Cristi, You should do leg lifts, leg curls, sit ups, push ups, squats and arm curls. You should also ... | |
| more 400m | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: endurance training is just running as fast as you can, depending on your tiredness, for a set ... A: Hal, It is not possible for you to run 200m at max effort, rest for 5,10, 15 or 20 seconds and run ... | |
| Shot put and Disc | 5/25/2008 |
| Q: I am a sophomore throwing the disc at 105' and the shot put at 32' and as a freshman won the gold ... A: Lexy, Because of your injury I am unable to provide the throwing information that you requested. I ... | |
| shot put | 5/23/2008 |
| Q: I am 12yrs old and do shot put i throm 9.65. I use the glide. i do not like my distancce do you know ... A: OJ, When using the glide you glide forward across the ring, you do not hop or skip. Do not pause--it ... | |
| Track and Field- Throwing | 5/22/2008 |
| Q: Dalton, My name is Corey and currently i am in 8th grade. This past spring i threw for my High ... A: Corey, The biggest and strongest throwers don't win. Those who have the best technique do win. Year ... | |
| Training for the 400m | 5/22/2008 |
| Q: I just finished my first full year in college track. This was also my first year running the 400m (i ... A: Andrew, It will be much easier for both of us if you contact me at: coachr880@bellsouth.net I have ... | |
| Running | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: You seem like the right expert to ask about this. I enjoy running on my new treadmill while I watch ... A: Barry, I also have a treadmill. I use it when the weather is bad. The biggest problem is that it is ... | |
| state on friday!(it wouldnt let me send you an email so i just copied it over to this) | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: i have state championships on Friday for the 100meter dash. i want to be as competitive as i can! ... A: Michael, I am 75 years old and I still compete in track meets. I have been to two meets in Eugene. ... | |
| spike shoes | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: Can you please tell me abput the physics involved in the performance of a running spike shoe and ... A: Shikhar, I do not know the formula for calculating the additional forward force generated when ... | |
| state on friday! | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: i have state championships on Friday for the 100meter dash. i want to be as competitive as i can! ... A: Michael, The start is very critical in the 100 so practice starting every day. The workouts should ... | |
| Hurdle | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: I am particularly interested to know how they decided on the distance originally at 120 yards and ... A: Anna, For many years the US was one of a very few nations that did not use the metric system. I ... | |
| Shot and Disc | 4/18/2008 |
| Q: i am in track and have been for 4 years. i am a sofmore and i had a question for you. when i was in ... A: Kat, That is the proper way to hold a discus. Make sure that you release it as high as you can and ... | |
| Creatine | 4/17/2008 |
| Q: About the creatine substance. What are the pros and cons of using creatine for running? If i do use ... A: Jon, ATP/CP (Adneosine Tri Phosphate/Creatine Phosphate) is our basic energy system. When running at ... | |
| Pre-meal and injurys | 4/17/2008 |
| Q: Ok so what is good to eat before a track meet besides bananas? its 8th grade year in track. i ... A: Haley, What is your SI joint? What does "all wack" mean? The pain in your ankles and shins could be ... | |
| Creatine | 4/17/2008 |
| Q: About the creatine substance. What are the pros and cons of using creatine for running? If i do use ... A: Jon, Since I don't remember having been contacted by you before I need to know more about you prior ... | |
| The 400 | 4/17/2008 |
| Q: Recently I Ran The 400 Meter And I Found Out I'm Doing OK At The 400, but I would Like To Improve. ... A: Howard, The reason that you slowed down is that you ran at full speed at the start. You can't do ... | |
| Track | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: Dunton,I am 13 and in my 1st year of track. My friends say that can much faster since I run in long ... A: Colin, Unfortunately there is no average time for the 100 in your age group. The best running form ... | |
| Pre-Meet Diet | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: I run the 400 and the 200m. Usually, before the meets i run, I eat a lot of carbs and proteins along ... A: Jon, Eating carbs at least four hours before you run is good. The vitamins and proteins won't help ... | |
| What is the average shot put for a 13-year old? | 4/12/2008 |
| Q: I've just started track and field, and I tried the shot put. My best throw at my 2nd practice was 21 ... A: Emma, I do not know what the average throw for a 13 year old is, but in my opinion you are doing ... | |
| My speed over the years | 4/11/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem. In the 7th grade I could run a 100 in 11 secs and a 200 in 22 secs. Now im in 10th ... A: Miesha, I have been the coach of several young female athletes who had the same problem. When girls ... | |
| Shin Splints? | 4/7/2008 |
| Q: Ross, My daughter has been complaining a lot lately that her legs hurt after she runs, especially ... A: Leslie, There is no single thing that causes shin splints. Icing the shins does not help. Shin ... | |
| Freshman times | 4/6/2008 |
| Q: Well i had a meet yesterday, it was a big meet with a bunch of relays and field events. i ran the ... A: Michael, For a freshman your 1600 and 2 mile times were better than average. Next season you will ... | |
| Pre-400m stretches | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: Do you recommend any type of lower body stretching to help warm up my lower body and increase blood ... A: Jon, About ten years ago we learned that all static stretching should be done after you run. Before ... | |
| the 400m sprint | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: During the 400m sprint, I go out at around 75-80% speed like im supposed to for the first 300. At ... A: Jon, Your problem is that you are not properly training for the 400. The reason that most people ... | |
| staggered starts | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: What is the distance between the staggers for the 220/200 and the 400/440? thanks A: Jason, It is impossible for me to determine this. The staggers depend on the radius of the curve and ... | |
| 400 and 400 hurdles | 4/4/2008 |
| Q: My son is 16. Please advise where he can find techniques to improve his speed for both events. He ... A: MJ, Your son should should eat what he usually eats. He should not eat anything for three or four ... | |
| 4x4 relay | 4/4/2008 |
| Q: I am a college student who is teaching a lesson on the 4x4 relay. I was woundering what drills I ... A: Raymond, Most relay races are won and lost during the handoffs. The coach must decide which athlete ... | |
| Triple Jump | 4/3/2008 |
| Q: Hey, a while back I sent you a question asking about improving technique and so on... I'm here to ... A: Marc, That is only one foot less than the US High School record which is 52' 7 1/2". As you start ... | |
| track design | 4/3/2008 |
| Q: We are in the process of designing a new track and stadium to accommodate football and soccer fields ... A: Alex, I have some questions for you. Are you building this in the United States? Are you going to ... | |
| 100 metre sprint training program | 4/3/2008 |
| Q: I'm currently a winger for a rugby team and I'm looking to improve my speed and power and was ... A: Rob, Since the only thing that I knew about rugby was that it was played in Australia I went on the ... | |
| Track 200m | 4/2/2008 |
| Q: Ok in case this is relevant or needed. I'm seventeen years old and will be 18 on May 17, to be ... A: Melissa, A 33.1 200 will not win many races, but it is not a bad time. A lot depends on the level of ... | |
| Triple Jump and Long Jump | 3/31/2008 |
| Q: My son is about 5'8" and 140 lbs. He is 15 and a freshman in high school. His love is track and he ... A: Dave, You wrote: We really don't have a jump coach--are you a coach? Are your son and daughter just ... | |
| track and field junior high | 3/31/2008 |
| Q: I am coaching a junior high team. I was a quarter miler and long and triple jumper in high school ... A: Coach Knecht, You are the sixth junior high school coach to contact me this season. I have some good ... | |
| Triple Jump | 3/31/2008 |
| Q: Alright, well im a sophomore and im 16 years old. Im 5'11 about 140lbs. I've been triple jumping ... A: Cody, As you get older you will get taller and stronger. As a result you will get faster and your ... | |
| Sprint Starts | 3/28/2008 |
| Q: I've asked you some questions before, but I don't think I've asked specifically about starts. This ... A: Leslie, Your daughter's body has both slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers. These are inherited ... | |
| College-wide standard | 3/28/2008 |
| Q: Do you know what the college wide standard times for the 400, 200, and 100? I am looking to run for ... A: Jon, There are not any college standard times. This varies from college to college. Most athletics ... | |
| Track | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: Our local high school has completed a brand new > 9-lane track. The lanes are numbered 0-8, with ... A: John, I have never seen a track with a lane 0. I have seen a couple of tracks with a practice lane. ... | |
| maximum sprinting speed | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: !! My new question is: How can I adjust my acceleration to reach my maximum speed at about 40m..i ... A: Hazem, Basically it is just a matter of power and technique except it is explosive power. All of us ... | |
| maximum sprinting speed | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: !! My new question is: How can I adjust my acceleration to reach my maximum speed at about 40m..i ... A: Hazem, You have to practice starting a lot of times to learn how to adjust your acceleration. It is ... | |
| 100m race | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: i'm a 100m and 200m sprinter. I've been training for 9 months. I'm 15 turning 16. According to ... A: Hazem, You will probably be able to run a 10.43 in the 100, but not this season. You have only been ... | |
| Increase in Body Mass | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: champion Let me introduce to you. My name is Rogério. I'm 19 years old and I weigh 114 pounds ... A: Rogerio, As far as I know it will be impossible for you to gain 60 pounds in less than two years ... | |
| Right/Left foot | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: i'm a freshman at my high school and i high jump. I start from the left side and jump on my right ... A: Luke, When you are on top of the bar your back should be parallel to the bar so your back should be ... | |
| field | 3/21/2008 |
| Q: dunton, I come from a small town so you are required if u do a field event u have to do a ... A: Nick, You wrote "i know i'll lose no matter what in the running events". No you do not know that! ... | |
| Training | 3/18/2008 |
| Q: Hey Ross I'm training to walk on to a college track team to run the 400 like I did in high school ... A: Shawn, Jogging will not harm either your fast or slow twitch muscle fibers. The only way to damage ... | |
| Improving sprint speed | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: I am a female sprinter. I run the 100m and the 200m, and I am looking for advice on improving my ... A: Elyse, I recommend that you should run 100m at your max speed. Then slowly walk around the turn and ... | |
| Is it expensive ? Was it expensive in the past ? | 3/16/2008 |
| Q: Is training javelin throw, shot put, discus or hammer throw expensive ? Were those sports expensive ... A: Adam, It is much cheaper today than it ever was. Nike which was established by Mr. Bowerman who as ... | |
| Is it expensive ? Was it expensive in the past ? | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: Is training javelin throw, shot put, discus or hammer throw expensive ? Were those sports expensive ... A: Adam, Those sports are no more expensive than they were in the past when you take into account the ... | |
| About the Creatine substance | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: I have just read a question, answer article on Creatine. I am just wondering where can you purchase ... A: Jonathan, I don't know where you can buy it. I do not recommend that any athlete use it. The ... | |
| 4x1, 4x2, or 4x4 relay races | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: this time I'm wondering about the 3 relay races. In the 4x1, should i use the "blind" ... A: Jonathan, I believe that the best hand off is determined by your coach and not by your personal ... | |
| The importance of the start | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: could you possibly tell me what is the best start technique for sprints? Is it the usual: "Left hand ... A: Jonathan, There is only one sprint phase. Your basic energy system is the ATP/CP which only lasts ... | |
| Sprint starts | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: Mr. Dunton, I know there is a formula for getting the steps down as you come out of the blocks. ... A: Coach Lee, The number of steps taken when leaving the blocks is not important. The following items ... | |
| The importance of the start | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: could you possibly tell me what is the best start technique for sprints? Is it the usual: "Left hand ... A: Jonathan, When in the "set" position both of your hands should be on the track. If your first ... | |
| Triple Jump | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: Ross Dunton: I need to ask you a question about my triple jump. First off about me, I'm a grade 8 ... A: Marc, I do not know what the Canadian record is, but it is undoubtedly close to the US record. The ... | |
| 3-stepping | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: I am a freshman and I have great form and speed but i just can't seem to three step the hurdles. I ... A: Noelle, Often athletes of your age do not have legs long/strong enough to allow them to take three ... | |
| Middle School boys track | 3/11/2008 |
| Q: I'm interested in obtaining sample track workouts for 6,7 & 8th grade boys for the 400,800 and mile. ... A: Rocky, Your athletes are at the best age for their mind and bodies to learn the proper techniques. ... | |
| Triple Jump | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: Ross Dunton: I need to ask you a question about my triple jump. First off about me, I'm a grade 8 ... A: Marc, In the US the high school TJ record is 52+ feet, so possibly you could improve that much. It ... | |
| hurdles | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: this is my second year hurdling. Last year(my first year)i ran a 18.6 around there. This year i ... A: Barry, To do what to, you will have to work on improving your time in the 100. To do that I ... | |
| Ways to get my body ready for the upcoming season | 3/9/2008 |
| Q: I'm looking forward to the track season which is probably gonna start in a few weeks and I just want ... A: John, When on the track start at the regular start line. Then run 100 turn around and jog back 50. ... | |
| Ways to get my body ready for the upcoming season | 3/8/2008 |
| Q: I'm looking forward to the track season which is probably gonna start in a few weeks and I just want ... A: John, I have a couple of questions for you: For how many seasons have you been running the 100-400? ... | |
| Alternative for Hill Training | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: What are some alternatives you can use that will have the same results as hill training for ... A: Corey, I do not know of any alternative to hill training. You should not do this during your ... | |
| Track (Sprinting) | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: i am on a girls high school track team. i run 100 and 200's. my coach is more of a distance coach ... A: Mariah, To get started I need some information from you. How long have you been running the ... | |
| using creatine while doing track and field | 3/6/2008 |
| Q: im a sophomore in high school and im doing long distance for track and field. ive never used ... A: Jesse, Creatine may or may not boost your muscles and energy. There are three basic energy systems ... | |
| 300's | 2/7/2008 |
| Q: We are sprint training at the moment. our session today was 300m,150m,300m - 5 minute break - ... A: Nikki, I am far from being a field hockey expert. However I have not watched a game where a team ... | |
| weight trainning | 1/31/2008 |
| Q: I am wondering what types of exercises for weight training and how much weight should be used for a ... A: Julien, During the winter you should work on building your aerobic base by running for at least 25 ... | |
| weight trainning | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: I am wondering what types of exercises for weight training and how much weight should be used for a ... A: Julien, Where do you live? In the US high school athletes do not run the 400m hurdle race. When ... | |
| i stretch im flexible but i still get knots | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: i run the 110 hurdles for University of Florida and i was wondering...im very flexible,and stretch ... A: Jamaal, At the start of your training session your should only do dynamic stretching. Do you static ... | |
| i stretch im flexible but i still get knots | 1/29/2008 |
| Q: i run the 110 hurdles for University of Florida and i was wondering...im very flexible,and stretch ... A: Jamaal, To answer your question I need the following information: Do you stretch before or after ... | |
| discus weights | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: what is a weight (discus) for a 13 yr old. i ve been doing this for a year or two now and ve went ... A: Alexandra, I can not answer your question because the 750 graham discus is not used in the US where ... | |
| Spike Size 1600 | 1/22/2008 |
| Q: My son is running the 1600 for indoor track. What size spike would you recommend. He has a Nike ... A: Wendy, The Nike shoes usually come with 5/16 inch spikes. Spikes longer than this usually are not ... | |
| I need help with track! | 1/21/2008 |
| Q: Okay, I am a freshmen and I would like to run track so that I can become faster when soccer season ... A: Ashley, A "good time for a first time runner freshman girl", totally depends on the girl, her age, ... | |
| I need help with track! | 1/20/2008 |
| Q: Okay, I am a freshmen and I would like to run track so that I can become faster when soccer season ... A: Ashley, Not all schools have the pole vault. You need to ask your schools track coach about what ... | |
| I need help with track! | 1/20/2008 |
| Q: Okay, I am a freshmen and I would like to run track so that I can become faster when soccer season ... A: Ashley, Exactly where does your side hurt? If it is under your lower rib cage then I am somewhat ... | |
| Long.Triple Jump coach | 1/19/2008 |
| Q: I was a four year track athlete in High school and I will now be coaching Long and triple jumpers ... A: Louise, A first year jumper's workout will be much less technical than a senior's with two or three ... | |
| Increasing speed | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: I am a strength and endurance coach for the football team, but now I'm about to coach track. I was ... A: Coach Smith, I can give you sample workouts for the sprinters and distance runners. I can do the ... | |
| Preparation of running track - regarding | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: At what minimum angle, a running track can bend, which will enable the runner to cross that point ... A: Raja, The radius or sharpness of the curve should not have much effect on running 1500m. Try to ... | |
| milk for sprinters | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: i'm a sprinter who trains on alternating days in a week. i was told that milk should not be consumed ... A: Alexander, I have not previously heard about milk being a problem for runners unless they already ... | |
| 200 and 400 meter races | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: two questions: 1. My daughter is a freshman and new to track and she is running the 200 and ... A: Florie, You should keep your daughter on a good well balanced diet. This includes but is not ... | |
| 400 meter Sprint | 1/14/2008 |
| Q: Hey, I have been in track for quite a while now. I run the 800 meter and the 400 meter sprints but ... A: Chloe, The placebo effect--if you believe that it will work about 25% of the time it will work for ... | |
| Speed | 1/10/2008 |
| Q: I read a reply that you wrote to someone recently about speed. You said the following, "Speed ... A: LC, For the 400 she could be working on increasing her lactate threshold on the treadmill. Send me ... | |
| Speed | 1/9/2008 |
| Q: I read a reply that you wrote to someone recently about speed. You said the following, "Speed ... A: LC, The Placebo Effect---if you believe that it works then it may work when it does not really ... | |
| Speed | 1/9/2008 |
| Q: I read a reply that you wrote to someone recently about speed. You said the following, "Speed ... A: LC, Yes you do have to be born with the correct muscle fiber type to be quick and fast. I was not ... | |
| Preparation of running track - regarding | 1/9/2008 |
| Q: At what minimum angle, a running track can bend, which will enable the runner to cross that point ... A: Raja, The standard 400 meter track dose not have a large enough angle so that 200m runners do not ... | |
| speed | 1/9/2008 |
| Q: i am asking a question in reference to my speed.i was wondering can u help my time get faster by ... A: Miguel, There are quite a few plyometric drills that are designed to help a runner obtain more ... | |
| speed | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: i am asking a question in reference to my speed.i was wondering can u help my time get faster by ... A: Miguel, Speed requires that the body has explosive power. This is hereditary, so you have to been ... | |
| Off-season training | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: I'm 17 years old and a junior in high school. I have run cross country all years of high school, ... A: Geoff, Long slow running makes slow runners and that is exactly what you are doing. The only way to ... | |
| track events | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: I am a new middle school coach for track events. I am responsible for training 100m, 400m as well ... A: Li, During preparation for and during your track season, I recommend that you do some distance ... | |
| shot put | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: What is the average distance loss when moving from a 12 lb to a 16 lb shot put? A: Josiah, The current world record for the 16# shot is 23.12m and the record for the 12# is 24.77m. ... | |
| training | 1/3/2008 |
| Q: My friend and I are planning to start training in the gym. we are both 16 years old. I am a short ... A: Ai, This is the second "All Experts" question that I have received from and answered to a "Ai ... | |
| 200m and hurdles | 1/3/2008 |
| Q: hey, my name is Barry and im a junior in high school. I'm a first year hurdler ... A: Barry, The following training session will help you run the 200 and the long hurdles faster, Start ... | |
| 2 mile event | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: im 16 and am a junior about to start my second semester of high school. I am a distance runner at ... A: Jorge, Since you ran 4:58 on mile repeats, running a 10:00 two mile should not be difficult for ... | |
| Getting started as a masters | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: I am a 48 year old looking to start a training program to become a competitive sprinter. I've got ... A: Michael, Sprinting requires explosive power. Many elite sprinters who are in top physical condition ... | |
| 400, 200 | 6/4/2007 |
| Q: I need my daughter to drop 4 seconds in the 400 and 1.5 seconds in the 200 in a week. Any ... A: S, Some young female runners are very good until they start becoming women and add some body fat. ... | |
| Sprint Workout | 5/31/2007 |
| Q: I am in the process of preparing for a PT test with a federal law enforcement agency and would ... A: Taz, The later in July the better it will be for you to get in as much training as possible. It is ... | |
| Hurdles | 5/28/2007 |
| Q: I'm a midget boy in high school and i just wanted to know the distance between the hurdles for the ... A: Dalton, Your school may have a different set of rules, but under the USATF, Midget boys run the 80m ... | |
| foot problems-800m | 5/28/2007 |
| Q: I have been having stress fracture trouble, arch issues, and tendonitis issues in my feet that ... A: Jordan, You need to have a serious conversation with you college coach and athletic trainer about ... | |
| foot problems-800m | 5/28/2007 |
| Q: I have been having stress fracture trouble, arch issues, and tendonitis issues in my feet that ... A: Jordan, Before I can answer your question I need to have the following information: How old are ... | |
| "Flat" Spike | 5/24/2007 |
| Q: I bought my son his pair of spikes and he received two "flat" spikes with the normal "pointed" ... A: Gerry, In some areas there is a limit to the number of spikes that can be used in each shoe which ... | |
| Master Female Runner | 5/24/2007 |
| Q: Mr. Dunton, I read with interest your answer to T & F 40+. I to am training to run as a female ... A: Renelda, For me to get started working with you to properly plan your training I will need a lot of ... | |
| 400, 800, 1500 meters | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: Im sorry, Im just a parent, and I hope this doesn't piss you off.. Im just trying to find ... A: Mike, Yes, your opening sentence did upset me! Your daughter does not need a father who writes as ... | |
| Good natural ability in my 6 year old son | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: I'm an ex-track guy from 1970-1980, specializing in middle distance to sprints and field events. ... A: Marty, Your son is at the age where the body is most susceptible to learning/re-learning proper ... | |
| Shot put and Sprinting | 5/14/2007 |
| Q: Is sprinting bad for shot putters? My son is a Freshman (5'7" 200lbs) and his best throw with the ... A: Phil/Nigil After reading this, you can give me another negative rating. In my opinion a coach who ... | |
| Track spikes | 4/22/2007 |
| Q: My son has joined his 8th grade Track team, and he's been wanting a pair of track spikes since his ... A: Chris, There are "rubberized" tracks and there are "rubberized" tracks. They are not all the same ... | |
| 400 meter dash | 4/18/2007 |
| Q: i go to woodridge high school in ohio. i run the 400 meter dash and i have a question. my last meet ... A: Brandyn, I was raised in Ohio and ran on my high school track team where we had two meets a week ... | |
| 40+ yr old novice wanting to train for 400M | 4/18/2007 |
| Q: For fun I would like to train for a 400M race being held locally in three months, in the 40-49 age ... A: Preston, It is virtually impossible for anyone at any age to get into good enough physical ... | |
| Weight Training | 4/18/2007 |
| Q: My 15 year old son has just invested in a barbell and some dumbells and is in the off-season of his ... A: Michael, All training, including weight training should be event specific. For example doing the ... | |
| 100, 200 training for High school | 4/17/2007 |
| Q: I am a High School sprints coach. Was wondering what would be some good in-season workouts for 100 ... A: Coach Jesse, With the Saturday meet training schedule, Sunday is usualy the day off. If Saturday ... | |
| Female 400m 12-13 years of age | 4/16/2007 |
| Q: What is considered a "good" time for a 12-13 year old female track athlete in the 400 meter sprint? ... A: Janet, This may or may not be a good time for the 400. It depends a lot on what area you live in ... | |
| High School Track - Girls (Nutrition) | 3/30/2007 |
| Q: My 15 year old freshman daughter (at 4'11" and 90 lbs.)is a sprinter and long jumper (yes, and she ... A: Alison, She should eat the same as she has been eating. She should not eat much of anything in the ... | |
| long jump | 3/30/2007 |
| Q: (You have probably heard this question a thousand times so let me apologize in advance.)My track ... A: Clare, I have been there myself so I understand the problem of having a coach who is not ... | |
| starting block foot position | 3/27/2007 |
| Q: I am helping to coach a middle school track team. The way I remember learning about starting blocks ... A: Linda, For the middle schooler, the best way to start is by using the crouch start. When ... | |
| Sprint running blocks-Purpose and utilization | 3/15/2007 |
| Q: I am a concerned and semi-knowledgeable parent in track. During high school, I competed in a vary ... A: Evan, There are a lot of things that I could tell you but I don't want to conflict with what his ... | |
| area inside a 400m track | 3/15/2007 |
| Q: I work for a landscaping company and we need to find out what the area inside a 400m track is. I'm ... A: Janita, Not all 400m tracks are constructed with the same dimensions so it is virtually impossible ... | |
| I need to learn how to run faster | 1/10/2007 |
| Q: i ran all my best times at different tracks. the 200 was last year at clakstown south and the 400 ... A: There is too much basic time difference in leg speed between your 200 and 400 time. Your 400 time is ... | |
| Track | 1/5/2007 |
| Q: Actually, the website says that it's unavailable. I'm not sure if it's because of the school's ... A: Kristen, Unfortunately, the "Experts" format does not allow me to "copy and paste" or allow me to ... | |
| New coach | 1/4/2007 |
| Q: I have a question regarding how I am training my jumper. Is it necessary for her to jump jump jump ... A: No, she should not be jumping all of the time. The biggest mistake made by young jumpers is that ... | |
| techniques and traing for the 200m | 11/14/2006 |
| Q: what would be the best way to train and everything for the 200m? A: This is something that can only be determined by the coach who is working with you each day and can ... | |
| 400/ 800 meter training | 11/7/2006 |
| Q: I have a high school senior/ daughter that loves running the 400m open and leading off the 4x400 ... A: For legal reasons I can not provide specific training information to a person who is not 21 years ... | |
| running shoes | 10/29/2006 |
| Q: I am training to run the 100 and 200 meters. I am considering getting some indoor/outdoor spikeless ... A: Tell those "people teaching how to sprint" that the proper way to plant the foot is with the foot ... | |
| Sprinting | 10/18/2006 |
| Q: Ross I am interested in increasing my spedd for several sports,mainly soccer and hockey. In my ... A: The only way to get faster is to practice running faster. For the speed/quickness needed for soccer ... | |
| half marathon | 10/12/2006 |
| Q: I just finished a half marathon with the time 1 hr. 53mins. At 5k, the time was 24.35; at 10k the ... A: To properly answeer your question, I need the following information: How old are you? How many ... | |
| correct daughters running form/style | 9/28/2006 |
| Q: My daughter is 10 years old. She has developed a stange way of running. She looks as if she is ... A: When running after the acceleration phase: 1. There should be no forward lean. 2. At contact, the ... | |
| gagging while running | 9/24/2006 |
| Q: My daughter is a distance runner. She experiences gagging while running at every meet. She is 16 ... A: Laura, Please describe "gagging". At what point in a race does this happen? What time does she ... | |
| 400m and Long Jump | 9/22/2006 |
| Q: Mr. Dunton, I am sixteen years old, in my Junior year, and attending Canton High School, in Canton, ... A: Chris, I have a legal problem when providing training information to athletes who are less than 18 ... | |
| jumps | 9/21/2006 |
| Q: I would like to know if there are specific drills for the penultimum step in the long and high ... A: Coach, In the US, it is unusual for a coach to be working on the technical aspects of an event at ... | |
| track and field | 9/8/2006 |
| Q: What are the steps for taking off on a starting block for track and field A: Sylvester, Send the answers to the following questions to me at: coachr880@bellsouth.net and I will ... | |
| super treadmills | 9/3/2006 |
| Q: My 16 year old son goes to a sports program and they train on this super treadmill as part of the ... A: Linda, To properly answer your question about his projected 100 time I need the following ... | |
| improve 400m | 8/6/2006 |
| Q: im at 13 year old secondery student ( from england) i Run for my club and represent my county in ... A: Send the answers to the following questions to me at: coachr880@bellsouth.net The details of the ... | |
| 200m | 8/3/2006 |
| Q: i am a d-1 short sprinter and am always looking for ways to get faster. can you give me your advice ... A: Please send the answers to these questions to me at: coachr880@bellsouth.net: What is your PR in ... | |
| is it allowed? | 7/6/2006 |
| Q: We were in the park and it was about a football feild's distance across. I was baby sitting my ... A: Well, let me think about you problem for a moment....Ahhhh, yes you do have a decision to make. Let ... | |
| My running ability | 7/6/2006 |
| Q: While I have been a runner throughout my life, I’ve recently run my 1st Masters race On July 1 ... A: Todd, To properly answer your question about your ability, I need some more information. Please ... | |
| shot and discus | 6/13/2006 |
| Q: I'm 17 and I'm a thrower. I have the time to train over the summer for my last year of track and I ... A: Alex, For legal reasons, I do not provide coaching/training information for athletes who are less ... | |
| Hurdle drills | 6/13/2006 |
| Q: I ran Jr. High hurdles this season, and was asked to run Sr. High as well. It was kind of a big ... A: Megan, In 2001, I attended the USATF Level II Sprints and Hurdles school in St. Paul, so I do have ... | |
| running | 5/24/2006 |
| Q: I train for quickness by jumping rope. As for speed, well I've never really been a fast runner or ... A: In my opinion, your "former spors trainer for Ohio State" gave you so incorrect information. If it ... | |
| running | 5/24/2006 |
| Q: I'm a soccer player, but I have a question about distance running. I run on the treadmil pretty ... A: Under normal conditions, the body will adjust to a new load in about four weeks. So if you can not ... | |
| Length of lanes on a stadard track | 5/23/2006 |
| Q: I did read one of your previous questions/answers but it was very technical for me. What I need to ... A: If you take away the straight part of the track and merge the two ends together, you make a circle. ... | |
| 800&400 training | 5/3/2006 |
| Q: My daughter is 16. She has always been a jack of all trades in track and field, with an emphisis on ... A: Based on her PRs, it appears that she has not done enough hard aerobic or anaerobic training. Since ... | |
| 5k | 5/2/2006 |
| Q: I have a 7 yr old daughter who is doing the running club. She has been running the mile in 10 ... A: How do you know that she is tripping? Have you seen her fall? If you have, was she running alone or ... | |
| ------------------------- ... | 4/15/2006 |
| Q: Ross, I am a 38 year old sprinter who is getting back into training for the 400 meter dash. I have ... A: Hector, There are links to daily training sessions for sprinters on my web at: ... | |
| Long Jump | 3/28/2006 |
| Q: When doing the long jump, do you recommend using ankle weight when warming up so that when doing the ... A: Dave, Before I can answer your question I need the following information: How old are you? What ... | |
| 200 m dash | 3/24/2006 |
| Q: I am an 18 year old female and this is my first year competing in high school track, as a senior. My ... A: To properly answer your question, I need this information: How do you know that your time "should ... | |
| 100m times | 3/7/2006 |
| Q: I have a 16 year old son that runs 100m, 200m, and 4x1 relay. the season has not started yet but his ... A: Kathy, So that I may properly evaluate an 11:65 100, I need answers to the following questions: ... | |
| 400 meter dash training | 2/23/2006 |
| Q: MR. Dunton: I am an assistant track & field coach at the high school level in Colorado. 22 years ... A: Lance, It may or may not still be valid. There is a lot of missing info, such as recovery time and ... | |
| Athletics - Running | 12/19/2005 |
| Q: You may not like this question as it is out of the ordinary. So far the only and often repeated ... A: OK David--- Athletes do not always run counter-clockwise! No one knows for certain why they do run ... | |
| 400m Improvement | 12/10/2005 |
| Q: Followup To Question - I am a 16 year old high school student who runs the 400m in track. I ran ... A: Jon, If you could maintain your 200 speed (:24.1) for 400m, you would probably be able to qualify ... | |
| 400m Improvement | 12/8/2005 |
| Q: I am a 16 year old high school student who runs the 400m in track. I ran 55.58 as a freshman. Ran a ... A: Jon, You wrote that your season starts in about two months--early February is very early for a high ... | |
| jump | 10/28/2005 |
| Q: i haven't asked this yet i'm in high school and i long jump, i need some tips on it. last year when ... A: Shehadek/Ken, It has been answered, but in case the answer did not get to you, here is the previous ... | |
| Shot Training | 10/23/2005 |
| Q: To: Ross Dunton, I'm a college thrower, My college doesn't have a strength coach or even a ... A: A 55 ft throw should put you in 1st place at the Div III championships. I have a lot of information ... | |
| starting blocks | 9/29/2005 |
| Q: -Ross He does not have a coach.....i just help him out a little...just some basics would do regards ... A: John, Your son needs a coach, especially since at the age of 12 he has been sprinting a number of ... | |
| Marathon walking | 9/29/2005 |
| Q: Can I use a walking marathon training programme to get ready for my second walking half marathon? Do ... A: Dorothy, Since there are a lot of variables involved, I need more information to properly answer ... | |
| track distances | 9/17/2005 |
| Q: Our high school track is a recent addition and is open to the public when not in use by the school. ... A: Yoday, most tracks are 400 meters rather than 400 yards. You should ask the coach which it is. The ... | |
| Sprint | 8/30/2005 |
| Q: I am a 51 year old man who's thinking of entering the Empire State Senior Games. I think my best ... A: Roger, The Syracuse Chargers is a very good track club, which has races for masters athletes (age ... | |
| Sprinting Schedule | 6/29/2005 |
| Q: I have two questions. I am 40 years old and lift weights about 4 times a week. I also play some ... A: Bennett, I have been competing in Masters T&F for about 25 years. I coach masters athletes via the ... | |
| how can i improve my 200m dash? | 6/20/2005 |
| Q: im a 15 year old trying to get prepared for next year's season. I usually run the 100m and 200m ... A: "Is it true?" That depends on when in your training you run the "300m", how fast you run it, how ... | |
| 400 meter sprint | 6/19/2005 |
| Q: How best is speed endurance developed for a 400 meter sprinter in a teenage female athlete? ... A: Karla, Your past times of :55 and :56 are extremely good for 16 and 17 year old female athletes. A ... | |
| 400 meter sprint | 6/19/2005 |
| Q: How best is speed endurance developed for a 400 meter sprinter in a teenage female athlete? ... A: Karla, To properly answer your questions, I need more information. How old are you? What is your ... | |
| The 800m run | 6/13/2005 |
| Q: im a 10th grader going on 11th right now and am doing summer basketball as well as cross country ... A: The best thing that you can do "right now" is to concentrate on your cross country running so that ... | |
| Starting back... | 5/21/2005 |
| Q: I was a 400m and 200m runner in highschool and also performed the tripple and long jump. I've been ... A: K, Before I can set up a trainingprogram, I need the following information: Are you male of ... | |
| What is a sprint? | 5/7/2005 |
| Q: What, *exactly*, is a "sprint? If it is a race in which a runner consistantly increases speed, ... A: Steve, I don't know that the word "sprint" has ever been actually defined. At max effort, the ... | |
| Road relay training | 5/5/2005 |
| Q: I am serving the army for my country now and was appointed by my superior to be the team manager of ... A: James, What unit are you in and where is it located? Where will the race be conducted? Where are ... | |
| 2 Mile Run | 4/27/2005 |
| Q: Followup To Question - Good Morning Mr. Dunton, My Daughter is 14 years old soon to be 15. This ... A: Each time, I get a bit more of the important information. She plays basketball--how is her ability ... | |
| 2 Mile Run | 4/27/2005 |
| Q: Good Morning Mr. Dunton, My Daughter is 14 years old soon to be 15. This is her first year running ... A: David, I see that Starmount has their conference meet this afternoon. If she runs any race, I ... | |
| discus and shot put | 4/19/2005 |
| Q: 1) exact layout of a discus throw area and circle radius 2)distance between and layout of hurdles ... A: I went to the Missouri state high school athletics site and could not find any info relation to your ... | |
| Training for track | 4/18/2005 |
| Q: I am a freshman in college, and I want to transfer to another smaller uinversity so I can run cross ... A: Steph, I assume from what you wrote that there is no T&F/CC at you present school. If that is the ... | |
| Training to improve my jumps | 4/13/2005 |
| Q: This is my last year in High School and I want to leave with a blast, i'm 5'9 160lb and I jump in ... A: John, You wrote that your major weakness is airtime. What is your airtime? Basically, there are ... | |
| 400 Meter Dash training | 3/21/2005 |
| Q: We live in Illinois; there has been a state track meet for quite some time with heavy participation. ... A: Bob, First, stop doing static stretching before the training session. For confirmation on this, go ... | |
| 400 Meter Dash training | 3/20/2005 |
| Q: I have a 13 year old son that is a very gifted athlete. Right now I am coaching his 8th grade track ... A: Bob, To properly answer your question, I need some more information.... Exactly what were the ... | |
| Training for the 400 meter | 2/17/2005 |
| Q: I am a distance runner - cross-country in high school and college, now I run for fitness and compete ... A: Greg, Yes, distance running will help her build a base. As far as "where should she be focusing" ... | |
| how to train and run the 400meters | 2/10/2005 |
| Q: i would like know what gym execrise to do? how should i train? and how should i run the the race? i ... A: Nigel, If you go to: www.coachr.org/trngsessions.htm you will find links to pages with dalily ... | |
| Long jump | 2/8/2005 |
| Q: htis is my second year doing Long jump and my best jump last year was 15 feet and I was woundering ... A: Matin, I don't know enough about your past and current training to really help you. Additionally, I ... | |
| 400 Training | 1/30/2005 |
| Q: I ran a 52 400m dash time last year. I am looking to improve my time as much as I can for the up ... A: Logan, I still need more information---"...a lot more distance every other day...." and ... | |
| Middle Distance | 1/6/2005 |
| Q: I am working with kids and would like some samples for pre-season type training runs and strategies ... A: Coach Gillaspie, To get started, I need a bit more information: What training have they been doing ... | |
| Run throughs | 12/14/2004 |
| Q: When a training program talks about a "run through" (eg 6x100m run throughs), what does that mean? ... A: Barb, Unfortunately, there is no set of standard terms when it comes to coaching. "Run through" is ... | |
| BASEBALL leading off postion | 12/12/2004 |
| Q: my name is landimir gonzalez I'm from New York. I have a problem that is has cause me to slow down ... A: Explosive power is basically inherited. There is very little that can be done to develope it. A good ... | |
| About the 2-mile distance run... | 12/8/2004 |
| Q: I would like to know how much I such train a day. I am freshman in HS. my first race was a 12:50 ... A: Josh, To answer your question about improving your 2 mile time, I will need some more information. ... | |
| Masters Track Training | 11/29/2004 |
| Q: I live in Canada ... Toronto to be more specific. Cold weather will become a factor, so my outdoor ... A: Nakuj, Running for the sake of running is OK if you just want to improve your health. If you want ... | |
| Masters Track Training | 11/20/2004 |
| Q: I'm a 38 year old 400 metre runner who got back into track last summer after a 16 year layoff and ... A: Nakju, Since you are a "400 metre runner", rather than a "400 meter runner", I suspect that you are ... | |
| new runner | 11/16/2004 |
| Q: i have never done track before and i am really out of shape. i have pretty long legs and i cant ... A: Brit, To properly answer your question, I need the following information: How old are you? What ... | |
| 400 Meter Time Improvement | 11/13/2004 |
| Q: I am a 17 year old senior who runs 53-55 400 meter. I would like to bring this down to a 50-51 or ... A: Richard, For you to have a significant improvement in your time, you need to work with someone who ... | |
| shin splints and musle knots | 10/18/2004 |
| Q: I'm in cross country now and I keep getting both of these all year. Its annoying how do I stop them ... A: Jesse, You may have to stop running for a while to allow the injuries to heal. For some exercises ... | |
| Running The Half Marathon | 10/14/2004 |
| Q: ------------------------- Followup To Hallo Expert R.Dunton, I thank you very much for your ... A: Seun, Whether to use split or lap timing is a decision that you are going to have to make on your ... | |
| Running The Half Marathon | 10/13/2004 |
| Q: Hallo,Expert Ross Dunton. I intend runnng in a 21 Kilometre half-marathon on 20th November 04 in ... A: Seun, The best advice that I can offer is that you not attempt to compete in a 21K race when your ... | |
| olympics | 9/13/2004 |
| Q: Russia and The USA have always bagged the top position in the Olympics except for once.When did this ... A: Actually, there were three times when neither the US or Russia won the summer Olympics---in France ... | |
| Timing of sprints | 9/8/2004 |
| Q: How are the times of all the racers determined to .01 second accuracy? What body parts are allowed ... A: Jack, The IAAF (International Association of Athletic Federations) is the organization that ... | |
| How are the Olympics organised/ | 9/7/2004 |
| Q: Ross sorry to throw this one at you but perhaps you can point me in the right direction to find the ... A: It takes a lot of people and a long time to organize each Games. For example, they are now working ... | |
| running speed | 9/3/2004 |
| Q: I was looking over some statistics about how fast humans can run over various distances. In the ... A: From a set/standing start, it takes a human 30 to 50 meters to get to maximum speed. That is why the ... | |
| shin splints | 8/30/2004 |
| Q: That was very fast! My shins hurt whenever I run or do aerobics, and when I run. I researched the ... A: Jen, The thing causing the pain in your shins is an injury to the muscles. RICE is prescribed for ... | |
| trach and field | 8/27/2004 |
| Q: how many medals does india have so far? A: As of a few minutes ago, India had one silver medal. If you go to the NBC Olympics home page: ... | |
| 1/2 Marathons | 8/22/2004 |
| Q: I can already run under 1 hour 30 mins for a half marathon (1h26m being my best) but I am looking ... A: To get started helping you, I will need the following information: How old are you? What are the ... | |
| Roger Bannister | 8/14/2004 |
| Q: This is a tough one. When Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile in 1954, his time was 3:59.4. How ... A: Bannister was running at an average speed of 7.8877 yards per second when he ran the 3:59.4 mile. ... | |
| little of everything | 8/3/2004 |
| Q: I am a cross country and a 3200 runner, what is the best way to land each step in order to not get ... A: The best way to land the foot is with it dorsiflexed--so that the toes are slightly pulled up toward ... | |
| all time records | 7/30/2004 |
| Q: which athlete has won the most medals at track events in all competitons A: Andrew, You wrote "...in all competitions." I doubt that anyone has a record of that information. ... | |
| discus training help | 7/30/2004 |
| Q: i'm a serious high school thrower in need of some help for discus training.you see i have a weight ... A: There is an excellent discus paper at: www.coachr.org/disc1.htm I know the coach who wrote it. Two ... | |
| running a 5k | 7/27/2004 |
| Q: first how many miles is a 5K and as a first time competitor what are some training tips I run about ... A: A 5K is 3.1 miles long. Your long run each week should be about 6 miles. For speed, you should ... | |
| offseason training | 6/2/2004 |
| Q: What kind of offseason training would you recommend for a shot/discus thrower. Weightroom, running, ... A: Steve, Since you have a coach who has set up a program for you, you should follow that. Having two ... | |
| offseason training | 5/31/2004 |
| Q: What kind of offseason training would you recommend for a shot/discus thrower. Weightroom, running, ... A: Steve, When you plan your off-season training, keep in mind that these are skill events. This is a ... | |
| improve start and time | 5/25/2004 |
| Q: We do all of the drills, have good practices, easy and hard days, run short and long sprints. Times ... A: To properly answer this, I need some more information. Are you an athlete or a coach? When in the ... | |
| Running | 4/28/2004 |
| Q: I use to be able to run a half mile easy no problem. But now I can barley run one lap beccause our ... A: Alex, To help you, I need more information. What does your coach say about your problem? Before ... | |
| shot put | 4/3/2004 |
| Q: I am wanting to know about if there are any training exercise for it and my friends?Oh yea one more ... A: Alex. You wrote that you ran a 13.5 100. Where does that place you on your team?----1st, in the ... | |
| shot put | 4/2/2004 |
| Q: I am wanting to know about if there are any training exercise for it and my friends?Oh yea one more ... A: Alex, The shot, as with all of the field events, is a skill event, not a strength event. Using the ... | |
| Finding a trainer | 3/28/2004 |
| Q: I am 20 years old and I am searching for a middle distance trainer (1500m) in Pennsylvyania state. I ... A: Cheryl, I don't know of a middle distasnce coach/trainer in Pennsylvania. I suggest that you ... | |
| hurdles | 3/23/2004 |
| Q: How can somone learn to jump hurdles the correct way or how they can practice with out a hurdle to ... A: Cera, I need some more information so that I can properly help you. Do you have a coach? Have you ... | |
| i really need help | 3/19/2004 |
| Q: I am ffom a very small school, and we don't have a good tack program. I am training for the 100 ... A: Tori, First thing, I assume that you are a girl, otherwise you would be running 110m. For the 100m ... | |
| breathing indoor vs outdoor tracks | 3/13/2004 |
| Q: I always have trouble breathing when I run on a indoor track. I usually hyperventalate. I get ... A: The symptoms that you describe are usually a result of being dehydrated. It is possible that the ... | |
| High Jump: Right footer using the flop | 3/11/2004 |
| Q: Can the flop method be properly performed by a right footer. From what I have been told, the method ... A: Justin, The takeoff foot/side does not effect how high you jump. The two key elements are the speed ... | |
| nutrition | 2/28/2004 |
| Q: I have a high school son who runs the 2 mile and 1 mile and 1 mile relay and we want to know what is ... A: Basically, go with what got him there. Don't make any radical change. For a distance runner, the ... | |
| Drills for high school throwers | 2/24/2004 |
| Q: I am a high school coach who coaches shot put and discus. I would like to know if there are any ... A: Coach Jeremy, Here are a few drills:SHOT THROWING DRILLS Bend at the waist so that the upper body ... | |
| 50 yard dash | 2/18/2004 |
| Q: Even though it hasn't been run competitively in many years, I would like to know what the current ... A: I have not seen a posting of the 50 yard record, but there may be one. If there is one, it probably ... | |
| Late 400m and 200m training | 2/18/2004 |
| Q: And I liked pretty much the details about the training. Do you mean I can go ahead and jump into ... A: I would start with a schedule like this: Day 1--Recovery day---3 to 4 miles easy Day 2--Run the ... | |
| 400m and 200m training | 2/17/2004 |
| Q: First of all, thank you for your time.I am a 400m (49.9) and a 200m (22.9) runner. I stop with ... A: Bebel, The key to running a good 400 is training the body to cope with all of the lactate that is ... | |
| 200 and 400 | 2/12/2004 |
| Q: Next Tuesday I'm going to run the 200m & 400m. I have ran the 200m, so I'm pretty comfortable about ... A: Jonathan, There is a major difference in how you pace yourself in the 400 vs the 200. As far as ... | |
Track & Field
Answers by Expert:
Ross Dunton
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I will answer any technical question about track and field/athletics. I am a USATF Level 2 coach in the Sprints/Hurdles and in the Jumps. I specialized in the throws for three years.
Experience
I have over twenty years of coaching experience. I am a comptetive 400/800/1500 runner.
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