LaShawn Merritt Training with Dwayne Miller

Dwayne Miller, where he presented LaShawn Merritts Training program. At the first
glance, youll notice his training philosophy is definitely a long to short approach,
with an emphasis on aerobic capacity similar to Clyde Hart, and to some degree, Bud
Winter.

Miller is also blessed with an athlete like LaShawn who has good 200 meter speed. In
fact, Michael Johnson and LaShawn are the only 2 athletes who have Personal Bests
of sub 20 200m and sub 44 400m. (19.98 & 43.75)

Like Hart, Millers approach to speed work is similar to Clyde Hart where he finds
too much too early will injure an athlete.

Podcast of Dwayne Miller

Dwayne Miller describes himself with 3 hats:

Track Coach
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Nutritional Advisor

You better have a good support staff of physios and massage therapists. Even sport
psychologists!

I personally find a 1 hour long run in the fall excessive for a 400 meter runner, but if it
works for him, great. Even Bud Winter had his sprinters build up to a 10 mile run in
September. Lee Evans ran cross country, but thats another story. There is a lot of
over distance work going late into the season. If you read Training for the 400
meters: A Retrospect, youll understand why the 400 meters is a fine balance between
speed and speed endurance. You are constantly working both ends of the scale.

Dwayne Miller's Strength Training

He typically do 3 main strength training all year round and in this order :

1- Power Clean 3x5

2- Half Squat 5x5
3- Dumbbell Press

Starting Techniques for Better Times in the 400 Meter Dash

Dwayne Miller'sSays :

"Most coaches take the 400m race in four individual hundred, we recoveries up into
fifth, in fifty meters sec, so we gotta do is, demonstrate how we go to our practices in
hope we'll learn something from, what we looking for, in the first fifty meters, is basic
work for the agency will stick out in this is basically all stick drill once again, we
looking for rhythm and tempo, We've got to make sure he does is they only six
keepers temple is big hosted inside, once you get through the first ten meters which a
double cone will continue to stay inside in work bicker, its main focus is to get the top
speed are probably close to ninety percent, of its top speed and at that point that offers
fifty meters, arms armsarms are then make sure you do, event don't take first two
steps in deployed outside, okay with that feeling that you not posse use the arm to just
using a, okay so what you wanna make sure you use are always two people to know,
dragon, stay to the inside steer students that met out, that is, death one dew will make
sure you push from beginning in the end what you get out your push phase, then you
can gradually start to cycle ankle ankle, again trying to, so push pushpush, again same
thing we're working on IT get him to correct, his vision is coming out blocks, what
he's going with you when you need to work on a city cycling too soon come out the
blocks will getting him to push, due to the step drill with a stick drill, and then
everything will be rapidly executed, the, a, better that you go with your, rather than, s,
see everytime you just about this time, we live like that time the air, i, this time".

Here's the 4 cycles of Lashawn training Program

2008 USATF SuperClinic
Dwayne Miller

From prep to pro: the 400 meters

FALL SEASON
Week#1 Week#2 Week#3 Week#4
M: 1 mile/ weights 1.5 mile/ weights 2 mile/ weights 2 mile/ weights
T: 1 mile/ weights 1.5 mile/ weights 2 mile/ weights 2 mile/ weights
W: Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs/strides
Th:1 mile/ weights 1.5 mile/ weights 2 mile/ weights 2 mile/ weights
Fr: Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs/strides
S: 1 mile/ weights 1.5 mile/ weights 2 mile/ weights 2 mile/ weights
Su: OFF OFF OFF OFF

EARLY SEASON
Week#1 Week#2 Week#3 Week#4
M: 3x600 / weights 3x600/ weights 3x600/ weights 600,500,400/ weights
T: 3x300 / weights 4x300/ weights 5x300/ weights 4x300/ weights
W: Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs
Th: 3x600 / weights 3x600/ weights 3x600/ weights 500,400,300/ weights
Fr: Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs
S: 2x600,2x300/ weights 2x600, 3x200/ weights 2x600,3x100/ weights OFF
Su: OFF OFF OFF OFF

MID SEASON
Week#1 Week#2 Week#3 Week#4
M: Weights/ 500,400,300 Weights/ 500,400,300 Weights/ 500,300,200 Weights/ 500,250,150
T: Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs
W: Weights/ 5x200 Weights/ 3x200,6x40 Weights/ 3x200,6x60 Weights/ 6x150
Th: OFF OFF OFF OFF
Fr: Weights/ 4x350 Weights/ 2x450 Weights/ 1x500, 3x40 Weights/ 2x350, 4x40
S: Pool OFF Pool OFF
Su: OFF OFF OFF OFF

LATE SEASON
Week#1 Week#2 Week#3 Week#4
M: Weights 350,250,150 Weights/ 300,200,100 2x350, 4x40 4x200
T: Drill outs Drill outs Drill out Drill outs
W: Weights/4x60,50,40,30 Weights/4x60,50,40,30 120,100,80,60 2x60,2x50,2x40,2x30
Th: OFF OFF OFF OFF
Fr: Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs Drill outs
S: MEET MEET POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Su: OFF OFF OFF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lashawn Merritt training under Brooks Johnson
When Lashawn Merritt came to train with us two years ago, it was with the
understanding that he would break the world record in 2016, running 43.00, and break
it again in 2017 at 42.50. Part of the thinking behind this was my belief that we could
shrink and compress time, and like Lenin, jump into the future during the present.
Another contributing factor was the fact that Michael Johnson, the best person to ask,
stated that he thought the world record should be 42.50.

At the warm up area of the World Championships in Beijing in 2015, CubieSegobin

introduced me to the South Africans coach. She and I hit it off very well and shared
thoughts and ideas going forward. We discussed the state of the 400 meters and I told
her what our plans were for 43.00 at the Rio Olympics. The race was basically
scripted as follows:

20.50 for the first 200

31.00 for the first 300

12.00 for the Critical Zone last 100

She and I agreed that this was difficult, but doable. The challenge was to have the
athletes go past 20.50 at 200 and 31.00 at 300 ,and still have 12.00 flat in their legs
for the last 100. The training and racing for Merritt was centered around getting him
fit and fast enough to hit these markers. Early the focus was on 200 and he ran 19.78
in April in the Bahamas with impressive ease. In June, we had Glen Mills set up a 300
for the South African and Merritt at his meet in Jamaica. The South African ran 31
low and Merritt was right there with him and it was pretty clear then that the world
record for the 400 was in serious jeopardy. All either athlete needed now was 12.00
for the last 100. Very little goes as it is supposed to. When we got to Rio the South
African had KT tape on his hamstring and when he eased up in the last 20 meters or
so in the semi-finals and got second place, it was obvious that he was protecting that
leg. Getting second meant he could get one of the very slow inside lanes. That being
the case, no one eases up in the semi-finals unless there is a real issue because of the
chance of getting an inside and slow lane. During the warm up, I did not see him and
for a short time thought he might have scratched because of the leg issue. It turns out
that he was late getting to the track because of the traffic in Rio delaying the athletes
bus from the Olympic Village to the Olympic stadium. The South African drew lane
8. The radius on the track in Rio was very wide and had less of a turn than most 8 lane
tracks. The gun went off and as we had scripted, Merritt passed the 200 in 20.44. The
South African was there in 20.50. At 300 Merritt and the South African were still on
43.00 pace. James was within striking distance depending on his finish over the last
100.

As in most races, the Critical Zone, or the most result determinant segment of the
race, is the last 25% of the race. In this case it loomed large and beckoning for the top
three athletes. Whoever won the last 100 was going to more than likely win the race
and break the world record. Sprint speed is a combination of stride length and stride
rate. Most people advocate stride rate over stride length, despite the Bolt dominance
with stride length. The South African took 41 strides in the last 100. James took 43
strides in the last 100. Merritt took 45 strides in the last 100. There was no way that
either James or Merritt can respectively give the South African a 5% and 10%
differential in stride length that deep into debt and beat him. Bolt takes 41 strides for a
100 meters fresh. The South African took 41 strides, the same count as Bolt, despite
being less than 100% ,.and also in extreme debt.

It is clear to me that the 43.00 time Should not last as long as Michaels record did.
The time warp bubble has been exploded for the event. Keep in mind that the record
was set by an athlete at less than 100% . The race model is well known and
understood, and has been proven to be doable. The rest is up to coaches and athletes
to Leninize and get into future thinking today.

Some training workouts by Brooks Johnson

Brooks is VERY much a speed guy who originally competed in 60m indoors. Merritt
had been doing more aerobic stuff with Miller, including mile repeats in the fall that
he maintained with Seagrave until doing faster track training starting in January I
believe.

Merritt used to be faster in 200, but got about a half second slower in that event, and
now he's racing a guy who used to be a 200 specialist. Brooks is certainly going to put
more emphasis on 100/200 speed.

He's very defensive of questionable workouts and training philosophies. He used to

give Merritt 3x 3x 300m workout with a 100m jog recovery at 90%. He also once
made an athlete warm up from being dead cold by running a 47 second 400.

Olympic Runner LaShawn Merritt Aims to Break

World Record After Injury
Sprinter LaShawn Merritt won gold at the 2008 Olympics, taking home the top honors
in the 400 and 4400 relay. He was a favorite to win again in 2012, but injured his
hamstring two weeks before the track and field events at the London Games. As a
result, he didnt qualify for the 400m final, forced out after just one round.

But Merritt is poised to make a comeback this year at the Rio Games. At the U.S.
Olympic Track and Field Trials on Sunday, he qualified for the big games, claiming a
first-place victory in the mens 400 with a 43.97-second time. Thats a whole 0.76
seconds ahead of second-place finisher Gil Roberts.

Merritt said he got back to the top by training hard.

I train 24 hours a day, the 30-year-old told reporters, including PEOPLE, at the
media summit in Los Angeles. Training isnt just physical out on the track. Im on
the track maybe two hours, Im in the gym maybe an hour and a half, but mentally,
Im always locked in. Its all day.
Rest is training, Merritt continued. You cant keep wearing your body out without
repairing it through rest. So I understand the power in rest and I sleep a lot anyways.
Rest, recovery and work hard.

LaShawnMerrittMarcio Jose Sanchez/APOn the track, the runner has been training
with 82-year-old coach Brooks Johnson, who Merritt said brings a lot of wisdom to
the process. Hes really passionate about the sport, he explained.

Johnson has also been riding Merritt on his diet. My coach is always talking about
going to the grocery store and getting the colors of the rainbow, Merritt detailed. So
I eat a lot of fruit, I eat a lot of fish, vegetables, just the basic normal stuff most
athletes eat to fuel their body.

That doesnt mean Merritt doesnt have his cheat days though he makes sure to
indulge in moderation. I love fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. A guilty pleasure,
I guess, he admitted. Its all about self-discipline. I can eat them every day if I
wanted to, but for me its just the taste of it. Once a week, maybe, I might just throw
three in the oven. And the three is just so I can get that taste of it right before I go to
bed, too. That may not be the best thing, but I burn enough energy that three cookies
wont hurt me.

LaShawnMerrittMarcio Jose Sanchez/AP

While hes focused on his Olympic glory, Merritt is also thinking of victory beyond
the Rio Games mainly, nabbing a world record. Ive been on top of the sport for a
long time, he said. This is my tenth year as a professional. Ive won some gold
medals, Ive had the undefeated season but I havent got that world record yet. So
thats what were aiming towards these next couple of years.

Merritt called his family, who live in his hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia, a big
support system. While they cant always make it to meets, he knows theyre always
watching especially his mom.

Growing up, my mom did a lot for me, even to this day. She was always the one that
would tell me, in any sport that I played, to go out and have fun. Shed always say
that, Just go have fun. So Im having fun and living the dream.
And when things get tough, he reminds himself of his older brother, who passed away
in 1999.

[Hes] not here to do anything, he said. So I make the best out of every day and
Im always about forward movement. Things happen, you move forward, you enjoy
life and maximize opportunities that you have.

My family keeps me humble. Thats where I get my sense of peace, he said.

A Q& A with Olympic Gold Medalist LaShawn Merritt

As a runner I am wildly interested in every aspect of the sport. The speed and
fortitude of marathoners and sprinters alike is amazing and inspiring to witness. With
the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China beginning this weekend, I
had the privilege of interviewing one of the USs premier athletes and 400m favorite
Olympic Gold Medalist, LaShawn

Merritt.

LaShawn is a Virginia native having grown up in Portsmouth, VA just north of

Virginia Beach, VA. His first taste of Olympic Gold came at the 2008 Olympics in
Beijing, competing in the 400m and the 400m relay. His current personal best of
43.74 seconds places him 6th on the list of fastest male runners in the 400m. I am
honored he took the time to answer a few questions for Mar on the Run!
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA MARCH 20: LaShawn Merritt of the United States
poses during the John Landy Lunch at Federation Square on March 20, 2014 in
Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Mar: As you head to the IAAF World Championships what are your goals in
Beijing?

Lashawn: I want to win the 400m and bring home the gold in the 4x400m relay. I also
want to run a personal best in the 400m, but to win it for the U.S. is most important to
me.

Mar: Why the 400m?

LM: I like the event because when I was in high school my coach needed someone to
run it and no one wanted to run it because it hurt. So he was saying, Real men run
the 400m. So I accepted the challenge and ever since then, Ive been running it. And
it fits me because I have a long stride and Im fast with a lot of endurance, so its
perfect.

Mar: What is your biggest strength as a sprinter?

LM: My biggest strength in the 400m is that Im the fastest 400m runner over 200m.
In an open 200m, Im the fastest 400m runner in the world, so Im able to cover the
first part of the race a lot easier than others.

Mar: What does your training look like? Any typical workout routine or
training partner?

LM: No training partner right now. But right now, Im in San Diego training at the
Olympic training center getting ready for the World Championships.
Mar: Favorite session or training tools?

LM: My NormaTec boots are my favorite because they help me recover faster so I
can get quality work in day after day.

Mar: Lets talk nutrition. Do you have a specific training diet? How do you
recover after a workout?

LM: After training Ill eat salmon. I like fish for after a workout. And then just really
hydrating.

Mar: How do you stay motivated?

LM: By knowing that my brother, who passed away, is not here to do anything, it
motivates me to continue to work hard because I recognize the gift that I was given.

NASSAU, BAHAMAS MAY 25: LaShawn Merritt of the United States poses with
a flay after the Mens 4400 metres relay final during day two of the IAAF World
Relays at the Thomas Robinson Stadium on May 25, 2014 in Nassau, Bahamas.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images for IAAF)

Mar: How do you mentally prepare for a big event? Any particular words to live
by or mantra?

LM: I remind myself to always stay in the present and that I was meant to do this. I
dont do anything really to mentally prepare. When its time to go and Im in the
blocks, knowing I was meant to do this for a reason.
Mar: What is your biggest accomplishment or proudest moment?

LM: Winning the Olympics in Beijing was a big accomplishment because you cant
get any higher than an Olympic gold medal.

Mar: On the flip side, what is (or has been) your biggest challenge?

LM: My biggest challenge in the sport has been understanding that different coaches
have different philosophies. So trying to figure out what fits me the best has been my
biggest challenge. I take a little bit from this coach, a little bit from that coach, just
trying to figure out what fits me.

Mar: What activities do you enjoy when not actively training?

LM: Resting, shopping, and spending time with my family.

Mar: If you could race against anyone in history, who would it be and why?

LM: I would want to race against Michael Johnson because he has the world record
and hes the best whos ever done it so far.

Mar: The majority of my readers are recreational runners, any advice for them?

LM: Just stay hydrated, stay motivated and enjoy it. The one thing about me is I still
enjoy the sport. The sky is the limit.

Mar: Looking ahead to Rio in 2016, what are you most looking forward to?

LM: Actually going to Rio. Ive never been there. And for the last Olympics, I was
hurt. So getting back on that world stage at the Olympic Games and representing the
USA.