I have just created a new blueprint for a speed based 400m program that i will be implementing with the athletes in my squad this year. It is shared in great detail with video support for subscribers of www.futuresprinting.com 
 

Here is a summary below.

This summary is built off the same type of structure as the 100-200m program from futuresprinting.com

However, Exercise Tempo Sessions are larger in volume for 400m athletes. The speed endurance sessions are significantly different in volume. Speed Development and Bounding should be as similar as possible to that done by 100/200m athletes. The main difference for the sprinters is that they will do shorter more intense speed endurance work later in each phase.
Weights should be very similar or the same as that done by a 100/200m athlete.

This program will develop much higher levels of speed in the athletes and still develop good endurance qualities. In many athletes their ability to hold onto speed in the final 100m of a 400m is more dependent on strength and power combined with their ability to hold good form than raw endurance ability. Exercise tempo sessions can develop basic stamina quite well without inhibiting speed development near as much as large volumes of speed endurance and general stamina work such as jogging.

Every athlete can benefit by training differently some years than others. This programs success will be built around athletes who need to further develop their speed and focus less on endurance. Maybe this very same athlete could do brilliantly in the following year by doing a year of the endurance emphasis program. In this way they may further complement the speed they developed in the previous year on this program.

Conditioning Phase A

6-10 weeks
Every 4th week is a recovery week

• Weight training initially targets hypertrophy & general conditioning.
• Plyometrics in this phase should aim to develop power with the longer contact varieties.
• Speed Endurance can consist of
  1/Hill training can be performed over distances of 60-100m
  2/ Speed Endurance runs at 90% effort for a total of 600-1000m per session.
• Athletes should perform 2-3 relaxed tempo sessions on grass per week & total between 2000-3000m total in each session of reps.
• Speed development sessions initially focus on improving performance over 30m from a 3 point start.
• Often what happens is the athletes will find that improvements in strength, bounding & 30m times will happen concurrently throughout the phase.

Strength Phase A 7 weeks (Week 4 is a recovery week)

• During this phase weight training changes to smaller sets to emphasize strength development. Weights should be continued 3 times a week.
• Maximum speed work should expanded to include longer distances of 40m, 50m & 60m.
• Plyometrics should progress toward varieties that have shorter duration ground contacts.
• 1/Hill training can be performed over distances of 60-100m
  2/ Speed Endurance runs at 90% effort for a total of 600-1000m per session.
• Athletes should continue performing 2-3 exercise tempo sessions on grass per week & total between 1600m-3000m of reps in each session.

Power Phase A 4 weeks

• Weight Training 2-3 times a week moves toward a power focus.
• Plyometrics should progress toward even quicker ground contacts.
• Hill training ceases.
• Speed Endurance sessions are continued with runs at 90% effort for a total of 600-1000m per session.
• Maximum speed sessions should be expanded to include sprints of up to 60m. 
• Athletes should continue performing 2-3 exercise tempo sessions on grass per week & total between 1600m-3000m of reps in each session.

Competition Phase A 3 weeks

• Weight training sessions can be performed once a week with a very small amount of a complex lifts just to maintain strength
• Plyometrics are stopped to enhance the athlete’s nervous system freshness.
• Maximum speed sessions are performed of the same variety as the power phase but the emphasis needs to be on racing.
• Athletes should continue performing 2-3 exercise tempo sessions on grass per week & total between 1600m-3000m of reps in each session.

Conditioning Phase B 4 - 8 weeks (4th week is a recovery week)

Similar to Conditioning A but the athlete should be entering this phase with higher levels of maximum speed.

• The same hill sessions are performed as in Conditioning Phase A e.g. These sessions should total less than 1200m total.
• Maximum Speed Development can be of a greater variety between distances of 20m & 60m. But most work should stay at 40m.
• Plyometrics should be of the long contact variety
• Some alactic capacity speed sessions should be performed involving the use of larger numbers of short repetitions e.g. 3 x 4 x 60m at less than 95% effort with 90s between reps and 10min between sets.
• Athletes should continue performing 2-3 exercise tempo sessions on grass per week & total between 1600m-3000m of reps in each session.

• Hills should be replaced in this phase with speed endurance sessions of a larger volume than in Strength Phase A. These should be performed at 95% effort and their total volume should be 1200-1600m of reps.
• Maximum speed development should stay the same as in Conditioning B.
• Plyometrics should progress toward quicker contacts.
• Athletes should continue performing 2-3 exercise tempo sessions on grass per week & total between 1600m-3000m of reps in each session.

Power Phase B 7 weeks (4th week is a recovery week)

• Plyometrics is speed bounds & some higher intensity plyometrics in low volumes
• Maximum speed work should increase in distance up to 60m.
• Technical work such as block starts and technique practise around bends should be emphasized in this phase.
• Speed Endurance should focus more on progressively shorter repetitions. Session should be at their most intense for the year done at close to 100%. Some sessions need to target the development of race specific endurance.
• Athletes should continue performing 2-3 exercise tempo sessions on grass per week & total between 1600m-3000m of reps in each session.
• Some competition but not so frequent that the training plan is disrupted.
  
  
  Competition Phase B 8 weeks
• Mental & physical freshness for races is the highest priority.
• Gym once a week should focus on maintenance of strength with a small range of complex lifts.
• Speed sessions should focus more on specific technical aspects.
• Athletes need to do easy sessions where they are relaxing at near to race pace over small segments such as 80-150m with more than enough rest between reps.
• Speed Endurance can be enhanced from appropriate amounts of racing 200m races are particularly good at helping sharpen 400m athletes form.
• Exercise Tempo sessions of 1600m-2400m should be continued once to twice a week.|
  
  regards
  Steve Bennett
  www.futuresprinting.com
  www.oztrack.com