Multi-Events: Training & Technical Phase-Based Approach to Seasonal Planning

with Richie Mercado,
St. John's High School (TX) Head Track & Field Coach;
34 years of coaching experience;
USATF Level 2 Coach in Jumps and Combined Events;
Jr. Coordinator for the USA Heptathlon; Head Coach for Team USA Heptathlon in the 2008 Thorpe Cup USA-Germany dual;
has coached several SPC state championships for Girl's Track & Field, Boy's Cross Country, and won 2 of last 3 in Boy's Track & Field.
Numerous SPC champions in sprints, jumps, hurdles; coached the USATF Junior Champion runner-up and Pan Am Junior Champion silver medalist in decathlon.

Richie Mercado relies on his experiences and understating that a speed and power-based program will ultimately benefit all aspects of athletic development and track & field success. His "Success through planning" approach allows athletes to develop the necessary speed, power, and coordination components that are required to compete across multi-events.

In this video, Coach Mercado lays out a multitude of planning processes that allow for adaptation to the time that the coach gets to spend with each athlete. The use of the multi-event platform provides seamless training and athletic development across all aspects of track & field.

Developing and Implementing a Plan

By utilizing a periodized plan that focuses on speed, power, and coordination before progressing to specifics as the season progresses, Coach Mercado sets up his athletes to meet and exceed their individual expectations. One of Mercado's central themes relates to the Fitness/Fatigue Theory where he introduces skills in small amounts and gradually increases the volume and intensity to further enhance speed, power, and general fitness. Mercado's system incorporates the following elements to help plan for and train multi-event athletes:

• Acceleration
• Max velocity
• Power development
• Recovery
• Rest

You'll get a detailed explanation with drills for each phase of the training progression that leads to competitive success when it matters most: the biggest meets of the season.

Drills and Exercises

Coach Mercado demonstrates 30+ exercises to help build an athlete's power base and coordination through strength training. In addition to simple demonstrations and coaching points for safety, Mercado relates each exercise to the functional component within multiple events. The perfect example of this the Acceleration Step Up versus the Max Velocity Step Up; both exercises are similar in nature, but minor modifications lead to the development of two different necessary skills for the multi-event athlete.

This video shows exactly how a veteran coach handles planning and training year-round, which can be difficult with so many events, different kinds of athletes, and a limited number of coaches. Coach Mercado gives a detailed road map for any coach who needs to be able to teach a variety of athletes simultaneously.

188 minutes (2 DVDs). 2018.