Search for ways to improve the physical fitness of athletes.

The article is devoted to a scientific inquiry into ways to enhance physical preparation of 400-meter runners. It has been analyzed that the current state of the athletes training system has to be improved in accordance with new trends in sports development and training short distance runners. Under the current circumstances, it is no longer sufficient to just increase the training load in order to conduct qualitative physical training of runners, because nowadays the training loads have reached significant levels, hence trainers and scientists need to improve the training process by using effective means and methods. Special sprint training should begin at the age of 14 or 15. Special physical preparation for short distance races should be carried out gradually. During this period, in spite of large training loads, runners’ speed is being stabilized, which is the main reason for holding back the speed capabilities of athletes. For athletes of the 1st and 2nd professional grades, the factor of speed and strength preparation is the main component in physical training system for short distance runners. In the process of special physical preparation of 400-meter runners, it is necessary to take into account that an athlete must exhibit speed, strength, flexibility, endurance and coordination abilities under different states of a human body and ensure implementation of such a method that would enable a runner to have significantly higher rates of physical qualities development. The assessment of physical preparation of athletes in the 3rd year of specialized basic training has been presented and it was established that 72% of athletes in running tests and 36% of athletes in jump tests show results lower than expected for this training group, which urges us to search for effective speed and strength improvement means in order to enhance the physical preparation of 400-meter runners. It has been proved that in order to enhance the physical preparation of 400-meter runners at the stage of specialized basic training, it is expedient to use the techniques for developing speed, as well as speed and strength abilities