SPRINT TRAINING FOR SPEED

SPRINT TRAINING FOR SPEED

Before starting the sprint workout, you should first do the form running drills located HERE. It is important to understand that the sprint workouts are not designed to be conditioning workouts, they are designed to be SPEED workouts! The interval program included in your summer manual is for conditioning purposes. While performing sprint workouts, you should focus on your form and the things you worked on in the form running drills. You should also work out near 100% maximal effort! If you do this, it will help to improve your overall speed!

SPRINT WORKOUT #1

Distance Rest Time

10 yard sprint 1 minute

20 yard sprint 1 minute

40 yard sprint 1.5 minutes

60 yard sprint 2 minutes

80 yard sprint 2 minutes

100 yard sprint

SPRINT WORKOUT #2

Distance Rest Time

40 yard sprint 2 minutes

30 yard sprint 1.5 minutes

20 yard sprint 1.5 minutes

10 yard sprint 1 minute

5 yard sprint 1 minute

5 yard sprint

One important aspect of speed training is acceleration development. Acceleration is the key to most sports and needs to be constantly worked on and improved.

Acceleration work is considered from 0-30 yards in distance for each repetition. We start out with shorter distances at about 15-20 yards. The reason we start with such short distances, is that we want to make sure that our athletes are accelerating correctly. Your drive phase, which is your first 6-8 strides, is primarily what we are working on here.

What to look for during each repetition for acceleration:

* Your body is driving out at approximately a 45 degree angle

* Your legs are driving down and back, attacking the ground in a piston-like action

* You are stepping over the opposite knee and driving down (again in an almost a piston-like action)

* If you are driving your legs down forcefully, your heel recovery will be kept low

* The foot should strike directly below or slightly behind the hips

* Arm action is tight, not crossing the body, at a greater than 90 degree angle (your arm angle will open up a little more since your steps are greater and your ground contact time is longer then it would be at top speed)