Sprinting
The sprints include the following track events: 100 metres, 200 metres, 400
metres, 4 x 100-metre relay and the 4 👍 x 400-metre relay. Although the sprints are
events in themselves, the ability to sprint is an essential weapon in an 👍 athlete's
armoury for many track and field events and sports.
Sprint Technique
Guidance on the
sprint technique takes the form of a 👍 checklist for each sprint phase, of points for the
coach to monitor. The information provided here is for athletes using 👍 starting blocks.
For details of standing or crouch starts, see the sprints start page.
Pre-race
start
Blocks correctly positioned in the lane 👍 (200 metres/400 metres at a tangent to
the curve)
Correct distances from the start line to the front and rear blocks
Foot
👍 blocks at the correct angles
Blocks firmly located on the track
Athlete relaxed and
focused on the race
On your marks
Feet correctly located 👍 in the blocks
Feet correctly
located in the blocks Fingers behind the line
Fingers form a high bridge
Hands evenly
positioned slightly wider 👍 than shoulder-width
Shoulders back and vertically above or
slightly forward of the hands
Arms straight but not locked at the elbows
Head and 👍 neck
in line with the spine
Eyes focused on the track (1 to 2 metres ahead)
Gentle
breathing
Face and neck muscles relaxed
Set
Hold 👍 the breath
Hold the breath Hips rise
slowly to a position above the shoulders
Head and neck in line with the spine
Eyes
👍 focused on the track one or two metres ahead
Shoulders vertically above or slightly
forward of the hands
Front leg knee angle 👍 approx. 90 degrees
Rear leg knee angle
approx. 120 degrees
Feet pushed hard back into the blocks
B of the Bang
Exhale
Drive
the arms 👍 hard
Extend the whole body, so there is a straight line through the head,
spine, and extended rear leg. The body 👍 is approx. 45-degree angle to the ground
Eyes
Focused on the track 2 to 3 metres
Run out of the blocks - 👍 do not step or jump out of
the blocks
Drive Phase (0-30m)
Drive the back leg forward, keeping the heel low until
👍 the shin is approx. 45° to the ground and then drive the foot down (see picture to the
right), hitting 👍 the ground just behind the body's centre of mass
Drive the back leg
forward, keeping the heel low until the shin 👍 is approx. 45° to the ground and then
drive the foot down (see picture to the right), hitting the ground 👍 just behind the
body's centre of mass Over the next 7-8 strides (approx. 10 metres), the angle of the
shin 👍 of the front leg, before it is driven down, will increase by 6-7°/stride so that
by the 7-8 stride, the 👍 shin is vertical
Over the first 7-8 strides, the whole-body
angle will increase from 45° to approx. 30° degrees - approx. 👍 2°/step
After the first
7-8 strides, you will be at approx.70% of your max velocity
Eyes focused on the track
to keep 👍 low to allow the build-up of speed
Forward lean of the whole body with a
straight line through the head, spine 👍 and extended rear leg
Face and neck muscles
relaxed (no tension)
Shoulders held back and relaxed, square in the lane at all
👍 times
Arms move with a smooth forward and backward action - not across the body - drive
back with elbows - 👍 hands move from approx. shoulder height to hips
Elbows maintained at
90 degrees (angle between upper and lower arm)
Hands Relaxed - 👍 fingers loosely curled -
thumb uppermost
Legs - fully extended rear leg pushing off the track with the toes -
drive 👍 the leg forward with a high knee action with the knee pointing forward and with
the heel striking under the 👍 backside (not the back of the backside as the knee is low
and pointing down to the ground) - extend 👍 lower leg forward of the knee (rear leg drive
will propel the foot ahead of the knee) with toes turned 👍 up - drive the foot down in a
claw action with a ball of foot/toe strike on the track vertically 👍 below the knee -
pull the ground under you into a full rear leg extension - (elbow drive assisting the
👍 whole action)
On the ball of foot/toes at all times - feet pointing forward straight
down the lane
Elbow drive commences just 👍 before rear leg drive
Fast leg action, right
stride length allowing continual acceleration
The appearance of being smooth and
relaxed but driving 👍 hard with elbows and legs
The drive is maintained for the first
20-30 metres (approx.16-17 strides), at the end of which 👍 the body is tall with a slight
forward lean
At the end of this phase, you will be at approx. 90% 👍 of your max
velocity
Stride Phase (30-60m)
Smooth transitions from the drive phase to stride
phase
Eyes focused at the end of the 👍 lane - tunnel vision
Head in line with the spine -
held high and square
Face relaxed - jelly jaw - no 👍 tension - mouth relaxed
Chin down,
not out
Shoulders held down (long neck), back (not hunched), relaxed and square in the
lane 👍 at all times
Smooth forward and backward action of the arms- not across the body -
drive back with elbows - 👍 brush vest with elbows - hands move from shoulder height to
hips for men and from bust height to hips 👍 for the ladies
Elbows held at 90 degrees at
all times (angle between the upper arm and lower arm)
Hands relaxed - 👍 fingers loosely
curled - thumb uppermost
Hips tucked under - slight forward rotation of the hip with
forward leg drive to 👍 help extend the stride
Legs - fully extended rear leg pushing off
the track with the toes - drive the leg 👍 forward with a high knee action with the knee
pointing forward and with the heel striking under the backside (not 👍 the back of the
backside as the knee is low and pointing down to the ground) - extend lower leg 👍 forward
of the knee (rear leg drive will propel the foot ahead of the knee) with toes turned
up, stepping 👍 over the knee of the lead leg - drive the foot down in a claw action with
a ball of 👍 foot/toe strike on the track just behind the body's centre of mass - pull the
ground under you into a 👍 full rear leg extension - (elbow drive assisting the whole
action)
On the ball of foot/toes with the feet pointing forward 👍 straight down the
lane
No signs of straining or tension in the face, neck and shoulders
The appearance of
being Tall, Relaxed 👍 and Smooth with maximum Drive
See the sprint technique photo
sequence
At or close to the end of this phase, you will 👍 have reached your max
velocity
Lift Phase (60m+)
Around 50-60 metres, we will have reached max velocity, and
now we start to 👍 slow down. Technique as the Stride Phase but with emphasis on:
High
knee action (prancing)
Leg action is fast and light as 👍 if running on a hot surface
Fast
arms - more urgency
Hands slightly higher at the front
Coaching Notes
As you monitor
the athlete's 👍 technique, look for:
a Tall action This means erect, running on the ball
of foot/toes (not heels) with full extension of 👍 the back, hips and legs as opposed to
'sitting down' when running
action a Relaxed action This means move easily, as 👍 opposed
to tensing and 'working hard' to proceed. Let the movements of running flow. Keep the
hands relaxed, the shoulders 👍 low and the arm swing rhythmically by the sides.
action a
Smooth action This means float across the top of the 👍 ground. All motion should be
forward, not up and down. Leg action should be efficient and rhythmic. The legs should
👍 move easily under the body like a wheel rolling smoothly along.
action Drive This means
push from an extended rear leg, 👍 rear elbow drive with a high forward knee drive
followed by a strike and claw foot action just behind the 👍 body's centre of
gravity.
Sprint Starts
Canadian researchers, Sleivert and Taingahue (2004)[1],
investigated the relationship between sprint start performance and selected
conditioning 👍 training. When a sprinter leaves the blocks, the drive against the blocks
and the first few steps rely on concentric 👍 muscular strength. A concentric muscle
contraction occurs when a muscle shortens as it contracts.
A squat jump is an example
of 👍 concentric muscle contraction, which simulates the sprint start. 4 sets of 3
repetitions with a loading of 30-70% of 1RM 👍 can be used to develop maximal concentric
force.
Lower into the squat position, hold for 1 to 2 seconds to switch 👍 off the
stretch/reflex, stretch/shortening cycle and allow for a more powerful contraction.
Developing concentric muscle contraction will help the athlete's 👍 sprint start and
acceleration over the first 4 or 5 strides.
Right foot forward or left?
A question
often asked regarding the 👍 starting blocks is, "which foot should be in the rear block?"
A team of researchers, Eikenberry et al. (2008)[2], discovered 👍 that when:
the left foot
was in the rear block, reaction time was better
the right foot was in the rear block
👍 movement and total response time was better - the time from the stimulus (gun) until
the end of the movement
The 👍 results suggest that the right foot in the rear block will
produce a more powerful drive from the blocks.
Perhaps a 👍 way forward would be to
evaluate the athlete's times over the first ten metres, for both start positions, to
determine 👍 which produces the fastest acceleration phase for the athlete.
Stride
Length
Out of the blocks, the initial foot strike should be around 👍 50-60cm from the
start line. The stride length should then progressively increase on each stride by
10-15cm until they reach 👍 their optimal stride length of about 2.30 metres.
If the
athlete lands at 50cm from the start line and increases their 👍 stride length by
10cm/stride, then they will reach their optimal stride length around their 19th stride
- approx. 26m from 👍 the start line. If they could maintain their 2.30m stride length,
they would cross the finish line on their 51st 👍 stride.
If the athlete lands at 60cm
from the start line and increases their stride length by 15cm/stride, then they will
👍 reach their optimal stride length around their 13th stride - approx. 20m from the start
line. If they could maintain 👍 their 2.30m stride length, then they would cross the
finish line on their 49th stride.
Rehearsal of this acceleration phase should 👍 be
conducted regularly. Markers can be placed at the side of the track to assist the
athlete in getting the 👍 feel of the increased stride length and acceleration. The marker
settings for an athlete who lands at 60cm from the 👍 start line and then increases their
stride length by 15cm/stride are as follows: 0.60m, 1.35m, 2.25m, 3.30m, 4.50m, 5.85m,
7.35m, 👍 9.00m, 10.80m, 12.75m, 14.85m, 17.10m. (Saunders 2004)[3].
Stride Frequency
(Strike Rate)
The time of a stride (ST) comprises the time you are 👍 in the air (AT) plus
the time you are in contact with the ground (GT). Elite sprinters typically have a 👍 GT
of 0.09 secs and an AT of 0.11 secs, giving them an ST=0.2 seconds. The stride
frequency of an 👍 elite athlete is in the range of 4.8 to 5.2 strides per second (1sec ÷
0.2sec = 5 strides). The 👍 difference between an elite and an average sprinter is not
greater strength but reduced ground contact time (GT) achieved with 👍 developed skill and
motor coordination.
Acceleration Training
Zafeiridis et al. (2005)[4] looked at
weighted sledge training and its effect on sprint acceleration, 👍 and they concluded that
training with a weighted sledge would help improve the athlete's acceleration phase.
The session used in 👍 the research was 4 x 20m and 4 x 50m maximal effort runs.
Lockie et
al. (2003)[5] investigated the effects of 👍 various loadings and concluded that when
using a sledge, a light weight of approx. 10-15% of body weight should be 👍 used so that
the dynamics of the acceleration technique are not negatively affected.
Starts over
10-20 metres performed on a slight 👍 incline of around five degrees have an important
conditioning effect on the calf, thigh and hip muscles (they have to 👍 work harder
because of the incline to move) that will improve sprint acceleration.
Sprinting
Speed
Downhill sprinting is a method of developing 👍 sprinting speed following the
acceleration phase. Use 40 to 60 metres to build up to full speed and then maintain 👍 the
momentum for a further 30 metres. A session could comprise 2 to 3 sets of 3 to 6
repetitions. 👍 This method's difficulty is finding a suitable hill with a safe surface. A
mountain with a maximum of 15° decline 👍 is most appropriate.
Overspeed work could be
carried out on the track when there are prevailing strong winds - run with 👍 the wind
behind you.
Research by Mero et al. (1998)[6] indicates that an elite sprint athlete's
foot contact time with the 👍 track is 0.08 to 0.1 seconds, so it is vital with plyometric
training that each ground contact (approx. 1/10 of 👍 a second) is made as dynamically as
possible. Bounding, hopping, and depth jumps from low heights (30cm) can speed up
👍 ground contact times, trigger the appropriate neural pathways, and recruit fast-twitch
muscle fibres. Example sessions for a mature athlete are:
4 👍 x 10 bounds with a 20m run
out
4 x 10-speed hops
Depth jumps off a 40cm box: 4 x 4 step 👍 off, land and jump for
height
4 x 4 step off, land and jump for distance
Repetitions, sets and recovery should
be 👍 adjusted to focus on the quality of execution, not the number of executions.
Bend
Running Technique
In the 200m and 400m set 👍 up your blocks to form a straight line
(tangent) to the inside line of your lane allowing you to initially 👍 accelerate in a
straight line before moving into bend running. When running the curve, you slightly
twist your shoulders so 👍 that the right arm comes across the body to the midline, and
the left arm goes straight back to the 👍 front above your inside lane line. The right
foot comes across the front of the body, landing in front of 👍 the left foot. You will
automatically lean into the curve to counteract the inertia which is trying to pull you
👍 to your right. Your left foot lands on the ground about 6 inches from the line.
Remember that if you 👍 touch the lane line, you will be disqualified.
Training Programs
A
training program has to be developed to meet the athlete's individual 👍 needs and
consider many factors: gender, age, strengths, weaknesses, objectives, training
facilities etc. As all athletes have different needs, a 👍 single program suitable for all
athletes is not possible.
Training Pathway
Athletes in the Event Group stage
The
following is an annual training 👍 program suitable for athletes in the Event Group
development stages for the sprint and hurdle events.
Athletes in the Event stage
The
👍 following are event-specific annual training programs suitable for athletes in the
Event development stage:
Training Methods
The various forms of training
include:
Speed
Speed 👍 endurance
Specific endurance - consists of intervals at your goal
pace, but not so long as to replicate the entire race
Special 👍 endurance - the aim is to
develop the capacity for maintaining maximal or near maximal velocity
Intensive tempo -
runs completed 👍 at 75-95% effort to overload the lactic energy system
Extensive tempo -
a slower version of intensive tempo where we try 👍 to avoid the build-up of
lactic
Resisted sprints - uphill running, running with a sledge or tyre, running into a
headwind
Assisted 👍 sprints - downhill running, running with the wind
Developing the
Energy Systems
The following table, Rogers (2000)[7], indicates the training exercises
to 👍 develop the sprinter's energy systems and guide you in preparing training
programs.
Energy System Type of training Distance Speed Recovery Total 👍 distance Aerobic
Power Extensive Tempo >100m 60-70% 30-90 sec 1400-3000m Aerobic Capacity Extensive
Tempo >200m 70-80% 30-90 sec 1400-2000m Aerobic 👍 & Anaerobic Intensive Tempo >80m 80-90%
30-120 sec 800-1800m Anaerobic Speed 20-80m 90-95% 3-5 min 300-800m Alactic Speed
20-80m 95-100% 👍 3-5 min 300-500m Anaerobic Speed Endurance 30-80m 90-95% 1-2 min
300-800m Alactic Speed Endurance 30-80m 95-100% 2-3 min 300-800m Anaerobic 👍 Speed
Endurance 80-150m 90-95% 5-6 min 300-900m Glycolytic Speed Endurance 80-150m 95-100%
6-10 min 300-600m Anaerobic Special Endurance 150-300m 90-95% 👍 10-12 min 600-1200m
Glycolytic Special Endurance 150-300m 95-100% 12-15 min 300-900m Lactic acid tolerance
Special Endurance 300-600m 90-95% 15-20 min 👍 600-900m
Weight Training
The following is
an example weight training program for a sprinter.
Phase Loading Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
General 👍 3 sets 12 RM Squats
Step-Ups
Bench Press
Dumbbell Arm Swings Lunges
Single Leg
Squats
Bench Press
Power Cleans Squats
Step-Ups
Bench Press
Snatch Specific Power
Cleans & Snatch
3 👍 sets 10RM
Other exercises
3 sets of 5 reps at 10RM Power Cleans
Bench
Press
Step Ups
Dumbbell Arm Swings Snatch
Bench Press
Single leg squats
Lunges with
👍 dumbbells
Dumbbell Arm Swings Squats
Bench Press Competition 3 sets of 5 reps at 8RM
Power Cleans
Bench Press
Step Ups
Dumbbell Arm Swings Snatch
Bench 👍 Press
Single leg
squats
Lunges with dumbbells
Dumbbell Arm Swings Rest
Analysis of running the 100
metres
The following table (Arnold 1992)[9] provides the reaction 👍 time and 20-metre
split times for the men's 100-metre final at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
Athlete
Reaction 20m 40m 60m 👍 80m 100m Christie (UK) 0.139 2.93 4.74 6.48 8.22 9.96 Fredericks
(NAM) 0.138 2.91 4.74 6.50 8.26 10.02 Mitchell (USA) 👍 0.143 2.93 4.76 6.52 8.28 10.04
Surin (Can) 0.124 2.89 4.72 6.50 8.28 10.09 Burrell (USA) 0.165 2.99 4.82 6.58 👍 8.32
10.10 Adeniken (NGR) 0.183 3.01 4.84 6.58 8.34 10.12 Stewart (JAM) 0.154 2.95 4.78 6.56
8.36 10.22 Ezinwa (NGR) 👍 0.172 2.99 4.84 6.62 8.42 10.26
Evaluation of speed
The
following table provides each athlete's speed (metres/second) at each 20-metre point.
You 👍 will note that, except for Burrell, the athletes achieved their maximum speed at 60
metres.
Athlete Start 20m 40m 60m 80m 👍 100m Christie (UK) 0 6.83 11.05 11.49 11.49 11.49
Fredericks (NAM) 0 6.87 10.93 11.36 11.36 11.36 Mitchell (USA) 0 👍 6.83 10.93 11.36 11.36
11.36 Surin (Can) 0 6.92 10.93 11.24 11.24 11.05 Burrell (USA) 0 6.69 10.93 11.36 11.49
👍 11.24 Adeniken (NGR) 0 6.64 10.93 11.49 11.36 11.24 Stewart (JAM) 0 6.78 10.93 11.24
11.11 10.75 Ezinwa (NGR) 0 👍 6.69 10.81 11.24 11.11 10.87 Average 0 6.78 10.93 11.35
11.32 11.17
If you plot the average speed for these athletes 👍 at the 20-metre mark, you
find that maximum speed is achieved around 60 metres and from this point, speed
declines 👍 to the 100-metre point when it is approximately the same speed as that made at
50 metres.
The objective now for 👍 coaches and athletes is to maintain acceleration
through to 80 metres and reduce the decline in speed from 80m to 👍 100m.
17 years later -
100 metres Split Times 2009
The following table provides the reaction time and 20-metre
split times for 👍 the men's 100-metre final at the World Championships in Berlin in
2009.
Athlete Reaction 20m 40m 60m 80m 100m Bolt (JAM) 👍 0.146 2.89 4.64 6.31 7.92 9.58
Gay (USA) 0.144 2.92 4.70 6.39 8.02 9.71 Powell (JAM) 0.134 2.91 4.71 6.42 👍 8.10 9.84
Bailey (ANT) 0.129 2.92 4.73 6.48 8.18 9.93 Thompson (TRI) 0.119 2.90 4.71 6.45 8.17
9.93 Chambers (UK) 👍 0.123 2.93 4.75 6.50 8.22 10.00 Burns (TRI) 0.165 2.94 4.76 6.52
8.24 10.00 Patton (USA) 0.149 2.96 4.85 6.65 👍 8.42 10.34
Evaluation of speed
The
following table provides each athlete's speed (metres/second) at each 20-metre point.
You will note now that 👍 all the athletes achieved their maximum speed at 80m.
Athlete
Start 20m 40m 60m 80m 100m Bolt (JAM) 0 6.92 11.43 👍 11.98 12.42 12.05 Gay (USA) 0 6.85
11.24 11.83 12.27 11.83 Powell (JAM) 0 6.87 11.11 11.70 11.90 11.49 Bailey 👍 (ANT) 0 6.85
11.05 11.43 11.76 11.43 Thompson (TRI) 0 6.90 11.05 11.49 11.63 11.36 Chambers (UK) 0
6.83 10.99 👍 11.43 11.63 11.24 Burns (TRI) 0 6.80 10.99 11.36 11.63 11.36 Patton (USA) 0
6.76 10.58 11.11 11.30 10.42 Average 👍 0 6.85 11.05 11.54 11.82 11.40
If you plot the
average speed for these athletes at the 20-metre mark, you find 👍 that maximum speed is
now achieved at around 80 metres and from this point, speed declines to the 100-metre
point 👍 when it is approximately the same speed as that made at 50-60m metres.
The
objective now for coaches and athletes is 👍 to maintain acceleration through to 90 metres
and reduce the decline in speed from 90m to 100m.
Usain Bolt 2012 London 👍 Olympics
The
following table provides the 20-metre split times in the final of the 100 metres for
Usain Bolt.
Athlete Start 20m 👍 40m 60m 80m 100m Bolt (JAM) 0 2.93 4.69 6.35 7.96
9.63
The following table provides the speed (metres/second) at each 👍 20-metre
point.
Athlete Start 20m 40m 60m 80m 100m Bolt (JAM) 0 6.83 11.36 12.05 12.42 11.98
If
you plot the speed 👍 at the 20-metre mark, you find that maximum speed is still achieved
at around 80 metres and from this point, 👍 speed declines to the 100-metre point when it
is approximately the same speed as that made at 50-60m metres.
Evaluation Tests
The
👍 following evaluation tests can be used to monitor the sprint athlete's
development:
Sprint Time Predictors
Test results make it possible to predict 👍 potential
times for a sprint event. The available sprint time predictors are:
Bounding
Controls
Dick (1987)[8] provides a rough guide linking 3 👍 Bounds (from a standing start)
and Standing Long Jump to competition performance.
Target Time Standing Long Jump 3
Bounds 10.70 - 👍 10.2.0 2.90- 3.20 10.00 - 9.20 11.10 - 10.71 2.70 - 2.89 9.19 - 8.50
11.70 - 11.11 2.60 - 👍 2.69 8.49 - 7.90 12.20 - 11.71 2.50 - 2.59 7.89 - 7.50 12.70 -
12.21 2.40 - 2.49 7.49 👍 - 7.20 13.2 - 12.71 2.30 - 2.39 7.19 - 6.80
Free Calculator
Free
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that you can download and 👍 use on your computer.
100 metres
to 800 metres time predictions based on 100 metres to 800 metres time
Rules of
Competition
The 👍 competition rules for this event are available
from:
References
SLEVERT, G. and TAINGAHUE, M. (2004) The relationship between maximal
jump-squat power and 👍 sprint acceleration in athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol., 91 (1), p.
46-52 EIKENBERRY, A. et al. (2008) Starting with the 👍 "right" foot minimizes sprint
start time. Acta Psychol (Amst), 127 (2), p. 495-500 SAUNDERS, R. (2004) Five
components of the 👍 100m sprint. Modern Athlete and Coach, 42 (4) p. 23-24 ZAFEIRIDIS, A.
et al. (2005) The effects of resisted sled-pulling 👍 sprint training on acceleration and
maximum speed performance. J Sports Med Phys Fitness, 45(3), p. 284-290 LOCKIE, R.G. et
al. 👍 (2003) Effects of resisted sled towing on sprint kinematics in field-sport
athletes. J Strength Cond Res., 17 (4), p. 760-767 👍 MERO et al. (1992) Biomechanics of
sprint running. Sports Med, 13, p. 266-274 ROGERS, J.L. (2000) USA Track and Field
👍 Coaching Manual. Champaign IL: Human Kinetics DICK, F. (1987) Sprints and Relays. 5th
ed. London: BAAB. p. 24 ARNOLD, M. 👍 (1992) 100 Metres Men. Athletics Coach, 26 (4), p.
11
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