SPRINTING TECHNIQUE ISSUES

Most sprinters I have seen train hard, doing lot of new exercises which they saw on Instagram or youtube and apply the same in training program without knowing the technical model of the same and then struggle to fix technical flaws because they don’t know what to look for—or how to address those flaws with the right drills.

So today I'm going to talk about and try to make you understand the fews. Let's break down 3 keys sprinting issues and the drills which can help you to improve.

If you looking to run faster, minimize risk of injury, and improve your efficiency, this article will help you a lot.

3 Keys sprinting issues

Striking Effectively on the Start
Reaching vs. Striking
Improving Switch Speed

Striking Effectively on the Start

A lot of sprinters focus on staying low or dragging their toes during the start, but they overlook a critical detail: where they strike the ground. If your foot strikes too far ahead of your center of gravity, your body has to “pull” over the foot before it can push forward. This creates wasted time and inefficiency.

Instead, focus on landing behind your center of gravity, which allows you to push and shorten your ground contact time immediately.

Drill to Fix This: 3-Tape Drill

Place three markers (tape or cones) at intervals based on your stride length.
Focus on striking behind the markers with each step.

The exact distances depend on factors like your limb length, power, and technical ability, so adjust with your coach to find the perfect setup.

Reaching vs. Striking

I'm seeing from couple of year's a common mistake sprinters make is trying to extend their stride length by reaching forward. This approach can actually make you slower and increase your risk of injury, especially to the hamstrings. Most of the hamstring injuries occur during this sprint phase when the foot overextends in front of the body.

Instead of reaching, focus on striking down vertically. This reduces the stress on your hamstrings and increases the efficiency of your stride.

Drill to Fix This: Eccentric Hamstring Curls

Lie face down with your legs in the hamstring curl machine.
Slowly lower the weight over five seconds.
Perform 5 sets of 5 reps to strengthen your hamstrings in the exact position where they are most vulnerable.

Stronger hamstrings will help you transition from reaching to striking effectively.

Improving Switch Speed

Switch speed is all about how quickly you recover your legs and drive your knees during the start. When executed properly, your knees should close the gap quickly, creating a smooth and efficient stride. If your swing knee lags, it will slow you down.

Drill to Fix This: Wall Acceleration Switches

Lean against a wall in a 45-degree acceleration position.
Start with one leg on the ground and switch to the other leg as quickly as possible.
Perform 2 sets of 10 reps as part of your warm-up on acceleration-focused days.

Important links

Google Sites

Report abuse