How to sprint faster...Bible!

[Anomalous]

We have all this knowledge to get in shape working out, but we don't have anything on how to sprint faster/techniques/methods. Any of you Mr. Fingers on this subject up to the challenge of writting the info?

 

[silverfox]

Some rugby and football clubs will put guys in a harness with a rope and a car tyre attached. Sprint a few intervals with that. Then take it off and accelerate.

You an even get a "parachute" harness to wear on your back to add resistance to your sprinting. You could probably achieve the same effect with a strong plastic grocery bag.

What do you want to sprint for - track or sports?

 

[dirtysanchez]

Mr Defranco covers it pretty well and concisely here: http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask_joe/archives/ask_joe_03-08-01.htm#question04

 

[Un-Aru]

Ok here we go...

Yes the four main components affecting sprinting are given in that link but let's break them down:

Relative body strength:
Actually this should technically read 'relative body POWER.' Power is the speed with which you move a given weight, so it makes sense that if you move a weight faster (ie your body) then you will be faster. (doh)

To increase power you need to do the following things:
1. Increase strength - don't confuse this with an increase in size, the two don't necessarily go together, although they can. There is a point where performance actually decreases because your skeletal frame can't EFFICIENTLY support the increase in mass - even if you are sitting at 8% BF.
2. Convert to power - start some serious plyometrics (look it up on google) to increase muscle output. 2x45min sessions per week for 6-8 weeks is optimal. In the middle of the season you'll want to cut it back to 1x45min session. (unless your sport is sprinting) Concentrate primarily on 'sprinting' plyometric drills. (ie hops over cones into a 20m sprint) It's more sports specific than hopping drills alone. And remember FULL recovery after each set, which is why a plyo session can take forever. If you're getting fatigued between sets, rest longer. The goal is to increase power, not endurance.
3. Convert to speed - hit the track/field, increase your cadence (technique/leg speed) work and ramp up the sprint training. You'll find that this phase will blend into the season, at which stage your primary concern should be speed maintenance (once a week and you'll probably have a training devoted to that anyway) and skills work.

Flexibility:
Fairly simple premise - the longer your stride the faster you'll cover ground, so long as your cadence (leg speed) is still the same. Obviously hip, glute, hamstring and general leg flexibility is critical here. Shoulders too strangely enough, they are heavily involved in the sprinting action.

Body composition:
Again pretty obvious. The less body fat you carry the better, as Defranco says, you don't want any excess baggage.

Technique:
This is primarily achieved through technique drills. This increases the efficiency with which your muscles work. There are so many drills it's not funny, I find hurdle and ladder work is best. For beginners you can't beat the 'skipping' drill that is the cornerstone of all technique drills. (sorry hard to describe in words) Probably the two key things to remember when doing drills are keep your toes pointed towards the sky and visualise as little contact with the ground as possible. You're running on top of the ground not through it.

I find the best way to fit them in is instead of doing a 5-10 min warm up on the treadmill, do 15-20 mins technique drills. That way you maintain muscle efficiency all-year round.

 

[wheelin&dealin]

Re: Ok here we go...

Originally posted by Un-Aru
And remember FULL recovery after each set, which is why a plyo session can take forever. If you're getting fatigued between sets, rest longer. The goal is to increase power, not endurance.

Wow.. someone who actually understands this concept. Not many people can grasp this.

For a speed day I'll do:

Two sets of 4 x 30m sprints with 5 minutes btwn reps and 10 min btwn sets.

 

[Un-Aru]

Absolutely, rest is CRITICAL in pure speed development. Now if your goal is to increase speed recovery, only then do you want to start decreasing recovery time. The ONLY people who should be doing this are those who are playing interval like sports, such as rugby, soccer etc. where there is little chance for complete recovery. And this is the last phase before the season starts, and most of the time is done mid-season as well.

My sprint endurance/speed recovery training:

5x70-100m sprints, 200m jog between each
5x70-100m sprints, 50m jog, 50m walk between each
5x70-100m sprints, 100m walk between each
Walk 100m slowly between each set
5 min rest
Hill sprints 20m+, normally 3 sets of 3, with 200m jog between each set
5 min rest
5x40m sprints, walk slowly back to start point after each sprint

This is damn tough, if you can do this and your last sprints are still near top speed, you're up there...

 

[October]

I have a question...for sprints, what is the difference between doing leg presses and doing squats? I mean, besides that squats train your overall body more.

 

[Un-Aru]

Originally posted by October
I have a question...for sprints, what is the difference between doing leg presses and doing squats? I mean, besides that squats train your overall body more.

Other than the fact that it hits your glutes and hamstrings as well which in actual fact is where most of your sprinting power comes from there are probably two other benefits:

1. Squats work your core - very important for stability and co-ordination in sprinting.
2. They more closely mimic the sprinting action - a multi-joint compound movement centered at the hip.