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Sprint training for 100m, 200m and 400m. They are aimed at differing levels of ability, ages and time available for training. If you are a beginner or junior athlete, following an advanced training schedule will likely lead to injury from over training.
OxNotes is a guide only and you should always follow guidance of your coaches or teachers. Training sessions should be begun with a warm up to increase body temperature and reduce muscle stiffness in preparation for vigorous physical exertion ahead. Immediately after training, a cool down routine should be performed in order to relax tired muscles, reduce waste products in the muscles and blood and gradually reduce body temperature to normal levels.
Sprint training for 100m, 200m and 400m. They are aimed at differing levels of ability, ages and time available for training. If you are a beginner or junior athlete, following an advanced training schedule will likely lead to injury from over training.
OxNotes is a guide only and you should always follow guidance of your coaches or teachers. Training sessions should be begun with a warm up to increase body temperature and reduce muscle stiffness in preparation for vigorous physical exertion ahead. Immediately after training, a cool down routine should be performed in order to relax tired muscles, reduce waste products in the muscles and blood and gradually reduce body temperature to normal levels.
Sprint start
- Crouch. Begin in a crouch position with the back knee on the ground and all your weight resting on the fingertips.
- Hips up. When you hear 'set', bring the hips up so that the body is in a ready position to power forward.
- Reaction time is vital. Clear your mind and listen solely for the 'G' of 'GO', launch out as soon as you here the sound.
- 10M: Power: Pump your legs. Stay very low for the first 10m, pumping the legs hard, keeping eyes down at the ground and powerfully accelerating.
- 20M: Move upright. From 20m bring the body to a more upright position. However, always stay streamlined, you don't want to be running completely straight.
- 30M: Full speed ahead! By 30 metres the athlete should be running at full speed.
Sprinting tips
- Aim to be running tall
- Elbows should be driven back, not across the body
- Shoulders should be relaxed
- Drive and land on the ball (front) of the feet.
- Improve core strength to help prevent injury and reduce your run time. Exercises can include push ups, pull ups and sit ups.
Maximising potential for 100m sprint:
Reaction Time: You need to have a rapid response to allow a smooth clearance at the start. Reaction times are measured by the time taken between the sound of the gun and the first muscle reaction/movement.
Starting Ability: Clearing the blocks powerfully is crucial to 100m. To overcome the inertial forces and friction in the opening strides, you must generate great power!
Accelerate: You must accelerate from the blocks to maximum velocity in as little time as possible. A low body position must be maintained until 20m, the upper body should be forward of your centre of mass (around your abdominal region). There should be a sense of driving the track behind the body as you gradually rise to a more upright posture. Next, strive to increase velocity over as great a distance is you are able to.
Maintaining Speed: Speed endurance of horizontal speed may be achieved through a strong striding technique, which should allow an equal emphasis on work performed both behind and in front of your centre of mass (high knees in front, full leg extension behind). There is a feeling of bounce in the lower limbs as you enter a brief flight in the recovery phase of each rapid stride.
Overcoming deceleration: You must stay relaxed but strive to resist an inevitable decline in velocity in the final stages of your 100m sprint. Work performed in front of the centre of mass should be greater than work performed behind at this point, (high knees). This is to lighten and reduce the duration of foot-strike in order to sustain pace in tiring legs.
Starting Ability: Clearing the blocks powerfully is crucial to 100m. To overcome the inertial forces and friction in the opening strides, you must generate great power!
Accelerate: You must accelerate from the blocks to maximum velocity in as little time as possible. A low body position must be maintained until 20m, the upper body should be forward of your centre of mass (around your abdominal region). There should be a sense of driving the track behind the body as you gradually rise to a more upright posture. Next, strive to increase velocity over as great a distance is you are able to.
Maintaining Speed: Speed endurance of horizontal speed may be achieved through a strong striding technique, which should allow an equal emphasis on work performed both behind and in front of your centre of mass (high knees in front, full leg extension behind). There is a feeling of bounce in the lower limbs as you enter a brief flight in the recovery phase of each rapid stride.
Overcoming deceleration: You must stay relaxed but strive to resist an inevitable decline in velocity in the final stages of your 100m sprint. Work performed in front of the centre of mass should be greater than work performed behind at this point, (high knees). This is to lighten and reduce the duration of foot-strike in order to sustain pace in tiring legs.