The sprints include the following track events: 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 4 x 1oo metre relay and the 4 x 400 metre relay. Although the sprints are events in themselves, the ability to sprint is an important weapon in an athlete’s armoury for many track and field events and many sports.
Sprint Technique
Guidance on the sprint technique takes the form of a checklist, for each phase of the sprint, of points for the coach to monitor. The information provided here is for athletes using starting blocks.
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 in the track
- Athlete relaxed and focused on the race
On your marks
- 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
- 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 – body 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
- Over the next 7-8 strides (approx. 10 metres) the angle of 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 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 knee (rear leg drive will propel the foot forward 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, good stride length allowing continual acceleration
- Appearance of being smooth and relaxed but driving hard with elbows and legs
- The drive is maintained for 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 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 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 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 knee (rear leg drive will propel the foot forward 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
- Appearance of being Tall, Relaxed and Smooth with maximum Drive
- 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 fast and light as if running on hot surface
- Fast arms – more urgency
- Hands slightly higher at the front
