This will be a bit unnatural at first. Try running barefoot, and then emulating that form with shoes on. [2] X Research source Running with your heels first may also bad for your joints, muscles, and ligaments. It creates a highly unnatural “V” shape with your lower legs and feet that puts unnecessary strain on everything.
When you over-stride, you lose your form. Your front foot struts out in front of you and actually acts as a sort of brake on your entire body. You then have to carry yourself over your foot, leading to a bouncing that just isn’t good for form or speed. Keeping your stride normal also means you won’t get winded as quickly.
This doesn’t mean throwing all your weight forward so it’s a constant battle to avoid falling forward. Just a slight incline is sufficient to help you move faster without losing your balance. It’s also important not to lean back. Sometimes when nearing the finish line or checking to see those behind you, you may be tempted lean back or look up and change your form. This, too, slows you down. You can look around when your sprint is done.
Think of making an “L” shape with your arm: your relaxed fists should reach as high as your chin and be drawn back with your elbows.
There is some disagreement as to whether it is more beneficial to breath through the nose or mouth, or whether it makes any difference at all. The crucial thing is to make sure you are getting enough oxygen, so try both and see what feels comfortable and works best for you. [7] X Research source If you’re not tired but your muscles are, try to inhale more deeply. [8] X Research source It’s probable that your muscles just need more oxygen. In addition to working on your form and running ability, you should work on your breathing. Concentrate on it when you’re warming up so you are primed to do it correctly and deeply during your sprint.
Carbohydrates are key, as these will release loads of energy and give you strength. Cereal, bread, pasta, and potatoes are all good examples. [9] X Research source Additional protein is also necessary for muscle-building. Consider lean proteins such as turkey and cottage cheese. Champion sprinter Usain Bolt lives on a regimen of yams, pasta and rice, chicken and pork, and stays away from fast food. [10] X Research source You will also require more calories over the course of a day than less active people. Make time for yourself to eat a healthy breakfast every day, especially if you are working out that day. [11] X Research source If you have a run coming up, load up on the right foods beforehand. However, hold back on the power foods a few hours before a run. You don’t want your stomach acting up during the race.
A good rule of thumb is to replenish with a pint of water for every pound you lose after a workout. So, weigh yourself before and after to get an idea of how much you need to be drinking. A high school football player, for example might lose five pounds from perspiration after practice.
weightlifting that really tests you (but is not so heavy that you shake or can’t get started) is going to condition your muscles for sprinting by making them bigger and more able to endure soreness. Every gym is different and the machines will vary. Be sure to look for ones that focus on working your legs. Don’t push yourself too hard, as this can lead to serious injury. Work up to the heavier weights slowly. If you aren’t confident in your ability to jump right into weight-training at the gym, you can strength-train at home.
Do deadlifts. Find a long bar designed for handling lots of weight. Put some weight on it, squat down and pick it up. Then, stand up straight. Now, just bend over using your back and try to get the bar to touch your feet, while holding onto it. You should feel this in your hamstrings, the most important muscles for running. [16] X Research source Try the “power clean,” a maneuver that involves squatting down to pick up a long barbell, and then standing up rapidly as you simultaneously life with your arm. [17] X Research source Do barbell squats. Rest a long barbell across your shoulders, holding it in place with both hands. Then, in a wide stance, do squats, keeping your chin parallel to the ground. [18] X Research source
One good exercise for your abs is to take hold of a weight bar (25 to 45 pounds) or hand weights, and then just do some sit-ups. [19] X Research source Work on your lower abs, too. For a good lower-ab workout, find a pole, or something of the sort (for example, a leg support to a bench press machine, the railing of your bed, etc. ), grip it very tightly, lie down, and do some leg-lifts. Keep your legs together and bring them up and down very slowly. [20] X Research source You should feel burn in the bottom of your abs, so you know it’s working.
One good exercise for your abs is to take hold of a weight bar (25 to 45 pounds) or hand weights, and then just do some sit-ups. [19] X Research source Work on your lower abs, too. For a good lower-ab workout, find a pole, or something of the sort (for example, a leg support to a bench press machine, the railing of your bed, etc. ), grip it very tightly, lie down, and do some leg-lifts. Keep your legs together and bring them up and down very slowly. [20] X Research source You should feel burn in the bottom of your abs, so you know it’s working.
Bench presses also help your chest muscles, which are also important. Be very careful when working around your shoulders and neck. Injuring this area can be extremely painful and put your workout routine on hold for quite a while, as you’ll need time to recover.
Think about your body like a car. Sprinting is hitting the acceleration button to speed up. Your legs are the engine, so strengthening your legs can improve your performance. Think of hill sprints as a mix between sprinting and weight-lifting. It burns a lot of calories and is great for building your calf muscles. [22] X Research source
To begin with, jog around the track a couple of times at a comfortable pace. [23] X Research source Don’t use up too much energy at this point, you’re just warming your muscles up. It used to be taught to stretch before running. Now experts advise traditional stretches prior to exercising can actually lead to (or even cause) injury. [24] X Research source Instead, try dynamic stretches. These are gentle arm and leg swings performed in a smooth, continuous motion, rather than holding a for stretch in a specific position. [25] X Research source For example, you can stand perpendicular to a wall and swing your outside leg back and forth, increasing the height which each repetition. Then, turn around and stretch the other leg. If you have a specific injury or stiffness, (such as a sore hamstring) it may be a good idea to stretch out these areas prior to the main workout.
High knees: Walk while bringing your knees all the way up to your chest. [26] X Research source Arm drills: Make L’s with your arms, using the elbows as the corner of the L (i. e. a 90-degree angle). Now, just swing your arms forward and backward, using only your shoulders to swing your arms. Alternate movements, driving the elbow of one arm all the way back while the other arm is all the way up to, but not passing, your face (i. e. up to your chin). When you get comfortable with that, increase the speed. Go as fast as you can for as long as you can. [27] X Research source Long strides: Take long strides with your legs, using high knees to bring your leg up. The idea is to get as far as you can in as few long steps as possible. Don’t put much weight on the front leg (especially the balls of the foot). If you do so, you might lose balance and trip. [28] X Research source Back pedals: Turn around and run backwards. Use your heels and reach outwards, in a kicking motion. Alternate jogging and sprinting: Jog for 10 yards (9. 1 m) and burst into a sprint for 50 yards (45. 7 m). This exercise is great for shifting gears; the sudden changes in tempo improve your “burst-speed,” which will be crucial to your sprinting efforts. In fact, shifting between low- and high-intensity exercise like this is one of the best ways to improve your cardio fitness and endurance,[29] X Research source which will help your body pump oxygen more efficiently when you sprint and help keep you from tiring.
Monday (Speed Day): Run ten 80-meter stretches (i. e. run 80-meter dashes five times, taking 2 minute breaks between each one), six 70-meter stretches, four 60-meter stretches, three 20-meter stretches and one 100-meter stretch. Tuesday (Weight-Lifting Day): Go into a weightlifting room and work on everything. Try to keep all of your muscles in shape; you’ll need every single one for running, and even more so for sprinting. Wednesday (Speed/Endurance Day): Run four 300-meter stretches. It’s important to get this kind of run and to give it all you’ve got. Endurance training makes your heart stronger, which will make you much faster. Thursday (Semi-Speed Day): Run five 200-meter stretches, three 100-meter stretches, and two 50-meter stretches. Friday (Weight-Lifting Day Two): Go back to the gym and increase the challenge level. Once you feel you’ve mastered a certain exercise or piece of equipment, be sure to move on to a new challenge. As your body learns to move a certain way, it becomes more efficient, meaning you do less work for the same activity and hit a plateau. Avoid this by keeping your workout routine fresh. Don’t forget to to warm up before each workout, and to cool down afterwards. Take the weekend off. You need time to rest and for your muscles to take a break.
Get shoes designed just for sprinters. You’ll want a lightweight shoe that has sprint spikes. The less you’re weighed down the better, and all that time you spend on the balls of your feet will be made easier with sprint spikes. Make sure that your shoes are the right size! Improperly fitting shoes can seriously hurt if you run with them for too long. Wear the right clothes. Being comfortable is the key. You want your workout clothes to fit comfortably and keep your body the right temperature. Unless you really like the feel of them, however, you don’t need to worry about buying lower-limb compression garments. Research suggests they don’t do much to improve performance. [30] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Get some sprinting blocks. If you’re really serious about sprinting, pick up a set of the blocks you’ve seen Olympic sprinters use to take off from. They help your propel yourself off the starting line. [31] X Research source The nearest sporting goods store should have them.
Whether it’s on a row of treadmills or on a track, running with friends can give you a drive to be the best that’s harder to find on your own. Seeing people in your periphery (or trying to zoom ahead of you) will keep you very literally on your toes.
If you want to improve your time, the best thing you can do is run regularly. Staying in shape and pushing your body will ensure you keep breaking personal records! Odds are you probably want to get going on setting new personal records. However, only try this two or three times a day at most; once you’ve been at it for a while, you’re performance will start to decline. You’ll just get more frustrated as you get tired and find yourself unable to match your previous efforts.
Stretching helps remove waste products such as lactic acid that accumulate in your muscles and cause swelling and soreness, and helps them build back up more quickly. This is generally important for all exercise, but especially for running, which uses the whole body. See How to Stretch for more details on a cool down stretch. You don’t need to be totally exhausted by the end of each run to make progress and improve your sprinting skills.
