Sprinting, or running at high speed for a short period of time, can be an exhilarating and enjoyable activity. But to be a good sprinter, it's not just expending energy and trying to move your feet fast. To be really good at sprinting, you need to be disciplined, by following a regular workout routine. You should also make sure that you are running in an energy efficient manner, and that your body is in good shape overall. In combination, these three factors can mean reaching speeds you may never have imagined you would be capable of.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Building a Routine
Step 1. Warm up
You should warm up and flex before starting the sprint. To do this, you can try a combination of jogging and dynamic stretching, before moving on to running exercises.
- To get started, jog around the track a few times at a comfortable pace. Don't use too much energy at this point, you're just warming up your muscles.
- In the past, it was usually taught to stretch before running. It is now believed that doing regular stretching before exercise can actually lead to (or even cause) injury.
- Instead, try dynamic stretching. This is a gentle swing of the arms and legs performed in a smooth, continuous motion, not by holding the stretch in a certain position.
- For example, you can stand perpendicular to a wall and swing your outer leg back and forth, increasing the height of the leg with each rep. Then, turn around and stretch the other leg.
Step 2. Cool down
To stay flexible, to prevent injury, and reduce aches and pains later in life, take a few minutes after a sprint to do some light exercise, such as jogging, and in the last five to ten minutes stretching all of your muscles. Legs, ankles, arms, shoulders, and neck should all be stretched.
- Stretching helps get rid of waste products like lactic acid that builds up in the muscles and causes swelling and pain, and helps build muscle more quickly.
- In general, this is essential for all sports, especially for running, which uses the whole body. See How to Stretch for more details on how to stretch to cool down.
Step 3. Do some exercises
Once you're hot and supple, do some exercises to get your heart pumping and your body ready for the real action. You can do a running workout, starting with a fast pace and working your way up to a sprint pace. There are many other exercises that are great for sprinters:
- High knees: Walk with your knees up to your chest.
- Arm exercise: Make an L with your arm, using your elbow as an L angle (i.e. a 90 degree angle). Now, swing your arms back and forth, using only your shoulders to swing your arms. Alternate the motion, by moving the elbow from one arm farther back while the other arm forwards up to (but not over) your face (up to the chin). Once you are comfortable with this movement, increase the speed. Do it as quickly as possible and as long as possible.
- Long strides: Take long strides with your feet, using your high knees to lift your legs up. The idea is to go as far as possible with as few steps as possible. Don't put too much weight on the forefoot (especially on the ball of the foot). If you do, you may lose your balance and stumble.
- Run backwards: Turn around and run backwards. Use your heels and move them outward, in a kicking motion.
- Alternate jog and sprint: Jog 9.1 m, and switch to a 45.7 m sprint. This exercise is great for shifting gears; sudden changes in tempo increase your "blast speed," which is critical to your sprint efforts. In fact, switching between low-intensity and high-intensity exercise like this is one of the best ways to improve your cardio fitness and endurance, which will help your body pump oxygen more efficiently when you sprint and help you avoid fatigue.
Step 4. Design an exercise routine that works for you
No routine is perfect for everyone because everyone has different needs and schedules. However, ideally you should set aside at least three days for speed training and two days for weightlifting. Here's an example schedule:
- Monday (Speed Day): Run ten 80-meter stretches (i.e. five 80-meter runs, with a 2-minute break in between runs), six 70-meter stretches, four 60-meter stretches, three 20-meter stretches, and one stretch 100 meters.
- Tuesday (Weightlifting Day): Go to the weight room and do an all-in-one workout. Try to keep your muscles in good shape; You need all the muscles to run, and even more muscle to sprint.
- Wednesday (Speed/Endance Day): Run four 300m stretches. It's important to do this type of running and devote everything you have. Resistance training makes your heart stronger, which will make you a lot faster.)
- Thursday (Half-Fast Day): Run five 200-meter stretches, three 100-meter stretches, and two 50-meter stretches.
- Friday (Second Weightlifting Day): Go back to the gym and increase the challenge. Once you feel like you've mastered a particular exercise or piece of equipment, be sure to move on to a new challenge. When your body learns to move in a certain way, it becomes more efficient, which means you expend less effort on the same activity and have reached your highest level. Avoid this by keeping your workout routine up to date.
- Don't forget to warm up before your workout, and cool down afterward.
- Stop on the weekend! You need time to rest and to rest your muscles.
Part 2 of 3: Fixing Techniques
Step 1. Try running on the balls of your feet
While the scientific evidence for this is still mixed, many believe that running on the balls of your feet can help you move faster. The shorter your feet touch the ground, the better.
- This will feel a little unnatural at first. Try running barefoot and mimic the movement by wearing shoes.
- Running heel-first isn't good for your joints, muscles, and ligaments either. This creates a very unnatural "V" shape with your lower leg putting unnecessary pressure on everything.
Step 2. Multiply steps
You may think that a wider stride will result in a higher speed, but this is not true. After all, you can't move forward with your feet in the air. Running at shorter strides will actually make you go faster (if done right).
- If your stride is too wide, your posture will be wrong. The forelegs stretch out in front of you and actually act like brakes on your entire body. Then you have to move your body on your feet, which leads to a bounce that is not good for your posture or speed.
- Maintaining a normal pace also means avoiding getting out of breath quickly.
Step 3. Lean forward slightly
Just two degrees can make the difference between a good sprint and a great sprint.
- This doesn't mean putting all of your weight forward so you have to fight hard not to fall forward. Just a slight tilt is enough to help you move faster without losing your balance.
- The position of the body that does not lean back is also important. Sometimes when approaching the finish line or checking the runners behind you, you tend to lean back or look up and change posture. It also slows down your run. You can look around when the sprint is over!
Step 4. Use your arms
Arms can help propel you if you do it right. The arms will pump with the legs, which will propel you forward.
Try to form an "L" with your arms: your loose fists should reach chin level and pull back with your elbows
Step 5. Push yourself
You shouldn't slow down your run during a sprint. If you move slower than your top speed, you will lose valuable time. If you feel the need to slow down, concentrate so that you don't notice it. If this is an issue for you, start with a little slower. Ideally, you will finish faster than when you started.
If you're running a race, starting out slow can give you the psychological momentum to speed up your run. People who start strong and run out of stamina sometimes think they've won and don't expect to be overtaken by those who start slowly at the start of the race
Step 6. Breathe efficiently
At all times, you must synchronize your breathing with your step.
- There is debate about which is more beneficial, breathing through the nose or mouth, or making no difference at all. The most important thing is to make sure that you are getting enough oxygen, so try both and see which feels comfortable and works best for you.
- If you're not tired but your muscles are tired, try breathing deeper. Maybe your muscles just need more oxygen.
- In addition to working on your body shape and running ability, you'll need to work on your breathing. Concentrate on this as you warm up so that you're primed to get it right and deep during your sprint.
Step 7. Eat well
It is important to follow the types of dietary guidelines that can benefit everyone. However, athletes need additional food.
- The key is carbohydrates, because carbohydrates will release a lot of energy and give you strength. Cereals, breads, pastas, and potatoes are good examples.
- Additional protein is also needed to build muscle. Consider lean proteins like turkey and cottage cheese (a soft cheese made from curd).
- Champion sprinter Usain Bolt lives a way of life eating sweet potatoes, pasta and rice, chicken and pork, and avoiding fast food.
- You also need more calories in a day than less active people. Make time for yourself to eat a healthy breakfast each day, especially if you're exercising that day.
- If you are going to take part in a competition, eat the right foods first. However, avoid power foods (foods for energy) a few hours before running. You certainly don't want your stomach to act up during the race.
Step 8. Don't run out of fluids
All the exercise you do will drain a lot of fluids through sweat, so don't get dehydrated, you should drink lots of water. If you train in the sun, this is even more important.
A good rule of thumb is to drink half a liter of water for every pound (1 pound = 0.45 kg) of body weight you lose after a workout. So weigh yourself before and after your workout to find out how much water you should be drinking. A high school soccer player, for example, can lose 5 pounds (2.2 kg) of sweat after training
Step 9. Visit the gym often
Weight training, or proper strength training, while breathing properly, is another important aspect of increasing your speed, and it should be incorporated into your schedule at least twice a week.
- Lifting weights that are really testing you (but not so heavy that you're shaking or can't lift them) will condition your muscles for sprints by making them bigger and better able to withstand soreness.
- Each gym is different and has different machines. Be sure to find a gym that focuses on working your legs.
- Don't push yourself too hard, as it can get you seriously injured. Practice until you can lift heavier weights slowly.
- If you're not confident in your ability to go straight to weightlifting at the gym, you can do strength training at home.
Step 10. Work your leg muscles
Of course, the leg muscles are the key to running fast. Use a squat machine to strengthen your quadriceps muscles. Do a variety of exercises on this device, such as squat jumps and lifting weights. There are also a number of barbell exercises that can strengthen your legs:
- Do deadlifts. Look for long metal bars that are designed to handle large loads. Put some weight on the bar, then squat down and pick it up. Then, stand up straight. Now bend your back and lower the bar until it touches your feet, still holding it. You'll feel it in your hamstrings, which are the most important muscles for running.
- Try a "power clean," which is a move that involves squatting down to pick up a long barbell, and then standing up quickly as you lift the weight with your hands together.
- Do barbell squats. Place a long barbell on your shoulders, holding it with both hands. Then, with your legs wide apart, do a squat, keeping your chin parallel to the floor.
Step 11. Work your abdominal muscles
Working your abs takes a long time, but having a strong midsection will make things easier, which makes it well worth the effort. It can also help prevent injury.
- One good exercise for the abs is to hold a barbell (11 to 20 kg) or hand weights (hand weights), then do a few sit-ups.
- Also train your lower abdominal muscles. For a good lower abs workout, find a bar, or similar object (eg, leg support on a bench press, a rail on your bed, etc.), hold it firmly, lie down and perform a few leg lifts. Keep your feet together and lift up and down very slowly. You will feel a burning feeling in your lower abdomen, which means the exercise is working well.
Step 12. Work your shoulders
The shoulders are also important for fast sprints. Shoulders give your body the boost it needs to run fast, which improves acceleration and control. If you have a shoulder press or bench press at the gym, make sure you take the time to use it.
- The bench press also helps your chest muscles, which is also important.
- Be careful when working the area around the shoulders and neck. Injuries to this area can be very painful and can delay your exercise routine for a long time, as you need time to recover.
Step 13. Run uphill
Running uphill is not only great for your lungs and leg muscles, it also improves your posture naturally. You will automatically run on the balls of your feet and lean forward slightly.
Think of running uphill sprints as a mixture of sprinting and lifting weights. It burns a lot of calories and is great for building your calf muscles
Part 3 of 3: Optimizing Performance
Step 1. Get the right gear
While you don't have to spend a lot of money on clothes and shoes if you just want to run faster, the right running gear can be very useful if you're going to compete (or want to break a world record).
- Get shoes designed specifically for sprinters. You need lightweight shoes that have sprint spikes. The less weight you put on the better, and the sprint spikes will make it easier for you to run with the balls of your feet.
- Wear the right clothes. The key is convenience. Of course, you want your workout clothes to be comfortable and keep your body at the right temperature. Unless you really like it, you don't have to worry about buying clothes that put pressure on your lower limbs. Research shows that these clothes don't really improve performance.
- Get a sprint block. If you're really serious about sprinting, buy a block set you see Olympic sprinters use to start running. This block helps propel your body off the starting line. You can buy them at any good sports store in your city.
Step 2. Run with other people
Whether you're on a track team or just racing your friends, running with someone else is almost guaranteed to make you run faster. A little friendly competition will help keep you motivated.
Whether you're on a treadmill or on a track, running with a friend can give you a boost to be your best, which is hard to find when you're alone. Seeing people around you (or trying to overtake you) will make you very alert
Step 3. Record your run time
Sprints are all about how fast you run and how long it takes you to run from point A to point B. To see if you're actually making better progress or not, you'll need to record your own sprint times.
Maybe you want to break a new personal record. However, try a maximum of only 2 or 3 times a day; once you get that new record, your performance will start to decline. You will become more frustrated because you are tired and realize that you are not able to match your previous efforts
Warning
- Don't eat too much before running as you can get cramps while sprinting.
- Lifting weights to the point that it makes you shudder or feel a sharp pain can do you more harm than good.
- Never run when you are injured. A limp run or even muscle picking will aggravate the injured area or in other muscles and bones.
- If you recently removed a cast, wait a few weeks for your injury to heal before running.
- Be careful when you sprint. It's great to train hard, but it's very easy to cause injury if you overdo it.
