SPRINTING: A Coach’s Overview by Chris Brackstone

There is a combination of things that go to make up a sprinter – the more you have, the more successful you will be!

They are: - 1. Talent. 2. Physique. 3. Speed. 4. Skill. 5. Strength. 6. Endurance.
7. Commitment, and the will to do well.

The amount of these factors that you have and use will decide where you
can place yourself along this line

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Club Athlete County Athlete Regional Athlete National Athlete International Athlete

All are equally important. This Club has a number of International Athletes, but it also has more Club Athletes who perform for the Club all through the year and help the Club to compete in all the League and Cup competitions.

You can do little about the amount of Talent you have. Also, you are either tall or you are not! However you can work at all the other factors to better yourselves. You should not compare yourself with anyone else. You are all different. You can only compare yourself with you and try to improve your own performance. Some of you may be wonderful at 14 years old – others at 20. Here are some ideas on how to get better.

3.Speed. You must have flexibility and mobility. Your joints (shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles) must move freely so that you can have a long stride length, you can run tall and relaxed. Your exercises at the beginning of a session or a race build up this flexibility, as well as warming up your body so that you don’t injure your muscles. The more exercises you do the better. Do them at home every day if you can.

More flexibility = More relaxation

More relaxation = More speed

To get faster, you must have the best technique and skill that you can, and you must be strong!

4.Skill. The drills that you do are very important. They break down the different parts of your running action (high knees, driving up, high heels etc) and they must be done properly before every session and every race. They will give you good habits and help you to focus on the race.

Above all, you must keep your head up, relax (try smiling – it could help), run "tall" and always run 5 metres longer than you should – it will help you to run through the line.

5.Strength. You need to have a toned body so that you can get the best out of it when you are running. This we do with Circuit Training and later on Weight Training. The 3 most important areas to work on are the legs, arms and tummy, because these are used a lot when you want to sprint. So press-ups, sit-ups, squat thrusts and other exercises can be done at home or at winter training sessions – remember Oregon Circuits! The secret is to do a lot of repetitions, and as fast as possible, but with little weight. Part of the winter will be given up to Strength Training.

6.Endurance. This is the hard part of Winter Training, but it means that you will not slow down so quickly in a race. The harder you work at Endurance in the winter, the better and faster you will run in the summer. If you do the sessions correctly you will feel sick, in pain and will probably hate me, but you will do better next season.

7.Commitment. This is that little bit extra that will make a good athlete great. The harder you work, the better you will do. We will all be there to help you, but in the end you can turn up to every session, or you can miss them all until next season. What you put into your training this winter, you will get out next Season.

DECIDE HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO SUCCEED
 AND THEN GO FOR IT!!