Category Archives: Sprint Training

The Most Common Training Sprint Training Mistake

Author: Steve Bennett

The Most Common Training Sprint Training Mistake

Sprinters often find themselves trapped in a cycle of overtraining and neural fatigue, a state in which the nervous system becomes overtaxed, leading to diminished performance and an increased risk of injury. This phenomenon is frequently a result of attempting too much quality training within a short timeframe. Overloading the body with intense sessions without sufficient recovery can be counterproductive, undermining the very gains athletes aim to achieve.

The Pitfalls of Overtraining

One common mistake sprinters make is scheduling too many high-quality sessions in a week. Sprinting is a demanding activity that requires maximum effort and precision, which takes a significant toll on the nervous system. When these sessions are scheduled too close to heavy gym workouts or packed with too many repetitions, the risk of neural fatigue increases exponentially. Additionally, the duration of training reps can also be a critical factor. Long reps that push beyond optimal sprint distances can exacerbate fatigue and lead to diminishing returns in speed and power.

Another common pitfall is the inclination to add excessive speed endurance and conditioning work. While these activities may provide a psychological boost by making athletes feel like they are accomplishing more, they can sabotage the primary goal: sprinting at 100% maximum speed. Overemphasis on conditioning often detracts from the quality of the most critical component of a sprinter’s regimen—explosive, high-intensity efforts.

The Importance of Structured Microcycles

To optimize performance and minimize the risk of neural fatigue, careful planning of the training microcycle is essential. A microcycle, which typically spans a week, should prioritize the highest-quality and most developmentally significant activities. For sprinters, this means ensuring that their primary sprinting sessions are given top priority, with ample recovery time between efforts to allow for nervous system regeneration.

Conditioning and supplementary activities should be strategically scheduled to support—not detract from—these primary sessions. This requires a tailored approach, as each athlete’s capacity to handle high-intensity work will vary based on factors such as age, training history, and current level of development. By customizing training plans, coaches can help athletes maintain balance and avoid the chronic state of fatigue that can derail progress.

Recognizing and Addressing Neural Fatigue

One telltale sign of chronic neural fatigue is a phenomenon known as “stale sprinter syndrome.” Athletes suffering from this condition may paradoxically achieve faster times following a period of sickness or injury. This counterintuitive improvement occurs because forced rest during recovery allows the nervous system to regenerate fully, leading to a temporary boost in performance.

To prevent this syndrome, it is crucial to monitor and manage an athlete’s workload carefully. Incorporating measurable metrics into training sessions can help coaches identify signs of fatigue early. For example, timing sprint efforts with precision and tracking deviations from baseline performance can provide valuable insights into an athlete’s neural state. If performance consistently falls below expectations, it may be time to scale back training intensity or volume.

The Role of Macrocycles in Long-Term Development

Long-term athletic development requires more than just weekly planning. Breaking the training year into macrocycles can provide a structured framework for sustainable improvement. Typically, a macrocycle spans several months and focuses on specific phases of development, such as building foundational strength, enhancing speed, or tapering for competition. Splitting the year into three macrocycles can enable sprinters to achieve 2-3 years’ worth of progress within a single calendar year while minimizing the risk of injury.

Each macrocycle should build upon the previous one, with high-quality activities consistently maintained and even improved throughout the year. By prioritizing measurable elements, such as sprint times or power outputs, coaches can ensure that training remains focused and effective. This approach not only enhances performance but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

Balancing Recovery and Training

Recovery is just as important as training in a sprinter’s regimen. Without adequate rest, the body and nervous system cannot repair and adapt to the demands of high-intensity efforts. Active recovery techniques, such as light aerobic exercises, stretching, and mobility work, can aid in reducing neural fatigue while keeping athletes engaged. Additionally, proper sleep, nutrition, and hydration play crucial roles in facilitating recovery and optimizing performance.

Evidence-Based Practices for Sprint Training

Scientific research supports the importance of balancing high-intensity training with adequate recovery. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research emphasizes the detrimental effects of overtraining on neuromuscular function and athletic performance. The study highlights the need for individualized training programs that consider an athlete’s unique recovery needs and capacity for workload.

Practical Tips for Coaches and Athletes

  1. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity: Focus on fewer, high-quality sprinting sessions each week. Ensure these sessions are not compromised by preceding heavy gym work or excessive conditioning.

  2. Monitor Performance Metrics: Use tools like timing gates or wearable technology to track sprint times and detect early signs of fatigue.

  3. Customize Training Plans: Adapt microcycles and macrocycles to suit individual athlete needs, considering factors such as age, experience, and recovery capacity.

  4. Incorporate Active Recovery: Schedule low-intensity activities between high-quality sessions to promote recovery without detracting from performance.

  5. Educate Athletes: Help athletes understand the importance of recovery and the risks of overtraining to foster a proactive approach to managing workload.

Conclusion

Avoiding neural fatigue requires a disciplined and strategic approach to sprint training. By emphasizing quality over quantity, carefully planning microcycles and macrocycles, and incorporating measurable metrics, athletes can optimize their performance while minimizing the risk of injury. Recovery should never be an afterthought; it is an integral part of the training process. With the right balance of effort and rest, sprinters can achieve sustainable, long-term progress and unlock their full potential.

 

 

Sprinters Nervous System Pre-school

Sprinters Nervous System Pre-school

Sprinters need to train steadily throughout the year for more strength and then train in ways that let their nervous systems learn how to use the extra strength and convert it to power. It’s not enough to lift heavy weights or lift weights fast. Muscle contractions are far faster than any lifting that can be done. See every activity as a way to let the brain learn, just like when you learned to walk.

If you do too much high-quality training,

Heavy lifting, max powerlifting, max speed running or max acceleration & your nervous system will be overloaded, and your sprinting improvement will go stale. You will learn to run slower. Some squads do this all year, every year!

There are probably superstars in those squads that have their potential destroyed, just like a talented singer pushing their vocal cords too hard too often. They will end up with no exceptional talent showing itself.

Some theories say to lift weights & run in the same session. There are a few ways to do this:

  • Lift specific heavyweights in small volumes first, then sprint flat out shortly afterwards. The best specific weight exercises are single-legged step-ups on a low box.
  • Lift weights straight after the sprint session. This creates more recovery for the nervous system for the following quality sessions.
  • Mixing some bounding with alternate legs is a good way to link strength training to sprinting.

The main thing not to do is do volumes of half-effort sprinting and think that is sprint training. It is only conditioning and filling in time. Done too fast, these will spoil speed development as well, and doing them in volumes will only convert fast twitch fibres to slower ones.

SPRINT Training Approach

Here are a few sprint training ideas today for runners who want to improve.

Think of yourself as an athlete, like a dragster. To be faster, your engine needs more power. To get an engine upgrade, you need to train smartly with weights for years. If done properly, this will take care of your engine requirements to the best of your genetics.

At the same time as you do this, you need to work on getting your engine to deliver what you want through the tyres. This requires you to allow your nervous system to practise using the improving engine as often as possible in the most effective way. But, you need to sprint over short distances faster than ever, practise starting quicker than ever, and jump or bound or do whatever power activity you do better than ever before.

Your brain needs practice accessing and using your newly available power & strength.

This is what sprint training is. You are training to allow your brain to convert the new engine’s abilities into improved running speed.

Bodybuilders and weightlifters can lift much more than most sprinters, but without sprint training, they won’t have running speed. 

Small doses of the best quality sprint training are the key to steady performance improvement.

So, the plan is to
1/ Upgrade your engine – by doing smartly planned weight training
2/ Convert the gains by doing Sprint Training – small amounts at 100% effort.

Do your homework by performing a variety of core (back & abdominal) exercises. This helps link the key power muscles and the running action.

Also, help your brain convert the newfound strength/power by doing innovative bounding exercises like those explained at the page Oztrack Bounding Training for Track Athletes

Balance all the different elements of training each week so the different activities do not spoil the quality of the others. Everything should steadily improve if done correctly throughout your development; if it doesn’t, do something slightly different. Maybe do less.

Variety of quality is the KEY.

The biggest mistake for sprinters is to do too much. It is amazing how little you need to do when it’s done perfectly, and doing slightly more than that is bad. This is why you need a coach and should do what they tell you. Coaches should be confident, and it’s better to do less, even if the athlete is frustrated at how little they are doing. Be firm.

If the athlete is steadily improving, you are doing the right thing. So keep it like that.

Regards
Steve Bennett
www.oztrack.com

There are many great strength exercises

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=API9PfT94fw

Developing Sprinters a Yearly Plan

Sprinters need to maintain a high level of speed all year. Over the past few years, I have found that the best way to develop sprinters is to do a double-periodized year. This is because they can then be trained with high levels of speed all year & work on every area of development more effectively for a higher percentage of the year. What follows is the outline of a yearly plan:

Yearly Plan – 44 weeks

Conditioning Phase A 8 weeks Every 4th week is a recovery week

Weight training initially targets hypertrophy & general conditioning. It is usually performed 3 times per week. Interestingly, when athletes lift in sets of 8-10, they stay much fresher in their nervous system than later in the year when they lift more intensely with sets of 3-4. This means that during the conditioning phase, it is much easier to perform quality running without it being affected by flatness from the weight training sessions. Late in the phase, sets should decrease from 3 sets of 10 to 3 sets of 8. Athletes should lift upward fast & down slowly; they should not lift to the same tempo as a bodybuilder even though the aim of this phase is to attain some muscular hypertrophy.

In this phase, Plyometrics should aim to develop power with the longer contact varieties. Standing start bounding, e.g. 4 alternate leg bounds & a jump into a sandpit, can be performed. Standing long jumps & standing triple jumps can also be performed.

Hill training can be performed over distances of 60-100m, and some can involve alternate leg bounding. e.g. run 60m bound 20m.

Athletes should perform two relaxed tempo sessions on grass per week & a total between 1200m-2200m in each session. It is essential to keep tempo sessions slow so that they do not affect the quality of training the next day. This means running 100m reps, not within 4s of maximum effort. A good tempo session may be like four sets of 6 x 60m with a set of pushups & crunches before each rep. Athletes can rest after each run for 30 to 60 seconds, then start the exercises & have 5min between sets. These sessions build good general conditioning & are a much better alternative for sprinters than jogging for 20 minutes.

Speed development sessions initially focus on improving performance over 30m from a 3-point start. Often, what happens is the athletes will find that improvements in strength, bounding & 30m times will occur concurrently throughout the phase.

Strength Phase A 6 weeks.

During this phase, weight training changes to smaller sets, e.g. 3-5 sets of 3-6 reps, to target maximum strength development. This move can easily negatively affect the running quality, which can be performed the next day. It is ideal to do fast track sessions in the morning & then weight training straight afterwards or later on in the same day. In this way, it is easier to balance the recovery in the week and maintain quality in faster track sessions. Weights should be continued 3 times a week.

Maximum speed work should be expanded to include the 30m runs longer distances of 40m, 50m & 60m. It is best to shift emphasis to 40m, then to 50m, then to 60m. In the second period, the emphasis can start longer & be built up to include some 80m sprints. It is also a good idea to do some flying start runs of 15m to 30m or in & outs over longer distances. Speed sessions can be performed twice a week. Aiming to do only as many sprints as you can accomplish with quality while at maximum effort is essential. Ensure the athlete can back up from the session to the next one & still perform good quality—time everything. If the athlete or coach finds that they can’t back up for the next session, do fewer reps, do the runs sub-maximally or do fewer weights. Balancing this area is a key problem when coaching sprinters.

Plyometrics should progress toward varieties that have shorter duration ground contacts. A good way to do this is by performing running start bounding. e.g. 10m running start, then four alternate leg bounds & a jump into a pit. They should continue to do longer contact bounding as well. Plyometrics should be done once a week. Measure the distances and monitor improvement. It should happen.

Hill training can be continued by decreasing to once every 2 weeks. The hill session should have a lower volume of shorter hills with some bounding, e.g., 2 x 3 x 40m hills with a run of 20m and then bound 20m. These can be done like a tempo session with exercises in between sets. At this stage, it is also a good idea to start getting used to some speed endurance on the track by doing just two fast, relaxed 150m reps on the track after the hill session. This will make transitioning to more work on the flat easier in the next phase.

Athletes should continue performing two simple tempo sessions on grass per week & a total between 1200m-2200m in each session.

Power Phase A 4 weeks

Weight Training 2-3 times a week moves toward a power focus. A small volume of strength lifts are maintained. One gym session a week is aimed at developing power with exercises such as:

  • stiff-legged bounces with a lightweight e.g. 20kg
  • jump up onto a box with less than 30% of 1RM half squat.
  • Stomping step-ups with less than 30% of 1RM half squat.
  • power cleans
    These are often done in a circuit-type situation with some heavy ¼ squats included for a contrast effect.
    Plyometrics should progress toward even quicker ground contacts. This is done with the performance of alternate leg speed bounding. These are done with a 10m running start, and the aim is to get as much power into the track as quickly as possible, e.g. taking the minimum number of strides to go 30m but also in a minimum time. The athlete needs to aim to strike the ground well underneath the body.
    Hill training is replaced with small volume speed endurance sessions, e.g. 150m rest 8min 150min rest 8min 150m rest 2min 150m.
    Maximum speed sessions should be expanded to include sprints of up to 60m. They can also include over-speed using a strong tailwind or an assistance system. These should be performed in small volumes that the athlete is used to using.
    Athletes should continue performing two simple tempo sessions on grass per week & a total between 1200m-2200m in each session.

Competition Phase A 3 weeks

Weight training sessions can be performed once a week with a minimal amount of complex lifts to maintain strength, e.g. power cleans, as well as ¼ squats to maintain strength.
Plyometrics are stopped to enhance the athlete’s nervous system freshness.
Maximum speed sessions are performed of the same variety as the power phase, but the emphasis needs to be on racing. The 72 hours before the race, you need to be free of anything that could affect the nervous system on the day of the race. This means almost no intense high cadence training, plyometrics or heavy lifting.
Tempo sessions are once to twice a week, with 800m-1600 m each.

Conditioning Phase B 6 weeks

Like Conditioning A, the athlete should enter this phase at higher speeds. They should do the smaller volume hill session from the strength phase, e.g., e.g. 2 x 3 x 40m hills with a run of 20m, then bound 20m with full recoveries and exercises between sets.
Maximum Speed Development can be of a greater variety between distances of 20m & 60m. But most work should stay at 40m.
Plyometrics should be of the long contact variety and can be combined in a session with block starts.
Some alactic capacity speed sessions should be performed using larger numbers of short repetitions, e.g. 3 x 4 x 60m, at less than 95% effort with 2min between reps and 10min between sets.

Strength Phase B 6 weeks

Similar to Strength A. The athlete should aim to become even stronger in this phase.
Hills should be replaced in this phase with speed endurance sessions that initially have longer repetitions, e.g., 2 x 300m, but progress toward shorter repetitions of 100-150m.
Maximum speed development should stay the same as in Conditioning B.
Plyometrics should progress toward quicker contacts.
Some alactic capacity speed sessions should involve more significant numbers of short repetitions, e.g. 3 x 4 x 60m, at less than 95% effort with 2min between reps and 10min between sets.

Power Phase B 8 weeks

Similar to Power A
Plyometrics is speed bounds & some higher intensity plyometrics in low volumes, e.g. over hurdle bounces, e.g. in my squad, an athlete did 6 x 2 plyo-hurdles at heights up to 107cm.
Maximum speed work should increase in distance & could re-introduce over-speed.
It is crucial to do block starts & reaction time practice during this period.
Speed Endurance should focus on progressively shorter repetitions down to sessions like two sets of 2-3 sets of flying start 60m-80m runs with rests between 3min and 20min between sets.
Some competition but not so frequent that the training plan is disrupted.

Competition Phase B 8 weeks

Mental & physical freshness for races is the highest priority.
The gym should focus on strength maintenance once a week, with a small range of complex lifts.
Speed sessions should focus on technical aspects, or extra speed may be chased using over-speed methods, but this is not a good time of year to sustain an injury.
Appropriate amounts of racing should enhance speed endurance.
Tempo sessions of 800m-1600m should be continued once to twice a week.

Recovery Phase up to 8 weeks

Summary

The aim is to perform the following simultaneously as the competition phase approaches during each half of the year:

  • Decreasing contact times of plyometric activities.
  • Decreasing the total volume of weights & aim finally for improvement in power.
  • Extending the distance of sprints from blocks.
  • Decreasing the distance of speed endurance.
  • Reduce the volume of relaxed tempo sessions.
  • Decreasing the total volume of all training for major races
  • introducing some over-speed when appropriate late in the preparation. It can launch the athlete to a new level. They need to be used to it, though.
  • Build confidence & mental preparedness for racing with block starts, reaction drills, etc.

SPRINT Training for the DEVELOPING ATHLETE

Sprint Training for the Developing Athlete.
by Steve Bennett
B.Sc. (Physiology)

This article is designed for younger athletes who have done little training. It contains the main points of a long-term approach.

It is initially much more important to improve balance, posture and trunk stability than to improve leg or arm strength.

Sprinters should develop overall fitness in a way that does not involve jogging. They should, however, BE ABLE to jog for a long distance without a problem. Overall fitness can be acquired through dance, medicine balls, skipping etc. A variety is best. Progressive circuit training is excellent.

Relax when running

The goal is to improve the ability to have the type of speed that comes with little effort. Athletes need to practise relaxing when running constantly. This is a skill that must be practised from a young age. RACING can often be a time of practising the bad habit of trying too hard, especially in young athletes. The ability to run fast and have it look easy is of the highest importance. The quality of an athlete with rapid steps is the first thing that needs to be developed from a young age.

Young Runner

Sprinters should not be instructed to run on their toes or to pump their arms high.
-It is better to develop a foot moving backward before impact and a foot carriage as close as possible to the shin (Dorsiflexion).
-Arms should be held with relaxed fingers, and the main focus of effort should be a backward stroke. They should also not move very far forward from the body.

Maximum running speed

Maximum running speed is the most essential quality to develop regularly. This should be done with maximum speed experiences over short distances. E.g. Flying start 20-30m runs, or Standing start runs over 30-40-50 or 60m. The athlete should perform these runs at maximum relaxed speed in sets of 3 with rests between 3- 5 minutes where they stay active, and between sets, they should do other balance or trunk activities for maybe 10- 15 minutes. E.g. A maximum amount may be three sets of 3 runs over 60m. A good amount to do regularly (i.e. 2-3 times/week) would be two sets of 3 runs over 40-50m. The athlete should never do more once they are getting slower within the session, e.g. If the times over 60m are 8.30, 8.20. 8.25, 8.30,8.60,8.80,9.00. Then, they should have ended the session after the first slower run in the session, and in the example, that was the 8.60. Initially, runners may slow down after even the first run, but with training, they may be able to do nine runs at the same speed.

Speed Endurance

The ability to develop the endurance to finish a 100m or 200m race is best developed in races. Training at slower speeds to improve performance in these events is mainly of a little positive effect. Endurance is best developed while running at race speed. If the athlete is lacking in Speed Endurance at the end of these races, they could do sessions like those below:

  • 2x 3 x Flying start 60m runs at high speed with rests of only 90s
  • 4 x Flying100m very fast rests 3min.

400m Training

The 400m event needs special training at the slower 400m race speed. The ability to relax and use little energy is essential at race pace.
Some sessions to improve performance in the 400m are:

  • 10 x Flying 100m at 400m race pace rests 3min
  • 4 x 200m at 400m pace rests 5min
  • 2 x 300 at 400m race pace rest 15min
  • 400m athletes should also do more endurance training and can get by with more jogging, especially in the off-season. Maximum speed training is also of high importance.

It is essential to have good foot function, so it is helpful for athletes to spend as much time as possible barefoot. Walking on the sand is very good. Training should be conducted in very light, simple shoes. Racing flats from the Runners Shop are much better for training than joggers.

In Cold weather, athletes must warm up carefully and keep warm. Tights are great for training as they maintain warmth during frequent recoveries.

Training to improve muscle elasticity

Plyometric Activities are beneficial for all athletes. Games like Fly, Hop-Scotch, Skipping short distances, Leap Frog, playful hopping, and bouncing around all stimulate the elastic qualities of muscles. Combining sensible amounts of these activities with balanced, challenging activities and relaxed movement practice would be ideal, especially for very young athletes.

Any strength training should be restricted to the trunk until the athlete has optimal posture development and core stability. Strength training is much more effective after this is developed anyway.

Young athletes lose flexibility as they grow, and their bodies will naturally try to cheat to find ways to move to make up for the deficiency. Small amounts of perfect practice are better at decreasing the development of bad habits. Large quantities of high-effort training during reduced flexibility and poor posture will result in the athlete learning a bad running style that will be more difficult to correct. Athletes need an innovative stretching program designed personally for them during periods after faster growth. They need to be taught good posture and feedback on good and bad posture when sitting, standing, walking and running. Most of our society has a posture far below ideal.

Much more info is in my ebook Training Kids For Speed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVchQhCbE0M

Bounding Training For RUNNERS – THE OZTRACK METHOD

Author: Steve Bennett

Bounding Plyometric Training for Runners: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide outlines specific training techniques to improve power levels in runners, benefiting both sprinters and middle distance athletes. These exercises enhance “ease of speed,” finishing burst speed, and overall athletic performance.

Bounding is the most Specific Form of Plyometric Training for Runners. It is the icing on the cake built from core training and weights. It is the final link to running. It gets it all working properly. You can read how passionate i m about this.  Plus Athletes only have to do very small amounts of it for it to work.


Standing Start Bounding

Video: Standing Start Bounding Demonstration

Standing start bounding involves starting from a standing race position, performing four bounds, and jumping into a sandpit. Distances are measured from the front foot to the back of the landing print. Athletes should aim for maximum distance and focus on steady improvement through technique, weight training, and core strength.

 

Key Points:

  • Mimics the sprinter’s start and early acceleration phase.
  • Improves power conversion from weight training gains.
  • Limit sessions to 30 contacts per leg to prevent injury.
  • Use cushioned shoes or jumper spikes for safety.
  • It should be done from the early phases of the macrocycle and can be done all year.  
  • Used with Sprinters and Middle Distance Athletes. Plus, even with Distance Athletes.

Recommended Exercises:

  • Single-leg step-ups (e.g., elite athletes lifting up to 90kg).
  • Squats for back muscle strength (though less specific to bounding).

Running Start Bounding

Video: Running Start Bounding Demonstration

Running start bounding is a progression from standing start bounding, ideal for the power phases of training. Starting from a 5m or 10m running approach, athletes aim for maximum distance in each attempt.

Key Points:

  • Focuses on faster muscular contractions with shorter ground contact times.
  • Specific to the middle and late acceleration phases of sprinting.
  • Limit to 30 contacts per leg per session.
  • Often used by both Sprinters and Middle Distance Athletes
  • It is a crucial part of the program to monitor and measure distance improvements for each athlete. They will likely constantly improve, and this can lead to running speed improvement at all distances.

Speed Bounding

Video: Speed Bounding Example

Speed bounding combines a running start focusing on step count and time over 20m. Athletes aim to decrease their score, calculated as:
Score = Steps × Time (in seconds)

Key Points:

  • Ground contacts are quicker, making this a highly specific activity.
  • Best performed in pre-competition phases.
  • Limit attempts to 3–5 at the start of a session.
  • Not used with Middle Distance Athletes

High Hurdle Bounces

Video: High Hurdle Bouncing Technique

High hurdle bounces are designed to improve “stiffness” and bounce when legs are closer to straight, as seen during maximum speed running.

Key Points:

  • Simulates the support phase of maximum speed.
  • Use low-volume sessions with no more than 12 contacts per leg (e.g., 6 x 2 hurdles).
  • Best done on synthetic tracks or long jump surfaces using spikes.
  • Not used with Middle Distance Athletes.

Progression:

  • Start with low hurdles and gradually increase height as athletes build strength and skill.

Keeping Records

Video: Training Records for Bounding Exercises

Tracking performance in these activities provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of strength and stability training. It also motivates athletes by showing tangible progress in their power and speed development.

Tips:

  • Regularly record distances, times, and scores for each exercise.
  • Use results to adjust training plans and set goals.

Caution: Avoid Overtraining

While these activities are fun and engaging, athletes must adhere to recommended limits to prevent injury and fatigue. Coaches should monitor sessions and enforce restrictions to ensure long-term development without overloading the nervous system.


By incorporating these power-focused exercises into a training plan, athletes can enhance their speed, acceleration, and resilience, translating strength gains into improved performance on the track.

Here is another article about Bounding by Rob Assise