Sprint Events

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Sprint Events

• Ryan Mahoney
• USA Track Field
• Level 1
• Instructor

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Introduction

• Sprinting is an activity which, to a large
  extent, seems to depend on the coordination of
  both nerves and muscles. Also, on the ability of
  the central nervous system to eliminate as many
  braking and friction movements as possible.
  Mechanically speaking, sprinting seems a rather
  simple skill. In reality, however, it is a
  difficult blending of efficiently applied forces
  through the human lever system. The application
  of forces yields maximum performance only when
  the particular strengths of the sprinter are
  properly balanced to coordinate the actions of
  the entire body.

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Sprint Performance Characteristics

• Qualities and Characteristics in Sprinting
• 1. Coordination
• 2. Speed
• 3. Strength/power
• 4. Flexibility
• 5. Psychological
• 6. Reaction Time

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Coordination

• The skill of sprinting at very high rates of
  movement requires great coordination. Though
  often overlooked, this ingredient may be the most
  crucial one.

• Sprinting is a skill
• Movement Patterns must be established to optimize
  performance
• Look for shapes

5
Speed

• Tied in closely with coordination, this quality
  is obviously a must. The athlete must have
  abilities to move his or her limbs at a high rate
  and express power through those movements to
  propel the body down the track at high speeds.
• Distances of 20 to 60 meters
• Very high intensity (90 to 95 )
• Recovery (3 to 6 minutes)

6
Strength/Power

• As sprinters are required to overcome inertia
  (air, gravity) in as short a time as possible,
  superior strength of the primary muscles involved
  in sprinting is key.
• Weight Room Strength vs. explosive strength
• Elastic Strength

7
Flexibility

• Good sprinters possess a high degree of
  flexibility in the hip and ankles. Increased
  flexibility allows for decreased muscle
  resistance and easier movement through the range
  of motion (dynamic flexibility).

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Psychological

• Common psychological traits in sprinters include
• High self-image
• Aggressive, high arousal state
• Confident in competition
• Relaxed in competitive and pressure-intensive
  situations.

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Reaction Time

• Sprinters possess shorter reaction times than
  many other athletes. This, of course, is of
  importance in the starting skill of a sprinter.
• Response Time
• Movement Time

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Talent in Sprinting and Control Tests

• Commonly used tests for identifying talent for
  the sprint events
• 30m flying start
• 30m crouch start
• 60m crouch start
• 150m standing start
• 300m standing start
• 600m standing start
• Standing triple jump
• Standing long jump

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Developing Coaching Objectives for the
SprintsDeveloping concise coaching objectives
is prerequisite to your coaching effectiveness.
In order to develop practical and concrete
objectives, one must first closely examine the
key ingredients involved in improving sprint
performance. To that end, us the following
chart
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Training for the Sprint Events

• NO one component can be trained in isolation
• BALANCE the volume and intensity of the work to
  meet individual needs and circumstances

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Constraints Perspective To Training Sprinters

• Psychological
• Physiological
• Mechanical
• Environmental

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Psychological

• Arousal
• Confidence
• Feedback and Communication

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Physiological

• Coordination
• Speed
• Strength
• Flexibility
• Endurance

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Mechanical

• Posture
• Technique
• Movement Patterns
• Cues

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Environmental

• Weather
• Topical Forces
• Competition Setting

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Putting It All Together

• Work from General to Specific
• Keep Instructions Clear
• Work from Simple to Complex
• Drill Only Purpose in Mind
• Listen to Athletes Feedback
• Only one Cue at a Time
• Know Your Limitations
• Remember More is Not Always Better

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Percent Contribution to Race

• Based on a 10.0 sec 100 meter
• 1 - Reaction Time
• 5 - Block Clearance
• 64 - Acceleration
• 18 - Maintenance of Maximum
• Velocity
• 12 - Lessened Degree of Deceleration