The first sprint steps of athletic movement

I was training a group of athletes at a local high school this morning and what we did was work on their first steps of movement by sprinting the five yards.

Sounds easy, but there are a couple of things to consider to really make this something that is an effective tool in your training arsenal:

• Set up a starting point with a cone, an ending cone at 5 yards and a slowing down cone 10 yards away
• Begin in whatever stance you prefer (staggered, two point, three point, etc.)
• Use a starting que to begin your sprint ("go" command, whistle, etc.)
• Upon starting, sprint from the start point to about 3 yards beyond the 5 yard cone (8 yard sprint) and then slow down as you pass the cone at ten yards
• Recover for about 30-45 second and repeat

The goal is to drive off the starting line and aim for 3 yards beyond the ending point, which is the cone at 5 yards. In essence you will be running an 8 yard sprint instead of 5 yards----being at maximum speed the ENTIRE 5 yards.

Most athletes tend to slow down at 3 yards if they are running 5 yards. The goal here is to take off fast and get up to speed in a 5 yard burst, opposed to taking off slow and trying to get up to speed, then slowing down before you reach the 5 yard mark.

Try this out and see how your first few steps for five yards become FAST NOW steps. And remember these tidbits:

1. Use aggressive arm action as your begin your sprint
   
2. Stay on your Power Pads (forefoot) the entire time, even as you slow down
3. Keep your body lean as you drive off the line

Good Luck!