Long-Term Development of Sprinters: Part 1
This 6-part guide supports coaches in designing and delivering a long-term approach to sprint development, with a particular focus on teenagers aged 13 to 20. Part 1 is on the deveopment of sprinting technique.
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Part 1: Technical Development of Sprinting Skills
Developing efficient sprint mechanics early sets the foundation for long-term success in the 100m and 200m, and should be one of the top priorities for a coach of developing sprinters. While physical capacities such as strength, power, and speed endurance fluctuate across maturation, the foundation of efficient sprinting - posture, rhythm, front-side mechanics, and force orientation - can and should be developed progressively from an early age. In fact, one of the clearest advantages youth sprinters have is the opportunity to master technical skills before high training loads or competitive pressures demand more physiological outputs.
“Technical development should be a priority throughout all stages of a sprinter’s development — and the earlier this process begins, the better. Early adolescence offers a prime window for ingraining efficient movement patterns that underpin long-term performance”
Sprinting is a highly skilled movement – and like any skill, it must be taught progressively. Young athletes may begin with posture, limb alignment, and rhythm and as they mature and develop more strength and body awareness, coaches can layer in more complex demands, such as force orientation, arm-leg synchronisation, hip control, and relaxation under pressure. A long-term approach recognises that technical fluency is built in layers, with early exposures supporting more advanced refinements later.
One of the key coaching judgements throughout this process is knowing when and how much to intervene. There’s a fine balance between guiding the athlete toward efficient movement and overcorrecting to the point that it disrupts their natural rhythm. Overcoaching can stifle feel and fluency, especially in developing athletes still learning body awareness. While technique should never be rigidly standardised, there are foundational mechanics that are consistently seen in successful sprinters and should be progressively instilled across all individuals.
Essentials of Sprint Technique
For developing sprinters, these technical elements represent the foundational mechanics that can be progressively introduced and reinforced through the teenage years. They form the core of efficient sprinting and provide a framework for long-term skill development.
While these visible elements of technique form the foundation, they are all driven by a deeper underlying concept: how and where force is applied into the track.
Force Orientation
Beneath every aspect of sprint technique lies the principle of force orientation, the direction and angle at which force is applied into the ground. Efficient sprinting isn’t just about how much force an athlete produces, but how effectively they direct it relative to their posture, velocity, and ground contact timing.
In early acceleration (typically the first 0–10m), effective sprinters orient force with a pronounced horizontal vector, using strong triple extension (hips, knees, ankles) and an aggressive forward lean to project the body down the track. Ground contacts are longer, shin angles are sharper, and the whole system is geared toward horizontal propulsion. Athletes require both technical patterning (e.g. low heel recovery, aggressive forward shin) and physical qualities (e.g. concentric strength, horizontal impulse capacity) to execute this phase well.
As the sprinter progresses toward maximum velocity (~30–60m+), the orientation of force shifts increasingly vertical. The athlete is now upright, and the key to speed becomes producing large vertical ground reaction forces in very short contact times – essentially "punching" the ground downward beneath the centre of mass with a stiff, spring-like system. Ground contact becomes more elastic, and the role of reactive strength, isometric control, and limb stiffness becomes dominant.
What changes between these phases is not just posture or rhythm, but the strategy of force production itself. During acceleration, the hip extensors (glutes, hamstrings) dominate in a drive-oriented motion. At top speed, however, the athlete relies more on pre-activation, stiffness, and precise timing through the stretch-shortening cycle, particularly in the ankle complex and posterior chain.
Acceleration Phase: Objective is to enhance the athlete’s ability to generate ground reaction forces to optimise their stride length.
Maximal Velocity Phase: Objective is to increase the athlete’s stride frequency by facilitating a faster leg swing during their swing phase.
Experienced coaches will recognise that force orientation is not just a theoretical concept – it explains why some drills transfer and others do not, why sleds aid early-phase power, and why stiff ground contact matters more at top speed than simply cueing “lift your knees.”
Acceleration Technique
Acceleration technique is a distinct skill set. Out of blocks or a three-point start, young sprinters should learn to drive explosively with a low body angle, pushing horizontally for the first several steps, with aggressive forward shin angles and triple extension through the hips, knees, and ankles. During the drive phase, athletes must avoid popping up too soon; instead, they should gradually rise into an upright posture over ~20-50m, depending on their ability. Top coaches stress that an abrupt transition from a low drive to an upright position is inefficient, as it breaks the rhythm and wastes momentum.
Therefore, in training, the athlete practices a smooth transition – the hips and shoulders rise together as speed increases, rather than a sudden “jump” to upright running. Drills like 20–30m block starts and sled pulls help reinforce proper acceleration mechanics and posture.
Coaches differ on the best cues for this phase, some focus on driving knees up, others on pushing the ground back. However in all cases the goal is the same: powerful extension through the hips, knees, and ankles on each stride while keeping a forward lean and head in line with the spine.
Maximal Velocity Technique
Maximal velocity (top speed) mechanics come into play after the acceleration phase, usually around 30-60m into a 100m.
At max velocity the sprinter should be in an upright, tall posture, with a stacked alignment of head, hips, and foot at ground contact. Emphasis is placed on quick, active foot strikes under the centre of mass, high stride frequency, and an efficient cyclical leg motion (often described as a high knee recovery, then a pawing action downwards).
Relaxation is also key. Athletes must learn to run fast while staying loose in the face, shoulders, and hands to avoid muscle tension that can slow them down.
Notably, research confirms that an athlete’s maximum velocity capability is strongly correlated with their 100m performance, meaning the best sprinters attain higher top speeds and can maintain them longer. This underscores the need to train upright sprint mechanics diligently. A challenge for coaches is that improving max velocity requires both technical refinement and speed-specific strength. In practice, a competency-based progression is wise: ensure the athlete can execute simpler drills or sub-maximal runs with good form before increasing intensity or complexity. Sessions focused on pure speed should include full recovery between sprints and end when any sign of technical breakdown appears, to avoid ingraining bad habits.
Sprint Phase Parameters
The table below outlines typical sprinting characteristics across the acceleration, transition, and max velocity phases. While not prescriptive, these reference values help illustrate how sprint mechanics evolve as speed increases, providing coaches with useful context for technical development, observation, and progression planning.
| Parameter | Acceleration Phase (0–10m) |
Transition Phase (10–30m) |
Max Velocity Phase (30–60m+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk Angle (from vertical) | U20: 35–45° Senior: 30–40° |
U20: 20–30° Senior: 15–25° |
U20: 5–10° Senior: 0–5° |
| Shin Angle at Ground Contact | U20: 60–65° Senior: 50–55° |
U20: 70–75° Senior: 65–70° |
U20: 80–85° Senior: 85–88° |
| Ground Contact Time (s) | U20: 0.18–0.22 Senior: 0.14–0.18 |
U20: 0.14–0.18 Senior: 0.11–0.14 |
U20: 0.11–0.14 Senior: 0.08–0.11 |
| Flight Time (s) | U20: 0.08–0.12 Senior: 0.10–0.14 |
U20: 0.10–0.14 Senior: 0.12–0.16 |
U20: 0.12–0.16 Senior: 0.14–0.18 |
| Step Frequency (Hz) | U20: 4.0–4.5 Senior: 4.5–5.0 |
U20: 4.5–4.8 Senior: 4.8–5.2 |
U20: 4.8–5.1 Senior: 5.0–5.3 |
| Step Length (m) | U20: 1.8–2.0 Senior: 2.0–2.2 |
U20: 2.0–2.2 Senior: 2.2–2.4 |
U20: 2.2–2.4 Senior: 2.4–2.6 |
Note: These values represent average benchmarks only. Coaches should adapt expectations to each athlete’s training age, build, and stage of development.
- Trunk Angle: Younger athletes will naturally run more upright. Early forward lean should be coached progressively, aligning with increases in strength and coordination. The transition to upright posture typically becomes smoother with age and experience.
- Shin Angle: Shin position reflects how well force is being projected. More acute in early acceleration, closer to vertical at top speed. Developing athletes may struggle to maintain these positions consistently early on but improve with cueing and repetition.
- Contact and Flight Times: These will reduce as athletes become stronger and more technically proficient. Youth sprinters often spend too long on the ground or overstride. Early focus should be on sharp ground contact and building elastic qualities.
- Step Frequency and Length: Step frequency tends to improve with neuromuscular development; length increases as strength and mobility improve. Coaches should avoid pushing either one too early. Instead, encourage efficient rhythm and progressive force application.
Technical Development Through Drills
Sprint drills can be useful tools for technical development when used purposefully. They should reinforce key positions and movement patterns that transfer to actual sprinting. However, drills are not a substitute for sprinting itself. Especially with developing athletes, it’s common to see too much time devoted to drills at the expense of high-quality sprinting. Drills should complement sprint work, but never replace it.
Sprint drills are most effective when integrated into a broader technical development plan. They can be:
Used in warm-ups to reinforce key mechanics
Inserted between sprint reps as “reset” or focus cues, or
Assigned as individualised homework for targeted skill gaps
Below are three broad categories of sprint drills, each aligned with a different stage or purpose in the development of efficient sprint mechanics.
1. Technical Reinforcement Drills
Drills that isolate elements of sprint mechanics to improve rhythm, coordination, and postural control.
Best used when: Introducing or reinforcing fundamental sprint positions, especially in warm-ups.
Examples:
A-skips – Reinforce front-side mechanics, posture, and foot placement under the hips.
B-skips – Teach cyclical leg motion and active extension.
Forward knees – Promote front-side mechanics when done with proper sprint posture.
Ankling – Build rhythm and precise foot strike under the body.
Wall drills – Emphasise posture and shin angles in acceleration.
A-Skip
B-Skip
Ankling
Wall Drill
2. Resisted Sprint Drills
Drills that use external resistance to develop force application, especially during the drive phase.
Best used when: Targeting horizontal force output and acceleration posture.
Examples:
Sled pulls (light to moderate load) – Reinforce projection and low drive angles.
Band- or Partner- resisted movement– Promote powerful horizontal pushing and low heel recovery.
Uphill sprints (low gradient) – Encourage ideal shin angles and forward lean.
Partner-Resisted March
Sled Sprints
3. Rehearsal Sprint Drills:
Drills that simulate the timing, rhythm, and movement patterns of full-speed sprinting.
Best used when: Refining max velocity mechanics with minimal disruption.
Examples:
Wicket runs – Train stride rhythm, ground contact, and consistent foot placement (can also be used for acceleration)
Rolling or flying sprints (e.g. fly 20s) – Reinforce upright mechanics without start-phase fatigue.
Sprint-float-sprint (e.g. 20m sprint, 20m relaxed, 20m sprint). – Teach rhythm, relaxation, and acceleration control at speed.
Flying Sprints
Wicket Runs
However, remember that technical drills must not dominate the session. Sprinting at or near full speed remains the most specific and effective method to improve sprint technique.
In summary, technical development for youth sprinters should be a continuous, layered process. It begins with fundamentals of coordination and posture, and advances into fine-tuning of acceleration, transition, and max speed mechanics, all while introducing race execution skills.
There is room for debate in methods. For instance, whether to spend time on technical drills vs. simply sprinting more, or how much to individualise technique. The best practice is to integrate technique work into regular training, giving individualized cues and exercises to address each athlete’s needs. All technical training should ultimately serve the goal of more efficient, faster race performance. By building sound mechanics early on, coaches create a foundation that will support the athlete as physical maturation unlocks greater strength and speed in the late teens.
The art of coaching sprint technique lies in knowing when to cue, when to step back, and how to individualise teaching within a sound biomechanical framework. Part 2 will build on this by exploring physical preparation for developing sprinters.
