Sprinting Mistakes & How to Fix Them – Summary Notes
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A personal breakdown of 5 key sprinting mistakes from someone who started sprinting in 2019, with explanations and fixes based on experience and learning.
1. Having the Arms Too Tense
- Problem: Hands and arms were overly tight, causing stiffness.
- Fix: Relax the hands by shaping them like you're gently holding a cup of water (not chopping or clenching fists). This relaxes the arms and improves sprint form.
2. Landing Instead of Striking
- Problem: Foot was landing out in front, creating braking forces.
- Fix: Learn to strike the ground actively by driving the leg backwards.
- Helpful Drill: Leg cycles – teaches circular leg motion and backward drive.
3. Neglecting Hip (and Hamstring) Mobility
- Problem: Tight hips affected drill execution (e.g. A-step), causing:
- Bent bottom leg
- Rounded back
- Fix:
- Stretch hips regularly.
- Perform sprint drills super slow to combine mobility with strength.
- This method is called active stretching.
4. Doing Too Much Too Soon
- Problem: Excessive sprint training (5x/week) led to quad pain.
- Fix:
- Paused sprinting and focused on drills.
- Strengthened the quads.
- Used self-myofascial release (e.g. foam rolling) until pain subsided (about 3 weeks).
5. Doing Drills Without Understanding Them
- Problem: Blindly performed drills like butt kicks, thinking they helped.
- Misunderstood biomechanics – butt kicks bend the knee, but not the hip.
- Fix:
- Understand the purpose of each drill before including it in training.
- Be intentional – every drill should have a reason.
