Sprinting Drills

Sprinting is nothing but running fast for a short distance. Speed and agility are two major requirements that every good sprinter should have. There are various drills and exercises designed specially to improve these skills of a sportsmen. Sports like basketball, soccer and baseball require the players to move fast on the field. Sprinting drills are some of the best exercises that improve the speed, flexibility and performance for such games. Other than their athletic benefits, sprinting drills are also helpful in losing weight, since they are some of the best cardiovascular exercises. Given below are steps to perform various sprinting drills for kids and adults.

Track and Field Sprinting Drills

Sprinting Drills for Soccer

Drill #1: To perform this drill you will require a large 20 by 20 yard area and a teammate. In this drill you have to follow your teammate who will run randomly in the area. You have to pair up with your teammate and run in the direction he is running by maintaining a 2 yard distance from your teammate. Ensure that the teammate changes his speed and direction constantly. Read more on sprinting technique.

Drill #2: This soccer drill is also known as a box drill. You will require 5 cones or markers to perform this speed agility drill. Place 4 cones to form a 5 by 5 yard square. Then place the fifth cone in the center of the square. The center of the square is your starting position. Number each corner of the square and remember the assigned number of each respective corner. Now, take help of your teammate or coach and ask him to call out any of the four numbers. When the corner number is shouted, sprint to that respective corner and get back to the center. Ask your teammate to call out the numbers randomly and continue the exercise.

Sprinting Drills for Baseball

Drill #1: Stand in an upright position on your right foot. Now, jump as high and as far as possible towards your left and land on your left foot. Hold the position for three seconds and then jump towards your right with your left foot and land on right foot. Again hold the position for three seconds and similarly repeat the exercise. Perform 3 sets with 5 bounds each.

Drill #2: This is a base rotation drill that helps to improve offense and defense techniques. To perform this exercise imagine an "X" shape on the ground. Place your feet on the ends of one leg of the X. Your body should be in a tilted position as if you are making a 45 degree angle with a straight line behind you. Now, twist and turn your whole body and place your foot on the other leg of the X. You can perform 2 sets of this exercise, each with 4 rotations.

Sprinting Drills for Track and Field

Drill #1: This drill exercise for sprinting helps develop correct foot actions while preparing for a foot strike. To perform this drill, skip on the balls on your feet for 20 or 30 meters. While skipping see that the thigh of the free leg is parallel to the ground and the foreleg is perpendicular to the ground. You can perform two rounds of this drill.

Drill #2: To improve the sprint action while driving off the rear leg, perform this drill. To perform this sprinting drill you require to do fast leg movements on your feet balls. While sprinting, drive the knee of the leg in the air, such that the heel touches the underside and your thigh is parallel to the ground. You can perform two rounds of this drill for a 20 meter distance.

The list of sprinting drills is very vast and these were few of them. It is recommended that you should perform the sprinting drills under observation of a coach or trainer. Good Luck!