How to Improve Sprint Speed: Get Faster in Any Sport

Speed kills—in sports, it's usually the difference between good and great. Whether you're chasing a ball, evading a defender, or racing to the finish line, getting faster opens up new possibilities.

The good news: sprint speed is trainable at any level. Here's how to get legitimately faster.

What Determines Sprint Speed?

Sprint speed = stride length × stride frequency

Stride length: How much ground you cover per step Stride frequency (cadence): How many steps per second

Elite sprinters maximize both. Most athletes have more room to improve in one area than the other.

Physical Qualities for Speed

Power: Force applied quickly. The foundation of speed. Strength: The base from which power is built. Reactive ability: How quickly you can absorb and redirect force (ground contact). Technique: Efficient mechanics that apply force in the right direction. Flexibility/Mobility: Range of motion for optimal mechanics.

The Speed Training Hierarchy

Build these qualities in order:

1. General Strength

Basic leg strength provides the foundation for power. You can't express force you don't have.

2. Explosive Power

The ability to produce force quickly—plyometrics, Olympic lifts, jump training.

3. Sprint Technique

Proper mechanics ensure force is applied effectively.

4. Speed Practice

Actually sprinting at maximum effort with full recovery.

Most people skip steps 1-3 and wonder why just running fast isn't making them faster.

Sprint Technique Fundamentals

Acceleration Phase (0-30m)

Body position:

Forward lean from ankles (not waist)
Aggressive arm drive
Powerful leg drive backward into ground
Gradually rising to upright

Foot contact:

Ball of foot strikes
Pushing back and down
Quick ground contact

Common errors:

Standing up too quickly
Reaching with the lead leg
Arms crossing midline
Looking down

Maximum Velocity Phase (30m+)

Body position:

Upright posture
Head neutral
Shoulders relaxed

Leg action:

High knee drive
Foot dorsiflexed (toes up)
Striking under center of mass
Quick, elastic ground contact

Arm action:

Elbows at ~90 degrees
Hands relaxed
Driving forward and back (not across)
Opposite arm, opposite leg coordination

Common errors:

Overstriding (reaching forward)
Heel striking
Tense upper body
Excessive forward lean

Strength Training for Speed

Key Exercises

Back Squat Builds general leg strength. Full depth develops hip extensors.

3-5 sets of 3-6 reps
Progressive overload over time

Romanian Deadlift Strengthens posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes) critical for hip extension and deceleration.

3-4 sets of 6-10 reps

Hip Thrust Direct glute strengthening for hip extension power.

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps

Bulgarian Split Squat Single-leg strength addressing imbalances.

3 sets of 8 each leg

Nordic Curls Eccentric hamstring strength—protects against hamstring strains during sprinting.

3 sets of 4-6 reps (progress slowly)

Calf Raises Ankle stiffness for force transfer.

3-4 sets of 12-15 reps

Strength Benchmarks

General targets for speed development:

Back squat: 1.5-2x bodyweight
Deadlift: 1.75-2x bodyweight

These aren't requirements, but stronger athletes generally have more speed potential.

Power Training for Speed

Plyometrics

Bounds Exaggerated running strides with long ground contact and high force.

Focus on horizontal distance
3-4 sets of 5-6 contacts per leg

Depth Jumps Step off box, land, immediately explode upward.

3 sets of 4-6 reps
Box height 18-30 inches
Focus on minimal ground contact

Broad Jumps Maximum effort horizontal jump.

3-4 sets of 4-5 reps
Full recovery between sets

Single-Leg Hops Rapid hops on one leg for power and stability.

3 sets of 5-6 each leg

Jump Squats

Squat down, explode up into jump, land softly, reset.

3-4 sets of 5-6 reps
Bodyweight or light load (10-20% of squat max)

Medicine Ball Work

Scoop throws: Between legs, throw forward for max distance. Overhead throws: Behind you, explosive hip extension.

3-4 sets of 5-6 throws

Sprint Training

Sprint Workouts

Short Sprints (10-30m) Develop acceleration and starting power.

6-10 reps
Full recovery (2-3 min)
Maximum effort every rep

Flying Sprints Build to max speed over 20-30m, then maintain through a timed zone (20-40m).

4-6 reps
Full recovery (3-4 min)

Resisted Sprints Sled pulls, hill sprints, or partner resistance.

Builds force production
4-8 reps x 20-30m
Should slow you down ~10-15%, no more

Overspeed Training (Advanced) Downhill sprints (slight grade) or band-assisted sprints.

Teaches nervous system to fire faster
Only for experienced sprinters
4-6 reps, full recovery

Sprint Training Rules

Quality over quantity: 6 perfect sprints beat 15 tired ones.

Full recovery: Speed training requires full neural recovery—2-4 minutes between reps.

Maximum intent: If you're not running at 95%+ effort, you're not training speed.

Fresh legs: Sprint when rested, not after conditioning or heavy lifting.

Low volume: 150-400 meters of total sprint volume per session is plenty.

Sample Training Week

Day 1: Sprint + Lower Body Strength

Dynamic warm-up: 15 min
Sprint drills: 10 min
Sprints: 6x30m (full recovery)
Back squat: 4x5
Romanian deadlift: 3x8
Core work

Day 2: Upper Body + Plyometrics

Upper body strength work
Box jumps: 3x5
Bounds: 3x6 each leg

Day 3: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 4: Speed + Power

Dynamic warm-up: 15 min
Flying 30m sprints: 5 reps
Jump squats: 3x6
Med ball throws: 3x6

Day 5: Lower Body Strength + Stability

Bulgarian split squats: 3x8 each
Hip thrusts: 3x10
Nordic curls: 3x4
Single-leg balance work

Day 6-7: Rest

Sprint Drills

A-Skip

Skip with emphasis on high knee drive and opposite arm action.

2-3 x 20m each leg

B-Skip

A-skip with leg extension—knee drives up, then leg extends and pawing motion back.

2-3 x 20m each leg

Straight-Leg Bounds

Minimal knee bend, pulling from hamstrings and glutes.

2-3 x 20m

High Knees

Rapid knee drive while traveling forward or in place.

2-3 x 20m or 15 sec

Butt Kicks

Heels rapidly kicking toward glutes.

2-3 x 20m or 15 sec

Wall Drives

Hands against wall, drive one knee up rapidly, switch.

3 x 10 each leg

Mobility for Speed

Hip Flexors

Tight hip flexors limit hip extension during push-off.

Half-kneeling stretch: 60 sec each side daily

Hamstrings

Need adequate length for full stride.

RDL stretch or lying hamstring stretch: 60 sec each side

Hip Rotators

Affect leg alignment and power transfer.

90/90 stretch: 60 sec each position

Ankles

Stiffness limits power transfer at foot contact.

Calf stretches and ankle mobilizations daily

Common Speed Training Mistakes

Too Much Volume

Speed is a skill that requires quality. Running 20 sprints defeats the purpose. Keep volume low, intensity high.

Not Enough Recovery

Between reps and between sessions. Sprinting is neurally demanding.

Skipping Strength Work

Power without strength is limited. Build the foundation.

Poor Technique

Bad mechanics practiced at high speed just ingrains bad patterns. Master technique at slower speeds first.

Running Tired

Speed sessions on fatigued legs don't develop speed—they develop endurance. Train speed when fresh.

Only Sprinting

Plyometrics, strength work, and mobility all contribute to speed. A complete program beats just running fast.

Measuring Progress

Timing Sprints

Use consistent distances (10m, 20m, 40m)
Time electronically if possible
Test when fully fresh
Compare over weeks/months

Video Analysis

Film your sprints from the side. Compare to elite technique. Identify issues.

Strength Numbers

Track squat, deadlift, and power clean progress. Stronger often means faster.

Vertical/Broad Jump

Improvements often correlate with sprint improvements.

Realistic Expectations

Beginners: Significant improvements possible in 8-12 weeks with proper training.

Trained athletes: 0.1-0.2 second improvements in 40-yard dash over a season is solid.

Genetics matter: Some people have more fast-twitch muscle fibers. But everyone can improve.

Speed development takes months to years, not days to weeks.

Summary

To improve sprint speed:

Build strength first - Squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts
Develop power - Plyometrics, jumps, med ball throws
Master technique - Drills, video analysis, coaching
Sprint with intent - Maximum effort, full recovery
Keep volume low - Quality over quantity
Maintain mobility - Hips, hamstrings, ankles
Be patient - Speed develops over months and years

Getting faster requires consistent work on multiple qualities. The athletes who commit to the process are the ones who get results.

Now go get fast.