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Sprinting Sprinting is the art of running as fast as possible. Sprinting happens when an athlete's legs move faster to propel them forward at a greater rate of speed. Sprinting is when more steps are taken and/or longer steps are taken. Sprinting is a mechanical body action that can be refined as the athlete gets more comfortable.     Skill Progression Your Athlete Can: Never Sometimes Often Maintain erect position Push off snow with balls of feet Move foot backward under body upon landing Drive knees up so thigh is horizontal Maintain upright posture with slight forward body lean from ground, not from waist Swing arms forward and back without rotating shoulders Sprint under control for entire race     Teaching Points Run in an upright position so the maximum distance is attained with each stride. The forearm and upper arm should form a 90-degree angle at the elbow. Pump the arms (forward and back) with every stride. The arm and leg movements should be synchronized. Move the right arm forward as left leg goes forward. Increasing stride length or stride rate or both will increase speed. Stay in lanes (25m, 50m and 100m). For other races, athletes need to keep moving forward toward the inside lane of track.     What is the body doing while you are sprinting?     Head Straight ahead with eyes focused on the finish Relaxed jaw and facial muscles Shoulders Relaxed and square with little or no rotation Hands Clasped, not tightly, with the thumbs up Arms Used for balance Drive up and out and do not cross the body Feet The toes are straight ahead   Faults & Fixes Chart   Error Correction Drill Reference Arms and shoulders twist and rotate Keep torso facing in the direction the athlete is running Running on the spot Athlete not running in upright position Fully extend stride Bounding and strides Athlete is very tense with fists clenched and upper body rigid Practice running relaxed, with proper breathing Break down running motion and try to break pattern Relay Drills Head moves side to side Keep head from moving, eyes forward Focus on the finish line or in the distance Runs too slowly Increase stride rate or frequency Fast leg drill and bounding Downhill sprinting Rabbits and Hounds Drill Sharks and Minnows Drill

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