Track and Field Toolbox

The following is a listing of all posts in the category of Sprints for our site.

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Click on the links to read the individual posts.

Train Both or Fall Behind: Building the Complete Speed/Hurdle Athlete

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LaRon Bennett, Asst Coach – Sprints/Hurdles, Virginia

This video is a segment from one of the 144 Videos in Glazier Drive Track & Field.  Explore coaching clinic replays, practice plans, skill development videos, and more.  Click here to see all that’s included.

This coaching presentation breaks down race strategy for 100-meter sprints and hurdles, using two different athlete types as examples.

100-Meter Sprint Strategy: The coach explains four distinct phases:

  • Drive Phase (8-10 steps): Athletes generate maximum power from the start
  • Acceleration (around 15-17 meter mark): A small transition window where hips rise forward
  • Top End Speed (held for only 10-20 meters): Elite sprinters like Usain Bolt can hold this for about 20 meters, while average sprinters maintain it for 10-15 meters
  • Deceleration: Everyone slows down after top speed; success comes from maintaining form and slowing down less than competitors

The coach emphasizes that timing these transitions is critical, especially in shorter races like the 60-meter dash where the window is compressed.

110/100 Hurdle Strategy: The presentation divides the hurdle race into key sections:

  • Start to Hurdle 1: Use power and speed to set up proper steps
  • Hurdles 1-3: Establish rhythm and fix any technical errors early
  • Hurdles 3-5: The most important transition phase where races often fall apart
  • Hurdles 7-10: Maintain tight form as speed increases and hurdles come up faster
  • Finish: Sprint aggressively off the last hurdle through the line

Training Tips: The coach recommends using “discounted hurdles” in practice (progressively moving hurdles closer by half-foot increments) to help athletes develop faster turnover, while racing at regulation spacing. He also stresses proper finish technique—leaning the chest forward rather than diving or reaching with hands.


Max Velocity out of the Blocks

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In this post Coach Tony Holler, creator of the Feed the Cats Sprint Training Program, uses video to teach the key components to getting max velocity out of the blocks.

Coach Holler shares the importance of coming out low and projecting the hips.

Here are some of the key teaching points he explains and illustrates with video.

  1. Press the back foot against the back block
  2. Big Split
  3. Full extension
  4. Eyes down
  5. Front foot dorsiflexed
  6. Front landing under the center of masss
  7. Lower leg horizontal to track. Spikes facing back not up
  8. Punch with the lead knee
  9. Ankle, knee, hip, and head in a straight line

Coach Holler analyzes several athletes in the video and provides great coaching points for each. This serves as a great example of how you could use video to help your sprinters be more explosive out of the blocks.

This clip was taken from one of Coach Holler’s complete courses. For more information about the course this clip was taken from click the following link: Feed the Cats: Getting to MAX Velocity Out of the Blocks

Coach Holler’s Feed the Cats Program and his less is more approach to sprint training is revolutionizing the sport of track and field. If you would like to learn more about his complete program click the following link: Feed the Cats: Track and Field Bundle

 


23 Second Drill

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You may have heard of Tony Holler and his Feed the Cats speed training program that is revolutionizing the sport of track and field.  Data-driven speed training is the centerpiece of his speed training program.

In the video below Coach Holler shares a workout that he uses with all of his athletes and how he uses the results of the workout to help motivate his sprinters.

The workout is fairly simple and is called the 23-second drill and it works like this:

  1. The athlete runs as far as he/she can in 23-seconds and the distance is recorded
  2.  8-minute recovery
  3.  Repeat the 23-second run and record the second distance.

He usually does this drill 3 times per winter.

The magic in this is that he ranks the athlete’s results.

He keeps track and racks of the best distances recorded by seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.

Athletes in his program are then able to compare their distances with others from the past at different ages.

He finds this to be great motivation for his runners.

Coach Holler employs a “Less is More Approach” to training sprinters. Relying on great technique, recovery, and proper motivation to achieve great results.

The video below was taken from one of his many coaching courses. For more information about the course this clip came from click the following link: Feed the Cats: Data-Driven Speed Training.

If you would like to learn more about the complete program click: Feed the Cats Speed Training Program for Track and Field


Force Absorption Drills

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In this post Coach Kyle Edwards shares a series force abortion drills.

The clip is taken from his teaching course Feed the Cats: Rocket Fuel for Sprinters 

Coach Edwards points out that sprinting is really just a series of single-leg depth jumps.

In the videos he explains four force absorption drills

  1. Jumps (aka Cat Jumps) – three variations
  2. Single depth jumps
  3. Long Depth Jumps
  4. Assisted plypos

In each he stresses the key point of not letting your heels hit the ground

To learn more about the great course that this clip was taken from click here

The videos below have audio so please make sure that your speakers are on.

Just click the arrow to play.

 


Off-Season Speed Workout

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How do you spend your off season? Do you relax, lean back and rest? Maybe you spend time with your family until the season starts. What you do in the off season is detrimental to your success and goals. It’s obvious that players take some time to heal and rejuvenate, the entirety of the regular season can be excruciating on the body. However, it’s important to have a balance. 

The off-season gives you the time to dedicate an accumulation of learning to proper movement, muscle building, mobility improvement and power training. This combination will help you become a revamped overall athlete. This is the groundwork for improving performance and excelling once competition season returns. This is the period of time when it’s time to focus on fundamental movement and strength development.

There are three beneficial reasons to stay busy this off season. Staying active can prevent Injuries, improve overall strength and improve movement patterns. Professional athletes need to be constantly working on their craft. Exercises such as hinging, pushing, squatting and pulling can be the difference maker. These very basic variations of patterns are the answer to building a strong and healthy body that is likely to not break down or become injured. 

Our bodies are designed to move. Physical training focusing on movement can enhance overall mobility patterns and will simultaneously improve your strength. Strength and conditioning is important in track and field because the athlete that is in the best shape and most prepared should win.

The reasons listed are the intentions of Coach Tony Holler‘s work, creating “Feed the Cats”. It’s a revolutionary way of training, coaching, and teaching that values specificity, essentialism and performance. A program so popular it’s made its way to American football. 

Coach Tony Holler has four decades of experience in track and football. A member of the Illinois Track and Field Hall of Fame as well as the Co-owner of the Track Football consortium. 

In the video below Coach Tony Holler breaks down the fundamentals in a simple and detailed way. Everything you need to know, from how to train and how not to train. Get in exceptional shape and come out on top. ( Click on the image below for video )