Running fast is key for fitness. This means you’ll need well thought out sprint workouts for speed training. In this article I’m going to highlight some of my favorite sprint workouts. I will also recommend some full training programs that will build full body strength for high speed running. Keep reading for more.
I’ve always enjoyed sprint training. It’s the highest sustained power output that the body is capable of, when done at maximum effort. Not only does this high power output help you learn to run quickly, it can help you lose body fat, and gain muscle, while building anaerobic endurance. Check out the sprint workouts for speed overview below.
Sprint Workouts for Speed: Key Points
- 3 phases: acceleration, max speed, endurance
- Sprint training for max speed requires long rest periods
- Sprint interval training can be great, time efficient cardio
- Requires gradual build up for detrained athletes
- Fast running also relies on aerobic energy system
Before we get to the specifics of the workouts, it’s important to cover a few safety points. If you haven’t been sprinting much recently, then you need to stay away from max speed intervals for a few weeks. Think of it as a one rep max lift. You shouldn’t jump into a 1RM if you haven’t touched a barbell for a while.
I normally recommend moderate intensity sprint sessions for 2-3 weeks, before you get to any max speed intervals. These are more like tempo runs that gradually increase in pace. Remember, you don’t need to train at your max all the time.
That’s a great way to cause injury, and it’s hard to recover from. Now that we’ve covered some injury prevention tips, let’s review the basics of sprint training. After that, we’ll get to the workouts, and then the full sprint programs.
The Basics of Sprint Training
As we alluded to above, there are three phases to any sprint. You have the acceleration phase, which is where you increase in velocity rapidly. This is followed by the maximum speed phase, where you’ve reached peak speed. That phase lasts for 30-50 meters. The final phase is sprint endurance, where you are resisting the urge to slow down.
It’s important to understand these three phases because there are different workouts that focus on each phase. I always recommend focusing on your biggest weak point first. You can then move to your next biggest hurdle, and so on.
Of note, each phase will primarily target your fast-twitch muscle fibers. This is why you need extended rest, as they are generally slower to recover from effort to effort. It’s counterintuitive, but these shorter distances normally require more rest than a longer training interval, done at a slower pace.
It’s also important to note that while sprinting is certainly anaerobic in nature, it still relies on your aerobic energy system, for the majority of energy production. This is especially true for durations longer than a minute. You can still increase sprint performance with a traditional Zone 2 aerobic training session. Just remember that long runs can help, but you still need sprint exercise to build real speed.
Now that we’ve reviewed some basics for sprint training. Let’s get to the workouts. If you like info on fitness, tactical training, and more, then put your email below, and we’ll email you the articles once they’re released. I’ve also included my bonus fat loss, and strength training guide.
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5 Best Sprint Workouts for Speed
These workouts are some of my go to sprint training sessions, that I’ve had great success with over the years. They will cover all three phases of sprinting, and challenge your fitness. Without further ado, here are the different sprint workouts.
1. EMOM 100m Sprints
This workout lives rent free in my head because it is so brutal. I think I originally got it from Power Athlete, and like all good WODs, it looks pretty easy on paper. This workout is very simple. Once you finish a dynamic warmup, getting your body temperature up, you start the workout by running 100m in roughly 16-18 seconds, using a running clock.
On the top of the next minute you run back another 100m. You will repeat these intervals until you fail to make the high end of the cut off, in this case 18 seconds. Most well conditioned athletes will be able to get at least 6-8 reps before they slow too much.
This is a great workout for mental toughness, and it’s relatively safe to do, as you aren’t running at your true max speed. If you’re not in the best sprinting shape, then you can bump your intervals to 18-20 seconds. Now on to the next workout.
If you like awesome fitness programs designed to build endurance and maximal strength, then check this out below.
2. 30m Hill Sprints
I really like these 30m hill sprint workouts because they hammer your acceleration phase sprint training. They do so because you’re getting a little extra resistance by having to overcome gravity as you ascend. Additionally, you’ll save some wear and tear on your body because the impact forces on your legs are lower, due to the incline.
For these types of workouts I would recommend that you find a fairly steep hill where you can run for a little more than 30m, which gives you time to slow down. You will perform 6-10 intervals with a 3-4 minute rest between.
I know this seems like a long rest, but you’re looking at max effort training, and you need to be as fresh as possible for each of these shorter sprints. Next lets review one of my favorite top speed workouts, to build your athletic performance.
3. Flying 30s
These intervals are designed to work on your top speed. Recall that you shouldn’t be running at true max effort until you’ve done a few weeks of sprint training to acclimatize your body to faster paces. Otherwise you run a high risk of pulling your hamstring. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen several times in person. While a pulled hamstring generally recovers quickly without surgery, it will derail your training for a few weeks.
For this workout you will start by slowly building up to your max speed over 50 meters. Once you hit the 50 meter mark, you’ll run at 90-100% speed. Maintain this speed for 30 meters, and then slow down gradually. You should take a 3-4 minute recovery period between each work interval. I recommend doing 5-8 of these at first. Once you become more experienced, you could increase to 12 or more. Now, on to the next sprint workout.
4. 15/10/5 Progressions
These are great sprint intervals for those looking to use sprints for conditioning, and are not as concerned with building up their maximum running speed. In this workout you will jog for 15 seconds, run fast for 10 seconds, and then sprint for 5 seconds, at max speed.
I normally program these in sets of 4, which means you will do four of these progressions in a total of 2 minutes. You will then rest for two minutes before starting the next set of four. I recommend starting with 3 sets of 4 and then going up as you feel comfortable in the coming weeks.
This is a great option for athletes of every fitness level. Now let’s get to our last sprint interval workout.
5. Endurance 150s
This is a 150 meter sprint aimed at building your sprint endurance. These were originally intended for 100m sprinters who needed to build speed endurance for the end of their race. They also work well for us mere mortals, as they provide a big metabolic hit, and will certainly help you maintain a high sprint speed over longer distances.
These runs should be done at roughly 90% effort. The idea is to maintain or even slightly increase pace across all 150 meters. Most importantly, you should maintain the same speed across all reps. I recommend starting with 4 of these, and increasing to 6-8 as you’re able.
Take 4+ minutes between efforts, so you’re fresh coming into each rep. Now that we’ve covered the 5 best sprint workouts for speed, let’s look as a few programs I put together for those that want to take their running speed to the next level.
If you want to build your metabolic fitness, as well as serious muscle mass, then check out my most popular program below.
Sprint Training Fitness Programs
My most popular program is this 9 Week Sprinting Program for Functional Fitness. This training plan is designed to be added on to your other fitness programs. It’s 3 days per week, and it includes many of these workouts that we’ve already seen.
If you’re looking to make the most improvement to your top end speed, then you should try my 7 Week Sprint Program for 200m Runners. This is a full on sprint program with the included resistance training sessions, and other accessory gym work. It’s designed to really build top end sprint speed. Here’s a sample week below.
Lastly, if you’re more of a lifter who just wants to improve running a little bit, then you should try my 15 Week Lift Heavy Run Fast Program. It’s roughly 70 percent weight training focused and 30% running focused.
I also want to point out that some of those programs have free PDF downloads, so feel free to check out a few of these great workouts to see which looks best for your goals. Now, let’s finish this sprint workouts for speed article up.
Final Thoughts
Sprint training is important for any athlete. I don’t think you can say you’re in shape, unless you can sprint for at least 100 meters. I don’t think you need to be awesome at it, but you do need to be capable of it. If your a tactical athlete, then I think you need to be comfortable running hard for 200m, as that is more closely aligned with tactical movements.
If you just want to work it into your current program, then all you need is 1 sprint day a week, for a few weeks. Start at low intensity, and then build up to high intensity. You can then go to 2-3 days per week depending on your goals. If you’re looking for more running speed than that, I would recommend following my 200m sprint program.
Now get out there and get training. Don’t forget to join the email list below. Good luck!
