Story By Bjorn Jansen
Success in events ranging from the explosive 100m to the 800m comes down to consistent, purposeful training. At SpeedPro, the proper drills are the foundation of every elite performance. Designed to build speed, strength, endurance, and efficiency, these drills ensure you’re race-ready, no matter the distance.
Here’s our go-to guide for essential workouts tailored to 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m athletes.
1. Acceleration Drills: For Explosive Starts (100m-400m)
A strong start is critical in short sprints and can make or break your race. Acceleration drills hone your ability to generate force and power from the blocks.
- Resisted Sprints: Use a weighted sled or resistance bands to perform 6-8 sprints over 20-30m. Focus on driving your knees high and maintaining a forward lean.
- Hill Sprints: Perform 8-10 short sprints up a steep incline. Hills force your body to recruit maximum power, improving your acceleration mechanics.
These drills help you explode off the line with confidence and control, which is a game-changer for 100- and 200-meter races.
2. Top-End Speed Drills: For Faster Strides (100m-400m)
Once you’re out of the blocks, maintaining top speed is key. These drills improve your stride length and frequency without sacrificing form.
- Flying Sprints: Sprint 30-50m at maximum effort after a 20m rolling start. This eliminates the need for acceleration, allowing you to focus on pure speed.
- Bounding: Cover 40m in as few strides as possible, emphasising explosive leg power and extension.
Regularly practising these drills sharpens your ability to maintain top speed, giving you an advantage in the second half of your race.
3. Speed Endurance Drills: For Sustained Power Performance (200m-800m)
Speed endurance bridges the gap between raw speed and stamina. It’s essential for middle-distance runners and sprinters who compete in more extended events like the 400m.
- Interval Repeats: Perform 5x300m at 85-90% effort with 2-3 minutes of rest between repetitions. This trains your body to maintain high-intensity effort over longer distances.
- Split Runs: Run 200m at near-max effort, jog 50m, and repeat for 4-6 sets. This mimics race conditions, teaching you to push through fatigue.
These workouts prepare your body to handle the lactic acid build-up that can sabotage a strong finish.
4. Stamina and Pacing Drills: For Long Sprints Performance (400m-800m)
For 800m athletes, pacing and aerobic efficiency are as important as speed. These drills improve your ability to sustain effort across multiple laps.
- Tempo Runs: Run 4x600m at 70-80% effort with short rest periods to build aerobic capacity.
- Negative Splits: Practice running the second half of your intervals faster than the first. For example, run 2x800m with the last 400m faster than the first.
These sessions build mental toughness and physical readiness for the strategic demands of middle-distance racing.
5. Form and Technique Drills: For Every Distance
No matter your event, good form is the cornerstone of efficient running.
- A-Skips, B-Skips and ground contact drills: These classic drills improve knee drive, foot placement, and coordination. Perform 3x30m at a controlled pace.
- High Knees with Arm Drive: Focus on rapid turnover and proper arm swing to reinforce good sprinting mechanics.
Incorporating these into your warm-ups ensures your form stays sharp, even at top speed.
6. Recovery and Mobility: The Unsung Heroes of Performance
Hard work on the track is worthless without proper recovery. Incorporate mobility drills, foam rolling, and dynamic stretches to keep your body primed for peak performance.
Our Final Thoughts
Performance on the track doesn’t happen by chance—it’s built one drill at a time. Whether chasing a sub-11 second 100m or aiming to control the pace in an 800m, SpeedPro’s essential training sessions will elevate your performance.
Commit to these drills, stay consistent, and watch your times drop. At SpeedPro, we pride ourselves on "doing the right training at the right time". Let’s get to work!
