Track and field - Atleta Explosivo

Track and field, Biomechanics, Physical preparation

HOW TO USE WICKET DRILLS TO TEACH TOP SPEED TECHNIQUE AND MAXIMUM VELOCITY

Hugo Noya Enríquez / May 31, 2026

Teaching speed and sprint technique should not be limited just to sprint drills. According to Jacksonville University Head Coach Ron Grigg, sprint drills do not directly translate to good sprint mechanics because the essential ingredient of force application to the ground is eliminated in most sprint drills. Sprint drills are good for teaching the mechical concepts. They are good for specific dynamic mobility. They train coordination in a general sense. And in some populations of young athletes or distance athletes, traditional sprint drills can serve as light plyometrics. Boo Schexnayder perhaps said the best quote: “While these exercises provide an opportunity to address many aspects of running mechanics, the intensities found in the exercises are not sufficient to elicit the reflexes found in competition. Thus, sprint drills do not improve running mechanics directly, creating carryover to the event itself becomes the task of the coach.” So the best and most specific sprint drill is good sprinting itself. How can we create the carryover? The single best tool is the wicked drill created by Vince Anderson, now at Texas A&M.

Track and field, Biomechanics

AVOID THIS COMMON SPEED KILLER AND MAXIMIZE YOUR SPEED

Hugo Noya Enríquez / April 14, 2026

It’s amazing how many sprinters loose speed through external rotation. Learn some quick fixes for one of the most common speed killers out there. When sprinting, you want to line up your forces and hit it as hard as you can. Any external rotation will cause your speed to drop. Something as simple as a slight head movement can carry over into the hands and the feet, causing wasted movement and slower times. On top of all of that, if you’re in a competition and step out of your lane, you can get disqualified.

Track and field, Biomechanics

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER ARM ACTION TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SPRINTING SPEED

Hugo Noya Enríquez / April 10, 2026

Are you looking to boost your sprinting speed and efficiency? In this post, you´ll discover the importance of proper arm action during sprinting and how it can impact your performance. You’ll learn about the optimal position for your arms based on your individual strength level, as well as why extending your arms past your body during the swing phase can actually slow you down. Proper arm strike and movement can help reduce ground contact time and improve your overall speed. By mastering these techniques, you can take your sprinting to the next level and leave your competition in the dust. All this information comes from the teachings of coach Ken Harnden. Lastly, there´s a section in which Olympian Warren Fraser explains how developing patience leads to developing better technique.

Track and field, Biomechanics, Kinesiology

WHY RUNNING ON YOUR TOES IS KILLING YOUR SPEED AND WHAT TO DO INSTEAD

Hugo Noya Enríquez / April 7, 2026

Dorsiflexion is one of the most important aspects of proper sprinting form and developing speed. It doesn’t matter what the rest of the body is doing. If you don’t have correct ground contact, you won’t sprint fast. In this post you’ll learn why running on your toes dramatically reduces speed.

Track and field, Biomechanics, Kinesiology

4 SPRINTING DRILLS THAT DEVELOP PROPER FORM

Hugo Noya Enríquez / April 3, 2026

In this post I show you 4 sprinting drills that are incredibly effective at developing proper form and preparing the body for acceleration work. These drills are an essential element of Ken Harnden´s athletes sprinting workouts and are performed during most of the training year.

Track and field, Biomechanics

TAKE YOUR 40 YARD DASH AND 3 POINT STARTS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Hugo Noya Enríquez / March 8, 2026

Get faster 40 yard dash times and improve your sprinting performance. A fast 40 yard dash time is one of the benchmarks in football. It can give a player an edge in tryouts and evaluations, and it can also be a factor in determining how much playing time they get and what their role on the team will be. It’s especially important for positions that require a lot of speed and quickness, like wide receivers, running backs, and defensive backs. But even players who need to tackle or cover kickoffs and punts can benefit from having a fast 40 yard dash time. But it’s not just about doing 3 point starts. It’s about doing them correctly.

Track and field, Exercise physiology, Kinesiology, Physical preparation

HOW TO RECOVER AFTER SPRINTING WORKOUTS AND STAY INJURY FREE

Hugo Noya Enríquez / February 14, 2026

Learn cool down drills that will improve sprinting technique, speed up recovery and help prevent injuries. A good post workout routine that includes specific cool down drills is a critical component of sprint training. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to speed training and most track and field events in general.

Track and field, Biomechanics, Exercise physiology

IS YOUR SPRINTING TECHNIQUE DIFFERENT WHEN RUNNING 100M AND 400M?

Hugo Noya Enríquez / February 13, 2026

In this post I highlight based on the opinion of Olympic coach Karim Abdel Wahab, some of the key differences and similarities between the 100m and 400m when it comes to sprinting technique. Studies have shown that the 400m runners whose technique is closest to 100m runners are the fastest. Topics covered include knee drive, turnover, ground contact time as well as where the foot lands in relationship to the bodies center of mass during sprinting.

Track and field, Biomechanics, Kinesiology

COMMON ERRORS SPRINTERS MAKE AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Hugo Noya Enríquez / February 7, 2026

Learn some of the most common errors athletes make with sprinting technique and how to avoid them. In this post I ´ll share with you coach the errors coach Karim Abdel Wahab has seen athletes make throughout his time working with elite sprinters as well as football players preparing for the NFL draft combine.
Starting with the the most common mistake, which is staying too low out of the blocks or at the beginning of the sprint, you’ll learn why staying low dramatically reduces the ability to produce force down to the ground and results in slower speed. Coach Karim provides an effective cue to help solve this issue.
Another common error is breaking at the waist. This breakdown in technique also inhibits speed and will result in slower times and can potentially lead to injuries. Learn how to spot a “fake lean” and some tips on optimal sprinting biomechanics.
Finally, there area two Athlete Insight sections in which Olympians Jeremy Dodson and Janay DeLoach discuss about the biggest myths and worst advice they heard in high school and why you should avoid them if you want to reach your potential.

Track and field, Biomechanics, Kinesiology

HOW TO SPRINT FASTER WITH PROPER GROUND CONTACT AND FORCE APPLICATION

Hugo Noya Enríquez / February 4, 2026

Learn how to sprint faster with proper ground contact and force application. One of the biggest misconceptions out there is how the foot strikes the ground (it’s not on the toe and not on the heel). This post covers where the foot strikes the ground and why that is important for force application and speed development. In order to take advantage of the “stretch reflex” and really utilize the muscles of the lower leg, it’s important to ingrain into the nervous system how to properly land with each stride. This post teaches the fundamentals of correct ground contact throughout the entire sprint. Athlete Insight sections cover force production and how striking down and back is different than “stomping” your way down the track.