Sprinting Mechanics – Basic Advice

Improving how your players move should be a top priority for every coach. However, when it comes to refining sprint mechanics, it can be a tricky task. I'll cover this in more detail in future articles, but for now, it's worth noting that your local athletics club has been perfecting these techniques for years. A visit to one of them could be invaluable.

That said, there are practical steps you can take with your GAA team—or any group of athletes—to enhance their sprint mechanics.

Making meaningful changes to how a player sprints or runs is never about just one thing; it’s a highly multifactorial process. Many improvements will come from work done in the gym as well as on the pitch.

One drill I find particularly useful is the wall drill, which helps correct movement deficiencies. It’s simple but can be challenging to implement effectively in a group session—especially with GAA players, who typically haven’t thought much about sprint mechanics.

While it might not seem the most exciting, selecting one or two key drills and consistently reinforcing them is the best way to make lasting improvements in movement quality. Repetition and attention to detail will yield far better results than constantly changing exercises.

The technique shown in the video is a step in the right direction—it’s improving, but there’s still work to do. I’ve found sprint drills to be hugely beneficial for my athletes, though initially, they can be a tough sell. Many of the drills look a bit silly to them at first, but it’s important to push through this stage. If we can address movement issues early, we can prevent bigger problems later—and who wouldn’t want to move better?

With younger athletes, what I call the "giggle factor" can be a real coaching challenge. They often struggle to take the drills seriously, but staying patient and reinforcing their importance pays off in the long run.

Think of the wall drill as a way to slow running down and make movement patterns more visible. It’s difficult to coach sprint mechanics when a player is flying past you, so using controlled drills like this helps pinpoint and correct issues effectively.

The Pop - Float - Skip

I almost always include Marching on the Spot, Skipping, and Pop Floats in every session I run with an underage team. These simple drills serve as an excellent warm-up for a wide range of movement demands—and they can even be done laterally. More importantly, they help players become more aware of how they move.

By using these drills, you can refine and coach key aspects of sprint mechanics, such as knee alignment, posture, and foot placement. They’re also incredibly easy to implement, making them a valuable addition to any training session.

To make things even easier, I’ve put together a handy resource to help you integrate these drills into your coaching sessions—be sure to check it out!

Coach Hare

Sprint Mechanics Drills Booklet

The Pop - Float - Skip

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