Most athletes do sprint drills… but very few actually get faster.
Why?
Because drills aren’t magic. They’re tools — and if you use the wrong tool at the wrong time, you don’t fix the problem. You make it worse.
As a speed coach working with athletes from track to football to lacrosse, I’ve seen firsthand how easily drills get misused. Let’s break down the 3 biggest mistakes athletes make with sprint drills — and how to fix them.
1. Drills Are Used Without Purpose
Most common mistake: Doing drills “just because.”
You’ll see athletes go through A-skips, B-skips, butt kicks, and high knees — without any understanding of what the drill is supposed to accomplish.
Here’s the fix:
Drills must be chosen based on specific sprint mechanics that need to be corrected.
If an athlete overstrides, we need posture and projection drills. If an athlete breaks at the hips, we need front-side mechanics drills.
Solution:
Instead of throwing 10 random drills into warm-ups, use my Sprint Form Checklist to identify key technical flaws — then assign 2-3 drills that directly target those issues.
2. Drills Aren’t Reinforced With Sprinting
A drill by itself won’t build speed.
It’s a rehearsal — not a performance. Athletes often drill well… then revert back to poor form when sprinting full speed.
Why? Because there’s no connection between the drill and the real sprint movement.
Solution:
Follow up every drill with a related sprint movement — like a falling start, flying sprint, or resisted sprint. That’s where the new motor pattern gets locked in.
This is what we do inside the VFitLab Speed Academy — every drill has a direct sprint application in that same session.
3. No Feedback or Video Review
Here’s a tough truth:
If your athlete never sees themselves sprint, they’ll never fully understand how to fix it.
Sprint form happens fast — faster than they can process. Without feedback (visual or verbal), athletes repeat the same mistakes.
Solution:
Use video! Even a quick phone clip from the side or rear angle can expose posture, shin angle, and arm swing issues. Combine this with the Sprint Form Checklist and you’ve got a feedback loop that accelerates progress.
Inside our coaching program, athletes submit video for weekly review and breakdown, getting direct feedback from me.
The Real Formula for Sprint Drill Success
Here’s the system we teach:
1. Assess form using the Sprint Form Checklist.
2. Prescribe drills that target specific technical needs.
3. Reinforce drills with resisted or assisted sprint work.
4. Review footage weekly to track improvements.
5. Repeat and progress over 6-week training blocks.
This method is simple, repeatable, and proven — and it’s why athletes in my system don’t just look faster… they are faster.
Want to Fix Your Sprint Form Fast?
Start with the Sprint Form Checklist, my free resource that shows you exactly what to look for — and how to fix it.
Inside the checklist group, you’ll also get:
• A dynamic warm-up you can do daily
• My go-to acceleration and top-speed drills
• Video feedback tips and sprint cues
• An invite to our next Speed Coaching
Train smart. Sprint fast.
— Coach Voris
Founder, VFitLab Speed & Performance Academy
Join the movement. Build your speed.
sprint drills, sprint mechanics, speed training, sprint coaching, VFitLab
