A couple of old favourites from Rugby days that I'll be using again:

Shuttles

I quite like this variation.

Set out a line of markers at 5 metre intervals up to 25 metres in total. Working to a fixed time of 30 seconds shuttle up 5 metres and back, 10 metres and back, 15 metres and back etc, until 30 seconds is up.

Rest for 30 seconds and repeat the routine, attempting to get as far as you did on the previous rep, although you're expected to tire as each rep is completed maximally.

Complete 6 reps

Straight Line Sprints

Set up markers at 10, 20 and 30 metres.

First sets are "change gear" sprints, increasing your pace from 80%-90%-100% over the 30 metres. Do 6 sets with 30 seconds rest between.

Next up are "hollow sets" where you take of at 100% for 10 metres, take the power off for 10 metres, then apply full speed again for the final 10 metres. Do 6 sets with 30 seconds rest between.

For the final sets take off at 100% and ease off before 10 metres as you turn around into reverse/backwards running for the next 10 metres, before rotating back with balance and sprinting the last 10 metres. Do 6 sets with 30 seconds rest between.

nice.

good to see appropriate distances being used to. Not much point in sprinting / running hard more than 30m for 95% of rugby drills since it's quite rare to have to run that far... unless you are a winger perhaps but even then it's still not a frequent occurrence in the game (a decent level game anyway).

Just a question, I remember Health saying it was important to warm up properly before doing sprints to avoid injury. Any suggestions for an appropriate warm up

20rep squats Lys

GymBunny wrote:Just a question, I remember Health saying it was important to warm up properly before doing sprints to avoid injury. Any suggestions for an appropriate warm up

Search for sprinters warmup routine. They look real silly but injurys are a certainty if you aint used to sprinting. I done my groin in a sore one on my first attempt at sprints. Took weeks to heal.

GymBunny wrote:Just a question, I remember Health saying it was important to warm up properly before doing sprints to avoid injury. Any suggestions for an appropriate warm up

Personally, I find that I have to stretch my calves and just do some slowish shuttle runs plus groin stretches useful, but don't over do them.

We do a whole warm up routine which comprises of 10 metres of a given type of stretching exercise followed by 10 metres of quick ball passing between 5 players but this could simply be replaced by a moderate sprint at say 60%-70%.

From memory it looks like this:

10 metres small step jog on toe's, 10 metres run.
10 metres lunging alternate legs, 10 metres run.
10 metres sumo squats (facing one side then alternate to the other side, not facing forwards), 10 metres run.
10 metres russian walk, 10 metres run
10 metres heel flicks, 10 metres run
10 metres alternate calf stretch (heel down, lift toes up and squeeze), 10 metres run

shuttle runs are awesome make sure you jump in to the last stride and xplode out when turning