How long should a sprint warm-up be?

Plan on 15–20 minutes before training. Sprint University's track sessions open with a 15-minute warm-up, and its 100m time-trial warm-up is 15 minutes plus three 20m accelerations. Give yourself longer before a race.

Does warming up improve sprint performance?

Yes. A systematic review of 32 high-quality studies found warm-ups improved performance in 79% of the criteria examined, with little evidence that they cause harm.

Should I stretch before sprinting?

Do dynamic mobility before you sprint: leg swings, walking knee hugs, lunges with rotation and ankle rocks, which take your joints through sprint-like ranges. Every Sprint University warm-up is built this way.

How do I stay warm between sprints or before a race?

Keep your layers on, keep walking, and run a few easy strides before the next effort. A review of warm-up strategies points to keeping body temperature up in the gap between the warm-up and the event.

Sprint warm-up: a 15–20 minute routine before speed work

By the Sprint University coaching team

A sprint warm-up should take 15–20 minutes. Start with an easy jog and dynamic mobility, then do sprint drills picked for the day's session, a few build-ups to near top speed and two or three short primer sprints. You want to reach the first rep feeling fast and fresh.

Sprint University uses this structure before every track session. The app's instruction is "easy jog, dynamic drills, build-ups," about 15 minutes in all, with the drills chosen for either an acceleration day or a top-speed day.

Why warm up before sprinting

A warm-up raises muscle temperature and gets your nervous system ready for fast movement. One review of warm-up research describes temperature, metabolic and neural effects, including post-activation potentiation, the short-term boost in power that follows explosive work. In a systematic review of 32 studies, warm-ups improved performance in 79% of the criteria examined.

Sprinters also use the warm-up to rehearse the positions the day's session calls for. Elite sprinters typically include skips, high knees and straight-leg bounds in theirs.

The routine, step by step

1.Raise temperature

3–5 min

Easy jog, with some backward and side-shuffle running mixed in

2.Dynamic mobility

3–4 min

Leg swings, front-back and side-side, per leg
Walking knee hugs, rising to the toe
Walking quad pulls
World's greatest stretch (lunge + rotation), per side
Ankle rocks, knee over toe, per side

3.Sprint drills

4–5 min

Acceleration day: A-march 2 × 15m, A-skip 2 × 15m, wall drives 3 × 10s per leg
Top-speed day: straight-leg bounds 2 × 20m, high knees 2 × 15m, wicket runs 4 × 20m

4.Build-ups

3 min

3 × 60m, building from a jog to near-max, walking back between

5.Primers

2–3 min

2–3 × 20m accelerations at 90–95%
Acceleration day: add a few med ball throws, standing broad jumps or a short sled pull

The Sprint University app

Train to how you slept

A warm-up won't make up for a bad night. Sprint University checks your readiness each morning and cuts the session's volume when you need it, while keeping the sprints fast.

Get Sprint University

Acceleration day vs top-speed day

Sprint University picks one of two drill sequences depending on the session that follows. Acceleration days ("Bounce & Fire") run the A-march, A-skip and wall drives, then heavy sled pulls or build-ups, with the focus on posture, knee drive and a hard push. Top-speed days run straight-leg bounds and high knees, then wicket runs, and the focus moves to stiff ankles, quick contacts and rhythm.

The sprint drills guide explains what each drill is for.

The test-day warm-up

For Sprint University's 100m time trial, the warm-up is 15 minutes of easy jogging and dynamic drills, three 60m build-ups, then 3 × 20m accelerations at 90–95% with a walk back. Rest 15–30 minutes between the two timed attempts and stay warm with layers, walking and a few easy strides. On the last build-up, aim to finish feeling quick and fresh.

Common mistakes

Skipping straight to sprints: Fast reps run cold are slower and carry a needless risk. Go through every step of the warm-up.
A warm-up that becomes a workout: If you are breathing hard and your legs feel heavy, you did too much. Keep the drills short and crisp.
No build-ups: Going straight from drills to 100% is a big step up. Two or three build-ups bridge the gap.
Long gaps before the first rep: Start your main set within a few minutes of finishing the warm-up, and keep warm between reps.

For the sessions that come after the warm-up, see sprint workouts.