Proper Sprinting Mechanics of the 40
By
Dr. Raymond Tucker
Coaches on various levels are trying to find the latest workouts to improve
strength and speed in their athletes. Off-season football is the time of year
when football players are going through a very strenuous workout to increase
their strength and speed. This is also the time when athletes are being tested
in their strength, speed, and agility.
One of the popular tests of speed for football players is the 40-yard dash.
During my coaching career, I had the privilege of timing athletes in the 40-yard
dash and shuttle run at the Army All Star Football Combine in San Antonio,
Texas. During this combine, I noticed that several high school football players
weren’t utilizing the proper technique in the 40-yard dash and their times were
slower at the combine than when they were timed at their school. This encouraged
me to write this article on the proper sprinting technique of the 40-yard dash
in order to run a fast time.
The 40-yard dash is 120 feet and is a test of explosiveness and acceleration.
This article will briefly touch on strength training exercises beneficial to
increasing strength and power. There is a myth that if you aren’t born with the
right genetics, you will never be fast. This is true to some extent, but
genetics is a factor in everything. Learning the proper sprinting mechanics is a
skill, and a skill can be learned.
There are two common starts used by athletes today in the 40-yard dash—the
bunch start and the block start.
Bunch start
This start is called the bunch start because the athlete tries to get his
body position as close to the line as possible thinking that this will improve
his time. However, he’s mistaken. Athletes using the bunch start will find that
they have placed their body in a poor position because the flexion in the hips
and knees is too high. On the start of the race, their body will shoot upward,
which causes the body to stand up straight. The bunch start eliminates leg power
and triple extension in the hip, knee, and ankle, which is key for leg explosion
out of the start.
Block start
This start is called the block start because the athlete positions himself
too far behind the starting line, and in some cases, the back leg is one to two
yards behind the line as if he were using the starting blocks. The athlete also
has poor arm position because the arm is extended in the air. If you’re timing
the 40-yard dash properly, once the arm moves, the clock will start. This will
cost you valuable tenths of a second or even a second just trying to get out of
the stance.
Proper start
1. The drive leg should be up front with the toes four to six inches
from the starting line.
2. The rear leg (quick side) should be six inches apart from the drive
leg.
3. The toes of the rear leg (quick side) should be aligned with the
heels of the drive leg.
4. The back should be flat with the head down and the chin tucked.
5. The arm on the rear leg (quick side) should be down on the line
resting its weight on the fingers.
6. The athlete’s arm should be bent at a 90-degree angle on his drive
leg.
7. The hand should be opened.
8. The athlete should be on the balls of his feet.
9. The toes should be pointing in a straight line.
The first step
The first step of the 40-yard dash is very important. It shouldn’t be short
and choppy or too long of a step. If the step is too long, the athlete could be
reaching, and this will prevent the athlete from landing with the proper foot
placement, which will prevent him from putting force into the ground.
1. Before taking the first step, the athlete should inhale and hold his
breath. This will help the athlete generate more power and be more explosive out
of the start.
2. The first step should be a long step with the quick leg (remember not
to reach).
3. The drive leg should have a triple extension at the hip, knee, and
ankle during the push off out of the stance.
4. The athlete should have a forceful arm drive.
5. The head and chin should be tucked and in a straight line with the
torso with the eyes looking a few feet in front.
6. The athlete’s body should be at a forward lean displacing his center
of gravity in the direction that he is sprinting.
Acceleration phase, 1–20 yards
1. The athlete must have long, powerful strides.
2. The athlete should have a full arm swing at 90–140 degrees.
3. The athlete should have proper foot contact. The foot should land
directly under the hips. If the athlete’s foot lands too far in front of the
athlete, it will decelerate the athlete.
4. When the foot makes contact with the ground, the athlete should tear
away at the track while putting force into the ground.
5. The athlete should feel like he is falling down. His center of
gravity should be over the base of support.
6. The athlete’s head should be down with his eyes looking out in front
of him.
Transition phase, 20–40 yards
1. The athlete should transition his body by bringing up the head from
the tucked to the up position.
2. Once the athlete transitions to the up position, he must maintain an
erect torso and keep his hips in proper position.
3. The athlete should continue to use a full arm swing at 90–140
degrees.
4. The athlete’s shoulders should be down, and he should be relaxed.
5. Proper recovery leg mechanics should be used in the transition phase.
The drive leg should be fully extended with an extension in the hips, knees, and
ankle. The recovery leg will be shortened as it goes over the knee of the drive
leg. This, in return, creates a shorter lever with the recovery leg landing
under the hip. (Remember, if the athlete’s foot lands anywhere in front of the
center of gravity, this will cause breaking forces and will decelerate the
athlete.)
6. This is the portion of the race where the rate of force development
takes place by increasing stride length and stride frequency. The athlete’s
ankle should remain in a dorsiflexed position upon ground contact time.
7. Upon ground contact time with the foot, the athlete should drive the
foot down under his hip and place force into the ground.
8. The athlete should concentrate on tearing away at the track by using
a clawing motion and return the leg quickly to the recovery position utilizing
the recovery mechanics.
9. The athlete should keep his eyes focused ahead and run all the way
through. Coaches call this the conversational plane.
Tremendous strength in the gluteus, legs, and calves are keys to having a
good time in the 40-yard dash. In order to achieve this strength, I recommend
the following basic, explosive lifts. Please remember that your athlete should
be in the power and strength phase of his training cycle prior to testing. Doing
high reps and trying to put on muscle mass will not benefit the athlete prior to
testing.
First day
Bench presses, 3 X 4
Push presses, 3 x 4
Push jerks, 3 X 4
Standing calve raises, 3 X 15 (toes inward, outward, and straight ahead)
Second day
Power cleans, 3 X 3
Back squats, 3 X 3
Pause squats, 3 X 4
Allow a few days of rest after doing these exercises before testing the
40-yard dash because it usually takes 48 hours for the athlete to feel the
soreness (delayed onset muscle soreness). Though the push press, jerk, power
clean, and snatch aren’t listed here, they are great exercises for triple
extension in the hips, knee, and ankle.
Special thanks to coach Daniel Gutierrez for all of his extra help and
assistance.
Raymond Tucker, PhD holds a doctorate in sports management with honors
from the United States Sports Academy and is a certified strength and
conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
He has been a strength and conditioning coach at Coffeyville Community College,
and he interned at Texas Lutheran College. Dr. Tucker was a competitive
drug-free powerlifter in Texas and was a former state and regional record holder
in the 220-lb class from 1985–1993, a national champion in 1988, and a ranked
number 11 in the United States in the 220-lb weight class by the American Drug
Free Powerlifting Association. He can be contacted at rtbills2001@yahoo.com.
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