How to Run Faster: Sprint Speed and Acceleration Training

By The HoopsKing Team on 08/06/2026  |  Track, Speed

To run faster you need to improve two things: how much force you put into the ground and how well you apply it. Speed is not just about moving your legs quickly, it is about pushing hard against the track and staying relaxed while you do it. Clean up your sprint technique, add acceleration drills, and build lower body power, and most athletes shave real time off their sprints within a few weeks. The video below walks through drills that make you faster.

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What actually makes you run faster?

Sprint speed comes down to force and mechanics. Faster athletes drive more force into the ground with every step and waste less of it through sloppy movement. Two phases matter most: acceleration, the first 10 to 30 meters where you build speed, and top speed, where you hold and extend it.

Most athletes leave time on the table in acceleration. A strong, patient drive out of your start does more for your race than anything you do at the finish.

How do you fix your sprint technique?

Good form lets your power reach the ground. Focus on these checkpoints:

1. Drive, do not reach: push the ground back and down behind you rather than reaching your foot out in front.
2. Stay tall at top speed: run with a tall posture, hips high, so your legs can cycle underneath you.
3. Pump the arms: drive your arms front to back from the shoulder, hand from cheek to hip, to set your rhythm.
4. Relax your face and shoulders: tension slows you down, so stay loose even at full effort.
5. Lean early, rise gradually: start with a forward lean out of your stance and stand up smoothly as you accelerate.

Film your runs from the side. Fixing an overstride or tight shoulders often unlocks speed you already have.

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What acceleration drills should you do?

Acceleration is trainable. Add these to your speed sessions, keeping the effort high and the rest full:

1. Wall drives: lean into a wall and drive one knee at a time to groove a powerful push angle.
2. Sled or band pushes: resisted starts teach your body to apply force low and hard.
3. Short sprints: 10 to 30 meter runs from a stance, focused on a low, patient drive out.
4. Bounding: exaggerated leaping strides build the power and length of each step.
5. Falling starts: lean until you have to run, then explode into your first steps.

Speed work is quality over quantity. Sprint fresh, rest fully between reps, and stop when your times slow, because tired sprinting trains slow habits.

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What strength work builds sprint speed?

Fast athletes are strong athletes who move quickly. Build a base of power with these:

1. Squats and deadlifts: the foundation of the force you put into the ground.
2. Single leg work: lunges and step ups, because sprinting happens one leg at a time.
3. Hip and hamstring strength: hip thrusts and hamstring curls protect and power your stride.
4. Plyometrics: bounds, hops, and jumps train fast, explosive force.

Sprinters like Usain Bolt paired elite technique with serious power. You do not need his genetics to get faster, you need to train force and mechanics together.

How long until you get faster?

Technique fixes can help within a few sessions once they click. Strength and power gains take longer, plan on 4 to 8 weeks of consistent speed and lifting to see a clear drop in your times. Warm up thoroughly before every sprint session and build volume gradually to keep your hamstrings healthy.

What does a weekly speed plan look like?

You get faster with a few focused sessions, not by sprinting hard every day. A balanced week trains your acceleration, your top speed, and your strength while leaving room to recover, because speed is built on fresh legs.

1. Day 1, acceleration: wall drives, short resisted starts, and 10 to 30 meter sprints with full rest.
2. Day 2, strength: squats, single leg work, and hip and hamstring exercises.
3. Day 3, top speed and plyos: flying sprints, bounds, and jumps at high quality and low volume.
4. Between days: mobility, easy movement, and rest to let your legs recover and adapt.

Warm up thoroughly before every sprint session, and treat your fast reps as skill practice. The moment your times slow noticeably, the speed work is done for the day. Deload every four to six weeks so your body absorbs the training and comes back sharper.

Speed questions athletes ask

Can you actually train yourself to be faster?
Yes. While genetics set a ceiling, almost everyone can get meaningfully faster by improving technique, adding strength, and training acceleration. Most athletes have never trained speed properly.

Do resistance bands make you faster?
Resisted sprints and marches build the force your legs apply to the ground, which carries over to faster unresisted running when you keep the resistance light enough to sprint with good form.

Should I run on my toes?
Sprint on the balls of your feet, not flat and not up on your tiptoes. Your heel can lightly kiss the ground at top speed, but the drive comes through the front of your foot.

How many days a week should I train speed?
Two to three quality speed sessions per week is plenty for most athletes, with strength work and easy movement in between. Recovery is when you get faster.

Does lifting weights make you slower?
No. Properly programmed strength training makes you more powerful, and power is what drives speed. Pair heavy lifts with fast sprint and jump work.

Tags: how to run faster, sprint speed, acceleration drills, speed training, resistance bands, explosive power