Arm Drive
One key component of sprinting is arm drive. Now most of the time when you run you're elbows will be at 90 degrees and you'll swing your arms from the shoulders, hand to face and hand to hip, keeping your elbows nearly fixed at the 90 degrees. You'll also keep your corkscrewed tight to your body to be more aerodynamic. If athletes shave their bodies to be less wind or water resistant, then keeping your elbows in is a big rock in comparison.
Now when you're in a full out sprint, everything you got, your arm drive might look more like the athlete above. Long strides and long reaches. Look at the triple extension of her (L) leg and the hip separation, high knee drive of her (R) leg. Awesome. Also notice how her 90 degree elbows opened up to straight elbows. You would only do this during a short, yet maximal effort sprint because it would take to much energy to do it for a run, though if you do this for a sprint you'll generate greater forces and speed.
Importance of Arm Drive Arm Drive is so important that prospective NFL players who get invited to the NFL Combine, train for months to peak for the 40 yard dash. One thing they work on, is arm drives in front of a mirror. One athlete that Martin Rooney, owner of Training for Warriors, coached, practiced in front of a mirror for 45 minutes on his arm drive only. Apparently he was fast, but his arm drive was inefficient and looked not right, and if NFL teams find your weaknesses easily, they'll draft you later or not at all, which could cost the athlete millions. So 45 minutes in front of a mirror, swinging his arms and holding his body still, to become more efficient at generating force, so he could get faster.
Little Things = Big Things If you want improve your health, transform your body and enhance your performance, you need both the big things and the little things. Every week, you'll want to sprint all out, at least once / week like Peaches does (that's a big thing) and you'll also want to address the little things like arm drive. Start with 90 degree elbows swinging hand to face, hand to hips and when you're sprinting all out with maximum effort your arms elbows will gradually straighten like the girl in the photo.
Grateful for hay recoveries,
Coach Mike
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