Youth Speed: How Proper Foot Strike Improves Sprinting

Summer is approaching, and for many young athletes, that means a welcome break from the structure and demands of their regular sports season.

While the off-season is an important time to rest, recover, and recharge, it’s also a great opportunity to work on athletic qualities that often get overlooked during the busy competition schedule.

During the season, practices and games tend to focus on sport-specific skills and tactics. The off-season gives athletes the chance to improve some of the foundational qualities that help them perform better in any sport—things like strength, coordination, movement efficiency, speed, and confidence.

That’s one of the reasons we developed our Summer Athletic Development Program (ADP) for athletes aged 8–18.

Every athlete begins with an individual assessment so we can identify their strengths, limitations, and opportunities for improvement. From there, we create a program tailored specifically to them.

One area we work on with many of our athletes is sprint mechanics and youth speed training.

While genetics certainly influence how fast an athlete can become, running technique plays a significant role in how efficiently they move. Improving sprint mechanics can help athletes move more effectively, reduce unnecessary stress on the body, and ultimately maximize the speed they already have.

One of the Most Common Sprinting Mistakes We See

I was watching my daughter’s soccer game this weekend and noticed one of the forwards working incredibly hard to get into scoring positions.

She was athletic, competitive, and clearly giving maximum effort. However, her running mechanics were limiting her ability to fully capitalize on that effort.

As she accelerated over longer distances, she consistently landed with a flat-footed stride and overstrided with each step. Rather than striking the ground underneath her body, her foot reached out in front.

When this happens, the athlete essentially creates a braking force every time their foot contacts the ground.

Instead of propelling themselves forward as efficiently as possible, they lose momentum with each stride.

This doesn’t mean the athlete isn’t fast. It simply means there may be an opportunity to improve efficiency and unlock more speed through better mechanics, as well as prevent future potential injury.

What Good Sprint Mechanics Look Like

Efficient sprinting typically includes:

• Strong core control
• A slight forward lean
• Powerful and coordinated arm action
• Foot contact underneath or slightly behind the body’s centre of gravity
• Active ground contact rather than passive landing
• Quick ground contact times
• A dorsiflexed (toes-up) foot during the recovery phase

Some athletes develop these movement patterns naturally. Others need coaching, awareness, and repetition to learn them.

The encouraging news is that sprint mechanics can absolutely be improved.

At Performance Institute, sprint training isn’t simply about telling athletes to run faster. It’s about teaching them how to move more efficiently so their speed can improve over time.

A Few Drills We Commonly Use to Develop Better Foot Strike and Sprint Position

Sprint development involves many different components, including posture, arm action, force production, rhythm, coordination, and foot contact.

Below are a few examples of drills we often use to help athletes develop proper sprint mechanics and foot strike awareness. Make sure to watch the video for demonstration and additional cues.

Exercise 1: Wall Sprint Hold

Goal: Develop awareness of proper sprint posture and build endurance in key sprinting muscles.

The athlete leans into a wall at approximately a 45-degree angle with their core engaged and heels elevated.

One knee is lifted just below hip height while the foot remains dorsiflexed (toes up). The supporting leg demonstrates “triple extension”—the hip, knee, and ankle are fully extended.

Athletes hold this position for 15–30 seconds per side while maintaining excellent posture.

Exercise 2A: Wall Marches

Goal: Introduce movement while maintaining proper sprint positions.

Starting from the same position as the wall hold, athletes aggressively march while maintaining:

• Triple extension on the support leg
• Strong knee drive
• Dorsiflexed foot position
• Proper body alignment

Exercise 2B: Wall Switches

Goal: Develop rhythm and coordination.

Once athletes demonstrate control with marching, they progress to switching legs more dynamically while maintaining proper sprint posture. Sometimes it takes 2-4 or weeks or longer before an athlete is ready to progress from 2A to 2B.

Exercise 3: Ankle Hops (Pogo Hops)

Goal: Teach athletes to rebound efficiently off the ball of the foot.

Athletes perform 10–12 quick hops with minimal knee bend while focusing on:

• Staying tall
• Short ground contact times
• Rebounding through the forefoot
• Maintaining dorsiflexion during flight

Exercise 4: Tank Marches

Goal: Build strength in sprint-specific positions.

Using the Tank sled, athletes establish the same forward lean learned in the wall drills and march while pushing resistance.

The emphasis remains on:

• Maintaining posture
• Producing force through the ground
• Staying on the ball of the foot
• Reinforcing proper sprint mechanics under load

Exercise 5: Short Accelerations (5–10 Yards)

Goal: Transfer technical work into actual sprinting.

Once athletes demonstrate competency in the drills above, they begin short acceleration sprints over 5–10 yards.

The exact volume and intensity (i.e. reps and sets) depend on the athlete’s age, experience, and goals. Some sessions focus on technical refinement, while others may prioritize acceleration, speed development, or conditioning.

Speed Is a Skill

Many parents assume speed is something athletes either have or don’t have.

While genetics certainly influence an athlete’s ceiling, movement quality plays a major role in helping athletes reach their potential.

Learning how to sprint efficiently can improve performance in nearly every field and court sport while helping athletes move with greater confidence.

That’s why speed development at Performance Institute isn’t just about running hard—it’s about teaching athletes how to move better.

Looking to Help Your Athlete Move Better This Summer?

Our Summer Youth ADP helps athletes develop:

• Sprint mechanics and speed
• Jumping and landing mechanics
• Strength and power
• Coordination and movement quality
• Nutrition habits
• Confidence and mindset

Every athlete receives an individualized program based on their assessment, ensuring they work on the areas that will benefit them most.

With flexible scheduling options, athletes can enjoy their summer, recover from a long season, and still make meaningful progress before returning to sport in the fall.

If you’d like your athlete to head into September stronger, faster, and more confident, we’d love to help.

Contact Performance Institute today to learn more about our Summer Athletic Development Program or click here to register.

Email or call us at 604-291-9941 or share this article with someone you care about to learn more about all our programs. We work with clients as young as 8 and as “young” as 80+!