Sprint training

[RobertL]

I’m after some advice about sprinting and sprint training.

I’m not a particularly good sprinter and I’m trying to improve it.

I’ve been hitting the gym a lot more this year, and that is helping, so I’m really after advice about what to do on the bike.

I recently found some comments on a ride last year from our team manager/coach who said that I should be doing 30 second sprint efforts spaced out on an endurance ride (on that particular day).

I said that 30s is quite long and I can’t hold a sprint for that length of time. She said sprints should be 30s, and that I should build gradually into the effort with a smooth increase in both power and speed. She said that she was looking for efforts with the greatest increase in speed over the 30s rather than the highest power.

On the other hand, I’ve seen advice that says to train by sprinting for 10s or 15s efforts, and there’s no smoothness involved. You should literally get into position and go full gas. The description was to try to “snap the crank”.

So, what do you think I should be doing in training? And should I try to do the same in a race?

What about cadence drills? Should I be working on high cadence efforts? Can I just include them on any old ride as practice? Should I be doing low cadence/big gear efforts?

I’ve also been working on my position. I had a tendency to be too high while sprinting. In trying to correct that, I sometimes get low, but too “bunched up” with my legs too bent. I know when I’m in the right position because it feels very low and far forward to me. (It's not - I've seen photos and video. It just feels like it to me.)

There are only so many sprint efforts that I can do so is there any advantage in trying to practice the position without sprinting? For example, just riding along for a bit in that position to get used to it?

Are there any other tips or advice that I should know?

[g-boaf]

I recently found some comments on a ride last year from our team manager/coach who said that I should be doing 30 second sprint efforts spaced out on an endurance ride (on that particular day).

Yes.

However, don't go mucking with your position on the bike too greatly because it might affect your comfort and ability to keep going for longer distance rides.

Are you joining an NRS team or just riding for the $50 in an envelope at the local track? If it's the latter, then I would just focus on doing the 30 second efforts and not wreck yourself trying to get into crazy low positions on the bike.

Also have a look at some of the exercises the sprinters do, the track sprinters - box jumps, etc.

You can also try 9x 1 minute hard efforts.

[P!N20]

The description was to try to “snap the crank”.

Success.

[RobertL]

I recently found some comments on a ride last year from our team manager/coach who said that I should be doing 30 second sprint efforts spaced out on an endurance ride (on that particular day).

Yes.

However, don't go mucking with your position on the bike too greatly because it might affect your comfort and ability to keep going for longer distance rides.

Are you joining an NRS team or just riding for the $50 in an envelope at the local track? If it's the latter, then I would just focus on doing the 30 second efforts and not wreck yourself trying to get into crazy low positions on the bike.

Also have a look at some of the exercises the sprinters do, the track sprinters - box jumps, etc.

I'm riding for the glory of winning C and D grade races on the crit track and road. Or I'm trying to improve my major weakness in order to do so.

Yeah, there's no way I can get into a crazy low position. It's more of me getting into a typical, standard sprint position, which feels low and forward for me because I have been getting it wrong up until now. Caleb has nothing to worry about!

I've also had some other technical issues pointed out, like how I don't flex my ankles at all when out of the saddle. My ankle action is fine while I'm seated but for some reason I keep them locked in position while out of the saddle, and I've never realised it. So that's something else to concentrate on.

[g-boaf]

I recently found some comments on a ride last year from our team manager/coach who said that I should be doing 30 second sprint efforts spaced out on an endurance ride (on that particular day).

Yes.

However, don't go mucking with your position on the bike too greatly because it might affect your comfort and ability to keep going for longer distance rides.

Are you joining an NRS team or just riding for the $50 in an envelope at the local track? If it's the latter, then I would just focus on doing the 30 second efforts and not wreck yourself trying to get into crazy low positions on the bike.

Also have a look at some of the exercises the sprinters do, the track sprinters - box jumps, etc.

I'm riding for the glory of winning C and D grade races on the crit track and road. Or I'm trying to improve my major weakness in order to do so.

Yeah, there's no way I can get into a crazy low position. It's more of me getting into a typical, standard sprint position, which feels low and forward for me because I have been getting it wrong up until now. Caleb has nothing to worry about!

I've also had some other technical issues pointed out, like how I don't flex my ankles at all when out of the saddle. My ankle action is fine while I'm seated but for some reason I keep them locked in position while out of the saddle, and I've never realised it. So that's something else to concentrate on.

So definitely give those sprints a go when and where it is safe to do so, maybe 6 of them? If you have a smart trainer and some interval software like PerfPro (or even Zwift synced with trainingpeaks) you can do some sprints there.

[Derny Driver]

I’m after some advice about sprinting and sprint training.

I’m not a particularly good sprinter and I’m trying to improve it.

Okay here's my take on it.
I'll give you personal advice rather than a scientific approach.
When I started racing I started in C grade and I was getting beaten in the inevitable sprint finish each week. So what I did was on every training ride, I did ONE practice sprint on a straight stretch of road. It happened to be the actual finish of our club course which was about 40km into my ride, so I was warmed up. Our usual length of sprint is about 250 /260 metres ...sometimes in races guys started earlier than that. I tried to sprint from there but died well before the finish line. I decided to just practise from 150 m and get that right.
So you roll along in the big chainring, hands in the drops, at about 35kph and in about the 53-16. That gear at cadence 80 is 33kph. Thats a great gear to start your sprint in. At 150m, smash those cranks with everything you have, in a race the adrenaline will help but even in training get that cadence from 80 to 120+ as fast as you can, like in 3 or 4 seconds. Doesnt matter if you sit or stand, doesnt matter how it looks as long as your hands are down in the drops... just give it everything and spin it. As soon as you are spinning that gear jam it into the next cog up, the 15. Get that one wound up as well for another 3 or 4 seconds. About 30 metres from the line hit the 14 cog and give it everything you have. 53-14 at 120rpm is 57 kph which is enough to win you C grade every time. I used to be able to wind it up to 140 which is 67kph. No need for a 12 or an 11 .... I never needed more than the 14 or 13.
Measure it out and use a cone or a stick or a post or tree so you know the distance. I used to go to races and roll from the finish line and mark out 150 metres with a big rock or something on the side of the road. I knew if I got to there I could start my sprint there.
After doing this for quite a few weeks, gradually start your sprint practise a bit earlier. Practise from 170 metres until that is comfortable. Then 200. Eventually you may be able to feel pretty confident to go solo from 250. Thats about the limit and takes some work ...even Cavendish doesnt like to go from 300 and if people do just draft them through to the 150 point.
I famously won I think 15 B grade sprints in a row before being promoted to A grade. The silly fools used to line up on my back wheel, so I just rolled into the finish in my favourite gear 53-16 and started the sprint at my favourite spot, 150 metres. No-one ever came past.
A grade is another matter and I had to increase my top speed to around 67kph and start earlier. A few guys had a higher top speed than me and were able to go longer, so I didnt always win. But I usually placed top 5 which I was very happy with.
If you watch the Pro sprinters they tend to just whack it in the 53-11 and stand up on the pedals and just gradually wind it up from a long way out. They have a high top speed and they can hold it for quite a few seconds. But in club racing, we rarely have a sprint finish on some big wide freeway where it starts 500 metres out. Its often a crit with about 80-100metres from the last corner to the line or something like that. Short explosive power is what works.
10 seconds of power is all you need to cover 140-150 metres.
15 seconds will see you cover 200 metres.
18 seconds will cover a 250 metre sprint.
So why do 30 second efforts? I dont know, maybe there is some scientific value in it. But for me, you just parcatise what you need to do in a race. Race simulation. Explosive power over 10 seconds.
Go practise it.

Remember:
Change up gears like a car....16, 15, 14. Or 17, 16, 15. Something like that. You have your starting gear, your middle gear, and your final surge gear. 3 gears. When you are 30 metres from the line that is the point someone sitting on your wheel will step off and try to roll you. So thats where you practise hitting that last gear and giving it a massive surge right there. Its like the famous 2nd jump that Reg Harris and Sid Patterson had. The rival thinks you are going flat out, and you are, but then you just surge at the line from 20-30 metres to beat them off.

[ft_critical]

I find that you need to be able to increase speed for 40s to a minute, then sprint. So sprinting from an easy roll isn't useful practice. There are some training sessions that operate like a ramp, 30s at 300watts, 30s at 550, 15s at whatever you have left. Another useful technique is to not peak and fade. That is, practice not dropping everything for 5seconds and dying. Controlled sprinting - gradually increasing, working through the gears.
Sprinting improves quickly and gets worse quickly, so regular practice is required - as in weekly.
Lastly, stability. I think you need to do some off-bike work - wall sits, deep squats, ITB stretching. On-bike standing endurance. This ensures you are strong when you stand. Too many cyclists spend all their time seated and expect to be able to sprint (ignoring track sprinting).

[Mr Purple]

Don't forget nature's way of training you for sprint segments - Strava KOM attempts!

I'm possibly the worst sprinter in the world, so I'd be following Derny's advice above. However having said that be aware that if you're a dinky guy like me there's no way you'll be spinning out the 53-13 without an 8% downhill gradient.

My experience is that it all seems to be about gear selection and cadence. If you're a proper sprinter you'll no doubt be able to spin out the bigger gears, but a lot of us just won't have that power. My 20 minute effort on Zwiftpower was 82nd percentile, 15 second was 22nd percentile. However dropping two gears lower than I felt was correct and upping the cadence to 120-130/min bumped the 15 second from 8.6W/kg to 12W/kg. Still average, but better.

Zwift is also good sprint cadence/gear selection/suffering practice, but be aware you might have the power but no bike handling ability after doing that. Real world is much better.

Bravo if you are able to think about things like straight ankles and technique while sprinting. I can't really say anything about technique other than standing, on the drops, and maximum suffering.

[RobertL]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will think about it and give it a go.

I especially like the tip about changing into your final gear at about 30m to go just when the others think that they can come around you. That's a race winning move right there!

[foo on patrol]

For me, sprint intervals when out riding and do different distances 50-100-200-300mtrs. My thinking was/is, it's no good being able to have a short sprint if you get caught up in small group where they can turn the wick up for a longer distance and you have no charge left in your legs to kick over them. I was an endurance based rider in my younger years but was getting toppled at the end all the time, due to not having a sprint, so I spent 1yr working on my sprints with intervals on the road and moto-paced speed work (that maybe frowned on now ) for my sprint finish and it worked great. I was never a sprinter but doing the intervals and moto work, allowed me to have a good strong finish on both road and track and my quickest 200mts was an 11.3sec only once but that was my quickest. I''m not a lover of changing gears in the sprints, especially when very close to the finish, if you fork the change, you're left looking like a dill. Standing starts are great for that snap that you need for a half decent kick

Foo