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I think this is one of the biggest gaps in most athletes’ training.

Sprinting.

Regular sprint exposure is one of the best ways to prepare your body for the demands of sport and can help reduce the risk of soft tissue injuries such as hamstring strains.

The problem is that most athletes simply don’t make time for it.

The good news is that it doesn’t need to be complicated.

Short sessions before the gym or training are a great place to start.

I’d keep it simple and begin with short accelerations over 10-15m.

Even if you only complete 5 reps, you’re probably doing more sprinting than most athletes.

Over time, gradually build the distance out by 5m at a time until you’re regularly hitting 30-40m efforts.

I’d also make sure there is some variety throughout the week.

One session might focus on short accelerations.

Another might focus on longer sprint efforts and exposing yourself to higher top speeds.

As a simple rule of thumb, aim for 100-150m of total sprint volume and take around 60 seconds of rest for every 10m sprinted.

Keep it simple.

Build sprinting into your week.

Your hamstrings will thank you for it.

Follow .to.performance for more advice on injury prevention, speed training and staying available for sport.

Chasing numbers in the gym is such a low-hanging fruit when it comes to injury prevention.

Don’t get me wrong, strength matters.

But once you have a solid strength base, constantly pushing numbers isn’t always the answer.

Athletes often neglect other qualities because they’re harder to train and there is less information out there.

To perform and stay injury free in team sports, you need multiple qualities.

You need an aerobic base.

Simple methods such as 60 seconds on, 30 seconds off for 5-10 rounds at the end of a gym session can make a huge difference.

You need speed and deceleration work.

Slot it in before training.

Simple sprints over 10-30m, targeting 100-150m of total sprint volume, is a great place to start.

For deceleration, try 5-10m accelerations into controlled stops for 5-10 reps.

Simple. Effective.

And don’t forget plyometrics.

Adding low-intensity plyos into your warm-up can be a game changer.

Simple pogos, targeting 40-100 contacts in multiple directions, will help build the elastic qualities needed for sport.

The gym is important.

But it isn’t the whole answer.

Train all the qualities the game demands.

Follow .to.performance for more injury prevention and performance tips.

This is something I see a lot.

The hyperfocus on the gym, thinking it will solve everything when it comes to injury.

Don’t get me wrong, a solid strength base is key. Stronger athletes generally pick up fewer injuries.

But when it’s 5 gym sessions a week and 12 exercises per session, that’s where the problems start.

You need a balanced approach to training.

You need speed and deceleration work to build game speed and reduce injury risk.

You need plyometrics to develop the elastic qualities of your tendons, helping you become a more efficient and resilient mover.

And you need conditioning.

The ability to recover, repeat efforts, and handle the demands of training and competition week after week.

The gym is important.

But it’s only one piece of the puzzle.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking strength training alone will keep you injury free.

Train the whole athlete.

Follow .to.performance for more injury prevention and performance tips.