Why In-Season Sprint Training Matters for Football Players

When football season kicks off, practices, film study, and recovery often dominate an athlete’s schedule. But one key performance factor is frequently overlooked—in-season sprint training. Too many players assume speed work is only for the off-season, yet the ability to sprint explosively is what separates good players from game-changers (Buchheit & Laursen, 2013).

Football is built on short bursts of power—whether it’s breaking away on a run, closing down an opponent, or exploding off the line. Without consistent football speed training during the season, players risk losing sharpness. The nervous system adapts quickly; if you’re not regularly hitting near-max speeds, top-end sprint capacity begins to decline (Ross, Leveritt & Riek, 2001). That means slower breakaways, reduced acceleration, and a higher chance of injury.

The good news? In-season sprint work doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. Just one to two sessions per week of short, high-quality sprints with full recovery can help athletes maintain—and even improve—their game speed (Rumpf et al., 2016). Sprinting also reinforces proper mechanics and strengthens the hamstrings, one of the most common injury sites in football (Morin et al., 2015).

By prioritizing in-season speed training, athletes not only stay faster but also build resilience and reduce injury risk. In a sport where inches and milliseconds can decide the outcome, maintaining speed all season long gives you the competitive edge.

Don’t just train hard—train smart. Keep sprinting, keep winning.

References

• Buchheit, M. & Laursen, P.B. (2013) High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle: Part I: Cardiopulmonary emphasis. Sports Medicine, 43(5), pp.313–338.

• Morin, J.B., Bourdin, M., Edouard, P. & Samozino, P. (2015) Sprint mechanics and hamstring injury risk: Functional aspects and preventive strategies. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 37(5), pp.21–29.

• Ross, A., Leveritt, M. & Riek, S. (2001) Neural influences on sprint running: Training adaptations and acute responses. Sports Medicine, 31(6), pp.409–425.

• Rumpf, M.C., Lockie, R.G., Cronin, J.B. & Jalilvand, F. (2016) Effect of different sprint training methods on sprint performance over various distances: A brief review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(6), pp.1767–1785.