Over-speed sprints teach athletes to run faster. A cord is attached to the athlete, and a partner pulls him forward at a faster than-normal pace. The end result: his muscles and nervous system become accustomed to moving at the faster speed.

Abernethy says, “You have to watch the athlete’s mechanics when he performs this drill. If he’s not mechanically sound during the sprint, there is a chance he’ll pull a hamstring.” To reduce the incidence of such injuries, Abernethy watches his athletes for fatigue and prescribes sprints of only 30 yards. When fatigue sets in, mechanics can suffer, and longer distances increase the chance of fatiguing.

• Attach over-speed cord to body harness
• Sprint 30 yards with cord assisting in direction of sprint