How to Fix Overstriding While Sprinting: Unlock Your True Speed

Overstriding is one of the most common yet misunderstood mistakes sprinters make. It’s the silent speed killer that robs you of explosiveness, wastes energy, and increases your risk of injury. At Sprint Drill, we’re all about teaching the science of speed. So let’s break down what overstriding really is, why it happens, and—most importantly—how to fix it.

What Is Overstriding?

Overstriding happens when your foot lands too far in front of your center of mass during sprinting. It’s usually easy to spot—it looks like the sprinter is "reaching" with each stride, landing heel-first or flat-footed, with their leg fully extended. This creates braking forces with every step, slowing you down instead of propelling you forward.

Why Overstriding Hurts Your Speed

• Braking Forces
  When your foot strikes the ground ahead of your hips, you're literally putting the brakes on your sprint every time your foot hits the ground.
  
  
• Energy Leaks
  Your hips and hamstrings are forced to absorb and re-stabilize those braking forces, wasting precious energy that could be used to accelerate.
  
  
• Injury Risk
  Over time, overstriding can lead to hamstring pulls, shin splints, hip flexor strain, and low back issues.
  
  
• Slower Ground Contact Times
  Elite sprinters have extremely short ground contact times. Overstriding increases that time, delaying your next stride and killing your momentum.
  
  

Why It Happens

• Lack of Technical Awareness
  Many athletes have never been taught proper sprint mechanics. They assume longer strides = faster speed, which is false.
  
  
• Weak Posterior Chain
  Weak glutes and hamstrings lead athletes to "reach" instead of pushing through the ground behind them.
  
  
• Poor Posture & Pelvic Tilt
  Anterior pelvic tilt or slouched posture shifts your center of mass backward, making overstriding more likely.
  
  
• Drill Mismatch
  Some drills (like high knees done incorrectly) can reinforce poor habits if not coached with intention.
  
  

How to Fix Overstriding

🔹 1. Cue: "Punch Down, Not Reach Out"

Instead of focusing on the foot reaching forward, think about punching the foot down and back underneath your hips. Sprinting is about putting force into the ground, not just covering distance with each stride.

🔹 2. Fix Posture First

Strong, upright posture is essential. Keep the chest slightly forward, core engaged, and hips neutral. Think of “running tall” while leaning from the ankles—not the waist.

🔹 3. Drill Smart

Try these Sprint Drill-approved exercises:

• A-March & A-Skip (with Force)
  Focus on striking the ground directly beneath the hips with a stiff, active foot.
  
  
• Wall Drill Marches
  These teach the ideal knee drive and foot strike pattern while reinforcing forward lean and body angle.
  
  
• Falling Starts
  Help athletes learn how to project their body forward with proper shin angles, reducing the urge to reach.
  
  

🔹 4. Strengthen the Right Muscles

A strong posterior chain is your engine for horizontal force. Include exercises like:

• Glute bridges and hip thrusts
  
  
• Romanian deadlifts
  
  
• Nordic hamstring curls
  
  
• Sled pushes or resisted sprints
  
  

🔹 5. Sprint in Spikes on a Hard Surface

At Sprint Drill, we emphasize speed development on hard rubber surfaces in spikes. Why? Because it forces the body to engage properly. Athletes naturally learn to strike the ground fast, under the hips, and reduce overstriding without even thinking about it. The feedback is instant—and the results are real.

Final Word

Fixing overstriding isn’t just about technique—it’s about reprogramming your body to move efficiently. That’s why Sprint Drill focuses on more than drills—we build athletes from the ground up, blending biomechanics, strength, and sprint-specific work to produce real results.

If you’re serious about getting faster, don’t chase longer strides. Chase better mechanics, more force, and smarter training. Sprint smarter, not just harder.

Ready to Run Smarter?

Want help dialing in your form or building a personalized plan to fix overstriding? Join the next Sprint Drill speed session or reach out for 1-on-1 coaching.
Let’s get to work. Your next level is waiting.