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In 1956, Bud Winter of San Jose State University and Speed City fame published a landmark book titled So You Want to be a Sprinter. It was updated in 1973 and became foundation for many coaches back then who would later become world class coaches.
Those coaches include Usain Bolt’s coach Glen Mills, Frank Dick, Dan Pfaff and Loren Seagrave, just to name a few.
His former athletes-turned-coach included Lee Evans, Dennis Johnson, Ray Norton and Bob Poynter also used and endorsed this book.
That book was only available as a rare book which sold for over $150 on eBay and Abebooks.
Until now.
54 years after the original release, and 37 years after the last version, I am proud to announce it is re-released and available today. I am honored to be the technical editor for this landmark book.
John Stallcup, the primary editor, and I amalgamated the different versions as well as updated some of the terminology and imperial to metric distances. 98% of the original book remains intact.
What is So You Want to be a Sprinter?
So You Want to be a Sprinter covers:
- The 3 ways to be a faster sprinter
- Starting technique and using blocks
- 8 essential drills for proper sprint form
- The gather and the finish lean
- Full detailed training plans for the year ’round athlete AND those starting in January
- Lee Evans specialized Training plan
- Relaxation
- The 7 attributes that makes a champion
It is a complete concise book with simple cues and uses his classic Champ vs Chump analogies to get the point across to new sprinters.
The book is reasonably priced at $19.95 and to celebrate Ray Norton’s 50th anniversary of his 20.5 200m World record, the official launch date is Friday July 2, 2010.
SpeedEndurance readers can get 10% OFF (sale price $17.95) using this link until midnight (EDT) Friday July 2nd.
There is also a “Coaches Edition” spiral bound book. In the past, many coaches used this book as a field journal and scribbled their own notes in the book. This book is $21.95 and with a sale price $19.95.
Whether you are a High School coach or a Track and Field fan, So You Want to be a Sprinter is definitely a book for your collection.
I certainly can endorse this book!
Jimson Lee
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Hello Jimson,
Thanks for the discount. It saved me as I had to pay California state tax. Looking forward to reading and applying it.
In reading just parts of this book I have noticed now where the Jamaicans are getting some things.
1. The non-reliance on classic periodization or multiple peaks, instead using a one peak period or comp season is how Winter setup his plans and this is how Mills and Stephen Francis describe their setup.
2. The various drills and how they are executed and used daily.
3. The tips for the start, example, Usain stating how he focuses on getting his rear leg down fast at the start. This is directly from So You Want to be a Sprinter.
4. Some of the philosophy of the training seems to still be used by Mills and Stephen Francis. They don’t seem to be using long slow runs to “get in shape” like Winter did but some of the other workouts look to parallel what Mills and Stephen Francis do.
I have the book, printed in 1956. it’s old and out dated. There’s nothing a coach will gain from this book.
@Money – as the moderator, I could have easily deleted your comment, but I believe in free speech. Can you be more specific to what is outdated? being relaxed? staying tall? longer stride length?