How Cold Weather Impacts Sprint Performance (And What to Do About It)

What's good people!

Welcome to today's Speed Brief, where we dive into the essentials of athletic performance, helping you run faster, train smarter, and stay injury-free.

"Just warm up longer" - that's the standard advice for winter sprint training. But for sprinters, the impact of cold weather goes far beyond just feeling stiff. Today, we're diving into the actual science of how cold affects sprint performance, and more importantly, what you can do about it.

The Neuromuscular Impact Ever notice how your first few accelerations in cold weather feel sluggish, even after warming up? It's not just in your head. Your nervous system literally slows down in the cold. Think of it like the delay between the starter's gun and your reaction time - except now that delay is happening with every signal your brain sends to your muscles. Research by Herrera et al. shows that cold temperatures can reduce nerve conduction velocity by up to 15%, directly impacting sprint reaction times and acceleration.

For sprinters, this delayed messaging system means two things: your reaction times slow down, and your muscles can't generate force as explosively. Both are crucial for those first few steps out of the blocks and your initial acceleration.

Cold's Impact on Muscle Power 

Think of your muscles like a sports car engine. In optimal conditions, it fires quickly and powerfully. But in the cold? Everything slows down. A study by Faulkner et al. found that a drop in muscle temperature of just 3°C can reduce power output by up to 5% in sprint performance.

The science behind this is straightforward - cold literally changes how your muscle fibers function at a cellular level. Your muscles can't contract and relax as quickly, and the chemical processes that generate explosive power slow down. For sprinters, this doesn't just mean feeling stiff - it means your muscles physically can't generate the same power they normally would.

So, how do we outsmart these cold-weather challenges? Based on the latest research, let's break down what actually works.

Keep Your Engine Running 

Here's something I've found game-changing with my athletes: instead of trying to stay generally warm, we focus specifically on maintaining temperature in the muscles that matter most for sprinting. Active rest periods between sprints have been shown to maintain muscle temperature up to 2°C higher than passive rest, resulting in significantly better power output in subsequent sprints.

This means between sprint sets, you'll find us inside doing quick sprint-specific movements - think quick A-skips or straight-leg bounds rather than jogging in circles. We're not just staying warm; we're keeping those sprint patterns sharp. The difference in performance is dramatic - athletes maintain their explosiveness throughout the session instead of feeling like they're starting from scratch after each rest period.

Keeping Your Nervous System Sharp 

Here's something most coaches miss about winter training: it's not just about keeping muscles warm - it's about keeping your nervous system firing at full speed. You know that feeling when your first rep feels sluggish, but by rep three you're moving like lightning? That's your nervous system waking up.

I have my sprinters do what I call "neural primers" between sets - quick 10m bursts at 95% intensity. Not enough to fatigue you, but enough to tell your nervous system "Hey, we're still sprinting here!" It's like hitting the refresh button on your explosive power. The difference is clear - athletes maintain that snappy, reactive feeling throughout the entire session instead of feeling like they're constantly trying to find their rhythm.

Rethinking Your Sets 

Here's a common winter training mistake I see: sticking to the same set structure you use in summer. Think about it - if cold affects your power output and nervous system, shouldn't your training structure adapt too?

This is where cluster training comes in. Instead of running your typical 4x60m with long rest periods, break it down into shorter, more frequent bursts. For example, take that same 240m total volume and restructure it as 8x30m with 90-second rests.

Why does this work better? Because you're never letting your system fully cool down. You maintain that explosive power from rep to rep, and your overall training quality stays higher. I've tracked the numbers with my athletes - their power output stays consistently higher throughout the session compared to traditional long-rest formats.

The key is keeping rest periods short enough to maintain readiness, but long enough to prevent fatigue from compromising technique. That 90-second sweet spot tends to work well for most sprinters.

Putting It Into Practice 

Let me show you exactly how this looks in a real training session. Here's the winter training template I use with my sprinters:

Pre-Session Activation 

Start indoors with sprint-specific activations - not just general warm-up moves. I have my athletes do:

• 3-4 sets of sprint-position wall drives (5-second holds)

• Quick-response ankle hops focusing on minimal ground contact

• Progressive sprint arm drives

Session Setup 

Here's where the cluster approach comes in. Take your usual session and break it down:

• Instead of: 4 sets of 4x60m with 3-min rest

• Try this: 8 sets of 2x30m with 90s rest between reps, 2-min between sets

• Focus on quality: If ground contacts start feeling sluggish or times drop off by more than 3%, extend the rest period

Between-Set Routine 

This is crucial - don't just stand around between sets. Keep your nervous system primed with:

• 2-3 quick bounds every 30 seconds

• One 10m acceleration at 95% effort about 20 seconds before your next rep

• Stay indoors during longer rest periods, doing light movement drills

Remember, the goal isn't just to stay warm - it's to maintain the specific physiological conditions needed for maximum sprint performance. General cold weather training advice often misses this crucial distinction.

That's it for today's Speed Brief.

Got questions about implementing these strategies in your training? Hit reply—I'd love to help you optimize your winter speed work.

Have a great weekend.

Liam

TSP

www.thespeedproject.com