A Tribe Called Sprinters

Fun. Challenging. Unique. A Tribe Called Sprinters is a fitness experience like none other! From strength training through weights, resistance and plyometrics to the mechanics of sprinting through drills and «play time», Crystal and Kevin teach and push me to accomplish things I never knew I could do — with the right technique. If you are tired of your old routine and want to push yourself to become a stronger and faster athlete, I would highly recommend checking out Tribe. It would be difficult to find anyone else with more energy, knowledge and enthusiasm than Crystal and the TCS team! #fastasfolk

Tribe is a cutting edge approach to fitness that challenges the norm. While its roots are based in sprinting, it’s more than just running around a track. Tribe is a comprehensive approach to fitness that includes functional strength based training, running technique and drills, sprinting and mental awareness.

Love my Tribe!
I grew up with organized sports and a team atmosphere, and have greatly missed that team dynamic that sports have always offered me.
I never thought I’d experience it again until I met Crystal and the Tribe! The trainers foster an amazing atmosphere of positivity, growth and camaraderie that makes me work hard while I’m playing hard. My teammates encourage and motivate me. I walk in to the sessions with smiles, hugs and «hello’s». It’s energizing, and makes me want to keep coming back — I miss it if I don’t!
I have an injury — chronic back pain! I sometimes tweak an ankle or have shoulder pain. The trainers know how to guide me or modify the workout to help me improve my strength and fitness while minimizing pain or re-​injury. I was with the Tribe for about a month when I started seeing serious results: I was running faster and performing better. I also noticed that I had less pain (mostly lower back pain) after a long run because they are so vigilant about form. I thought it was normal (ie from running on hard pavement), and I never knew I was running wrong until now.
The Tribe also isn’t just a workout group, it’s a network. I’ve seen my teammates in various places around town. I’ve seen people wearing the gear, the bracelets, and see them at road races and we have an immediate connection. The Tribe is MY team that encourages me both in and out of the gym.

So I’ve been interested in getting into sprinting for a while now. I want to feel fast, but I don’t like running more than the straight section of a high school track (however long that is). I was looking through crossfit gym websites to find out when they offer a free class and I stumbled upon the fact that some coaches have their own sprinting group: A Tribe Called Sprinters. And more importantly, they offer a free class on Sundays!
I can personally attest that you don’t need any track experience to join. The only kind of running I’ve tried is long distance like a 5k or 40 minutes on the treadmill. This experience, however, was much more enjoyable and entertaining. Running for 10+ minutes is boring, but doing a different drill ever few minutes or so is very entertaining.
The coaches are very knowledgable, and extremely friendly. There is no bootcamp vibe to this at all. The coaches view it as playing, and I think it really comes off that way. They will usually have hip hop music blaring throughout the class so it also feels a little bit like a party. Be careful of Crystal though, she will hug you.
This class will focus on «fast-​twitch training» which means you won’t be doing anything close to jogging. They will be working on explosiveness, and explosiveness is what makes a person athletic. This training feels more focused than a crossfit program, where you kind of try to be decent at everything. I much rather prefer this focused approach. Become explosive, become athletic, worry about your 40m time, not your 5k time.
To summarize an average Sunday class, they start with warming up with various drills that are brief but sometimes intense. First they usually have you do some exercises with a band around your knees in order to activate the glutes. After that, they usually do some type of technique drills. For example, they’ll have you do the A-​skip, B-​skip, and the like for 20 meters. None of this lasts long, it only takes a couple seconds to cross 20 meters, but as the exercises get more intense you definitely get more winded. After doing 50 minutes of warm up, it usually ends with either a relay race or actual sprinting like 50 meters. And then you’re done.
Recognizing that the Sunday class is open to all, they usually refrain from doing drills that are too technical.
The Sunday class usually takes place on the SMU track (though my free class was at Hillcrest Highschool), and in the summer time running outdoors in Dallas can get really hot. But they usually provide a cooler of water/​gatorade so if you forget to bring water you won’t have heat stroke. This class is nice in that you just need a pair of running shoes. Track spikes are usually not asked for and are never needed. The Sunday class, since its focus is more on mobility/​conditioning work, never asks for spikes to be worn.
This is a very friendly group and the coaches really do their best to be kind of silly/​goofy so to help you feel relaxed. At the end of the class, they have this circle cheer/​chant that helps build camaraderie, and really helps you feel like a part of a team.
I think everyone should try this one out, it’s pretty awesome.

I went to one of the open Tribe workouts this past August (open workouts are usually offered every other Sunday at 2 pm; check Facebook or Instagram), somewhat out of curiosity but mainly because I was looking for something to shake up the boredom and monotony of my exercise/​fitness routine (group x classes and running/​stair mill/​weights). I had never sprinted before in my life and was a little worried it would be either too physically challenging or too technical for me. Mainly though, I didn’t like running and didn’t think this was the sort of thing I would enjoy. I honestly can’t remember that first workout but I joined the Tribe immediately afterwards and haven’t looked back. I love it. Here’s why:
1) The people — to me, who you workout with is just as important as the kind of workout you do. I was nervous the Tribe group was going to be like super hardcore sprinters and all of the workouts would be ultra competitive with races and times, etc. Well, we do race and we do time ourselves (at certain points throughout the year; it’s not the norm) but it’s all in the vein of seeing the progress you are making and bettering yourself. The workouts are competitive but mainly in the sense that everyone is pushing YOU to do YOUR best on THAT day. To me, that push, that encouragement is best part about working out with a group and that’s what Tribe is all about.
Also, just FYI, the Tribe members range the full spectrum in terms of athletic ability and competitiveness. You have the super athlete types who are crazy fast and leave us all in the dust and then you have probably the majority of us who are just regular people trying to have fun and improve each day.
2) The coaching — the Tribe coaches are hands down the best coaches I’ve been around. They know every thing there is to know about the mechanics of sprinting and can teach you as much of that as you want to learn. I always thought running was just a natural thing that you did and you were either good or bad it (and I was bad at it!). I had no idea there was so much technique involved. We’ve learned correct posture, proper arm movement, foot placement, stride length. All sorts of cool stuff. It’s been awesome to learn the proper technique, apply it and see improvements. The coaches are also just really cool, fun, awesome people. They encourage us, teach us, act crazy with us, pump us up. They are awesome!
3) The variety — I would say everything we do in TCS is geared towards sprinting but somehow I feel like there is a great variety in the workouts (which is very important to me because I get bored easily). Sometimes we focus on strength/​power, sometimes we focus on endurance and sometimes… well sometimes, I’m not sure what we’re focusing on but the workouts are always different, challenging an fun.
4) The Challenge — you cannot mail it in at these workouts. We aren’t racing and and trying to set PRs at every workout (or many of them for that matter) but no one will let you get away with coasting through a workout and everyone is always pushing you to do your best. The coaches are quick to call folks out who aren’t focusing or aren’t giving their best effort. The workouts also get you out of your comfort zone, whether it’s lifting more weight than you thought you could, doing that one (or two or three) extra reps that you didn’t think you could do or pushing a little harder across the finish line.
5) The camaraderie — I think the thing that really sets Tribe apart from other workouts/​groups/​classes I’ve done is the comradeship. Unlike other group workouts where you workout and go your separate ways, maybe not even knowing the name of the people you’re working out next to, with Tribe, everyone knows everyone. People check on you if you miss a few workouts. We get together to celebrate birthdays, to do karaōke, or just to grab dinner and hang out. It’s really awesome to get to workout AND hangout with so many like-​minded people.
These are just a few of the great things about this group but you really have to come experience it yourself. Check Facebook and Instagram for updates.

Great fitness group. Coaching staff is first class and phenomenal. This fitness program teaches you the mechanics of sprinting and how to run efficiently and effectively. Everyone is very supportive and always encourages you to do your best.
In an effort to join a fitness program that is unique and trailblazing, I tried Tribe Called Sprinters (TCS). My first time sprinting was when I joined TCS in September 2013. I like thinking out of the box and trying new things that challenge me physically and mentally. TCS is not just sprinting. There are training modules designed by the coaching staff that have us working on strength training, endurance etc on a monthly basis. TCS pushes me mentally and physically to maintain a healthy mind and body.