As a college quarterback my first exposure to speed training came as I was getting ready for the NFL draft. Our Track coach at Cal and fellow Cal hall of famer Ed White taught me how to run faster and more efficiently during those sessions. Since then I have had the opportunity to watch Dan O'Brien, our speed coach at EliteAthletesTV.com, train athletes on any number of occasions.
As a coach, it's incredible to see what the right speed training program can do for athletes and the great improvements they can make in their speed and athletic development. That's why I asked Ethan Banning, our human performance coach and an expert in Strength, speed, and power development for athletes to give you some of his best tips.
When you consider athletic performance, speed stands out as a fundamental element across virtually all sports. Training speed is crucial because it develops fast-twitch muscle fibers which are essential for explosive movements. If you're involved in sports where sprint performance is paramount, consistently focusing on speed drills can give you a significant advantage. You can learn the techniques for speed from this article here a fully developed and detailed Faster 40 in 40 Days.
Speed is a fundamental aspect of athleticism, and mastering it involves a blend of technique, training, and dedication. Incorporating speed drills into your workout routine can significantly boost your sprint performance, agility, and overall athletic abilities. So I'm gonna share some of my favorite speed training drills that cover all these skills and more.
Through speed training, your neuromuscular system improves, translating to quicker reaction times. This ability to respond faster can be the difference between victory and defeat in competitive environments.
Fast-twitch muscle fibers are crucial for explosive movements. By training for speed, you directly engage and develop these fibers, improving your potential for rapid movements.
Speed training not only boosts your ability on the field but also optimizes your body's ability to accelerate and maintain higher velocities. By putting in the necessary work to develop speed, you prepare your body to perform at its peak when it counts the most.
In order to enhance your sprint speed, it's essential to understand the key elements that influence your performance. This comes down to how you generate and apply force, as well as the mechanics of your stride.
Your body’s ability to generate force is foundational to sprinting. Developing explosive power through a strength training program is crucial. This power determines how forcefully you can propel yourself off the ground, leading to faster starts and more efficient acceleration. Focus on lower-body exercises that target the muscles of your legs and hips.
Applying force effectively involves proper form as well as the orientation and position when your feet strike the ground. The rule of thumb is that the ground should be hit with a force that is directed backward to propel you forward. Training should include drills that optimize your stance and the use of your legs to apply force in the most advantageous manner.
A longer stride allows you to cover more distance with each leg cycle. However, caution is advised since overstriding can be detrimental to your speed and may lead to injury. A balanced approach is to focus on maintaining a natural stride length while ensuring explosive leg power and flexibility through dynamic stretching and plyometrics.
Stride frequency, or the rate at which you take steps, is equally as important as stride length. To increase your stride frequency or foot speed, engage in sprint training that emphasizes quick, repetitive leg movements. Drills that focus on cadence, such as high-knee exercises, can improve the ability to take faster steps without compromising stride length.
Optimizing your acceleration mechanics is crucial for enhancing sprint performance. Proper form during the initial phase of a sprint can significantly impact your overall speed.
Your foot placement determines the efficiency of your force application when starting a sprint. For effective acceleration, position your feet with your toes on the starting line or just behind it, and keep them hip-width apart. Push off primarily with the balls of your feet, allowing for a powerful and quick start. This ensures that each foot strike propels you forward with maximal force, contributing to a better athletic position and more dynamic start.
Maintaining a proper body position is pivotal for effective acceleration. For a starting position you should lean forward, allowing you to push against the ground with considerable force. Keep your shin angle acute during the initial steps, which aligns with an aggressive forward lean of the body. This position aids in generating the necessary horizontal force for rapid acceleration.
Remember, good form in both foot placement and body position will set the foundation for improved sprint performance.
To increase your running speed, incorporating various training modalities will condition your muscle fibers and improve explosive power. These modalities will challenge your muscles in different ways to maximize speed and power.
Using resistance training, you can enhance lower body strength, which is crucial for explosive speed. An effective method is:
Plyometrics are exercises that enable your muscles to exert maximal force in short intervals of time, improving your power and speed.
This training mode targets different muscle fibers, specifically the type II fibers, which are responsible for high-intensity, explosive movements.
To directly improve running speed, engage in sprint drills that focus on high-intensity, short-duration bursts of speed.
Sprint drills not only develop speed but also enhance your ability to recover between high-intensity efforts, crucial for sports and speed workouts.
Remember, speed work encompasses various exercises designed to enhance foot speed, explosive speed, and sprint performance. Starting with the basics, it's crucial to emphasize the significance of proper form in these drills. The starting position sets the tone to build speed for the entire drill, ensuring that each movement is executed with precision and efficiency.
Incorporating specific speed drills into your training routine can significantly enhance your sprinting speed. It's crucial to address each aspect of speed development to see holistic improvements.
Before you dive into speed drills, it's essential to prepare your body with a dynamic warmup. This helps to increase blood flow, elevate your core temperature, and decrease the risk of injuries. Your warmup should mimic the movements of the speed workouts to come, gradually bringing your muscles up to full speed. To optimize your performance, include exercises such as leg swings, arm circles, and lunges that reflect your current fitness level.
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With fully detailed videos and written instruction, this course is like having Dan there to coach you personally. Improve Your Speed Now and learn what the elite athlete know, Speed Kills!
Speed drills, when performed correctly and with regularity, are pivotal to your fitness progression. Remember that improvement comes with persistent and focused effort.
Developing speed isn't just about raw ability; it's about refining techniques, improving strength, and optimizing your body's capacity for explosive movements with the right speed workout.
