| Training speed properly is essential for any team | | | | - Keep the heel recovery low during the first 6-8 |
| or athlete that wants to be successful. It's that | | | | strides. |
| simple. In order to run faster, you must break | | | | - Drive the elbows down and back. Keep the |
| down your speed training into a simple progression | | | | hands loose, but not open. Arms should remain at |
| to maximize improvements. | | | | approximately 90 degrees from the elbow. |
| Let's start with the most important aspect of | | | | - Step over the opposite knee and drive the foot |
| speed: acceleration. | | | | down into the ground to create maximal force. |
| Acceleration | | | | Don't force yourself to 'stay low'. This will limit the |
| Speed is a product of stride length (the distance | | | | amount of force you can apply to the ground and |
| your hips travel in a stride) and stride frequency | | | | leads to poor acceleration. Let your upper body |
| (the number of steps you take in a given time | | | | unfold naturally. 'Staying low' will occur naturally if |
| period). However, you will not reach top speed by | | | | you are already strong enough. |
| focusing on increasingly larger steps to increase | | | | Get Vertical! |
| stride length or taking short, quick steps to | | | | At the beginning of your speed training season |
| increase stride frequency. Instead, top speeds are | | | | acceleration work is used. You can't be efficient |
| created by applying 'optimal' force to the ground. | | | | running longer distances without getting the |
| Both length and frequency are improved by | | | | proper strength levels and neuromuscular |
| strength so better strength application results in | | | | efficiency of the shorter intervals. As your |
| faster speeds. Really, acceleration training is a | | | | athletes get stronger, you can extend out the |
| form of strength training. | | | | acceleration distances. You want your athletes to |
| Ground contact times (the amount of time each | | | | be driving out as far as possible. The stronger the |
| foot spends on the ground) are another important | | | | athlete is the further the acceleration phase will be |
| factor to consider during acceleration. During the | | | | and will set-up the athletes' top speed better later |
| earliest parts of acceleration, especially the first | | | | on. |
| two steps, you are trying to overcome (inertia) | | | | During acceleration, the foot should strike directly |
| the weight of your body by moving it forward as | | | | below or slightly behind the hips. You must be able |
| quickly as possible. This takes a great deal of | | | | to drive out so your body is at a 45 degree angle |
| strength and power. The stronger and more | | | | to the ground and step over the opposite knee |
| efficient you are, the more you can extend your | | | | and drive the foot down into the ground to |
| acceleration phase. Since high intensity sprint work | | | | create maximal force. |
| involves recruiting specific groups of muscle fibers | | | | Horizontal to Vertical |
| improves the efficiency of neuromuscular firing | | | | Some athletes aren't strong enough to hold and |
| patterns, sprinting is taxing to the central nervous | | | | maintain that ideal drive phase. So, you must trick |
| system. Once the CNS becomes fatigued, | | | | the athlete's body and make it so that they have |
| workouts quickly lose their effectiveness. Any | | | | to get into the right position.Start your |
| type of speed work must be done with full | | | | acceleration work on the ground and work your |
| recovery. Generally speaking, that means | | | | way up. In order to put the athletes in the best |
| approximately one minute of rest for every 10 | | | | mechanical position, even without great strength |
| yards that you run. Sprinting is a highly technical | | | | levels, athletes will start with short intervals, in a |
| activity. | | | | horizontal position. As the athletes get stronger, |
| Without full recovery, both your muscles and | | | | the acceleration intervals are lengthened and/or |
| your central nervous system will begin to fatigue | | | | the starting positions are more vertical. |
| quickly, reducing the short and long term | | | | Sample beginning of the season acceleration |
| effectiveness of your training. For this reason, | | | | workout: |
| acceleration should not be trained with fatigue | | | | 4 X 25 yards each (400 yards total) |
| present. To optimize your success, full recovery | | | | 2.5 minute rest between each rep/4 minutes |
| must be adhered to both inyour individual | | | | between each exercisea) Push-up 'Down'b) |
| workouts as well as your weekly plan. It takes | | | | Push-up 'Up'c) Seated Start-Backwardsd) Seated |
| roughly 36-48 hours to fully recover from a | | | | Start-Forward |
| speed workout. | | | | As the athlete shows that they can handle these |
| Acceleration Cues | | | | positions and their form doesn't break down at all |
| - Drive the lead arm (same as front leg) up as | | | | during the 25 yards, you can start lengthening the |
| you begin to sprint. | | | | interval distance and/or change the starting |
| - Drive out so the body is at a 45 degree angle | | | | positions. |
| to the ground. | | | | |