Speed training program examples

Efficient sprinting technique does not always come naturally to everyone, an needs to be trained. Poor technique consume excess energy in unnecessary actions and does not harness all power to direct the athlete in a forward direction at maximum speed. A lot of gains can be gained early on by concentrating on and modifying major flaws in technique. It is also important for some degree of relaxation while sprinting. Repeat 10 to 15 times. This drill is useful for enhancing quick leg turnover and teaching proper acceleration positioning.

Stand with your feet together and lean forward until you lose your balance. Accelerate at full speed in order to catch yourself. Continue sprinting all-out for 20 to 30 yards. The National Strength and Conditioning Association advises that you prepare for high-intensity activity with an appropriate warmup session before every workout.

Your warmup routine should consist of a general, whole-body activity such as cycling, walking, or jogging at a low intensity for at least five to 10 minutes. If you are a novice athlete, limit yourself to two speed-training exercise sessions per week, separated by two or three days.

Following a concurrent strength-training program that emphasizes knee, hip, back, and ankle strength will also reduce the possibility of injury when you first begin speed training.

For details on a developing a suitable strength and power training program see the sport-specific approach to strength training programs and associated articles. While other elements of the speed training program aim to condition the metabolic and neuromuscular systems, technique training results in a more efficient use of energy.

Of course, its not only elite sprint athletes that can benefit from examining and correcting their sprinting technique. Working on running biomechanics is low intensity and should not aim to fatigue the athlete.

It should be completed before strenuous training and can even form the back-end of the warm up. Click here for more details on sprinting technique. While strength and power training alone can increase an athletes speed, combining it with sprint training is more effective 2.

Basic sprints help to improve reaction time, acceleration, top speed and deceleration. Keeping the exercise intervals short i. Sprints can be repeated at near maximal velocity, which is necessary to induce the right neuromuscular adaptations. A basic speed training program can be adapted by running uphill and downhill.

Incline running helps to improve power during hip flexion and extension Downhill running is effective at improving co-ordination and stride frequency 16,17, Click here for some sample speed training program drills. Liner speed training aims to improve speed and acceleration and requires maximal effort and near maximal velocity. This is best achieved when running in a straight line.

However, most team sports require rapid declaration and changes in direction. Agility training aims to convert basic speed into sport-specific speed. While the power sled helps to increase your start and acceleration, the speed parachute helps to increase your flat top-end speed, without your knees taking punishment from the added weight of the vest and shorts.

After your start phase, your body begins to tilt back to an upright position, in what is called your "drive" phase. During this phase is where your body reaches top speed, and your hamstrings and glutes begin to pull your body through each stride. If you're wearing a speed parachute, it adds resistance to this pull, which causes your body to adapt by becoming stronger through the range of motion of your drive phase.

It is very hard to duplicate this type of strengthening in the weight room, especially at sprinting speed. So increase your top speed by adding Speed Resistance Training Parachute to your speed training workouts. During this phase of your speed training program you begin adding weight and increasing the reps of your weight-resisted exercises. You'll also hit the track one day a week to increase your speed endurance, running mm sprints.

During the end of your program, you should start decreasing your speed training volume to make room for an increase in your more cornerback-specific training volume.

Remember, this is a guide, meant to fit in with your cornerback and weight training programs, and be specific to the position.

Most of these drills are 40 yards or less. You can taylor this guide your to fit your own personal goals and needs. If you do, however, want a more comprehensive cornerback training program that includes speed training as well as footwork and agility, and strength and power training, here is a great training program to help you reach your speed goals.

Being able to maintain your speed over longer distances and longer periods of time is also important, especially for returning picks, punts and kicks to the house. That's where speed endurance comes in. There's speed endurance of short duration, which is keeping a high velocity over a longer distance.

An example would be returning a pick back to the house and having to shake a few people along the way. Then there's speed endurance of long duration, which involves performing at a high speed in each play of the game, throughout the whole game. For short duration, reps of m sprints with min resting periods will do the trick. For long duration, high speed interval training, like reps on hills or stairs, with s rest is optimal. The distance should be at least 30yards. These shorter drills with shorter resting periods help you to recover faster after a play and maintain a high velocity throughout the game.

This means that when you start to feel stronger, more control, and less fatigued by drills in your speed training workouts when your body adapts , you are getting FASTER!

It also means that its time to increase the difficulty of the drills, so that you can adapt even more and become even faster. Perfect practice makes perfect.