Developing Speed for Sport
Pat Dale
Some of us are carthorses built for strength whilst others are greyhounds built for speed – genetics, specifically our muscle fibre make up - plays a large part in what physical activities we excel at. The athletes you see winning the 100 meters in the Olympics are as much bred as they are trained! However, even if Mother Nature was not on your side, your speed can be improved by dedicating some time to specific sprint training. Being fit, strong and skilled will all contribute to your success at your chosen sport but regardless of your position on the field, the defining factor for many sportsmen is speed. In this article we’ll examine speed and quickness and provide you with a workout designed to help you improve your straight line running speed.
Speed and quickness in field sports differs significantly from the pure sprinting seen in track athletics. In athletics, the competitors run in a straight line with no impedance from other athletes and, most importantly, they only have to do it once! In field sports, players have to sprint over and over again whilst dodging tackles, making plays and whilst being harried by the opposing team – quite a different scenario. As a result, a field sports speed training programme will differ significantly from that of pure sprinter.
The aim of a field sports specific speed and quickness training should be to:-
Improve reaction time & speed of thought
Develop acceleration over the first 20 to 40m and especially in the first 5 meters
Condition the player to be able to hold top pace and change pace/direction at will
Develop speed endurance - the ability to sprint repeatedly
As with any training, you should always warm up thoroughly to a) minimize your risk of suffering injury and b) maximise your performance. Your warm up should consist of a pulse raiser to raise your body temperature, dynamic stretches to prepare your muscles and joints for exercise and some low intensity running drills to practice and prepare for the demands of the coming workout e.g. high knee running, heel flick running and lateral stepping.
The workout – repeat twice a week with 48-72 hours between sessions ideally on an athletics track or playing field
Exercise 1 – striding out
Aim – to practice sprinting and prepare you for the coming workout
Over 50-60 meters use a “rolling start” and sprint at 70-80% maximum speed making sure that you focus on good sprinting technique e.g. relaxed arms, hands loose, shoulders down, slight forward lean, knee lift and leg drive. Gradually increase your speed until you are approaching 90% speed by your final rep.
Repeat 3-5 times with a walk back recovery
Exercise 2 – falling starts
Aim – to improve starting ability and promote correct body position while sprinting
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lean your entire body forward – basically you should allow yourself to fall forward. As your body reaches an approximately 45-degree angle to the ground snap one leg forward and then dynamically drive it back against the ground - this will control your fall and accelerate your body forward. Your arms should be vigorously pumped backwards and forwards in unison with your legs to increase accelerative power. Continue to accelerate with legs and arms pumping – while maintaining the forward lean – for 15m.
Repeat 3-5 times resting 1-2 minutes between efforts
Exercise 3 – pick ups
Aim – to develop acceleration
Mark out 60 meters and place a marker cone at 20 meter intervals
Using a rolling start, run out to the first marker and building up to around 80% maximum speed. On reaching the 20 meter point accelerate up to 90% maximum speed and then to 100% speed at the final marker.
Repeat 3-5 times resting 2-3 minutes between efforts
Exercise 4 – prone starts
Aim – to improve reactive acceleration
Assume a prone (lying on your front) position with hands by hips, palms face down and chin on floor with your head towards your intended direction of travel. On the command “go”, dynamically push your body up into the standing position and accelerate away over 15-20 meters. Employ all the aspects of accelerative technique as described in the previous drill.
Repeat 3-5 times resting 1-2 minutes between efforts
Exercise 5 – seated starts
Aim – to improve reactive acceleration
Sit with your back to the direction of acceleration, having previously checked that there are no obstacles behind you. Keep your legs straight and flat against the ground, and your hands by your hips, and head looking forward. On the command “go” push yourself up to your feet whilst turning and accelerate away. Employ all the aspects of accelerative technique as described in the previous drill.
Repeat 3-5 times alternating left and right turns resting 1-2 minutes between efforts.
Exercise 6 – broken 100 meters
Aim - to develop acceleration, speed and sprint conditioning
Place marker cones at 5 meter intervals over 20 meters as shown in the diagram below
0-----5-----10-----15-----20
Using a standing start, sprint out to the first marker and immediately pivot and return to the start. Turn again and run out to the second marker and return to the start. Repeat by sprinting out to the third and fourth markers. Your aim to cover the distance as fast as possible...
1-----<
2---------<
3--------------<
4-------------------<
The total distance covered will be 100 meters but, as the name of the drill suggests, is broken down into 2 times 5, 10, 15 and 20 meter shuttles.
Repeat 3-5 times resting 1-2 minutes between efforts
On completion of the workout make sure you cool down by spending a few minutes jogging before stretching all of your major muscles focusing on the lower body especially the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves.
Speed training is best performed as part of a group and is ideally suited to team practices as this adds an element of competition which will push the players to higher levels of speed. As with all elements of sports, practice makes perfect so spending time on your sprinting will improve your sprinting ability and that can make all the difference to your game.
About the Author
Pat and this magazine were made for each other. Pat writes a blog - NoFrillsFitness trains his ass off and loves what we call ‘proper fitness’. He is a highly experienced fitness lecturer, running solar-fitness in Cyprus. What a place to go to qualify as a personal trainer! Pat will use this mag to let off a little steam – to talk fitness without the need to hold back or be polite. If you don’t like it….don’t use the squat rack for Bicep Curls! His site www.Solar-Fitness.com
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