Almost any sport can benefit from a combination of speed and endurance. Most athletes spend the bulk of their training time focused on endurance, but speed training is a great way to kick your performance up a notch. The key to improving speed is a have a structured and committed approach.  Here are some tips to help you create a program.

• Always warm-up
• Always cool down
• Make sure the body is well rested (non-fatigued)
• Use correct mechanics
• Find a balance between stride length and frequency--overdevelopment of one or the other
• Strengthen your core! Your core provides a strong pillar through which the limbs may transfer forces essential to improving sprint mechanics.
• Vary speed workouts and intensity to avoid building a speed barrier.
• Doing 6-8 reps is the optimum number for speed development workouts
• Speed work demands a high level of motivation and concentration.
• Resistance training develops specific strength and improves acceleration.
• Remember the 10% rule. Greater than 10% in resistance or time will change the dynamics of the movement and speed development will be negative.
• Eliminate distance running! It reduces explosiveness that compromises speed. If conditioning is a concern, condition specifically for your sport. There are many ways to get in shape for explosive sports without doing slow, aerobic work.

Example Speed Workouts

• Leg Drives teaches athletes to learn the leg movement required for dynamic acceleration. Stand facing a wall and place both palms flat against it at shoulder height. Angle your body to approximately a 45-degree angle through your ankles, knees, hips and head. Lift one leg (thigh is parallel to the ground) and support your weight on the toes of your other foot. Drive the elevated leg back toward the ground. Your toes should contact the ground and then immediately pull the leg back to the start position. Complete 4x10 for each leg. A technique tips: The acceleration movement is initiated from the muscles at the top of your thigh – the hip flexors – so focus on using these muscles when performing the drill. Gradually increase your speed until you are performing the drill as fast as you can.

• Falling starts allow athletes to learn the acceleration leg action and a dynamic arm drive while moving.  Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lean your entire body forward.  When your body reaches an approximately 45-degree angle to the ground, ‘snap’ one leg forward to around a 45-degree angle to your body and then dynamically drive it back against the ground (as per exercises 1 and 2). Your other leg should be pulled forward to a similar 45-degree angle to the body, ready to drive back to continue your acceleration. 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. A technique tip: Spend time gaining the confidence required to allow your body to fall to 45 degrees to the ground before performing the drill flat out. It is crucial for optimum acceleration that the whole body is angled forwards – not just the torso –throughout the accelerative phase (where practical). The legs need to work behind the body – ensuring that this happens will optimize the power output of your posterior chain muscles (calf muscles, hamstrings and glutes) and optimize your acceleration. Do 10 reps.

• Prone-position start and acceleration develops quick reactive acceleration. Start with hands by on hips, palms face down and chin on floor. Dynamically push your body up and accelerate away. Employ all the aspects of accelerative technique as described in the previous drills. A technique tip: To react as quickly as possible, pull your stronger leg into your chest dynamically in the prone position and then thrust it back against the ground to achieve a dynamic getaway. Field and racquet sports players in particular should alternate the leg with which they push themselves up and away from the start line. Doing this will develop more symmetrical strength and reflects game conditions, where players will need to accelerate off either leg. Sprinters should perform this drill driving up and away with the leg they put forward in the starting blocks. Do 4 x 20m.