SWH
New member
Theres lots of drills and excercises meant to improve sprints but what are the ones that are most effective or the ones that really work? Training in rugby, small 10-20 metre dashes are what are needed to be worked on most for me but training will be different for other people. Different sports may require different training, techniques or drills.
Some different techniques i've been taught to do include the following -
The Stride - Technique while sprinting is very important depending on what sport you do. The focus of a good stride is to expend as little energy as possible throughout the run which will decrease losses in speed along the way. Key elements that should be looked at include;
Relaxing - leads to minimal energy usage, can be seen mostly in upper body motions
Light feet - Leads to faster strides and minimizes energy usage.
Posture - Good posture will contribute to core strength
Lifting feet instead of knees - Contributes to speed off the mark and will help acceleration
Accelerating Off The Mark - Working on acceleration plays a key role in getting ahead early in a race. Acceleration is most important for many sports which involve being quick off the mark for small increments at a time. Skills and techniques include;
Exploding off the mark - Exploding off the mark for the first few strides. Leg speed and longer strides are key from the starting position.
Good starting position - Contributes to quick feet off the mark and contributes to biomechanics.
Extending stride lengths - Stride lengths should be lengthy more so than small quick strides. This will expend less energy but may make it more difficult to side step or change directions if need be.
The main goal of a good sprint is one that maximizes speed with as little effort as possible. This should be practiced regularly. Less energy expenditure will pay off during the end of your race or run.
How can I train to increase speed?
There are many methods that aid in sprinting/speed training. Exercises include;
Squats - Squats are arguably the most important exercise for anybody who does weights training. Squatting will increase the muscle mass throughout the whole upper body as well as triggering natural hormones. Squatting will improve your explosiveness off the mark and overall strength.
Resistance training - Resistance speed training can be as easy as tying a rope to a tire and pulling it along while running. There are many different products and ways to do this which include speed bands, speed chutes and sleds but they will all give away similar results.
Explosive weights training - There are different methods of this kind of training. Kettlebell training is a good example of explosive movements which is a great cardio/power workout. Other exercises that fit into this category include jump squats, oly lifts (powercleans, clean and jerk, snatch).
In the end, speed and strength go hand in hand and explosiveness is key. So your weights program combined with practice on technique will lead to successful increases in speed.
This is a discussion thread so please feel free to provide feedback or add in anything i may have missed
Some different techniques i've been taught to do include the following -
The Stride - Technique while sprinting is very important depending on what sport you do. The focus of a good stride is to expend as little energy as possible throughout the run which will decrease losses in speed along the way. Key elements that should be looked at include;
Relaxing - leads to minimal energy usage, can be seen mostly in upper body motions
Light feet - Leads to faster strides and minimizes energy usage.
Posture - Good posture will contribute to core strength
Lifting feet instead of knees - Contributes to speed off the mark and will help acceleration
Accelerating Off The Mark - Working on acceleration plays a key role in getting ahead early in a race. Acceleration is most important for many sports which involve being quick off the mark for small increments at a time. Skills and techniques include;
Exploding off the mark - Exploding off the mark for the first few strides. Leg speed and longer strides are key from the starting position.
Good starting position - Contributes to quick feet off the mark and contributes to biomechanics.
Extending stride lengths - Stride lengths should be lengthy more so than small quick strides. This will expend less energy but may make it more difficult to side step or change directions if need be.
The main goal of a good sprint is one that maximizes speed with as little effort as possible. This should be practiced regularly. Less energy expenditure will pay off during the end of your race or run.
How can I train to increase speed?
There are many methods that aid in sprinting/speed training. Exercises include;
Squats - Squats are arguably the most important exercise for anybody who does weights training. Squatting will increase the muscle mass throughout the whole upper body as well as triggering natural hormones. Squatting will improve your explosiveness off the mark and overall strength.
Resistance training - Resistance speed training can be as easy as tying a rope to a tire and pulling it along while running. There are many different products and ways to do this which include speed bands, speed chutes and sleds but they will all give away similar results.
Explosive weights training - There are different methods of this kind of training. Kettlebell training is a good example of explosive movements which is a great cardio/power workout. Other exercises that fit into this category include jump squats, oly lifts (powercleans, clean and jerk, snatch).
In the end, speed and strength go hand in hand and explosiveness is key. So your weights program combined with practice on technique will lead to successful increases in speed.
This is a discussion thread so please feel free to provide feedback or add in anything i may have missed
