Being able to increase speed is important to just about every athlete and coach. Speed helps to determine success in almost every sport and position, is evaluated to determine if you make the team, and being able to increase speed is something that almost everyone desires. Speed is primarily evaluated with moderate sprints, like the 40 yard dash. This article will present some drills to help you increase speed.
40-80 Yard Sprints:
Sprinting at high speed is a skill that you have to practice to get good at. Unless you are an elite 100 meter sprinter, it will take you 20 to 40 yards to get to your maximum speed. Longer sprints (40 to 80 yards) are designed to help you practice reaching maximum speed and trying to maintain it. Several things are important with these longer sprints:
- Warm up thoroughly before these sprints. Longer sprints increase your risk of a hamstring injury so it’s important to warm up.
- Use good technique. If your technique suffers then all you do is reinforce bad habits.
- Keep the volume down. Too much volume gets you tired, which teaches you to be slow and sloppy.
- Recover fully between each sprint. Failing to recover properly gets you tired, see above about being slow and sloppy.
These sprints should be done no more than six to ten times during a speed workout with full recovery between each sprint. Focus on technique, speed, and explosiveness.
Stride Length Drills:
To be able to run faster, you need to take longer strides. This drill helps you to lengthen your strides. For this drill, you need four cones, hurdles, or something that can serve as a visual marker for you while you sprint. Set up the first cone twenty yards from the start line. Place the second cone four paces from the first. Place the third cone six paces from the second. Place the fourth cone eight paces from the third. Go to the start line and get in your ready position. Sprint to the first cone. When you reach the first cone, sprint so that you place one foot in between each cone. After clearing the last cone, sprint for five to ten more yards.
With this drill, remember that even at the longest distances, you need a natural stride. Placing the cones too far apart will disrupt your sprinting technique. If you find yourself leaning backwards then the cones are too far apart. Perform this drill three to five times as part of your sprint workout.
In’s and Out’s:
This drill teaches you to run relaxed at speeds and it teaches you how to shift gears while sprinting. For this drill, you need seven cones. Place a cone at the start line and every ten yards. Stand at the start line and get into your ready position. Sprint to the ten yard line, this is your acceleration zone. Between the ten and twenty yard lines, sprint as fast as you can. Between the twenty and thirty yard lines, back off a little and try to coast. Between the thirty and forty yard lines sprint as fast as you can. Keep alternating until you have run through the finish line at 60 yards.
This is a very tiring drill. It’s important to warm-up properly and pay attention to your sprinting form throughout. If you do this as part of your sprint workout, it should be the only sprinting exercise you do that session. Perform this no more than three times in a workout, resting completely in between each attempt.