Every athlete can benefit from increasing speed, power, and or explosion.
Some athletes are “born” with natural speed while others have to really work for it.
But here are a few things about creating speed that you should know:
1.) Even though some people are naturally fast, speed can definitely be trained and developed.
While the majority of athletes have a genetic ceiling as to HOW fast they can get, you can
always get faster.
2.) There has to be balance in the weight room and field. There are a few components to speed
that will help improve it. One of those being strength. If you are able to generate and tolerate
more forces at the joints and muscles, then you have a better foundation with which you can
build speed. This is mainly done in the weight room, outside of general plyometric activity. More
strength=more power=more speed.
3.) Strengthen your feet. This is your first point of contact with the ground. Therefore, the
stronger you are at the feet and ankle, then the more ground contact forces you can tolerate.
Feet/ankles that cannot tolerate high impacts can cause “energy leaks” throughout the gait cycle.
This means over compensation patterns, and an inability to successfully direct forces straight
ahead every step.
Strengthening your feet alone can increase your speed.
4.) Don’t forget to train your backside. Once you start to hit top-end speed, then your glutes,
hamstrings, low back complex play a heavy role in moving you forward.
The common practice is to train front side heavily, like quads. While they are still of extreme use
during top speeds, they play a heavier role during acceleration phase where your center of mass
is in front of your hips.
As you begin to hit your top speed, then your Center of Mass is almost directly over your feet,
therefore cyclical action of the lower limbs is required to maintain velocity accrued during
acceleration phase.
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If you attack your speed training, utilize and balance these concepts you are guaranteed to
enhance your speed.
Train hard. Train Smart.
And if you are interested in really developing your speed, and would like to work with me, lets set a time for us to get together and make you faster. Click here to set up your Success Session