Running faster and jumping higher both require strong leg muscles. Strengthening the calves, hamstrings and quadriceps increase running speed, increase stride length and enable you to jump higher. Strong muscles also help your body hold up better to training, which can have an indirect affect on speed and jumping ability.
Plyometrics
Exercises such as jumping, skipping and throwing and catching a medicine ball are plyometrics, which build explosive strength. Explosive strength helps you run faster and jump higher and are an important part of any serious athlete's training program. Plyometric exercises are intense, so it is important to add them to your exercise slowly and to allow your body recovery time after plyometric workouts. Michael Yessis, Ph.D., specialist in biomechanical and kinesiological analyses and developer of specialized training programs to improve explosive speed and quickness, notes that improper form or overuse of plyometrics can to injuries.
Hill Workouts
Running on hills strengthens all of the muscles used in running, may reduce the risk of injury, and allows you to challenge your body as you would when performing speed workouts, but without the intensity of speed work that can lead to injury. There are many different ways to incorporate hill runs into your workout. The simplest is to run a hilly route several times each week. Other workouts include finding a hill that takes between one and two minutes to run from the bottom to the top. Run hard to the top, turn and jog or walk to the bottom. Repeat the process, gradually building up to 10 repetitions. Pete Pfitzinger, Olympic marathoner, running coach and exercise physiologist, recommends concentrating on proper form to get the most benefits from your hill workouts. Look straight ahead, not down, resist the urge to lean forward, and relax your shoulders and arms.
Weight Training
Weight training is probably the most traditional method of strengthening the muscles to run faster and jump higher, and it is effective. Complete full body workouts with a special emphasis on legs. Exercises such as squats, lunges and deadlifts provide noticeable strength gains. Don't overlook your core muscles and upper body while weight training. Exercising only certain body parts can lead to overuse injuries. Ignoring some body parts also can lead to muscular imbalances.
Practice
Building strength is an important part of running faster or jumping higher, but practicing the skills necessary to speed up or jump high also are important. If your goal is to run faster, practice running faster by running downhill once a week. With gravity on your side, you become accustomed to how it feels to move faster and your feet learn to move quicker. To practice jumping higher, invest some time each week in flatfooted jumps. These practice sessions should not take the place of regular strength workouts, but work as a supplement to them.
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