Speed training drills can be broken down into four main categories: linear speed, lateral speed, multidirectional speed and sport speed. Conditioning drills can be broken down into two main categories aerobic conditioning and anaerobic conditioning. Speed training drills and conditioning drills are important for all athletes to get to the next level and should be included in all training plans.
Linear Speed Drills
Linear speed drills teach you how to move in a straight line. An example of linear speed is the 40 yard dash in football. Linear speed is especially important for offensive game play. Drills for linear speed are often broken down into acceleration, which is your first step quickness, and maximum velocity, which is your top end speed. Linear speed drills for acceleration focus on your sprinting mechanics to build up speed quickly and powerfully. Linear speed drills for maximum velocity focus on your sprinting mechanics to maintain your top speed for as long as possible.
Lateral Speed Drills
Lateral speed drills teach you how to quickly move side to side. Lateral speed is particularly important while playing defensively. An example of lateral speed is the defensive shuffle in basketball. Drills for lateral speed teach you how to use the edges of your feet and the abductor and adductor muscles of the lower body to propel your body laterally. Abductor and adductor muscles are located on the inside and outside of the hip and thigh. Some of these muscles are quite large and can produce powerful side to side motions. They also help improve the use of spatial relations since your field of vision varies with the direction of movement, thus requiring you to use your peripheral vision and landmarks on the field and surrounding area to know where you are on the field of play and the location of your opponents.
Multidirectional Speed Drills
Multidirectional speed drills instruct you how to move when changing direction. Multidirectional speed can also be called agility. An example of multidirectional speed is the arrowhead drill in soccer. Multidirectional speed is very important since it relates to the skills needed in most sports.
Sport Speed Drills
Sport speed drills develop your ability to move fast in a game situation. Examples of sport speed include how you move when in full uniform, with the ball, or with a defender on your back. Sport speed drills are the most important as they have a direct impact on actual game performance.
Aerobic Conditioning Drills
Aerobic conditioning trains the energy systems of the body that utilize oxygen. The aerobic system is used by all athletes either during activities lasting more than just a few seconds or during the recovery phase of activity. Aerobic conditioning is of greatest importance to endurance athletes such as cyclists and distance runners. Aerobic conditioning for non-endurance athletes is mostly suited for the off season and preseason.
Anaerobic Conditioning Drills
Anaerobic conditioning drills develop the energy systems of the body that do not utilize oxygen. These are the ATP-PCr system and anaerobic glycolysis. Most quick powerful movements are short in duration, lasting only a few seconds, and thus place demands on the anaerobic system. Anaerobic conditioning can have large effects on your ability to execute explosive movements during the most crucial periods of play. Anaerobic conditioning drills include short shuttles and suicides. Short shuttles are when are athlete runs back and forth between two stationary lines until a predetermined total distance is covered. Suicides are similar to shuttles because you also run back and forth between two lines; however, in suicides one lines remains stationary while the second moves, changing the distance that is covered on each trip.
References
- "Exercise Physiology;" Scott Powers, Edward Howley; 1997
- Northwestern -- Sport Specific Training
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