Getting faster will help you in nearly every sport. The ability to sprint at a high rate of speed will help skill-position football players, soccer players and track and field athletes. Basketball, baseball and tennis players who depend on athleticism will also benefit from running faster. Sprinting faster involves getting more explosive in the lower legs, using excellent technique and maintaining a strong mental attitude about your running speed. There are exercises and drills to help you run faster.
Step 1
Run with jump soles to build the explosive muscles in your lower legs. Jump soles attach to the front of your athletic shoes and isolate the muscles in the calf. Sprint 20 yards in your jump soles followed by walking 10 yards. Do this five times, take a one-minute break and repeat the set. This will help you take more powerful strides when you are sprinting.
Step 2
Wear a running parachute to build your sprinting speed. This is a training device that will increase your power. Go to your local high school or college track and sprint 100 yards while wearing your running chute. This device is worn like a backpack and the chute will unfurl as you start your sprint. You will feel a significant drag as you run. Resist the urge to slow down or turn around to look. Finish the 100-yard sprint. Do this twice and when you get to the 50-yard mark of the second run, press the release button on the front of your harness. This will drop the chute and give you a surge of speed as the resistance will be eliminated. This will help you get faster.
Step 3
Practice your stride as you run on the track. Run one lap--440 yards--on the track at moderate speed. Concentrate on developing as full a stride as possible. The back of your running shoes should hit your buttocks as you finish each stride. This will help you run with fuller extension while sprinting.
Step 4
Jump while wearing ankle weights to build strength in your feet and lower legs. Wearing 3- to-5 lb ankle weights for short periods of exercise will increase your speed and explosiveness. Stand under a basketball backboard and jump as high as you can. Smack the backboard with your dominant hand. When you come down, immediately get into a jumping position again and jump. Do this 10 times, take a 30-second break and repeat the set.
Things You'll Need
- Jump soles
- Ankle weight
- Running parachute
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