The ability to run fast is one of the essentials in the game of football. Your sprinting speed is key in athletic performance. Physics plays a large role in increasing your speed on the football field. In order to increase your speed, you need to generate force at an increased magnitude and rate. While genetics is an important factor that contributes to running fast, with the proper training you can increase your speed to excel on the football field.
Arm Movements
Keep your arms 90 degrees below your elbow. Do not lock yours arms at this angle, because it can decrease your range of motion. Your arms should not cross your midsection as this will cause your hips to move in a similar fashion. This is due to the fact that your arms counteract the force that is created by your legs.
Focus on traveling in a linear direction. Also, keep your fingers and your palms facing inward. Your range-of-motion should be from your hip to your ear. To generate an elastic response, drive your elbows down and back.
Relaxation
Stay relaxed. Many football players associate running fast with running hard. This is a big misconception. It is important to stay relaxed while running to create the least amount of tension as possible.
A good indication you are too tensed is if your eyes are squinted, your face is tight and your teeth are clenched. This will cause you to slow down your speed rather than increase it. When you have mastered the art of relaxing while running, you will notice that your jaws will flop in an up and down motion. This is when you will get the most out of your running.
Exercises
Perform foot lifts. Lift your toes off of the ground, leaving the heal of your foot stabilized on the ground. Do fours sets of 30 lifts per foot. This exercise can be done while sitting, standing, walking or jogging. Not only can this exercise help increase your speed, but it can also improve your stability.
Drive Phase
Keep your body in a straight line from your ankles to your head. Your drive phase is during the first eight to ten steps you take when running. When you drive out, make sure your body is at a 45-degree angle to the ground.
To create maximal force, step over your opposite knee and then drive your foot into the ground. Many football players tend to bend low when running. Although this will create the ideal acceleration phase, it is only beneficial when it happens naturally and is not forced. When you body is strong enough, you will naturally stay low.
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