Speed is a highly sought-after trait in an athlete. You can achieve more speed by practices that goad you to move faster to condition the neuromuscular system and the firing patterns of fast-twitch muscle fibers. A suitable program can help you train for more speed. Understanding the concepts that each program concentrates on can help in your decision-making process.
Plyometrics
The National Strength and Conditioning Association, which has certified successful trainers at the professional and collegiate levels, promotes plyometric programs to develop overall speed. In NSCA's "Essentials of Personal Training," the association presents a program consisting of upper and lower body plyometrics for speed. The programs are conducted once or twice a week and concentrate on the number of touches on surfaces, throws completed and intensity of the session. Programs with a lower-body focus include double-tuck jumps, standing long jumps, vertical jumps, double leg hops, jumps up to and off a box and skips. Upper-body plyometric exercises include pushups or depth pushups off of raised surfaces, clapping pushups, chest passes or two-handed overhead throws. A typical plyometric program to build speed may consist of seven medium- to high-intensity upper and lower body exercises that focus on making 80 to 100 contacts and throws.
Isometric Speed Training
Larry Van Such, a practicing chiropractor and author of "Run Faster With Isometric Training," advocates using resistance bands in conjunction with isometric exercises to help train the muscles to fire faster. Ten exercises target the thigh flexors, hamstrings, thigh extensors, adductors and abductors. These exercises require you to tie a resistance band to part of the leg, ankle, thigh or hip, hold positions for 15 seconds and repeat three times. The exercises are to be performed three times every week with a break in between each day as well as on Sunday.
Sprint Technique Drills
Sprint drills benefit from time spent warming up and cooling down, to lead to improved levels of athletic performance and an accelerated recovery process. A warmup program should include drills that stimulate the neuromuscular system and train an athlete for the correct range of movement and posture. Possible drills include walking on the toes and heels, sprint arm action, leg cycling, leg drives, butt kicks and skips. Conclude this portion of your workout with upright sprints that focus on technique and practice starts out of blocks to coordinate all of the movements involved. The drills should be performed in proper track shoes rather than spikes and use all aspects of good form; relaxed face, straight head and arms swinging by the side, not across front of the body.
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