If you are planning to train for a competitive aerobic event, such as running, walking, cycling or swimming, consider adding a weight-training program to your training schedule. Speed development is based on an athlete's ability to recruit his or her fast-twitch muscle fibers. While the fast-twitch to slow-twitch fiber ratio is based on genetics, studies published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research indicate that strength training may help develop the existing fast-twitch fibers.
Step 1
Sit on a stability ball with your knees bent, and hold a 10- to 15-pound weight in the middle of your chest. Walk back until the back of your pelvis, your lower back and your middle back are in contact with the ball. Flex the upper part of your spine and perform 10 crunches.
Step 2
Remain on the ball. Hold the weight in your right hand and move it toward the left side of your chest, directly in front of your left shoulder. Place your left hand behind your head. Keep your left hip pressed into the ball as you rotate your upper torso so that your left elbow moves toward your right hip. Perform 10 repetitions, and then change sides. A study published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise titled "Associations Between Core Strength, Walking Speed, And Age In Women" found a direct correlation between abdominal strength and walking speed. This implies that abdominal training plays an important role in speed development.
Step 3
Place a heavy barbell behind your head and in back of your shoulder blades. Separate your feet so that they are slightly wider than hip width apart. Retract your hips as you bend your knees. Do not allow your back to round. Straighten your legs with control. A study published in the January, 2008 edition of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found a correlation between high-intensity squat training and sprinting speed. The study, titled "The Acute Effects of Heavy Back and Front Squats on Speed during Forty-Meter Sprint Trials" indicated that performing the back squat using heavy weights resulted in increased sprinting speed. As such, it's advisable to choose a weight that can be lifted for a maximum of eight repetitions.
Tips and Warnings
- Some coaches suggest that lifting weights in excess of 60 percent of your one repetition maximum is the best way to strength train for speed.
- Never train the same muscle groups on two consecutive days
Things You'll Need
- Weights
- Dumbbells
- Barbells
- Stability ball
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