Running faster translates into better performance in many sports. This is not only the case with team sports like ice hockey and baseball, but also with individual sports like tennis and mixed martial arts. A workout aimed at getting faster must involve a holistic approach. Although running is important, set your sights on other factors as well.
Pre-Workout Stretching
Before you do any workouts for increasing speed, spend five minutes doing dynamic stretches. If you go into a workout without stretching, you run the risk of suffering a muscle injury. This can sideline you from games and even from training. Dynamic stretches, which are performed while in motion, can acclimate your body to movement and prevent muscle injury. Perform stretches like alternate toe touches, side bends, lateral lunges, leg swings, ankle bounces, shoulder shrugs and high knees.
Heavy Weight Training
The glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves all need to be strong to zip across a court or field quickly. Heavy weight training exercises will increase your strength levels. Focus on compound exercises, which work more than one muscle at a time. These promote fast gains in strength and allow you to lift heavy weights. Include exercises like squats, leg presses, deadlifts, lunges and stepups in your routine. Utilize a resistance that you can only lift eight to 12 times with proper form and aim for three to five sets.
Plyometric Exercises
Being able to accelerate out of a starting gate quickly takes explosive power. Plyometric exercises consist of a slow lengthening of a muscle, followed by a fast shortening. The end result is an explosive movement that can promote faster speeds. Perform exercises like squat jumps, split leg jumps, tuck jumps, box jumps and lateral hops. Aim for six to 10 reps and three or four sets of each exercise.
Overspeed Training
Overspeed training takes place on a hill. After doing a light warmup jog, come to the top of the hill and run down as fast as you can. Walk or jog back to the top and repeat. The hill should be about 100 feet long and free of any obstacles. Aim for 10 to 12 hill repeats and finish with a light cooldown jog on flat ground. Overspeed training prompts your body to take longer strides which creates faster running times.
Core Training
The core muscles stabilize the spine and help give you drive strength when you are running at a fast pace. Target your rectus abdominis, obliques and lower back with exercises like hanging leg raises, Russian twists, bicycle maneuvers, crunches and supermans. This will ensure that you balance out your musculature. Keep your reps in the range of 15 to 20 and aim for three or four sets.
Post-Workout Stretching
After you finish your workouts, do exercises to keep your muscles lengthened and joints flexible. If they get tight, your recovery will be compromised and you will not have good range of motion when you run. Instead of dynamic stretches, do static stretches, which are held for an extended time period. Focus on all of your major muscle groups and hold each stretch for at least 20 seconds. A quadriceps stretch is an example of a static stretch. Lift your right foot behind you, grasp it with your right hand and pull your heel up toward your butt.
Days of Training
For an optimal speed-training program, aim for a workout pattern of three days on and one day off. Your best bet is to do your heavy weight training and core exercises in the same workout. The following day, perform overspeed training, then do your plyometric exercises on the next day. Take a day off and repeat this sequence. On your off-days, feel free to attend yoga classes for a full body flexibility workout.
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