Exercises That Get You Faster

Speed is an important factor when it comes to the ability to perform in sports. Players who want to improve often spend much of their time working on development of speed and quickness. There are specific exercises and techniques that you can use to get faster and more explosive.

Hill Running

This can be a vital factor for developing speed, power, explosiveness and quickness and is favored by many football players who want to get faster. Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Walter Payton used hill running as an offseason training staple. Running uphill builds strength and power in the legs, hips and knees, while running downhill helps improve technique and balance. Run 60 yards uphill and 60 yards downhill. Repeat this rep at least six times. "I did this throughout my career in the offseason," Rice said. "I wanted to do whatever I could to get faster. I did not want to get caught from behind."

Parachute Training

Athletes can get faster by training with resistance parachutes. These devices are worn like backpacks and when a player starts sprinting in one, the chute unfurls and creates a powerful resistance that makes it feel like you are being pulled backward. Start off at the goal line on a football field and sprint 100 yards with the chute, then turn around and sprint back to where you started. At the 50-yard mark, hit the release button and the chute will drop off. At this point you will feel a surge of speed and you will begin to run faster.

Jump Soles

Jump soles are devices that attach to the front of an athlete's shoes and help build up the calf muscles and hamstrings. When you exercise in jump soles, you can improve your speed and leaping ability. Go to the local running track and attach the jump soles to the front of your shoes. Run 20 yards in them and then walk 20 yards in them. Do five reps in this manner, take a two-minute break, and repeat the set.

Weight Training

Track and field sprinters are among the most muscular and powerful athletes. When a sprinter runs at full speed, the actions are often quite violent as each step is powerful and decisive. Weight training exercises help get the sprinter more speed with each step. Exercises like lunges, leg curls and the clean and jerk can help you build more power and get faster, according to Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute.