Plyometric exercises increase the ability of your muscles to create explosive motion, so they have become an integral part of speed improvement training. If you are an athlete in a multidirectional sport, such as hockey, soccer, basketball, football or rugby, explosive power forms the foundation for success, notes hockey conditioning specialist Peter Twist in “Complete Conditioning for Hockey.” You can train for greater first-step quickness in team sports or to compete in sprint distances up to 400 meters with plyometric exercises.
Skipping
Skipping helps you increase hip extension and flexion strength, as well as enhance your leg power and stride length, note speed consultants Lee E. Brown, Vance A. Ferrigno and Juan Carlos Santana in their book “Training for Speed, Agility and Quickness.” You can perform an exercise called "skip for height," driving up your free knee aggressively and vigorously swinging your arms as well. Skip as high as possible for each skip. Skip for distance is a related exercise and can further improve your stride length. Drive your knee up again but also as far forward as possible as you skip forward. Maintain your aggressive arm actions and try to preserve height as well as distance.
Split-Squat Jumps
Split-squat jumps also increase your hip power and stride length. Place your hands behind your ears. Jump straight up from a lunge position and land back in the lunge. Repeat without pausing. Keep the knee closest to the ground from actually touching. Repeat using your other leg. You can also try alternating split-squat jumps, switching leg positions on each jump.
Knee Exercises
Two exercises involving knee raises can help your speed. As the name sounds, the high knees exercise involves lifting your knees high into the air in a marching motion. For a faster version, jog while doing the butt-kickers exercise, pulling the heel of the upper leg up to bounce off the glutes, as your knee comes forward and up. You can combine the two exercises in the 4x4, which involves running four times across 30 yards continuously alternating high knees with butt-kickers. Focus during high knees on having your lower leg perpendicular to your thigh. During butt-kickers, fold the lower leg back strongly at the knee so your heel can reach your glutes.
Double-Leg Speed Hop
This exercise, contained in University of Oregon conditioning coach James Christopher Radcliffe’s book “High-Powered Plyometrics,” builds speed in the leg and hip muscles. Set up a series of small hurdles or cones about 3 feet apart. From a standing start, extend your body upward to jump over the hurdle, tucking your legs under you. Each time you land, take off quickly again with a cycling action of the legs. Execute the sequence as rapidly as possible.
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