Improving Speed

Butty

Hi

I'm looking for some tips for exercises that specifically improve speed. I exercise regularly and play sport to a reasonably high level and one area that I fee I need to focus on is speed / take off.

I've heard that Plyometrics are supposed to be a good way of improving speed but I don't know much about it. Are there any specific exercises that people would recommend (preferably gym based)?

because_I_can

sprinting

Butty

because_I_can wrote:

sprinting

I do a reasonable amount of sprinting but I also think there's only a certain amount that it can do for me. On the other hand I think that making some slight changes to my gym exercise programme can provide some gains that I haven't got up to now.

thirtyfoot

Plyometrics are great but doing them too early or with bad form is a recipe for injury. Here is an article from Vern Gambetta on plyos. I've been doing plyos for over 20 years but still need supervision when trying a new drill to ensure I'm doing them right, particularly when I get tired and lazy in a session.
http://www.elitetrack.com/articles/gambettaplyos.pdf

Also an old article from Frank Dick on Speed
http://www.elitetrack.com/articles/maximumspeed.pdf

Lots of other stuff on speed etc on that elitetrack.com website including specific resistance training that could be done in the gym.

If its team sports you are after with lateral movements etc, SAQ is the business.
http://www.saqireland.net/

Your own version of saq can be done at home or in the gym. I know a guy who made his own saq equipment for the kids he coaches.

iregk

Plyometrics are the best option for incresing speed but you wont find these in your local gym. What they are are various exercises that concentrate on explosive power within muscles. Some examples are shuttle runs that you do in football training. Box jumps, take say 3 boxes of different height and jump onto them using a two footed jump. Skipping is another. Sprinting with a low (5k) weight attached to your waist with rope. Find a bench or long elevated piece of wood and do two footed jumps from one side to the other all the way along it. My personal fav, jog with one leg out wide coming up higher as if going over a hurdle or something. Do long stride jump jogging, kind of like the middle jump that tripple jumpers do.

All this is a basic set of plyometrics. There are many others in various forms and all will help increase speed and explosive bursts such as wearing ankle weights while walking. They are also great in reducing injury from turning sharply and ligament damage as your tend to strenghted ligaments and tendons by doing these.

Worth mentioning however that while they will give you an increased speed they will not turn you into Thiery Henry. Well worth also doing some breathing exercies as better use of oxygen to energy will help you to sustain your explosiveness and use your extra speed over a grater distance.

Google plyometric training if you want to see exactly what I'm talking about. If not, here is one page: http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/plyometric-exercise.htm

because_I_can

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