One of the most important attributes of athleticism is speed. It can differentiate good players from great players, and it's one of the most sought-after abilities on the playing field—regardless of the sport.
Speed training drills must be learned correctly and practiced constantly to truly enhance your speed. You need to perform drills that enhance the four basic components of speed training: Stride Length, Stride Frequency, Acceleration and Speed Endurance. Below are speed training drills that emphasize each one. These drills work for athletes of any sport.
Stride Length: The amount of distance covered between strides. A product of proper running form and force generated off the ground.
Sets/Distance: 4x30 yards
The number of strides within a given distance. This is a combination of how fast you can move through the stride cycle and ground contact time.
Sets/Distance: 4x15 yards (five yards of Quick Feet; 10 yards of High Knees)
Acceleration: The ability to increase speed over a given distance. Usually from a stationary or slow-moving situation to full speed, with emphasis on push-off force.
Sets/Distance: 4x30 yards
Speed Endurance: The ability to support top speed over a given period. Largely improved by anaerobic interval conditioning.
Perform these at full speed with monitored rest periods. Pick a distance proper to your sport (see below). Gradually decrease the rest-to-work ratio. Start at 3:1 and then move to 2:1 and so forth.
Sets/Reps: 5-10x1
When starting to develop a speed training program, make sure that you begin with the basics and move up progressively. If you can consistently do the simple things well, you will build a great foundation of speed that will be perfected over the course of your career.
Read these articles for more great speed training drills:
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Wray Watkins is the director of strength and conditioning at MVP Sports Centers in Lake Forest, Calif. He has worked with athletes from the NFL, MLB and MLS, as well as several Olympic Gold Medalists. Watkins also runs an international internship program through MVP. He received his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from San Diego State University in 2002.
