TD1 Minute: 40-Yard Dash Training Schedule and Guidelines

In this TD1 Minute weekly series, Kurt Hester, National Training Director for D1 Sports Training and a driving force behind The Dominant One Challenge, offers instructional tips on how to master your training and dominate your sport. In this installment, Hester provides a full training program for the 40-Yard Dash. For more information on the TD1 Challenge, visit thedominant1.com.

Training for the 40-Yard Dash takes serious preparation and precise scheduling. You can't use some workout that you throw together and hope for the best. To maximize efficiency and speed improvements, your program must be based on the four focal points of 40 training.

The following is an overview of a six-week training schedule that has proven to be an effective means for reducing 40 times.

Each workout consists of multiple components designed to increase speed via strength, speed and mobility exercises. Below you will find eight workout blocks that are found frequently throughout the program.

Foam and Ball Rolling (30 seconds each)

• Foot Roll
• Upper-Back Roll
• Lower-Back Roll
• Glute Roll
• Hamstring Roll
• Calf Roll
• IT Band Roll
• Psoas Roll
• Quad Roll

Short-Term Isolated Stretch (10 seconds each)

• Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
• Pigeon Hip Flexor Stretch
• Lying Quad Stretch
• Pretzel Stretch
• Hamstring Stretch
• Lower Back Stretch

Pelvic Alignment, Ankle Alignment & T-Spine Mobility

• Foam Roller Pelvic Squeeze - 3x30 seconds
• Foot Circles - 1x30
• Quadruped T-Spine Flexion - 1x15
• Wall T-spine Flexion - 1x15

Dynamic Warm-Up (30-50 yards)

• Easy Stride
• Easy Skip
• 3-Step Pick
• Quad Finger Touch
• External Rotation Skip
• High Kick
• Primetime
• Spiderman
• Stepover
• Dynowalk
• Backwards Reach Run
• Up Tall and Fall

Glute Activation

• Band Stomps - 1x10
• Band Figure 8 - 1x5 yards and back
• Cook Hip Lift - 1x10
• Band Abduction - 1x10

A-Sequence (20 yards)

• A-March
• A-Skip
• A-Run
• A-Sprint

B-Sequence

• Wall Drills
• Static Holds
• Knee Drive
• Force Down
• 123 Hold

C-Sequence (2x10 yards)

• Resisted A-March
• Resisted A-Skip
• Resisted A-Run

Stay tuned for the final installment in my TD 1 Minute series on the 40-Yard Dash, which will put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Catch up with previous articles in the series:

Perfect 40-Yard Dash Technique
40-Yard Dash Training Program
40-Yard Dash Training Focal Points