Most people just start speed and power training, not understanding how it works. Just sprinting will help increase a small amount of your speed and power but not your potential. Systemic changes are required to enhance and boost it. For example, your speed and power development depend on your strength training. Power and speed require potentiation, which means the ability to reach a peak of power through strength.

In strength training, it’s worth noting that slow eccentric and isometric training methods are highly effective for developing potential. The stronger you become, the more force you can apply, translating directly into improved power and speed.

However, it’s crucial to understand your sport’s specific demands first before partaking in conditioning. Tailoring your training regimen to the constraints and requirements of your sport is vital.

The goal of your training should be to amplify, not hinder, your performance on the field or court.

Choosing the Proper Conditioning Program

When choosing a conditioning program, developing what you specifically need for your sport is essential.

For example:

• If you are a football player, understand the time you have as rest between plays and what type of power you need, from just a few reps to endurance.
• If you play soccer, understand how much time is spent walking, jogging, and sprinting.
• And the same goes for hockey and basketball.

It is essential to understand your energy systems and your sport so you can hone in on your training. Athletes often do training programs they don’t need that are detrimental and diminish their performance, like a baseball pitcher doing a CrossFit program.

• First, understand what systems you primarily use.
• Secondly, understand how you use your power and speed. Once you know the process, you can condition it.

Here are some excellent and general ways to condition your speed and power.

EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute)

These workouts can be valuable to a power and speed conditioning program. They provide a structured format that can help improve both power and speed when appropriately designed. EMOM is just a method. You can adjust the time and reps according to your sport or position.

When designing an EMOM workout for power and speed conditioning, consider the following:

Exercise Selection

Choose exercises that target the specific aspects of power and speed you want to improve—plyometrics, sprints, Olympic lifts, etc.

Repetition or Time

Do you want to do 5-10 reps or choose and use 10 seconds? Choose how many sets you want to do—for example, 10 seconds EMOM for 10 minutes.

Speed, Power, or Agility

Choose a lightweight if you want to develop speed. Or a heavy weight for power.

Overall, EMOM workouts can be a valuable power and speed conditioning tool when thoughtfully incorporated into your training program and tailored to your needs and goals.

Sample Programming

1- Start with Olympic Cleans for power, doing five reps every minute for 10 minutes.

2- Kettlebell swings for 10 seconds every minute for 15 minutes.

3- You can alternate Olympic Cleans and Kettlebell Swings every other minute for 15 minutes.

French Contrast Training

Elite athletes often use it and involve exercises designed to maximize neuromuscular adaptations. French sports scientist Gilles Cometti created and popularized this training technique. It is sometimes called “contrast training.”

The French Contrast Training typically consists of four phases, each focusing on different aspects of performance.

Heavy Resistance (Strength Phase)

The first exercise produces post-activation-potential, PAP, to supercharge the nervous system and generate high force using 85-90% 1RM. It primes fast-twitch muscle fibers. Remember, the first exercise only stimulates, not fatigues. If fatigue kicks in, your movement goes from highly stimulated to inhibitory. You must understand this, or PAP will not work for you and affect the second exercise.

Bodyweight Exercise (Speed Phase)

The second exercise is a plyometric one that uses potential produced from the first. The elevated response from the first exercise makes the plyometric exercise more explosive than normal. Perform five reps.

Explosive Resistance (Power Phase)

The third exercise is a weighted plyometric movement or a weighted movement at about 50 percent 1RM. This is the phase where you use explosive power in a fatigued state. Perform 5 reps.

Assisted Phase

The fourth exercise is an overspeed-assisted plyometric or plyometric exercise. An assisted plyometric helps you to stay explosive and fast in a fatigued state. For example, use a resistance band to help you do a pull-up, jump, or run downhill. A movement that allows you to maintain speed with assistance. Perform five reps.

If you don’t feel explosive in the second exercise, use the third as the second and the second as the third. Switch them.

The fundamental principles and benefits of French Contrast Training include:

Potentiation Effect: The transition from heavy to explosive resistance is designed to take advantage of the increased neural drive and muscle activation created by heavy lifting. This can lead to greater power output during the explosive phase.

Time-Efficient: French Contrast Training is efficient because it combines various training elements in one session, making it ideal for athletes with limited time.

Adaptation: It helps challenge the neuromuscular system, improving strength, power, and speed.

Sport-Specificity: This training method can be tailored to the specific needs of individual sports, making it an effective tool for enhancing athletic performance.

The idea behind French Contrast Training is that the heavy resistance exercise “potentiates” or primes the neuromuscular system, making the subsequent explosive practice more effective.

Sample Program Lower Body

• Squats
• Vertical Jumps with Dumbbells or Cleans
• Box Jumps
• Resistance Band Squat Jumps

Sample Program Upper Body

• Bench Press
• Plyometric Pushups
• Dumbbell Presses
• Pushups

Here are some other effective conditioning methods.

Interval Training

Interval training involves alternating low and high-intensity efforts for recovery. This can be applied to running, cycling, or other activities to improve cardiovascular fitness, power, and speed. Examples include High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Tabata.

Fartlek Training

Fartlek, a Swedish term meaning “speed play,” is a training method that combines continuous running with interval training. Athletes vary their pace and intensity throughout the workout, incorporating speed and power.

Hill Sprints

Running uphill forces the body to exert maximum effort, improving power and speed. Hill sprints are an excellent way to build leg strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Plyometric Training

Plyometrics includes explosive exercises like box jumps, squat jumps, and depth jumps. These exercises focus on generating maximum force in minimal time, enhancing power and speed.

Complex Training

Complex training combines strength and plyometric or speed exercises. For example, performing heavy squats followed by vertical jumps. This approach leverages the post-activation potentiation effect, improving speed and power.

Olympic Lifting

Olympic lifts are excellent for building power and speed. However, they require a learning curve before you start lifting a weight explosively from the ground to overhead in one motion. They are perfect for developing power and speed.

Shuttle Runs Drills

Sprint drills can include various distances and rest intervals to challenge different speed and power aspects. Focus on short, long, and lateral shuttles.

Recommended Reading

Check out my INSTANT STRENGTH book for total strength, speed, and power programs and more Contrast Training routines.

To maximize stability, mobility, and flexibility, check out my book, THE BALANCED BODY.

To see great exercises, methods, and techniques videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel, BALANCED BODY.