Get Faster: Overview

By Brandon GuarneriPublished On: 2012-04-19

Welcome to STACK’s resource center for athletes looking to get faster. Our complete guide to speed will help any athlete—from beginner to elite—improve all facets of his or her speed.
Read on to begin the journey to your fastest times ever.
Athletes get faster by training for speed in a variety of ways. The most immediate way to run faster is by refining your sprint mechanics or running form. But speed is also built from a complete, well-rounded approach to training. Building strength in the weight room through multi-joint exercises helps athletes develop lower-body power, which allows them to generate more force into the ground and greater speed when sprinting. Similarly, plyometrics build explosion and sport-specific drills that replicate game-like movement patterns and help athletes get faster in their sport.
To develop a complete arsenal of speed weapons for your sport, you’ll need to focus on the different types of speed. By improving first-step quickness and acceleration, you’ll more easily separate from defenses. By increasing your speed endurance, you’ll be able to run faster for a longer period of time. Don’t forget to work on your agility and change-of-direction skills, two huge factors for success in sports, which require you to react and redirect several times during a play.
This comprehensive approach is proven to help athletes get faster. Assimilate the information within, and the same will be true for you.