To effectively develop speed, the bulk of your training program should consist of high speed and high-quality movements. While most of you understand that SPEED is one of the most important qualities to train, most think that it’s just about adding more sprints.
While there are certainly benefits to doing more to build some work capacity and conditioning. Training for SPEED is an entirely different approach.
Here are 5 KEY concepts for speed development:
YOU NEED TO TRAIN FAST
To effectively develop speed, the training program must consist of high-speed movements. Sprints must be fast and intentional. In the weight room; barbell, jumping , resistance bands, and medicine ball exercises must be done EXPLOSIVELY.
SPEED IS NOT CONDITIONING
You can’t sprint fast when you’re tired. Speed qualities can be ruined by the repetition of slow movements (running 5k will make you slow). As a guideline, prioritize speed and power development first and supplement conditioning work in another session.
ALLOW FOR FULL RECOVERY
When training for speed effectively, sprints must be done at max intensity, jumps and med ball work must be explosive, and power exercises need to be performed fast. This also means the REST period need to be long in order to perform maximally on every set and reps.
KEEP RUNS SHORT
Speed cannot be developed in a fatigued state. When it comes to speed development, it’s WAY better to run shorter distances. Good training programs typically use 10-30+ meters to train acceleration, and 40-60 meters to train absolute speed.
LOW VOLUME & HIGH POWER OUTPUT
Less is more. The quality of training is key. It’s better to do fewer reps at high intensity versus the opposite. It can also decrease the risk of injuries.
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