speed training

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speed training

Want to know how to run faster? These articles detail tips on speed training, helping you to better your fast twitch muscles and aerobic capacity to improve your overall running techniques... To browse our library of free sports training articles, browse using the categories on the left or use the search box.

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Ladder Drill Hopping Two Forward One Back

Ladder Drill Hopping Two Forward One Back

This drill is great for developing uni-lateral (one foot) coordination as it challenges the movement skills of athletes. Hopping drills are also great for developing lower leg strength and power.


Speed training: how to improve your sprinting

Exercise workout to improve maximum speed


Speed training: warm up exercises for sports involving speed and multi-directional agility

A warm-up focused on speed and multi-directional agility


Speed training: acceleration workouts

How to develop acceleration from a stationary position


Speed training: how sprinters can increase their speed endurance

An 8-week speed endurance programme for sprinters


Speed training for veterans: how to combat the decline of speed and power

Speed development for master athletes


Speed and power training: understanding your fast twitch muscles will boost performance

Muscles and muscle fibre


Speed training for sprinters: sprinting exercises should be performed throughout the entire training year

The short to long approach involves speed training through the year with athletes performing sprint training right from the start of the season


Circuit training: developing speed, skill and endurance

Sprint-specific speed circuits


Circuit training: speed test

Circuits are not traditionally associated with the development of speed or skill. They tend to be viewed as ways to develop strength endurance and foundation fitness, upon which more specific sports fitness can be built as the playing/competition season approaches.


Speed Training: improving deceleration will benefit sports performance!

Improving your ability to slow down and stop rapidly might seem totally at odds with the goal of improving sports performance. But as John Shepherd explains, specific deceleration training drills will not only improve speed around the field or court, but can also reduce the risk of injury


Short and sweet – why all sportsmen and women should consider 40m sprinting!

Short and sweet – why all sportsmen and women should consider 40m sprinting!


Road cycling: Interval training for speed

Interval training to improve anaerobic power and sprinting ability in road cycling


Aerobic and Anaerobic Energy Systems

Understanding your Energy Systems for Endurance and Speed Training


Tabata Interval Training for Strength and Endurance

Time-efficient strength and endurance workout


Circuit Training: how to increase speed

Circuit Training: how to increase speed

Speed is the capacity to perform successive movements at a fast rate. As well as thinking about speed as ‘running speed’ it is really the development of the ability to move the limbs quickly, which is needed in a variety of sports and events, e.g. javelin, discus, tennis, squash etc. Therefore, there is more to think about than just performing flat out sprints.


Vibration Training to Enhance Speed, Power and Flexibility

Increasing Speed with Vibration Training


Zone Training: Planning Your Cycling Training Program

Zone Training for Cycling to help you get the Yellow Jersey


Zig Zag Sprints

Zig Zag Sprints

A useful agility drill to develop acceleration, deceleration and rapid changes in direction whilst sprinting. Coaches can use this drill to teach correct sprinting mechanics and body position for acceleration.


Ladder Drill Ins and Outs

Ladder Drill Ins and Outs

An excellent drill for developing co-ordination and timing. Have your athletes perform the movements correctly and with good technique before asking them to increase speed.


Ladder Drill Jumps

Ladder Drill Jumps

Possibly the easiest of the Ladder Drills. Can be used as an introductory exercise to those new to ladder drills.


Ladder Drill Jumps Two Forward One Back

Ladder Drill Jumps Two Forward One Back

A simple yet effective drill for developing coordination and speed. Make sure athletes are able to perform the drill correctly before progressing.


Ladder Drill Scissors

Ladder Drill Scissors

Supplement your core speed and agility drills with this one that challenges accuracy and precision whilst moving the whole body quickly. Be sure to have good technique before advancing the speed of this drill.


Ladder Drill: One Foot in Each Rung

Ladder Drill: One Foot in Each Rung

The most simple of ladder drills can be used for beginners and young athletes to teach them about moving quickly. The ladder drill can also be used to teach running mechanics. This ladder drill is easily mastered and improvements can be made in a short period of time.


Ladder Drill: Two Feet in Each Rung

Ladder Drill: Two Feet in Each Rung

A progression from the One Foot in Each Rung drill, challenges the speed of co-ordination of the athlete. Have the athlete perform the drill correctly by asking them to start off slowly to get a feel of the movement.


Ladder Drill: Two Forward One Back

Ladder Drill: Two Forward One Back

One of the more complex ladder drills, it helps develop co-ordinated quickness in two directions: forwards and back. Have the athlete progress at their own rate through this drill by asking them to complete the drill correctly before performing the drill at maximum speed.


Lateral Ladder Drill

Lateral Ladder Drill

Challenges co-ordination by teaching quick lateral movements. This drill can also be used as an aid for teaching correct lateral movement mechanics.


Lateral Zig Zags

Lateral Zig Zags

One of the most common movements in sport is running side-ways on an angle. This drill helps develop lateral speed and changes in lateral direction. It can also be used as an effective tool to develop lateral running mechanics.


Speed Training: Compression Clothing

Compression clothing – can it help you squeeze out a PB?


Body Fat and Running Performance

Optimum Running Performance and Body Fat Levels


Acceleration Training for Peak Performance

learn how to increase speed to make a quick getaway


Speed training workouts: does the over-speed training technique work?

How effective is over-speed training and how best can you implement it for maximum benefit?


whole body vibration

Whole body vibration: no use for trained sprinters


fast-twitch muscles

Fast-twitch muscles: Twitch and you're gone - all you need to know about developing fast-twitch muscle fibre for speed, power and strength


endurance muscles

Endurance muscles: Why endurance athletes cannot afford to ignore the vital contribution of fast-twitch muscle fibres


rotational power

Building rotational power: all you need to know about getting in shape to perform zippy turns on the hoof


speed | age | sprint training

Speed and age - The bad news is that speed declines with age; the good news is that you can arrest, even reverse, this degenerative process


speed agility quickness training | SAQ training

Speed agility quickness - SAQ training


frappier acceleration program

Frappier acceleration program


uphill sprinting

Uphill sprinting


overspeed training

Overspeed training: Downhill sprinting, elastic cord sprinting and the concept of 'overspeed' training


powerbag training

The Powerbag


Speedballs | speedball training | speed ball

Speedballs


foot-flexor devices | dorsiflexed sprinting

Foot-flexor devices


Speed training: testing to find out if your speed is increasing

If you need to know if you’re getting faster over time, these are the tests for you


Speed training: bounding to improve performance!

Bounding to increase your running speed


Speed training: how a treadmill can help athletes run faster

The Frappier super treadmill


Speed training: how hill running will make an athlete faster

Speed hill training improves performance in football, rugby, basketball, cricket - and even running


The legs of female dancers

female dancers legs


Speed parachutes

Speed Parachutes: Displaying their bold maize and blue colors, the chutes billow out behind runners during workouts, attached by cords to the athletes' chests.


Sequencing in Training 1

Sequencing In Training 1: Get your training in order: how sequencing determines your overall fitness


Muscle fibre types

Muscle Fibre Types: Why tapering after intense training boosts sprinting speed


Training dietary regimes

Training Dietary Regimes: You can lead a footballer to a proper diet, but can you make him eat it?


Overspeed training

Overspeed Training: Does making your legs work faster than normal actually make you a quicker athlete?


Lactate threshold running speed

Lactate Threshold Running Speed: This New Zealand research shows why it makes sense to boost your lactate threshold running speed.


Wheelchair athletes training

Wheelchair Athletes Training: A strength and sprint training programme for pre-elite wheelchair athletes


Sports Injury prevention

Sports Injury Prevention: Eliminate these training errors and reduce your chances of getting hurt.


speed training | 1 mile

Speed Training: If you want to improve your one-mile times, follow these speed-building workouts.


Veteran runners, foot speed

Veteran Runners: improve your foot speed


Speed training for endurance athletes

Speed training is important for distance runners


Performance tests

How to monitor your maximal running speed, your power and your endurance - in training.


Age and exercise 2

Age And Exercise: Just a few years ago, exercise experts were certain about one thing: once endurance athletes reached the age of 35, there was no turning back. At 35, aerobic capacity began a steady decline, slow at first, but picking up momentum once athletes reached their mid-forties and then plunging out of control at about the age of 60. It was believed that very little could be done to alter this unremitting loss of fitness


"run-play" training

"run-play" Training: These workouts can boost fitness, speed, endurance and correct weaknesses - and are fun to do.


Increasing speed: short intervals

Increasing Speed: Short Intervals: Athletes use short intervals to increase speed, add variety to their workouts, and improve anaerobic power and lactic-acid tolerance, but short-interval sessions aren't without problems.


Black and white: a comparison

Is it their high-intensity training that makes black African runners so fast?


Training volume

Training Volume: Long workouts and fast twitch muscles - a nice combination


Triathlon Clothing: the benefits of wearing a wetsuit

Triathletes - why a wetsuit will improve your swimming leg


Triathlon Clothing: the benefits of wearing a wetsuit

Triathletes - why a wetsuit will improve your swimming leg


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