"The Need for Speed"
To improve speed the following has to take place.
I. Proper Form
1. Technique
2. Rhythm
3. Ladder (stride length x stride frequency)
II. Increase the force applied to the running surface.
1. Arm Action.
2. Body Lean
3. Knee drive and "foot " under the Center of Mass.
4. Weight lifting- Increase muscle strength/power
Specfically Deadlift
Flat feet -perfect knee alignment - Head up - back stright)
5. Ankle and joint flexibility (increase the angles)
6. Pull a sled
7. Run up hill
8. Sprint up bleachers; 20 steps walk back
9. Train with a rhythmic/progressive Step Ladder.
III. Repeat 1000’s of Technical Exercises
1. Arm action
2. Knee drive
3. Foot placement
4. Increase the Ankle flexibility
Writers Note: Speed does not come if you do not pay attention to detail. The arm action must be proper and in rhythm. The foot placement must be correct and “under” the center of the mass. There must be a “push” created from the toe/ball of the foot leaving the surface as the lead knee is driven forward. The body must “lean” from the ankle with a firm line from the shoulders thought the hip to the ankle.
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Speed and Conditioning
“I feel the need, the need for speed!” Top Gun (1986)
Here are two programs that will help conditioning and speed development
The warm-up is done on a daily basis and the plyometric program is once every 7 to 10 days.
Technical Warm-up
20 yards down and back for each exercise. This is to be done everyday for warm-up.
1. Form Run (Similar to high knees but avoid bringing the knees to high and “drive” the arms aggressively. While driving the arms the wrist will stop at the waist on the “down stroke” and the thumb will reach the chin on the “up swing.” Keep the arms bent approximately 90 degrees. Avoid sitting or bending at the waist and you must lean the body from the ankles.
2. Butt Kicks
3. Skips
4. Karaoke
5. Step-out (step into lunge and drive both arms up)
6. Quick feet (moving forward) for 5yards, then Jog for 5 yards, then quick feet for 5 yards and jog for 5 yards… etc
7. 20 yard acceleration
Plyometric Circuit – The Dirty Dozen
20 yards down and back for each plyometric exercise. This circuit is to be done once every 7-10 days. Think form, form, and more form!
1. High Knees
2. Butt Kicks
3. Skips; form and medium speed
4. Walking Lunge
5. Ski Hop side to side
6. 1 hop out, 1 hop up (bunny hop)
7. Karaoke
8. Backboard slide/hop
9. 2 hops out, 1 hop up (bunny hop)
10. Bounding stride (Deer Leap)
11. Fast skips
12. sprint/acceleration
Rest 2 minutes and repeat the circuit 3 to 6 times in one training session.
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Sent: Thu, May 19, 2011 3:04:14 AM
Subject: Need for Speed
good morning,
this is my outline for speed..
the Ladders are the/a "secret" ingredient... ; ]'
my "second" long jumper jumped 8.01 yesterday with only the Ladder "in put" from me.. i started with him March 15.
a third jumper jumped 7.28 but "fowled" 8 meters trying to get used to the speed my approach run was giving him.. (he has since jumed 7.61m)
I now have 3 long jumpers... 8.41, 8.01, 7.48 soon to be 8.. and my decathlete jumped 7.65 and a second decathlete jumped 7.41...
later
dj
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………....................................................................................................................................Fri, May 20, 2011 7:56:36 PM
Re: Fw: Need for Speed
From: Joe Oliveri
View Contact
To: David Johnston <davidfjohnston@yahoo.com>
________________________________________
Hey coach, thanks a ton for the program! It looks good, but I have a few simple questions.
REGARDING TECHNICAL WARM-UP:
1) Is the Form Run meant to be performed at a "jog" pace, walking pace or other??
2) Are the skips mentioned A-skips, B-skips or some other type of skip?? (I've heard a lot of different warm-up drills referred to as skips)
3) Regarding the Step-Up's, am I meant to just get up on my toes (on the way up), or am I meant to leave the ground?? (jump or just two-six inches?)
4) For the Quick-Feet, for the "quick portion", are those meant to be like a high-knee? or a really fast shuffle? or something else?
REGARDING PLYO-CIRCUIT:
1) are the skips mentioned the same one as in the technical warm-up?? How do they differ??
2) for the "bunny hops", for the 'out' am i going for max distance followed by an instant upward-hop??
3) what are blackboard slide/hops??
4) Are the "fast skips" just a faster version of the #3 drill in this circuit??
OTHER QUESTIONS:
1) Would it make sense (be healthy) to start the Hill-Program in September in parallel with a Stair-workout (perhaps alternating days) and continue that for 6 weeks, and then in November start one of the other programs??
2) for the hill-program, is 2%-5% steep at all? or is it steeper than I'm thinking?? Can this workout be performed on a steeper incline??
3) Where does your bungee-ladder-system come into play if we're using cones for the ladder-program?? You don't need to send me a sample ladder, but perhaps you could explain it to me (how it's built, where it comes into play in the program) and I can build one myself. Perhaps you can go into more detail with the ladder-program.
Thanks DJ, I really owe you!!!
-Joe/6P
Joebro
good morning.
to answer your questions...
1.. Form Run.. most coaches call them "high knees" i don't emphasis the high knee part.. they are 50%.. slight body lean (no sitting like footballers commonly do) ball of the foot directly under the butt.. no "pawing"/slapping the ground. knees parallel or less. the arms swing bent.. "hammer" action... with very little "open" on the swing.. the wrist of the forward arm reaches chin high.. the wrist of the "down arm" reaches the "hip pointer/waist band.
note: every exercise i do keeps the "ball' of the foot directly under the butt... and "behind" the knee on the up/forward drive.
2. same as the "form run" but "skipping" sliding forward and landing on the launch foot.. right-left-right-left.. never extend the lower leg or do straight legs in front of the hips.. never. those exercises, sometimes called for legged reach.. on "damage" the hamstring.. and do nothing from a physiological stand point. again no "pawing".. one set medium speed.. longer "air time" another quick.. pop-pop-pop-pop..
3. was this a "walking lunge" or from the weight workout.. from the weight workout we use "dumbbells' and do heavy weight/12 inch box pushing up on the toes.. and light weight 4" box.. quick.. bounce-bounce.. alternating toes/ball of the foot.
4. fast shuffle.. 5 yards.. jog 5 yards.. shuffle 5 yds- jog 5 etc
Plyo.
1. yes
2. hop out.. long- land and go straight up-land- hop out long-land-go straight up...
3. backboard slide.. i coached basketball and designed this for BB also.. in the guy you start by standing under one corner of the board and jump-touch-land-"slide/jump" across-jump up touch-land-slide back across-jump up..etc..
4. yes.
other
1. good idea.. just don't do the "resistance" (hill or stair) everyday..., they body needs recovery and although you could do one or the other of these.. everyday.. the quality will decline and the benefit is minimized.. when we do stairs, hills or pull the sled we do them pretty much "all out" speed up the stairs, speed pulling the weight.. speed up the hill.. the key to using these exercises is the correct from...
these exercises MAKE you run correctly.. and are "self correcting"... that is the reason they work.. you can't sprint up the stadium steps without knee drive.. forward body lean, push off, landing on the ball of the foot and correct arm action..
the Ladders just add to the proper "form" and progressive stride length which keys the body to push "out" on every stride but get the feet (ball of the foot) back to the track, under the COM, FAST........................
2 . steeper incline will not allow you to use correct form... too much body lean.. you are already getting "forced" lean from the sled.. the hill is enough "resistance" for some but not too much.. and to emphasize speed.. and quick action/push from the ball of the foot..
Note... the athlete pushes himself/herself down the track.. that's why "pawing' is not a part of running..fast... if you are "pushing" correctly AND have a low/high flexibility number in your ankles...what i mean by this, without a lot of detail, is if you lift your toe the less "gap' between the toe and the shin the better... we do extra angle flex exercises, warming up, in the weight room with dead lifts, squats etc... we do not use "raised heel shoes, or lifts under our heels.. from day one we only lift what we can lift "safely with the foot FLAT on the floor.. i watch constantly to see if the athlete's heel "pops" from the floor on the down "squat" stroke of the dead lift and squats... very important.. for the correct ankle flexion for speed.. and jumping...period
3. the "Ladder" is an invention that i'm in the process of getting to market.. the numbers i gave you with the cones will suffice for the program i gave you... to be "progressive" the faster you run the more spacing proportionately you need to be correct..
i'll let you know when they are available..
hope this helps..
dj .
Six Week Speed Program
Building Speed - a 6 Week Program
Always have at least 1 maybe 2 days of rest between sessions. Rest and Recovery is very important in your progressive physical development and improvement. Rest can be an “active rest” which includes light weights, skills and agility/mobility training.
These three programs match each other in workload, strength development, power development, intensity and technique. You can choose just one of the programs and complete that program 2/3 times per week for 6 weeks or you can mix the programs and alternate them each training day for 6 weeks.
It is most common to use one program for 6 weeks based on availability in your situation. The most common mixed program has been to pull the sled for 3 weeks as specified and use the Speed Ladder program for the final 3 weeks.
Note: If you will do one of these programs in conjunction with a form/technical program and weight training I can assure you that you will get faster!
I. Speed Ladder Program
a. Active/Technical Warm-up
b. Speed Ladder
Place cones at 6’6, 15’, 25’, 36’, 48’, 60’ = (20 yards)
Take 2 strides/steps between each cone. Start with left foot on start cone. You should hit each cone with your left foot. Walk Back.
After the first week, sprint the yardage indicated after each ladder. Use good sprint form.
Week 1 6 x ladder
Week 2 6 x ladder + 10 yd sprint
Week 3 6 x ladder + 20 yd sprint
Week 4 6 x ladder + 30 yd sprint
Week 5 6 x ladder + 40 yd sprint
Week 6 6 x ladder + 50 yd sprint
II. Sled Program
a. Active/Technical Warm-up
b. Pull Sled for 20 to 70 yards.
Rest 1-2 minutes between each pull
Suggestions: be creative; for the sled you can use a professional sled, tires & rope or a regular toboggan/kids sled and rope with weights stacked on the sled.
Week 1 6 x 20yds 25lbs
Week 2 6 x 30yds 20lbs
Week 3 6 x 40yds 15lbs
Week 4 6 x 50yds 10lbs
Week 5 6 x 60yds 5lbs
Week 6 6 x 70yds 0lbs
III. Uphill Running Program
a. Active/technical Warm-Up
b. Uphill Running. 2-5% hill (this is more like a steady rise, not a hill). Walk back between each.
Week 1 6 x 20yds
Week 2 6 x 30yds
Week 3 6 x 40yds
Week 4 6 x 50yds
Week 5 6 x 60yds
Week 6 6 x 70yds
dj
some athletes want and excuse....... the others are champions.........