Speed

The purpose of the Speed Development workout is to teach you to run more efficiently. If you begin to run more efficiently, you WILL become FASTER.

The philosophy on developing SPEED is:

  1. Sprint technique is a skill.
  2. Speed improvement is evident when the mechanisms of speed are properly applied.
  3. This speed system is based on a ONE WORD vocabulary that is in reference to each body part.
  4. The athlete must master each technique at 50% speed, 75% speed, 90% speed, then 100% speed. Learn the UPPER BODY techniques first and then proceed to the LOWER BODY. Only learn and train a few techniques per day. Mastering just ONE technique at FULL SPEED can and will help you develop your physical potential.

Upper Body

  1. Focus - Eyes straight ahead. Avoid head tilt.
  2. Hands - Closed hand with thumb on index finger, palms facing the body.
  3. Fix - Elbows fixed at a 90 degree angle at all times.
  4. Rotate - Arms swing at shoulder joint.
  5. Pocket - Hands come down through the pocket below the hip, past the buttocks.
  6. Pull - Long and hard action of the arms from the chest down through the pocket, past the buttocks.
  7. Squeeze - Elbows squeeze to the body rotating vertically. Do not rotate arms across the body.
  8. Hammer -Violent action of the arms downward.
  9. Arch - Upper Back: Pinch shoulder blades moving shoulders back slightly. Lower Back: Small arch in lower back.

Lower Body

  1. Punch - Knees drive OUT and FORWARD, not up.
  2. Hang - Foreleg hangs down, with foot relaxed. Do not flex foot, relax lower leg and foot.
  3. Snap - Snap foot down and back under the hip.
  4. Tall - Run tall in 40 yard sprint after 10 yards.

Speed Stance (3-point stance)

  1. Get as close to the line as you can (comfortably).
  2. 6-18 inches from back foot to front foot.
  3. Feet point straight.
  4. Ground hand directly under right shoulder.
  5. Fire arm locked at 90 degrees.
  6. Scrape down hand to lock.
  7. Punch out to destination.
  8. Keep head down - focus on back toe - head will lift between 7-10 yards.
  9. All weight on front leg and down hand.
  10. There can be no lack of effort. Fire through start and cycle hard.