Resistance Training

Speed Training Equipment
Resistance Training

Of all of the speed training equipment available, perhaps the most essential fall into the realm of resistance training equipment.

Though in a variety of forms, all resistance training equipment is designed to add extra resistance to the athlete as he or she attempts to move through a range of motion. In this case, we’ll explore three different types of speed training equipment, specifically, three different types of resistance trainers used to add resistance to a runner.

A partner resistance training band, available in a variety of different forms, roughly consists of a harness for the training athlete, a bungee cord attached to the hardness and a handle attached to the other end of the bungee cord. A training partner holds on to the handle to add resistance as the athlete runs.

The benefit of this apparatus is that the amount of resistance can be easily controlled by the training partner and varied as he or she sees fit. This can also be a negative element, however, since it is virtually impossible to create a consistent rate of resistance that would better allow the body to train for its goal. Additionally, and obviously, the partner resistance training band is a piece of speed training equipment that cannot be used by the athlete on his own.

Parachute resistance equipment involves a small parachute attached to a harness. The parachute catches the wind as the athlete runs and serves to add resistance to the run. Some resistance chutes feature adjustable resistance and some do not. The benefits of the chute include portability, the ability to use it on one’s own and a relatively consistent rate of resistance.

Negative factors come from the nature of the apparatus itself. The parachute device is useful only once the athlete has begun moving and created wind, therefore the chute resistance does not affect starting time. Also, the chute can be affected by slightly adverse weather and winds.

A sled resistance apparatus involves a flat, weighted surface for dragging on the ground attached to a harness. The flat, weighted surface, or sled, usually features an upright pole in the center for adding weight plates. The benefits of a sled for resistance training are that it ensures consistent resistance, the consistent resistance is variable and the apparatus allows the athlete to train alone.

A negative aspect, however, is that the angle of resistance is not necessarily ideal. The angle of resistance with the sled is downward, whereas the angle of resistance with the partner training band and the parachute are directly horizontal to the running athlete.

Each type of resistance apparatus is worth carefully experiment with for the speed training athlete. Athletes may find that their particular training need favor one type of equipment over another, or they may find that varying equipment best serves their need. Regardless, resistance training is an absolutely essential part of training for speed and represents portions of the speed training equipment category that simply cannot be overlooked.

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