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Speed Training TechniquesWhen it comes to getting faster, speed training technique must be a focal point of any training program. Regardless of age, sport or gender, young athletes suffer from a significant number of form problems that hold them back from competing to the best of their abilities. The reason is that such mechanical problems lead to inefficiency when running that causes athletes to move slower, regardless of the amount of effort they put into their running. In this article we’ll cover a few of the most common technical errors and provide a solution so that athletes can get more out of their training. The first issue that must be addressed is that of upper body mechanics, more specifically arm action. When running, drive the arms straight back. This will prevent them from swinging across the athlete’s body because the arms should never cross the midline of the body. The arm angle should stay between 90 – 130 degrees on the back swing and 70 – 90 degrees with the front swing. Be sure to get a full range of motion with the arms, clearing the hip in back and coming up to cheek height in front. Keep the hands relaxed, as well as the face and arms. It is nearly impossible to make significant improvements to lower body mechanics if the upper body is all over the place, yet many coaches and athletes neglect to place emphasis on this element of running. One of the main problems inexperienced athletes have with their speed training technique is that of ‘reaching’. This means that, while running, their foot lands out in front of the body. This places extreme stress on the legs, especially the hamstrings. The result is increased likelihood of injury (hamstring pulls, plantar fasciitis, tight/sore calves) and slower times. Remember, the longer that the feet stay on the ground when running, the slower the athlete is going. When the foot lands out in front of the body, not only is power output decreased, but the athlete’s ground contact time is increased. Therefore, the primary point of emphasis when developing speed training technique is to teach athletes to step over the opposite knee and drive the foot down into the ground. Faster acceleration and top speeds are the result of applying more force to the ground. That means that the foot must land underneath the hips with each stride, with the toe dorsiflexed (pointing up). Proper speed training technique is as follows: After toe off, the active leg foot should recover underneath the hips. From this point, step over the support leg knee with the active leg heel. Once the heel clears the knee, drive it straight back down into the ground, don’t let it continue to ark out past the body in a cyclical motion so that the foot ‘gets away’ from the body and lands out in front causing a breaking action. The active muscles in running should be the glutes (butt) and hamstring. After the foot strikes the ground, push off the ground with the intention of pushing the ground back and away from the body as it travels past. This may sound complicated, but when you see it performed correctly, it is quite easy to understand. That is why I strongly suggest finding a complete speed training resource that will demonstrate the multiple drills that effectively teach speed training technique.
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