Speed Training Tip

One speed training tip that is essential for every athlete is that speed training cannot be effective without some form of quickness training, as well.

Quickness is the ability of the central nervous system to engage, relax or generally control muscle function without any preliminary stretch. The measurement of quickness is that of the time between the initial stimulus and the initiation of the action. For a runner, a good example of quickness measurement is the time between when he or she hears the starting pistol and when he or she initiates the run.

Training for quickness is not the same as training for absolute speed, though it is an integral part of effective speed training. Quickness is immediate movement reactions to stimuli and can be thought of as the initial phase of speed. Anticipation is also highly connected with quickness. An athlete will learn to anticipate the stimulus and so that when the actual stimulus appears, the athlete will be well prepared for action.

Quickness development is a direct result of neural pathway development in the brain. As the brain becomes accustomed to the necessary steps the body must take to perform an action after a stimulus, the brain is able to forge neural pathways to make it easier for the body to perform these actions. As the neural pathways are formed, the neural messages are sent faster, allowing the body to react faster and increasing the overall quickness. Therefore, consistent repetition of sport-specific quickness drills utilizing real-world stimuli are absolutely essential to producing gains in quickness.

Drills geared solely for quickness development should last around six to 8 seconds. Quickness development drills are well-place in a program during the warm-up preceding weight training work. Simple hand-eye and bodily reaction drills like ball drops, shadowing and even dodge ball also make for excellent ways to keep the mind challenged and keep the activities fresh.

Before beginning quickness training with an athlete, it is always helpful to establish the athlete’s current level of quickness. This allows the coach and athlete to have a base of comparison, but also to evaluate strengths and weaknesses. While the athlete should continue to develop in areas in which she already has strengths, special training emphasis should be put on quickness areas in which she is weaker. Quickness drills can be done two to three times a week.

As a speed training tip on its own, quickness training is invaluable. As quickness develops for the athlete and starting time drops, the athlete will be able to shave valuable time off the overall run. Whether the run involved is a 40 yard dash or a sprint across a field to catch a football, improved quickness gives incomparable athletic benefits.

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