When putting together a speed training workout, it’s always best to attempt to cater that workout to your specific goals and sport-specific needs. Your mind and body will more quickly adapt to your individual needs if you repeatedly train them to do so. That said, however, there are general and sample speed training workouts that can be used to increase your speed, quickness, agility and power across most disciplines

Below, you’ll find a sample program. Please bear in mind that each exercise is appropriate for you if it feels like a challenge but does not feel like it is completely out of your skill set. To avoid injury, you must listen to your own body. Also, no athlete should attempt this, or any other speed training workout, without a basic base of cardiovascular and strength ability.

Warm up:
Engage in moderate cardiovascular activities like jumping rope or jogging for roughly five to ten minutes. Follow your warm up with dynamic stretches for the entire body, including, but not limited to:

High knee walking
Lateral lunges
Leg swings to the front and back, side to side and in circles
Skipping
Upright twisting through the torso

Speed Drills:
This portion of your speed training workout is used to develop and build upon your quickness skills. Coming from a stationary position, you want to train your body to move into maximal speed in the shortest amount of time. Experiment with speed drills like these:

Accelerations from a stationary position to a sprint for 30 yards
Backwards run
Accelerations from a stationary position into a fast and high skip for 30 yards

Speed Workout:
For the sprint portion of your speed training program, you have the option of either training in a progression of lengths (once at 10 yards, 3 times at 40 yards, twice at 60 yards and once at 100 yards) or working at just one length if you are training for a sport in which going longer than a certain length is unnecessary. (For example, you may choose to sprint for 25 yards three times through, break for upper body or core muscle work, and repeat 4 to 5 times.) The choice will depend on your particular goals

Plyometrics:
After an adequate rest from your specific speed workout, the next portion of your overall speed training workout should consists of plyometrics with an emphasis on a powerful concentric movement followed by a soft and careful landing. Try a few drills like these:

Double leg hops to the front, then to the side

• Single leg hops
• Lateral high jumps
• Squat jumps
• Skipping jumps

Weight Training:
The weight training portion of your speed training workout should consist of power lifting for your legs and upper body. Exercise like the following will help to build the necessary power in your legs and shoulders:

• Olympic clean and jerks
• Medicine ball overhead throws
• Deadlifts
• Olympic squats

Core Training:
It is important not to neglect your core, also known as your body’s central powerhouse. The deep muscles of your abdominals will create a solid base of support through which your body will pass force to the limbs. Be sure to keep your abdominals flat at all times and your spine in a neutral position as you attempt the following exercises:

Planks, downward and to the side, held for 30 seconds each
Reverse crunches
Prone double leg raising and lowering
Prone hip and leg lifts
Straight leg sit ups

Active Cool-Down and Stretch:
Your cool down should still involve a cardiovascular element in addition to dynamic and static stretching. Though athletes are often tempted to skip this step, it is absolutely crucial to avoid injury:

High knee jogs
Lateral jogging
Jumping jacks
Torso twists
Legs swings forward and back, side to side and in circles
Front, back and lateral lunges
Arm circles
Static stretches for the quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, abductors, hip flexors, hips, calves, shoulders, chest and back