Tuesday, July 24, 2012

LiveStrong Running Series #2

How to Develop Top Sprinting Speed

Step 1

Fasten a weighted vest to your body when you do sprint workouts. This will adapt your body to added resistance and make you feel lighter once you take it off and play a sport. Wear the vest throughout the course of the day as well during your nontraining hours.

Step 2

Perform heavy weight training exercises to strengthen the muscles involved with sprinting. Target the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves with exercises like squats, leg presses, lunges, dead lifts, stepups and calf raises. Use a resistance that is so heavy you can lift it only eight to 12 times in a set.

Step 3

Incorporate plyometric exercises into your routines. Plyometrics involve a slow lowering movement followed by a fast movement. These exercises can help improve your explosive power during sprints. Do exercises like squat jumps, leaping lunges, tuck jumps, side hops and bounding. Bounding is a form of running where you take extra high and long strides.

Step 4

Run down hills to do overspeed training. Spend five to 10 minutes jogging at a light pace to warm up, then finish at the top of a hill. Sprint down the hill as fast as you can, walk back to the top and repeat. This type of drill causes you to take longer than normal strides, which will translate to faster sprinting speed.

Step 5

Stretch before and after your workouts and sport activities. Perform dynamic stretches before and static stretches after. Dynamic stretches move your body through a range of motion, which acclimates you to the movements involved with sprinting. Do stretches like ankle bounces, leg swings, arm crossovers, spinal rotations, shoulder shrugs and alternating toe touches. Static stretches are held for a given amount of time and they can help reduce soreness and keep your muscles lengthened. Do stretches that target the quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves, which are all involved with sprints.



References

Article reviewed by John Hagemann Last updated on: May 26, 2011


From: LiveStrong

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