Post 12: Speed Training

          One thing we feel strongly about in our conditioning programs is speed training, and how we make our athletes faster. Do we increase stride length? Stride frequency? Footwork? Teach proper running mechanics? Overspeed training? Tempo runs? Intervals? Ladder drills? It never stops. There are an infinite number of drills and skills I've done and had done to me as an athlete to improve speed, but the only philosophies that make sense are the ones I learned on my own.

          The name of the game in speed training is the application of force in the amortization and concentric phase of the stride cycle. The stride cycle consists primarily of three phases with regard to ground contact. They are:

Phase 1: Eccentric Phase: The athletes lead leg is in extension preparing to make contact with the ground.

Phase 2: Amortization Phase: The athletes lead leg becomes the supporting leg, is in contact with ground.

Phase 3: Concentric Phase: The contact/support leg contracts to propel the body forwards.    

          Phase 1: Eccentric is associated with deceleration or force absorption in all cases of athletic movement. With poor running form, ground contact in front of the body causes the athlete to brake - not what we hope to achieve when the goal is to move faster. In Phase 2: Amortization, the contact leg is on the ground for a fraction of a second and serves the transition from eccentric to concentric contraction. Phase 3: Concentric, is the propulsion component of the stride cycle. This is where the ability to produce and apply force as quickly as possible serves its purpose. Finally, to improve how often this occurs, greater stride frequency is necessary. Therefore, recovery of the trail leg into the next stride cycle is of paramount importance for maximizing speed.

          Hopefully the sequence of these phases is starting to ring a bell that sounds like "plyometric." In my opinion, the NSCA has a distorted view of the true plyometric. True plyometrics, as described by Dr. Yessis, have to involve a "shock" phase between the eccentric and concentric action of the muscles involved. I also have yet to encounter an abdominal or core exercise that fits the bill for the true plyometric. Anyways, plyometric exercise - as it pertains to speed development - needs to involve this absorption of eccentric shock and immediately overcome it with concentric muscle action. (I am not sold on post-activation potentiation as a long term-training effect.) In my opinion, the concentric action must be performed before the energy simply dissipates into the musculotendinous unit. 

          Below is a video of one of our athletes performing what we call "reactive squats" - I like these as a bilateral, plyometric exercise for athletes with advanced abilities in these types of exercises. It's similar in nature to a snatch balance, but the bar isn't overhead. Basically the athlete is in freefall with the bar on the back, absorbs the load eccentrically, and then powers back out of the hole as quickly as possible. We also use the tendo unit to keep an eye on bar speed during the concentric phase. This is a powerful kid, and only 185 on the barbell proved to be enough to keep him in the range we wanted. 

Below this is a video of another exercise that aids in speed development by training more efficient motor unit recruitment and firing frequency using the mini tramps.

           This exercise fits into the category with other drills that are commonly, but wrongfully believed to increase speed such as ladder drills. The purpose of these exercises is primarily, as mentioned before, increased efficiency of motor unit recruitment and subsequent firing frequency. It's all about familiarity between the brain and the muscles, and the connection between them. This provides the means to develop speed, but not the force production required to go with it. Exercises that develop strength-speed to compliment these are things like Olympic lifts. The triple extension of the hip, knee and ankle, especially under heavier loads, forces powerful movement and has high carryover to speed development. The rate of force development is the greatest benefit to be reaped from Olympic lifting in this case. The successful lift requires peak force production in the first pull, similar to the concentric phase of the stride cycle. 

          This last video (above) shows the wide stance reverse band box squat. I like this exercise for building bilateral strength in the athlete, while at the same time using a parallel or below parallel position in the hole. The deep squat provides synergistic action from the glutes, hamstrings, and adductors that normally wouldn't be involved using a half or a quarter squat. The lengthening of these muscles has great functional value, and creates a more athletic lower half for athletes that need more "pop" in the top of their lifts for sprinting and jumping. The reverse band setup allows for the resistance to accommodate the weaker parts of the range of motion. A little assistance coming off the box with close to 100% of the load being applied at the top.

          To put it all together, we have to do just that. Developing speed involves both the ability to fire the fast twitch fibers at a higher frequency as well as applying maximal force to the ground beneath us. Between stride cycles, recovery of the trail leg allows us to increase stride frequency. Increasing stride frequency gives athletes more opportunities to apply force to the ground in the same distance as an athlete with greater stride length. The optimal ratio of stride frequency to stride length, is the only "gift" that separates runners.

-Alex