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AFM Magazine


Speed Report – Is Your Off-Season Football Speed Training on Track?

by: Dale Baskett
Football Speed Specialist
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If you have been reading my articles over the last six years, you know that I try to point coaches in the right direction for true football speed development. 

My hope is that you will apply useful teaching methods that are currently not available. The first step is having an open mind for learning new concepts. Whatever you have chosen to use as a method for speed development requires time to install. Time is the greatest commodity in life. We only have so much time to utilize and we want maximum results for the time we spend on whatever we do.

Joe Vitt, the interim head coach with the New Orleans Saints, hired me in 1986 when he was the strength and conditioning coach at that time for the Seattle Seahawks. What I’ve learned and formulated over 31 years is a better way to teach football speed to football players who want to play fast.

What’s required is precise methods that are relative to the mechanical functions for football movement. Formulation of a system must always have a premise. The premise must be fact-based relative to the objective activity required for the sport. All movement must relate to the core premise that’s established. If any movement doesn’t relate to the established mechanical premise then it isn’t valid or shouldn’t be used and must be removed from the system. If not, athletes’ motor processing will receive mixed signals and impede muscle contraction potential.

In addition, mechanical movements will be erratic as you execute game speed transitions. Any system is only as good as the core premise it is built from. Random choice of the order in which your drills are applied will determine how well your developmental processing will turn out. The way they are taught will also determine the success you will have.

Are you off track with the current methods you’re applying? The methods have to be proven to be relative to football speed. As the coach, you’re responsible for knowing what you use for maximizing movement effectiveness for your athletes. If you’re using track techniques that have been in place for decades and don’t follow the drills and techniques I am going to share, then your time spent is just that – spent. Many track drills are not football-oriented drills for acceleration and the movement control necessary for football speed. If you’re using these drills or others that are similar, you’re off track. Motor processing must be the key to your system when cycle movement is involved. Use the series I give you and put aside previous drills. You can’t mix the two. Everything must be in line with the premise.

Before you worry about agility type training in the early part of the off-season, you should train the entire team lineally first with technical mechanical functions. When your players begin to accomplish mechanical effectiveness from the basic foundational training in a few weeks, then you can start moving the players faster. As that develops, you can begin lineal change of pace movement. Remember, until the players run well lineally, you shouldn’t begin football movement drills. When an athlete displaces velocity from a lineal sprint or stride, the mechanical control is initially disturbed upon the first cyclic step taken. I advise to hold tough to this fact and you’ll reap the rewards.

 The Premise for Drills Being On Track

The following drill series is in an order for you to follow. The reps are at the end of each drill. You should use these drills twice a week for a month. After that time frame you can start with stride work and agility movement.


The core premise is simple – Line / Synchronization / Foot Strike Placement –the three factors that control effective human movement.

First – LINE - (Leg, upper body and head). They must stay connected horizontally as force comes up from the surface on every step taken.

Second –  SYNCHRONIZATION – (Upper arm rotation and leg cycle rotation must be synchronized evenly as they move front to back).

Third - FOOT STRIKE PLACEMENT – ( The leg action as it comes to the front of the run must move directly down to the ground, slightly ahead in front of the hip).

These three principles constitute the premise for running correctly. All drills used must adhere to the three principles working together with each stride taken. Any movement that doesn’t is destined to produce less than maximal results for speed potential and control.

Diagram  2 – High Knee Rhythm Run
(25 yards x 3 reps)

Diagram 2.

Main focus is on two factors – line remaining connected and slightly forward from the ground up but not bent at the waist. Eyes remaining forward and level at all times.
Diagram  3 – Short Cycle Drill
(25 yards x 3 reps)

Diagram 3.

Same as diagram 2 with shorter and quicker leg cycle. There is a short and quick shoulder rotation while setting a ryhtym. Maintain the hips being up and eyes forward.

Diagram 4 – High Knee Run
Progression (8-20 yards x 3 reps)
Execution of high knee must be the same in the short zone as it was before. Watch for these issues when transitioning to zone two takes place.

Diagram 4.

•  Hips will drop.
•  First cycle taken is too long.
•  Eyes drop.
•  Athletes bend at waist.

Diagram 5 – Short cycle Progression
(8-20 yards x 3 reps)

Diagram 5.

There is a short cycle of 8-20 yards in a stride progression. The cycle speed is short and quick prior to transitioning. Control acceleration to 80% at the end of zone two.

Diagram 6 – Lineal Triple Progression


Diagram 6.


The zone length for each zone is 10 yards x 3 reps. Each transition is about control, not acceleration, and easy transitions with control.


Coach Baskett began his career as a football speed coach in 1979. During the last 33 years he’s consulted and trained hundreds of coaches and thousands of athletes nationwide. In the last year he has worked directly with high schools in California, Texas, Minnesota, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. Over the last few years he has also consulted with Texas Tech, Ohio State, USC, University of Washington, and the University of Mount Union. You can reach him directly for more information or if you have specific questions on your training program. Coach Baskett is at dbspeedt@hotmail.com and 858-568-3751.






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