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AFM Magazine


Conditioning: Train Fast to Be Fast

by: Brian Bowden
Football Strength & Conditioning Coach & Asst. Coach, Ridley High School, Folsom, PA
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In football, it is often said that speed is the great equalizer. It can negate the size and strength of opposing linemen and make the opposing team look like it is running in mud. It’s no wonder that many coaches devote much time and effort to developing this skill during in and out-of-season workouts. Ultimately, the question becomes, how can efficient speed development be achieved? After all, no one would want to put forth so much time and effort if what was being done was ineffective. The answer to effective speed development and training consists of three key parts, each extremely critical to success: appropriate technique development, effective weight training, and sprint training repetition.

PROPER TECHNIQUE

Watching a world-class athlete sprint is like watching poetry in motion. It truly has an effortless appearance with each stride, smoother than the last, with no unnecessary movements or wasted energy. This type of performance, though simplistic in its outward appearance, is the culmination of years of fundamental technique development. Development and training includes not only an understanding of the various phases and fundamental movements associated with and essential to the sprint, but also the refinement of the execution of each phase and fundamental movement. Although it would be nearly impossible to fully convey the details of proper sprint technique within the realm of this article, there are a few key fundamentals that must be addressed. For starters, the arm drive is extremely important. Rotation should be at the shoulders with a 90-degree angle maintained at the elbow through the entire movement. The arc created by proper movement of the arm should be through a full range of motion (ROM) from the head to the hip with the elbow kept close to the body and not allowed to pull away. The further the elbow is allowed to pull away from the body, the poorer the performance will be. Second, it is important that the head be kept in alignment with the body, in a sense, leading the body. The eyes should be focused forward. Again, eliminating extraneous movements is crucial. Lastly, all leg actions need to be developed and practiced until they can be performed perfectly and repeated as if second nature. The drive, stride, lift, acceleration, and deceleration are all key phases that must be learned and mastered if proper execution and successful speed development is desired. The foot strike needs to be precise and the push off explosive, allowing as little time on the ground as possible. It cannot be assumed that athletes have been taught, and given time to master, these phases of efficient technique. Various types of marching and form-running drills can allow athletes the opportunity both to practice and master running form while at the same time, allowing for an appropriate warm up prior to more intense training. Coaches need to include this training into their programs if overall success is the goal. Ultimately, the more refined the technique, the better the performance, and the less that is left to chance.

WEIGHT TRAINING

In this day and age, most coaches understand the importance weight training plays in athletic development and performance. The squat, power clean, and bench press are staples of any sound strength training program aimed at increasing muscle strength, power, and muscle mass. There are key strength training exercises that must be included as supplemental exercises within the overall program to fully achieve speed potential. Whereas the quadricep muscle group is usually the most heavily trained, the true champion of speed is the hamstring and gluteal muscle group. Deficiencies in these muscle groups can result in slower times and an increased risk of injury, namely hamstring pulls. Generally speaking, pulls usually occur because the forces generated by the quads exceed the capabilities of the hamstrings. Squats, if performed to parallel depth, leg curls, and straight leg dead lifts are good exercises to develop basic glute and hamstring strength. For the more advanced athlete, a glute-ham machine offers an incredible workout for both muscle groups. The forward lunge, using either dumbbells or a barbell, is also an excellent exercise that will target the hamstring and gluteal muscle groups as well. Lastly, it is important to train the calf muscles, dorsi-flexors, and plantar flexors as well. Various calf raises and dorsi-flexion pull exercises can help promote a more explosive push off and help reduce contact times on the ground.

As with all weight training exercises, it is important that the coach overseeing the training be knowledgeable and experienced to ensure that proper technique is used and safety protocols are followed. Without proper execution, no training program will truly yield the desired results and may hinder athletic performance or lead to time out of training due to injury.

SPRINT TRAINING

Most coaches understand that to get faster, actual sprint work has to be done. However, simply running 10’s, 20’s, or 40’s may not be enough to get to the next level. There are things that can be, and should be done, to help the body produce maximum speed. It is important that coaches understand that running speed is made up of two key components: stride length and stride frequency. Stride length is the distance between ground contact points while stride frequency is the number of times the feet touch the ground. While each plays an important role in speed performance, they both have their own ways of being developed. Stride length can be enhanced through the use of a training technique known as Resisted Sprinting. Examples such as pulling a weighted sled, towing another person with use of a harness, stretch cord, or parachute, along with uphill running (using gravity as the resistance) fit this type of training. Generally, the concept is to overload the system without interfering with the proper mechanics necessary to be successful. Stride frequency, on the other hand, can be affected by the use of a training method called Assisted Sprinting. Here, the concept is basically the opposite. Instead of working to achieve an overload effect, the desired result is an over speed effect. In other words, the goal is to exceed full speed. Downhill Sprinting (using gravity) and being towed in a harness or stretch cord are examples of this type of training. Again, whatever method used, proper form must be maintained and proper safety must be taken into account. The hill’s grade should not be too steep; otherwise the athlete can lose body control and not have sufficient stopping distance at the bottom. If being towed, the lead runner needs to be experienced enough not to tow at a speed that exceeds the capabilities of the athlete being trained. As with any training, the coach overseeing the session must be experienced and provide sufficient learning time and practice to master these techniques. Lastly, if speed is the goal, actual sprinting has to be done. The key is first to determine the distance that should be used based on the needs of the position and the requirements of the sport. For example, wide receivers can benefit from both short, explosive take offs, and slightly longer distances achieving and maintaining top speed. Utilizing 5 to 10 yard distances can help by mimicking the first 3 steps off the line of scrimmage. Similarly, 40-yard distances, or slightly more, can help develop and teach the body to maintain top speed, as if replicating the end of a play into the end zone. To truly imitate this type of running, flying starts can be used to help focus on top speed rather than the actual starts. Finally, the last part of sprint training that has to be considered is the time between sprints, or rest time. To truly train the anaerobic systems used for sprinting, we have to allow for adequate rest between sprints. The ratio of work to rest should be anywhere from 1:12 to 1:20. This means that if the sprint lasts 5 seconds, athletes should be given anywhere from 60 seconds to 100 seconds to allow the anaerobic system time to recoup. If giving less recoup time, the sprints become more aerobic and endurance begins to be more a factor. For true sprint training, we want energy systems to be near maximum, so that each repetition can be at 100%.

Ultimately, we have to define what we are truly training and be sure we are giving our athletes optimum opportunity for success. There are a variety of training methods at our disposal. However, they have to be used in the right way for the best results. Otherwise, our athletes may not achieve their best possible potential.

Brian Bowden is the Football Strength and Conditioning Coach and Assistant Football Coach at Ridley High School in Folsom, PA. He can be reached at Brian_Bowden@ridleysd.k12.pa.us.






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