How to Run Faster- Increase Your Sprinting Speed

You Can Run Fast Like Usain Bolt

by Admin on February 21st, 2012 at 12:08 am

Do you want to run fast like Usain Bolt?

Of course you do, but can you? Probably not, though you can run faster than you ever had before.

The trick to running fast is not so complicated as it seems.

A few suggestions that will help any Athlete achieve superior speed and quickness.

1. Low Body Fat – Have you ever seen overweight sprinters? No

2. A High Strength to Body weight ratio – KEY POINT! When you are strong and light, with low body-fat, gravity cannot hold you down. Obviously it is more than just strength, but a good strength base is the key to all movement. I believe this 100%.

This strength has nothing to do with how much one can squat and bench, it has more to do with ‘functional’ strength. In other words, develop all strength qualities as possible.

A mix of explosive Olympic lifting, Kettle-bell training, Traditional Strength exercises, and stability strength building will unlock power and this translates to speed.

What makes Usain Bolt so freakishly fast?

Perfect biomechanics. There has never been a sprinter his height with a turnover of a shorter sprinter. Usain Bolt also has a lot of natural functional strength. Running the hills of Jamaica taxes the body like no other exercise.

Weightlifting or not, good functional Body strength and stability is the foundation for speed generation.

You can develop full functional body strength with exercises such as push-ups, one legged squats, core training, and pull-ups.

Once you develop a high level of body weight strength, then you can move onto more traditional advanced weight lifting.

Here is Usain Bolt doing a traditional explosive weight movement - the Hang Clean.

If you really want to increase your speed, you will need a structured training program. One of the best, informative training programs is from my good friend Jack Cascio. Jack has taught all I know about training and with his help I was able to knock off .3 tenths off my 40 yard dash time in 3 months. Check out Jack’s amazing program.

http://digg.com/news/sports/sprint_fast_like_usain_bolt_and_the_jamaicans

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Arm Action to Run Faster

by Admin on October 14th, 2011 at 3:18 am

Posted In: Exercises for Speed

To run faster – believe it or not – the arms play a significant role in sprinting and speed development.

We cannot disregard proper arm mechanics within your speed-training program; your potential will be limited. Speed comes when the whole body is in sync, and the arms dictate that action.

The role of the arms is to stabilize the torso so that power can continue to be efficiently transferred through the hips. It is this ability to transfer power effectively through the center of mass that not only improves rate of acceleration, but also facilitates reaching maximum velocity, maintaining those top speeds and reducing the rate of deceleration in a full speed race.

The arms both directly and indirectly influence the ability to run fast.

Specifics of arm movement:

When running fast, it’s very important to keep your hands relaxed. Think about holding a potato chip in each hand. No matter how hard you run, no matter how tired you get, you can’t clench your hands so that the potato chip breaks. This is a reminder about how loose your hands should be at all times when sprinting`. When you clench your fists tightly, that tightness spreads through your forearms, biceps, shoulders, neck and face. Once you tighten up and lose range of motion in your arms, it reduces stride length, therefore decreasing your speed.

It is important to get a full range of power with the arms. Speed is a product of stride length and stride frequency. Stride length and frequency are determined, in part, by the motion of the arms. If you are slow o and weak – passive – with your arm action, you are limiting your potential for speed.

Your front arm angle should be between 60-90 degrees at the elbow and your back arm should be between 90-120 degrees, also at the elbow. If your arm angles fall outside of this range, your running mechanics will affected in a negative way – you’ll run slower and get tired faster. When running, arm swing should be directed at and through the shoulders. Think of elbows being locked in place.

Elbow angle should only change slightly, as a result of elastic response. Range of motion with the arms should generally be hip to cheek. That is, the hand clears the hip in the back and comes up to about cheek height in front. More than that, in either direction, will result in over striding that will cause breaking and can lead not only slowdown, but also injuries.

Emphasis should be placed on driving the elbows down and back. When runners fire their arms straight back, without first driving them down, it often leads to bunched up shoulders, which causes tightness and limits range of motion. It is important to focus on driving the arms back as they are recovered elastically by the stretch of muscles in the shoulder.

Your arms, when they are brought in front of you, should never cross the midline of your body. Your right arm should stay on the right half of your body and your left arm should stay on the left side.

When you move your arms laterally, across the midline of your body, you rotate your hips which basically burns much needed energy and makes you run slower and get tired faster.

Sprinting Arm Exercise

Stand with the feet between hip and shoulder width apart. Bring your weight forward onto the balls of the feet. You should be far enough forward that your heels are slightly off the ground, but not so far forward that your toes curl to maintain balance.

Start with one arm forward, 90 degrees at the elbow and one arm back, also 90 degrees at the elbow. Perform this drill following the guidelines presented in this article.

Arm action at 50% intensity

2 sets of 30 seconds

15 second rest between sets

Arm action at 80% intensity

2 sets of 20 seconds

20 seconds rest between sets

Arm action at 100% intensity

4-5 sets of 10 seconds

25-30 seconds rest between sets
Once you master this exercise, adding bands or using light dumbbells for added resistance.

Arm action is just as important as Leg action to run faster

└ Tags: arm action to run faster, run faster, speed development, speed training, sprinting

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Sprinting Mechanics to Run Faster

by Admin on October 2nd, 2011 at 9:53 pm

Posted In: Exercises for Speed

property of NY Times

A number of people believe that in order to run fast, you simply have to go full-scale and move you arms legs as fast as you can. This is the most incorrect way to run fast. In order to run faster times and destroy the competition you need to have the correct training and proper sprinting motion.

In relation to sprinting techniques you should aim on relaxation, your arm swing and your leg action. In order to run fast times you have to realize that you need to be relaxed. This means you should not be moving in jerky motions. Your movements should be very smooth and streamlined and straight.

Arm Movement: your arm swing should drive backward with your hands coming up to your cheek and then past your pockets on the bottom swing. It should be very fluid and smooth. Your legs should also move quickly and smoothly. When it comes to your leg mechanics everything should be up and down.

Leg Movement: As you leg comes up you should have your ankle step over the opposite knee. When your knee reaches its highest position make sure you get that feet back down on the ground quickly. The feeling you should feel in your leg action should be almost like a marching motion.

In addition, some runners think in order to increase your stride length you should extend your lower leg. This will only result in injuries, so all you need to do is to focus on the up-and-down motion of your legs and everything else will fall into place.

These are the basics of sprinting mechanics to help you run faster.

Want to Run Fast? My Buddy Jack will show you how. His techniques are top. Your speed will increase – guaranteed! Visit Jack’s Speed Camp.

└ Tags: how to run fast, run faster, sprinting mechanics to run faster

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Yohan Blake runs 19.26 in the 200 meters

by Admin on September 17th, 2011 at 2:16 am

Posted In: Run faster

WOW! YOHAN BLAKE CAN RUN REAL FAST!

19.26 in the 200 meters!

Yohan Blake runs the second fastest 200 meter time with a horrible reaction time and bend run. I need to get to Jamaica and see what these guys are doing to make them run so fast.

└ Tags: 200 meter, fastest 200 meter, usain bolt, yohan blake, yohan blake runs 1926 in the 200 meters

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Plyometric Training Exercises

by Admin on September 3rd, 2011 at 7:23 pm

Posted In: Run faster

Image by Forest Runner via Flickr

Plyometric Training Exercises are dynamic movements where the muscle is contracted eccentrically then immediately, concentrically. They are exercises that are designed to train your body in fast, explosive movement. They are also sometimes called proprioceptive neuro-muscular facilitation, since it’s designed to make the nervous system more efficient.

Example of Plyometric Training Exercises

A good example is push-ups with a clap in-between each push-up. Your muscle (pectorals in this case) is elongated and loaded by the downward force of your body, then immediately you must contract the muscle to push yourself back up. : because plyometrics is one of the best ways if not the best way to improve power.

Power is the amount of force your muscles can produce in a given period of time. So, making a contraction more powerful means that the muscle will be able to produce more force in a shorter amount of time therefore increasing your explosiveness, sprinting speed, and vertical and horizontal jumps

Plyometrics are recommended only for well-conditioned athletes. You should have high levels of leg strength prior to performing plyometrics. Start slowly with small jumps and gradually build up. Land softly to absorb shock. Allow plenty of rest between plyometric workouts. Stop immediately if you feel any pain in your joints. Use footwear with plenty of cushioning.

I can assure you that world class speedsters such as Usain Bolt, Chris Johnson, and great speedsters of the past do plyometric training exercises!

Watch the Video below as it goes into detail of the science of Plyometrics and how it can benefit you in your quest to run faster and jump higher. The training program is designed to not only increase vertical leap but overall sprinting speed. There is a strong correlation between speed and vertical jumping abilities; and each training program benefits the other, they are very similar, especially using plyomteric exercises.

└ Tags: fast like bolt, plyometric exercises, plyometric training exercises

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Training Science to Run Faster

by Admin on September 1st, 2011 at 1:18 am

Posted In: Exercises for Speed

Believe it or not, when running – even walking – we are going against gravity. So the more force applied to the ground, the further we can ‘throw’ ourselves ahead, upward etc. Resist Gravity and Run Faster.

Force applied to the ground is the main component of running fast. Numerous studies have shown that the average human has the same leg speed as elite sprinters. So what makes the elite sprinter run faster? Force upon contact…as well as other factors is what determines speed.

A recent study titled, Technical Ability of Force Application as a Determinant Factor of Sprint Performance, by Morin and colleagues, took a close look at sprint performance using 12 subjects including 2 sprinters. What they found was that speed was determined by high amounts of net horizontal force, which is calculated by subtracting braking forces from propulsive forces. The orientation of the total force applied onto the supporting ground during sprint acceleration is more important to performance than its amount.

Now, what does all this science mumbo jumbo apply to training for speed. We want to run faster, correct? Well, this study concludes what I always determined to be true in speed development. Now in my previous post I suggested that the squat is the king of all exercises…and it still is. The squat is a foundation builder. In my belief, until you can squat 1.5 to 2x your body weight, you should not undertake any other training methods. Now if you are at the elite level of squatting, you need to incorporate sprint speed development exercises.

Any form of hip extension exercise involving the posterior chain is a speed developer (hamstrings, lower back and glutes). The Glute-Ham raise, Hyper-extensions, Reverse Leg presses, Hip thrusters (also known as Butt Blasters) are some of the exercises that will help develop this.

Run Faster Training Philosophy

My training philosophy is to super-set a Posterior chain exercise, as stated above, with 15-30 second blasts of jumping rope. Why? Well, unlike most trainers out there who believe the calf muscle is not an important part of running speed development, I believe otherwise. When running, the first body part to hit the ground and absorb shock is your calves. Calf muscles that are trained to spring back powerfully will propel you forward and farther without wasted energy. See your legs as pogo sticks. Power and Spring trained as one.

What I do believe is that training calves for size will slow you down. Heavy calves are like ship anchors. Most elite sprinters are thin calved, and despite that most can still lift enormous weight using their calf muscles due to the powerful spring action in their calves. My Speed Training Philosophy: Strength and Spring = Speed

Superset the glute-ham raise (video below) with 15-30 sec jump roping (alternate styles of jumping. example: start with two legged, then one legged, then side to side, double rope swings etc. 15-30 second blast) Do about 3-4 sets at least twice a week.

I increased my speed tremendously doing a posterior chain exercise super-setted with jumping rope way before I incorporated more advanced techniques.

└ Tags: cam newton, exercise for speed, how to run faster, most elite sprinters, run faster, speed development, sprint speed, sprint speed development, training science to run faster, yohan blake

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Do Squats And Run Faster | squat training

by Admin on August 30th, 2011 at 2:43 am

Posted In: Exercises for Speed

How do you become faster

Well simply…SQUAT!

Squats is the king of all exercises. Master the squat and your speed, explosiveness, overall athletic abilties will increase.

You cannot go wrong with the squat.

Done correctly, you will achieve high levels of strength and that strength will carry over to speed.

Squatting builds the entire lower body and to some extent the upper body. It is technically a full body exercise that requires patience, balance, and a strong will.

There is nothing like heavy squatting. The goal for any squatting program is to be able to correctly squat 2x your body-weight. If all else is equal with a low body fat ratio and with double your body-weight squat strength, I am positive your sprinting speed, along with vertical jump, will be at an elite level.

With any training program always – and I cannot stress this enough – start with light weight for the first few weeks. Let your body get used to the movement before tackling heavy weights. The video below shows proper squatting technique.