Speed

[Cobin]

I know, I posted another thread about this before but I need more advice (only got one reply last time thanks Greek Freak)

Anyway, tested myself in the 40 yard dash,, I consitanly run 5 seconds. I had a few times quicker but they weren't consistant so I think maybe the person got a late jump on the watch , either way they weren't consitant enough to count. ( note all this was done on pavement I am sure grass makes a difference ) I would like to get quicker, anyone have ways of building speed? I am gonna do corns training journal as soon as I get some creatine and protein powder cause the shit still hasn't come yet. I was gonna run lines ( touch line run back to starting line run to the next line run back rinse and repeat) and sprints, also would loading a backpack with weights, add good resitance? Kind of like a weighted vest but a weighted backpack? Thats all i've come up with so far, if I think or find anything else I will post a reply, hope you guys do the same.


Thanks In Advance

 

[Legion Kreinak]

Well just to give you a quick anwser about the backpack thing, make sure it's tight against your body. When you run with a backpack, it's going to bounce up and down on your shoulders. If it doesn't, and it's that heavy, then it may not be good for your shoulders or back. I used ankle weights to improve my vert leap before a bball game (I was able to jam for 10 minutes then my skill faded, but hell, it helped us win!) so to permenantly improve I'm sure you're going to either want to lose weight (for long distance running) or build tons of muscle in your legs for sprints. Heel Raises, Toe Raises (to build the Tibilias around your shins, to help prevent splints), Squats are all vital for increasing speed, I believe.

 

[megad]

Legion....

I workout 4 days a week (Chest/Tris, Back/Bis, Shoulders, Legs). And on the off days I try to play bball for about an hour or two at the playground.

Since high school season is starting in less than two months, and I want to be able to two hand dunk consistantly by that time, would it be a good idea for me to start using ankle weights when I play? I'm 16, 210 lbs, 6'4". How much weight should I use?

 

[teen1216]

I've used ankle weights before, and I wouldn't recommend playing in them. Just messing around shooting or whatever in them I think is fine, but if you play in them you could mess up your natural motion (i.e. how you jump and cut). My two cents.

 

[Lord_Suston]

To cobin: you need to be able to run twice that 40yard distance in a good sprint form, so when you really try the 40 yard dash you can do it no prob. We always started by running 100m dashes and as the season got along we would sprint 50m dashes repeatedly, uphill and downhill. Uphill to add resisitance and downhill to increase footspeed. We also did shuttle run of 20m back and forth to work on starting spedd. hope this helps. Best time for 40yard 4.37

 

[Cobin]

Thanks, I don't have any hills around me so that sucks but I really do need to work on my starting speed, I think thats where I lose most of my time in the start. I will also run 100m dashes and try and do good form, what do you suggest for starting off? I try and get low to the ground and take my first step with my left foot since i'm lefty, that seem good? My goal is to atleast run a 4.5 by next football season, which is next fall so I have time but I would really like to achieve it before then.


Thanks for the suggestions.

I am sure that good speed in the 40 has helped with your quickness in boxing, I bet you kick some serious ass in the ring, thanks again suston

Edit again: what are some lifts I should perform to help increase speed and agility? Obviously squats, and heavy leg excercises. I was planning on doing corns training routine for 6-8 wks and running sprints, then after that going back to a normal routine how does this sound? Corns routine looks like this if you've never seen it.
Monday

Deadlifts 1 max set of 20. - stiff legged
Overhead Press - 5 sets of 5
Squats - 5 sets of 3
Seated Calf Raise - 2 sets of 20

Wednesday

Barbell Rows - 5 sets of 5
Bench Press - 5 sets of 5
Deadlifts - 1 set of 20 - bent knee
Standing Calf Raise - 2 sets of 20

Friday

Shrugs - 5 sets of 5
Barbell Curls - 5 sets of 5
Dips - 5 sets of 5
Squats - 5 sets of 5 with weight from Monday

Thanks

 

[Lord_Suston]

Cobin learn to lead with both feet because in football you will ne to run in both directions and move in the most efficient manner. Another thing is to remeber to really pump your arms, it will help as well. If you have access to a pool I might suggest water running to build up leg kicking speed. I would suggest a little Clean and jerk to get a nice explosive power out of the bottom position. To work on starting spedd try to work on shuttle runs and short dashes, like this

100m dash, rest, 20 yard dash, rest 20m shuttle run 4times, back and forth twice. Do this about four times and thern test your time in about 2 weeks. watch the result, but remember to stretch a lot after so you won't be tight and hinder full externsion on your stride...

 

[Cobin]

Thanks suston, I do have access to a pool so I will do that, I apreciate all the help.

 

[coolcolj]

I've been working on my speed recently as well

here are some pointers -

when you squat go ass to floor. You want to engage your hamstrings and glutes as well. Do some sets with a long 2-3 pause at the bottom - but stay tight

Do Romanian deadlifts - or slightly bent knee stiff legged deadlifts. Reverse hypers and glute ham raises are other exercises worth doing

Don't do high rep calf raises, and do em explosively. Make sure you exercise you tib muscles by doing toe raises and toe curls (hook toes under a barbell) - bullet proofs your shins from "shin splints"

don't just run in a straight line when doing sprints - do some slower runs with side steps off each foot every 2 steps, angled zig zag runs with 360 pivots to change direction, sideways and backward runs. In fact I tend to do all of them pre run with walks for recovery. AGility is a must on the football field

On that note do deep sideways lunges to work on lateral strength and explosion.

Do split squats and/or Peterson stepups to beef up your VMO to get your knees tracking properly before squatting.

Do clean pulls to the sternum from the hang and jump squats with a light weight (10-30 % of the !RM squat) to work on your rate of force developement - good for accleration power.

vertical jumps and standing long jumps should be figured in there as well.


tip of the ice berg. But first get your strnegth base and flexibility up!

 

[Cobin]

COOL SHIT

Thanks for all the info, could you elaborate on how to perform these excercises or point me to a website than can? I've searched and haven't found anything solid on how to perform most of them. What do you consider to many reps on the calf raises?


I am gonna put a soilid routine together and post it up later for critque, thanks everyone.

 

[The Shadow]

run sprints with a chute

 

[Cobin]

Can chutes be purchased anywhere? I have a wal-mart up the road then a target and I don't live far from some sport stores, would these places carry them?

 

[Legion Kreinak]

Check it out, they might

 

[Cobin]

This the clean pull you talking about coolcolj?

http://www.olympus.net/personal/cablebar/HP.htm

 

[coolcolj]

Yeah that's the clean pull, its basicly a simplified form of the power clean. ie no racking the bar on your shoulders. You can use more weight. I suggest you do it from the hang position. Knees bent leaning forward, bar just above the knee cap, explode your hips and traps and pull the bar to your sternum/chest. Remeber its a hip and trap move, don't go using your arms and back to pull that bar up or else you will not gain the beneits it can provide for accleration.


Oh and don't run with weights, they alter your form and make your stride rate slower.

Just concetrate on getting as strong as you can first - that will make you a heck of a lot faster. Best bang for that buck. And also practise sprinting itself of course. But get your muscles and tendons stronger first.

keep the reps under 8 for calf raises. Your trying to recruit fast twitch fibres in the gstroc. The calf muscle won't help your sprinting speed, but will come in handy for agility.

exercises - see here

has vids
http://strengthtraining.asimba.com/fitness_info/index.html

I personally would do the stiff legged deadlifts after squats on the same session.

 

[Cobin]

Do you do the clean pull all the way to squat position, or just lift it to the chest?


Also I was gonna try and add overall body stength by doing corns routine, should I try and get my speed up first and then do corns routine or his routine first? Thanks

 

[coolcolj]

Just pull it to your nipples

see movie, although she pulls it a bit higher
http://138.9.1.58/athleticperformance/exercise videos/Olympic Lift Videos/hang high pull.mpg


Get your strength up first, then work on speed while still building strength. Get a solid foundation first. This will help because your tendons will be a lot stronger as will your core strength.

 

[coolcolj]

More exercise vids here

http://138.9.1.58/athleticperformance/Exercise Video Description Menu.htm

 

[Cobin]

Thanks

Thanks for all your help guys, If I have any more questions I'll be sure to ask, I'll make a routine later and put it up for critque then start it after I do corns.

Thanks again

 

[Cobin]

Back/Legs

ATF squats2 warmup sets 12 reps, 3 working sets 10-8-6
Split Squats 2 working sets reps 10-8
Stiff legged deadlifts 2 sets 10-8
calf raises 3 sets reps of 8
Tibula machine ( put your feet inside a hole, free weights go on the sides and curl your towards upwards it seems to work good)3 sets, reps? (any suggestion on reps?)
Stepups 3 working sets 10-8-6
Side lunges 3 working sets 10-8-6
Deadlifts( dunno if it be wise to do stiff and normal deadlifts on the same day, anyone?) 3 sets 10-8-6
Barbell rows 3 sets 10-8-6
Pulldowns with lat bar 3 sets 10-8-6
thats all I can come up with for back anything I should add I know there should be more.

Chest/shoulders

Flat bench press 2 warmup sets of 12 reps, 3 working sets 10-8-6
Incline DB press 3 working sets 10-8-6
Flat DB press 2 working sets 10-8
Clean pull no idea how I should set or rep this, ideas?
Shurgs 3 working sets 12-10-8
upright row 3 working sets 10-8-6
DB or BB shoulder press 3 working sets 10-8-6



Bi's/Tri's

Standing BB curls 2 warm up sets of 12, 3 working sets of 10-8-6
Preacher curl 3 working sets 10-8-6
Cable curls 3 working sets 10-8-6
Close Grip Bench press , 2 warmup sets of 12 reps 3 working sets 10-8-6
SKull crushers 3 working sets 10-8-6
Weighted dips 3 working sets times bodyweight till fatigue

I don't know if this split is any good, I want to beef up my strength and speed, but I am doing corns split first for overall body strength then planned on doing this the chest/bi's/tris etc are just matience really till I beef up my legs. Coolcolj can you post an example of a good split will all the excercises you think I need for speed and leg strength? Thanks

 

[coolcolj]

Woah - that's way too much volume and exercises!

especially the legs. Squats and deadlifts in the same session.. well I did that when I first started, I overtrained within 2 weeks.

Remeber your not bodybuilding!

And you do want to finish your workouts in an hour.
Why do people always make thing so complicated ?

Hell just squat, bench, row, chin and stiff legged deadlifts. 3 times a week and not to failure. You will make great gains!

If I were you I would work the whole body 3 times a week, but with all your exercises spread out on different days.

ie

Day 1 Squat, Row, Bench
Day 2 - Split Squat, pulldowns, inclines
Day 3- clean pull, stiff legged Deadlift, press, curls, tricep extensions

something like that - and yeah work your abs!

For clean pulls, stick with reps under 6, usually around 3-5. sets I'll leave that up to you, I usually only do 2-3, since I do ,lots of other stuff.

 

[Cobin]

Ok, thanks that looks good to me.

 

[coolcolj]

And yeah do a rotary cuff exercise and a tib movement as well.

For abs - I recommend doing hanging leg raises on a power rack - partial grip (beef up your grip) using bent knees at first, move your legs behind you and then swing up curling your body until the knees touch your chest, hold for a second and then lower slowly. This is the ab exercise of choice for sprinting.