Increase Your Speed by Walking?

Chris Johnson running the 4.24 40 yard dash. Fellow Pirate alum, Go Pirates!

When you think of increasing your first step or overall speed, most people think of executing “fast movements”, such as sprinting. Now that’s partially true, but what if an athlete doesn’t fully extend and doesn’t know how to? Would you have the athlete go into a full speed sprint and yell “push back” or “fire your glutes!” You may, but its not going to do jack shit and just bad coaching 🙂

Slow Down

Slowing down sprint mechanics can actually help your athlete run faster. It sounds weird and seems completely opposite but it’s true. Take for instance pushing a prowler.

Walking or running with it teaches the athlete to full extend through the back side and LEAN forward, otherwise the sled will not move. After a few sets cueing and placing the athlete in the correct position you can then have the athlete run a short sprint (5yards or so) at 85-90% focusing on pushing back. Keep in mind to not burn out the athlete, while there cardiovascular system won’t be taxed, their nervous system will. So allow a FULL recovery to focus on joint angles /mechanics.

Contrast Training

This simple contrast method allows the athlete to fire, in sequence, the correct muscles at the right joint angle. After a full recovery and “slowing down” the sprint will allow the athlete to focus on the same position done on the prowler.

You still maybe skeptic but slowing down the movement allows the athlete to focus on the sprint mechanics and not so much going “all out”, this also relaxes the athlete. Staying relaxed will be key to run faster, being clinched up and stiff like the tin man does nothing for speed.

This of course is ONE of many ways to execute a contrast method but the premise still remains: Slow down the athlete, get them in the right position while firing in the correct sequence, and then putting it into motion at a slower training speed.

Stay strong,

Team Fusion Trained