Resisted Sprinting

Speed Kills

In the NFC Championship we watched Collin Kapernick burn past Falcon defenders for scoring runs of 40-60 yards.  Running speed is a product of stride length and stride frequency, and Collin demonstrated how deadly the combination can be to maximum speed running.

However, those impressive long runs and top end speed are not representative of sprinting success in most sporting events.  Rarely ever will you see a sprint longer than 10-30m in football, soccer, baseball or basketball.  What does determine sprinting success in team sports? Acceleration.  In fact, acceleration mechanics contribute more than speed maintenance to success in 100m running as well.

Watch your favorite athlete leave the batters box, chase after a loose ball, or go deep for a pass and you will notice they all display the same mechanics: forward lean and powerful piston leg action.  This is the drive phase of acceleration, this is what sets the quick apart from the fast.  Check out the posture below of one of the fastest players in baseball:

Train the Drive Phase:

Resisted running places the athlete into the drive phase posture, and allows them to remain there for an extended period of time.  Focus on powerful, complete extension of the hips and knees, and not “quick, choppy steps”.  The hips should flex to 90 degrees and the knee should come up straight up (no butt kicking).

Tow a sled:

Pull a parachute:

If sleds, prowlers, or parachutes are not available, or if space is an issue, then heavy bands can be used.

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