Football is not just about strength - in fact speed training for football might be just as important as traditional weight lifting...The highest ranked players are more likely to outperform their peers in tests like the 10 yard and 40 yards sprints than they are in the squat or bench press. Speed separates the outstanding from the very good.Here you go, here is my Coach's advise for speed and acceleration.It's true - genetics do play a part in how fast you can run. But don't let that discourage you...Everyone can get faster. Anyone can improve their speed off the mark and just a small improvement with training relates to a significant improvement on the field.1. You will need to increase your Strength - the more powerful your leg muscles are the more force they can apply to each ground contact. Power is a product of both strength and speed of contraction. If you make improvements in either of these components you WILL become a faster athlete.Improve both and you double the effects - and this it what speed training for football is essentially all about.Assuming strength training already contributes a significant amount to your schedule, lets look at the other side of the equation...2. Sprint training over short distances will help you do that. Short 10 yard/20 yard bursts is what I like to call them...get quick off the mark and power thru your motion when running and one of the drills that a lot of athletes really don't like the shuddle run...run to a tape mark, yard mark touch the line and sprint back.3. Improve Your Running MechanicsMost football players, in fact most sports men and women have never been taught correct sprinting form. (TALK TO YOUR HS TRACK COACH) for some pointers.All other things being equal, the more efficiently you can run, the faster you can run.There are basically two phases to sprinting - the acceleration phase and top speed phase. Remember acceleration is probably more important in speed training for football than top speed. Here are some pointers for good acceleration form...Drive off the balls of your feet never the toes or heels and never get caught flat footed, nothing can come from this that is good. The whole body should be leaning forward, not just from the waist. Strides are short and powerful, pushing off the ground. Pump the arms vigorously throwing the elbow back hard rather than forward keeping the the head still and square to the shoulders. After the first 10-15 yards, running mechanics change noticeably as you gain speed...Foot strikes should still be from the balls of the feet. There is still a slight forward lean from the ground but much less. Strides are longer and more relaxed. Don't try to push away from the ground. Arm action is still exaggerated but more relaxed. Head remains still.As part of a season long plan, speed training for football features heavily in late pre-season preparation and gradually increases over the whole of pre-season. It should also follow a period of base strength training for maximum results.Here is an example of how this works. I worked with this junior/senior during the summer and just before his senior season...for name sake we will call him BO. Bo had good speed, a solid 4.5 at 6'2 205 pounds. Not small enough for a scatback and not big enough for a fullback. Bo asked me to help him get quicker off the ball as you see a 4.5 runner is pretty quick once in the open field as it takes a 4.4 or faster to catch them. We set up road cones to simulate the holes in the line. We worked on his form as a running back, how he acclerated to the ball and to the hole. Over and over we worked...at times Bo would ask is this really working. When the season started Bo was soquick to the hole he had to wait for his linemen to punch the hole, Bo averaged 8.9 yards per carry...did it work?PRACTICE...PRACTICE...PRACTICE, I know you all heard this before from your coaches and your parents. It is notrocket science, but hard dedicated work...even after regular practice and especailly in the off season will pay off.
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