Fartlek is a Swedish word meaning "speed play. They can last 20 minutes or longer depending on the runner. Coupling periods of moderate to high intensity running with a slower pace will put stress on both your aerobic and anaerobic treshhold. This will help you build both speed and endurance. While fartleks are similar to interval training, they are done at an easier effort and slower pace over a longer period of time.
If you are a competitive runner, you can tap into this speed play during a race to help you pass another runner. Unstructured fartlek runs can be beneficial for runners that are just getting started with speed training, because it eases the pressure of reaching a certain goal. Springer recommends incorporating fartlek runs into your running schedule just once a week to improve speed.
Both coaches agree that running hills is a great way to introduce speed training into your running routine. Uphill training will help you become a faster runner and also increase your VO2 max, making you a more efficient runner. VO2 max is a measure of how much oxygen a person can utilize during intense exercise.
A study published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance found that introducing various hill workouts into a running schedule improved overall performance in all 20 participants.
Each runner participated in an uphill training program that included two sessions per week for a total of six weeks. Although hill running usually doesn't feel like speed work, it engages and strengthens muscles in the glutes, hamstrings, core, quadriceps, calves, and upper body that easily translate to faster running on flat roads.
Those new to hill runs should start with just one a week. Once you find you aren't completely exhausted after the workout, try adding it twice a week on non-consecutive days. Oftentimes, runners will skip recovery days out of fear they're losing progress if not constantly running. If you moderately work out everyday and don't find yourself improving, Corkum says it's probably because you aren't resting: "A golden rule in running is to make the hard days hard and the easy days easy.
The reason you're sore the day after a workout is because training causes microtears in your muscles. When you rest, those muscle fibers rebuild, slightly stronger than before. Without recovery days, your body is unable to rebuild itself. In extreme cases, skipping recovery can lead to injury, which will set your running schedule back more than any recovery would. A few examples could include a really light run, swimming , or yoga. Overall, Springer suggests that runners take at least one or two days of rest each week in order to build speed.
It's important to have a strong aerobic foundation before you begin incorporating speed training into your workout routine. Corkum recommends that new runners or runners that have taken extended time off spend at least four weeks building up their endurance before beginning speed workouts.
Building this endurance will also help you establish a routine to become a more consistent runner, which is important for building speed. This exercise is great for shifting gears; the sudden changes in tempo improve your "burst-speed," which will be crucial to your sprinting efforts.
In fact, shifting between low- and high-intensity exercise like this is one of the best ways to improve your cardio fitness and endurance, [7] X Research source which will help your body pump oxygen more efficiently when you sprint and help keep you from tiring.
Design a workout routine that suits you. There is no perfect routine for everybody, because every individual has their own needs and their own schedules. Ideally, however, you'll want to set aside at least three days to work on speed and two days to weight-lift.
Here's an example schedule: Monday Speed Day : Run ten meter stretches i. Tuesday Weight-Lifting Day : Go into a weightlifting room and work on everything. Try to keep all of your muscles in shape; you'll need every single one for running, and even more so for sprinting.
Endurance training makes your heart stronger, which will make you much faster. Thursday Semi-Speed Day : Run five meter stretches, three meter stretches, and two meter stretches. As your body learns to move a certain way, it becomes more efficient, meaning you do less work for the same activity and hit a plateau.
Avoid this by keeping your workout routine fresh. Don't forget to to warm up before each workout, and to cool down afterwards. Take the weekend off. You need time to rest and for your muscles to take a break. Part 2. Try running on the balls of your feet.
Although the scientific evidence on this remains mixed, many believe running on the balls of your feet may help you move faster. The less time your foot is on the ground the better. Try running barefoot, and then emulating that form with shoes on.
It creates a highly unnatural "V" shape with your lower legs and feet that puts unnecessary strain on everything. Take more steps. You may think taking longer strides will mean a faster pace, but that is not true. After all, you can't move forward with your feet in the air. When you over-stride, you lose your form.
Your front foot struts out in front of you and actually acts as a sort of brake on your entire body. You then have to carry yourself over your foot, leading to a bouncing that just isn't good for form or speed.
Keeping your stride normal also means you won't get winded as quickly. Lean forward just a bit. Just two degrees can mean the difference between a decent sprint and a great sprint. Just a slight incline is sufficient to help you move faster without losing your balance. It's also important not to lean back. Sometimes when nearing the finish line or checking to see those behind you, you may be tempted lean back or look up and change your form.
This, too, slows you down. You can look around when your sprint is done. Use your arms. Your arms can help propel you if you move them in the right way. They should pump with your legs, driving you forward. Push yourself. You should never decelerate during a sprint. If you are moving less than your top speed, you lose valuable time. If this is a problem for you, start out a bit slower. Ideally, you'll finish faster than you started. If you're running a race, starting out a bit behind can give you psychological momentum to speed up.
Those that start out strong and wear themselves out sometimes think they have already won, and don't expect to be overtaken by those who paced themselves at the outset. Breathe effectively. At all times, you should be harmonizing your breathing with your strides. The crucial thing is to make sure you are getting enough oxygen, so try both and see what feels comfortable and works best for you.
In addition to working on your form and running ability, you should work on your breathing. Concentrate on it when you're warming up so you are primed to do it correctly and deeply during your sprint.
Eat well. It is very important to follow the kind of dietary guidelines that everyone could benefit from. Athletes, however, have additional dietary needs. Carbohydrates are key, as these will release loads of energy and give you strength. Cereal, bread, pasta, and potatoes are all good examples. Consider lean proteins such as turkey and cottage cheese. Make time for yourself to eat a healthy breakfast every day, especially if you are working out that day.
However, hold back on the power foods a few hours before a run. You don't want your stomach acting up during the race. Stay hydrated. All the exercise you'll be getting means you'll lose a lot of fluids through perspiration, so to stay hydrated, you'll need to drink lots of water. So, weigh yourself before and after to get an idea of how much you need to be drinking. A high school football player, for example might lose five pounds from perspiration after practice.
Visit a training gym frequently. Proper weightlifting, or strength training , while breathing correctly, is another important part of increasing your speed, and it should be incorporated into your schedule at least twice a week. Every gym is different and the machines will vary. Be sure to look for ones that focus on working your legs. Don't push yourself too hard, as this can lead to serious injury.
Work up to the heavier weights slowly. Work on your leg muscles. The leg muscles are, of course, the key to running fast. Make use of a squat machine to strengthen your quad muscles. Do various exercises on this, such as jumping squats and lifts. There are also a number of barbell exercises that can strengthen your legs: [24] X Research source Do deadlifts. Find a long bar designed for handling lots of weight. Put some weight on it, squat down and pick it up. Then, stand up straight.
Now, just bend over using your back and try to get the bar to touch your feet, while holding onto it. You should feel this in your hamstrings, the most important muscles for running. Rest a long barbell across your shoulders, holding it in place with both hands. Then, in a wide stance, do squats, keeping your chin parallel to the ground. Work on your abs. Working on your abdominal muscles takes a lot of time, but having a strong core will make everything easier, making it worth the effort.
One good exercise for your abs is to take hold of a weight bar 25 to 45 pounds or hand weights, and then just do some sit-ups. For a good lower-ab workout, find a pole, or something of the sort for example, a leg support to a bench press machine, the railing of your bed, etc. Keep your legs together and bring them up and down very slowly. Work on your shoulders. The shoulders are also important for a fast sprint. They give your body the drive it needs to run quickly, increasing both acceleration and control.
If there is a shoulder press or a bench press at your gym, make sure to spend some time using it. Bench presses also help your chest muscles, which are also important. This precise use of energy and transfer of power ensure that all of their efforts go into propelling themselves forward, faster.
Don't waste energy when you sprint. Pump your arms forward and in tandem with your moving legs, keep your hips steady, tuck your chin in, and don't stride longer than necessary. Lean forward slightly and land on your midfoot. In some cases, you might even feel like you are falling forward, but continuous momentum will keep you up.
Finally, focus on the propulsion in the forward direction rather than focusing on driving your knees upward. Static stretching, in which you hold a stretch for a prolonged period of time, has been shown in the literature to slightly impede sprint and power performance. This, of course, carries a lot more weight for the high-level competitor, where the difference between winning and losing can be a nose hair, but if you want to run faster yourself, exploit every advantage you can get!
Focus on dynamic drills that keep your body temperature up. I recommend that you warm up with minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as a light jog.
Next, perform dynamic mobility drills to loosen up your shoulders, hips, and ankles. The so-called "Spiderman" stretch is a particularly great drill to hit all three of these crucial areas, especially if you add in some upper-body rotation you can see me working into it at around the second mark in the video.
To do this, lunge forward, keep one elbow close to the knee in front, and touch the ground. Twist your upper body toward the front leg, and push your leg out slightly to open up your hip. Then, extend the free arm straight up. You should feel a stretch in the adductors, hip flexors, upper back, and chest.
Hold for a few seconds and twist again, this time facing away from the front leg. Then, repeat on other side. You can also perform what the running community calls "form drills. The better prepared your body is for sprinting, the better you'll sprint and the less likely you'll be to pull a muscle.
According to the SAID principle specific adaptation to imposed demand , you have to actually practice sprinting to be better at it. Sprint workouts can be performed times a week depending on your training season and sport. Research suggests that training programs longer than eight weeks can improve speed development compared to shorter programs. Perform yard maximal sprints with full recovery between sets.
This will improve your conditioning for any sport you play. Be sure to practice refining your sprint mechanics to further improve form and coordination, as well as run speed.
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