Speed is something that is relevant to a lot of athletes and fitness enthusiasts. But developing it is not as easy as simply doing things a little faster. We bring four foolproof ways for you to get faster.
Get stronger
Strength in our muscles is what we need if we want them to help move us quickly from point A to B. Any elite speed athlete is strong and that's not a coincidence. If you are looking to get quicker for your sport or if you want to improve your sprint timing, strength work is mandatory. Get in two-three strength training sessions in every week and be sure to hit all the major muscles. A simple way to do this is to consistently train the big six: squat, deadlift or swing, pushup or bench press, overhead press, pull-up and row. If you already strength train, track your progress and work on getting stronger.
Do speed work
To most of us this is obvious: if you want to get fast, practise doing this fast. Sprints are the simplest way to do this. Go to the track or just find a patch of land which has a few hundred metres of running space and get some sprints every week. The volume and duration of the sprint will change depending on your goals and skill level, but the foundation is the same. Be sure to take plenty of time to warm up before and stretch after. Since sprinting is high in intensity and taxes your muscles and central nervous system, you need to prep your body well before and help it recover after.
Use the jump rope
The jump rope (or skipping rope or speed rope) is a great tool to build strength on the ankles and the muscles around the ankles. In addition to that, it can also be an excellent tool for endurance training and helps with keeping the core intact and improving posture. When speed is a goal, all these three things matter and training them all at least once a week using the jump rope is a simple yet effective method. That said, the jump rope can be and should be used as a part of warm-ups especially on sprint days. They get the ankles, knees and the muscles around them ready for intense activity.
Build your core
Your core comprises muscles starting at your chest all the way down to your knees. These are the muscles that help keep your body as one unit. A solid object is easier to move than one that is floppy, and this applies to our bodies too. When moving, especially at high speeds, we need to reduce the number of moving parts. So keeping the core of your body tight is essential to enable efficient transfer of force and movement. Core training can be defined as training the body to prevent movement of the spine. And in order to prevent the spine from moving, we need to strengthen all muscles that support the spine: abs, glutes, lower back musculature, quadriceps and hamstrings. People who train the big six are usually strong in this area but dedicated core work targeted at each of these muscle groups always helps.
