Over the past couple of months I have spoken about three of the four dominant types of physical preparation strength, endurance, and flexibility, today I’m going to take you through the fourth which is speed. As is the case for the three other types, speed training can benefit not only the professional athlete it is also a fun way of adding variety to your everyday fitness program particularly in the spring/summer season when outdoor training is more appealing to a wider number of people.
Speed can be defined as the time it takes to move between two points that can be but not necessarily in a straight line in many sports, as can be witnessed in the Rugby World Cup that is enthralling us at the moment. There are a number of different ways of looking at an athletes or fitness training enthusiasts speed, namely the 5 sub-qualities of reaction, agility, acceleration, maximum speed and velocity and speed endurance.
In keeping with my theme of not getting technical, let’s take a brief look a the each of these sub-qualities describing what they are, and looking at an example activity that can be used to train each.
Reaction: This can be described as the ability to react quickly to a stimuli which maybe auditory, visual or kinesthetic. In any of the ball sports for example a drill to practice this can be someone breaking to an indicated direction to accept a pass. In Australian Rules Football (AFL) for example breaking for a pass from a teammate is an integral part of the game this can be practiced with drills with distance and time, i.e. running out to your left for 20 metres to catch a ball passed from a coach or fellow team member. The person doing the passing could either voice the instruction, indicate it by hand or body movement leaving the person accepting the pass to make the necessary movement to meet the ball.
Agility: The ability to rapidly change direction while maintaining good body mechanical coordination. This means that agility training is not only used to improve speed (foot), quickness, acceleration, changing speeds or changing direction to name a few it also aids in injury prevention by helping improve body control through the various proper movement mechanics of the bodies muscles and joints.
One of my favourite activities to train agility is the T-drill as follows:
You will need 4 cones (C1-C4) set up to resemble a T. You start at the bottom of the T, C1 and sprint forward 10 metres to C2. At the C2 side step left 5 metres to C3. Plant both feet at C3 and then side step 10 meters to C4. Plant again at C4 and side step 5 metres back to C2. Turn at C2 and sprint back to C1. Each completion is a set, your number of sets will depend on other drills in your program if you are planning to do a bit of each of the ones mentioned here aim for 5 sets with a 1:1 rest ratio, i.e. rest for as long as it takes you to do a set then start the next.
Acceleration: which is the rate of change in speed (velocity). This can be practiced by marking out a 10 metre course and then doing short sprints between the markers from a standing start. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions with again a 1:1 rest ration between sets.
Maximum Speed (Velocity): this is the highest speed or velocity reached during a speed sequence or episode. An example of training this sub-quality would be to mark out a 20-30 metre course then do sprints between the markers at your top speed. Do this for 10 repetitions resting for 30 seconds between each, for 1 set only.
Speed Endurance: This is described as one’s ability to repeat speed at the same level of performance. An example of training this sub-quality is to mark out a 20 metre course then as for the previous speed drill above, sprint between the markers. As the aim is to build up endurance do 5 reps per set for 10 sets, resting for a 1:3 ratio that is if it takes you 25 seconds per set then rest for 75 seconds before starting the next set.
Is having Quickness the same as being Fast?
One other matter that I would like to discuss here is the difference between being fast and quickness, the reason being is that training the sub-qualities we have briefly outlined above will help you in both of these areas. To be fast doesn’t necessarily mean that you have quickness or visa versa, most top athletes of course by virtue of their superior skills have both, however not all athletes and particularly us mere mortals do, therefore we need to train to acquire it. Put simply quickness is the ability to perform a movement without delay, you need the coordination, balance and timing to help you get away from your opponent for example in any given sport. Doing the drills above especially the agility one and other similar drills will help develop your footwork and hence ability to quickly make the required movement with stealth, leaving you opponent in your dust trail on the field or court.
As each of you are at differing levels of fitness the recommended sets, reps and rest periods for all the above will vary greatly, I have included the examples above as a guide only and would strongly recommend that you consult a fitness professional for the best program for your needs.
Zol
Fitness Moves