Mamba Speed Training - Understand Speed Concepts

How to Define Speed Training for Athletes 

Speed: Defined as skills and abilities needed to achieve high movement velocities. 

• Speed requires the ability to accelerate and reach maximum velocity when necessary

  
  

Elite sprinters/ speed athletes can produce large amounts of force within a short amount of time. 

-High levels of force allow athletes to produce longer strides at a faster rate. 

Change of Direction is defined as the ability or skill needed to explosively change movement direction, velocities, or modes. 

	The key terms of Speed Development
Ground Contact Time	This is the amount of time your foot spends on the ground with each step while running. In speed training, shorter ground contact times often mean faster movement because you're spending less time pushing off and more time moving forward.
Stride Length	This is the distance covered from the point where one foot hits the ground to when the same foot hits again. Improving stride length through strength and technique can help you cover more ground with each step, increasing your speed.
Strength Angle	This refers to the angle of your body and limbs when applying force during running. In speed training, having the right angles, like a forward lean during acceleration, helps you use your strength more efficiently to generate power and speed.
Step Length	Step length is the distance between the spot where one foot hits the ground and the other foot hits next. Optimizing step length is important for maintaining rhythm and efficiency while running fast.
Flight Time	This is the time your body is in the air between steps when running. In speed training, balanced flight time helps maintain efficiency and rhythm, especially when sprinting at top speed.
Acceleration	Acceleration is how quickly you can increase your speed from a standstill or a slower pace. Training acceleration focuses on explosive power, proper posture, and quick, powerful strides to build momentum as fast as possible.

	The key terms of Agility Development
Change of Direction Deficit	This measures how much slower you are when changing direction compared to running straight. Reducing this deficit means improving your ability to cut or turn quickly, which is critical for agility on the field.
Ground Contact Time	This is the amount of time your foot stays on the ground during a movement, like a cut or a turn. In agility training, shorter ground contact times mean quicker and more explosive changes of direction.
Exit Velocity	This is how fast you move after making a change in direction. Higher exit velocity means you can get back to full speed quickly after a cut, helping you stay ahead of your opponents.
Entry Velocity	This is how fast you’re moving before making a change of direction. Managing your entry velocity is important because it affects how smoothly and efficiently you can decelerate and cut.
Decision-Making Time	This is how quickly you can process information and decide where to move. In agility training, faster decision-making helps you react quickly to opponents or game situations, giving you a competitive edge.

Within most sports, high-speed human locomotion can be categorized as linear or multi-directional. 

COD requires deceleration and re-accelerating … vs Agility which requires the use of cognitive ability in combination with COD. 

Learn about Rate of Force Development: 

• Defined as: maximal force in a minimal amount of time. 

• The key focus is can an athlete produce force rapidly. This ability or trait has been shown to improve performance in jump height and other athletic endeavors. 

Learn about the Central Nervous System:

• Neuromuscular function is a key drive in sprint performance. 

• Research has proven a combination of strength, plyometrics, and sprint training will produce adaptations to the neuromuscular system that can enhance sprint performance. 

• These tools will help to improve athletes' neural drive which can improve overall athlete performance.

Learn about the Stretch-Shortening Cycle:

• Athletic movements that are counter-movements or look “spring-like” utilize the SSC.

• This is an eccentric-concentric coupling in which muscle-tendon complexes are used to rapidly and forcibly lengthen (“stretch-loaded”) and then immediately shorten in a reactive or elastic manner. 

• Primary movements where this may occur in sport are jumping, running, and movements that are explosive changes in velocity. 

• For many, growing in popularity, to enhance this ability athletes should consider:

  • Complex training: 

  • This utilizes post-activation potentiation - 

Speed is all about angles

Understanding Speed Factors: 

• Sprint speed can be determined by an athletes stride length and stride rate. 

• Successful sprinters tend to have long stride lengths thanks to properly directed forces into the ground while being able to demonstrate frequent stride rates. 

  • With this in mind - to be fast, you must have a great rate of force development and proper mechanics to translate sprint/speed performance in sport. 

• In simple: The goal of sprinting is to achieve optimal stride length and stride frequency through the correct application of force into the ground. 

Methods of Developing Speed: 

Yes, SPEED CAN BE DEVELOP, ENHANCED, AND FOR EVERYONE. 

This doesn’t mean everyone can be a gold medal 100m winner but imagine every athlete on a soccer team improving 1-5 seconds on their 40 yd dash time. How does 1 factor change the performance of the team? How would these results also translate to improving injury rates, overall athleticism, and enhancing morale with greater confidence? Speed can be the catalyst when applied appropriately. 

• Sprint at high velocity & output

  • It can be argued that no exercise improves running velocity more than maximum-velocity sprinting.

  • Proven: neurological adaptations resulting from long-term training that emphasizes max strength and movement velocity improve both rate of force development and impulse generation. 

  • Sprinting requires near-max to maximal muscle activation, which depends on high CNS activity. 

• Strength can aid in Speed, Agility, & COD Enhancement 

  • Understanding what types of exercises are paramount can ensure that athletes develop appropriately. 

  • For instance, maximal strength training can be beneficial but training should merge maximal strength to speed-strength qualities. 

  • If speed is being prioritized movements such as cleans, snatch, dead pulls, and derivatives show a carry-over to enhancing rate of force development, muscular stiffness, and power output. 

Drills for Developing Phases of Speed: 

Acceleration: 

1. Wall Drills 

2. Falling Starts 

3. Sled Pulls (Heavy)

4. Half-Kneeling Starts

5. Box Jumps 

6. Hill Sprints 

   1. 0-10 yards

Max Velocity:

1. Fly Runs

2. Plyometrics - most specifically ankle-focused 

3. Wickets

4. Ankling

5. Weighted 

Note: we are not focusing on the phases of transition or speed endurance. While implementing many of these drills can translate to improvement in these phases. Posture is emphasized heavily to ensure proper technique at all times. 

The more you know the more efficient you can be.

"You have to set yourself goals so you can push yourself harder. Desire is the key to success." - Usain Bolt

Keep Training!