So I was looking for ways to run faster and have come upon many different things. I know mechanics have a lot to do with it, but a lot of it is natural. I know running speed is dependent upon stride length, frequency, and ground force production. I was just wondering what everyone here has done to get faster. I am planning on running long distance to increase endurance because I seem to slow down towards the end of a 60 yard dash and also just run many sprints. I am also going to work on arm swing and my lower body. So, I am basically asking what has everyone done to get faster? Thanks.

Running long distances will not make you faster at the end of a 60. If you are slow at the end simply run 65 or 70 yard sprints...or just run more sprints.

Without seeing you, commons issues are:
-poor hip & hamstring flexibility
-poor posterior chain strength
-non-optimal amount of fast twitch muscle fibers

To increase speed (beyond mechanics)
-sprint
-Olympic lfits
-posterior chain strength
-explosive power

Find the sprint coach at the school and ask him for some help.

You can also run various length sprints 3 x's per week. 10-12x60's, 6-8x120's, 4-6 220's. Forget the long distance.

When you are doing sprints, most speed coaches recommend that your rest period between sprints be 1 minute for every 10 yards sprinted. So if you sprint 60 yards, you should rest 6 minutes before you sprint again. Otherwise you are working on stamina instead of speed. I think the 1 minute rule is a bit unrealistic in most raining situations, but the key point is you must allow the body's energy systems to recover when training for speed.

To build on your "top end" speed, I would also recommend that you do what I call "flying" sprints (there is probably an "official" term for it, but I don't know what it is). In other words, start your sprint at about %80 and then after about 30 or 40 yards really try to pour it on for the next 50 or 60, focusing on stride length and minimizing the amount of contact you make with the ground.

Ground force production at the top end of your sprint is just not that important. The thing is not to slow yourself down. Like JD said above, poor hamstring and hip flexibility are speed killers...

Nice advice OBC...Flying Sprints (yes you have the name right) are great, especially for developing top speed...we usually only give 10-15 yards to build up to top speed.

I know I mentioned about slowing down at the end and the flying sprints sounds like a good idea. So how would i work on getting to top speed as quick as possible? It is better to go short and quick or long and hopfully quick with the strides? I run a 40 in about 4.95 and i wanna get it down to about 4.5-7.Thanks.

For the forty, the explosiveness of your start, the mechanical efficiency of your acceleration (transition) to "full" speed, and then maintaining your full speed are about equally valuable. For the 60, your ability to maintain top end speed will factor a bit more as you will have more yards for which you will need to maintain top end speed.

You really should ask an expert. I assume that you are still in high school; go talk to a track coach that deals with the sprinters and he or she will tell you what part needs work. Trust me on this, if you want to run fast, go check with the folks that see it as a result unto itself. You never know what you might learn. For example, one thing we learned with our oldest was that too many sprinters in the transition between the start and top end try to "stand up" too soon to get to full speed instead of letting their bodies naturally reach the optimal gate. It ends up killing speed later on; you wouldn't think so, but it does. Running fast is as much a skill (that can be trained) as it is a talent.

Use the valvasa technique...it works

quote:

Originally posted by baseballboydeuce:
Use the valvasa technique...it works

Do you mean holding your breath and releasing it at certain intervals?

I found the best way to get better at sprinting........was to sprint. Do lots of sprints

To get better at this,I did stadiums 3 times a week.Also agility ladders and shuttle runs,etc. Push yourself hard at the end of the running,and on your last few stadiums........in particular the last few steps. Sounds weird,but I always use to tell myself "you can be tired when you get home" to push myself.