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Turbo Charge Your Engine with the Speed Dribble Bleed

3/19/2016

Strength and speed coaches crave "big bang for your buck" drills, concepts, progressions and plan b exercises. The Speed Dribble Bleed provides all that and than some. Every performance coaches menu should showcase the dribble or dribble bleed because its benefits and application are of wide variety. I like to think of it as a Swiss army knife in my program.
Benefits:
•improved stride frequency (don't give up on this just because your athlete is over the age of 14)
•improvement of athletes ability to relax/contract (greatest sprinters can do this incredibly well)
•teaches athlete to transition heel recovery pattern and limit time spent in backside mechanics
•improved landing mechanics of foot/ankle
• high CNS activation for potentiation affect in warm up
•low force production (less stressful on body & great plan b to sprinting for athletes with injuries, i.e. hamstring issues,etc)
Cue: Proud Posture, Big Toe To Top of Shoe, Spin Over, Hot Coals Under Feet, Arm Speed Like an Iron Chef Cutting Carrots, Smooth & Seamless Transition of Heel height and Shoulder R.O.M
Prescription:
Each phase = Progress from 3 to 10 yards depending on athlete, sporting needs, age, training aim, etc
End of Warm Up = 1-2 reps or
Plan B Speed Workout 6-10 reps depending on distance, athletes readiness, etc

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Stick Your Neck Out & EmBrace The Acceleration Pillar March

3/7/2016

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The acceleration pillar march is a drill that can create context for acceleration sprinting and improve anterior chain stability all at once. The bang for your buck is ridiculous. It was born from a wild "one workout stand" shared between the classic acceleration wall drill and Martin Rooney's infamous Swiss Ball Neck Front Hold. While you may not want to label me the match maker or love guru just yet, I honestly believe these two made something beautiful when they connected.
This drill creates a feeling that reflects the "oak tree trunk" position we want from athletes when accelerating. Improving core stiffness allows for better posture, power output and torso position while sprinting.
I routinely cue athletes to rise up like an airplane off a run way during the acceleration pattern. The athletes crown is essentially the nose of the airplane. I cue my athletes to keep the head out in front while accelerating for the first few pushes. I also like the cue "cut the wind with your hair" and always use the analogy "be a good pilot." A pilot who flies an airplane like a helicopter will experience turbulence and make grown men cry in their seats. Likewise, bad sprint pilots will make their coach cry and lose time rising up when they should be rising out.
Contact sport coaches should see this drill as a career saver as well. With the concussion epidemic consuming football, the acceleration pillar march proves to be a great ground based drill for neck, torso, and hip stability. A ground based exercise that incorporates hip, core, and head health = WINNING!!!
Cues: "Head to heel solid as steel" "Solid as an Oak tree trunk" "Feels like a plank" ...Brace, stay stiff, make double chin, push into ground, drive head through pillar, squeeze glutes, keep neutral spine, knee up toe up, keep a double chin
Use as a postural reinforcement drill in warm up before sprinting or as a finisher at end of workout. Use during sprint workout as trouble shooting for the athlete that has trouble maintaining posture.
*A coach or teammates hand will work in place of pillar or wall

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#Synthesis

Turbo Charge Your Engine with the Speed Dribble Bleed

Stick Your Neck Out & EmBrace The Acceleration Pillar March

Matt Gifford

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