Elitefts.com: Complete Preparation for Speed Enhancement

​Speed rules as the performance quality "king" in sport. Training for speed is the holy grail of training for the modern performance coach. Thankfully, training for speed has come a long way in both our performance training industry and sport coaching at large. We have progressed immensely to say the least. Initially, we ran kids until they puked thinking mental toughness and volume produced speed. We than fell in love with speed ladders and gadgets thinking it would create fast twitch freaks. The recent garage gym trend over the last ten years has led many believing speed can be developed through the weight room alone. By now everyone is bored to death with adage "strength = speed." Yes, high power output into the ground in minimal time is part of the speed equation. I do agree that the athlete needs baseline standards of maximal and general strength to effectively apply force and more importantly with stand these forces over time. If this is indeed a limiting factor than please train accordingly. However, aren't we all bored to death with this theory? Furthermore, are these juggernauts we're building able to express their strength? With that being said, lets take a look at the most often overlooked part of the athletes program...the warm up. 
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The first fifteen to thirty minutes of your session as an athlete or coach will not only dictate the effectiveness of your workout, but really highlight your understanding of speed training. The "NX Level Speed Warm-Up" will unlock speed potential by improving structural alignment, mobility, and stability. Greater joint ranges of motion, core stability, and posture will  help improve the athletes ability to express power. The "General Warm up Check List " will improve soft tissue quality, mobility and will elevate the core temperature while turning the lights on to the central nervous system. Moving forward the "NX Level Speed Training Prep Big 3" will further open up the hips while ensuring speed musculature is primed for enhanced force production and core stability in acceleration specific positions.

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General Warm-up Check List

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing: 2 minutes (Focus on exhalation and use PRI concepts if necessary)
2. Self Myofascial Release: 5-10 minutes. (Spend time on any focal adhesions, and pay specific attention to sprinting musculature: ankle/gastroc, hip/glute/quad/adduc/IT Band, Pec, Lat
3. Flexibility: 3-5 minutes, 20-40 seconds (Perform calve/soleus stretch, ankle rockers, bretzel stretch, lat line stretch, pec stretch, band traction, etc.)
4. Mobility Series Dynamic or Ground Based: 5 minutes (Perform quadruped hip circles, rolls, cat/camels, thread the kneedle, alternating knee ups, groin rockers, and windshield wipers)
5. General Skip Series: 5 minutes (Perform tempo strides at 80%, backwards strides at 80%, side shuffling, carioca run, crossover skips, forward/backward/diagonal shuffling, hopping, skipping rope, ladder drills, marches, etc)

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NX Level Speed Training Prep Big 3  
​*All exercises must be preceded with a posterior tilt of the pelvis
A1 Starret Band Split Squat with Iso Hold (8 reps per leg)

• Distraction of the hip capsule whichwill lead to an anterior hip stretch. The thoracic reach will help drive internal hip rotation of the back leg. This, in turn, will produce a greater range of motion (think big thigh split) and allow the athlete to produce greater force over the foot's ground contact.

A2 Banded Single-Leg Hip Lift with Iso Hold (8 reps per leg)

• Now that the hip is opened up, coaches can reciprocally hit the back side glute/hamstring to ensure improved neutral pelvic position. Greater posterior chain contribution yields greater hip extension and improved power.

 A3  Stability Ball Acceleration March with mini band (8 reps per leg)

• This is an acceleration-specific drill in which the athlete is aligned in perfect neutral position with full body extension at a forty-five degree angle. The stability ball allows the athlete to fully engage the anterior chain and the upper back. The use of the mini band allows the athlete to flex the hip and engage the external obliques. This is Coach Giff's "Guaranteed" speed enhancer because it puts the athlete in the Prime 1 step position and allows him to feel what great start extension feels like from head to toe. I love this as a better progression to wall drills...create great context here!!!

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