Tips for Becoming Faster and More Explosive
By: Rick Scarpulla
(Editor's Note: In this feature, SPARQ Trainer Network member Rick Scarpulla shares five of his 10 tips to becoming a faster and more explosive athlete. CLICK HERE to see tips 6-10.)
In this day and age the need for faster, stronger, more explosive athletes is one of the top priorities for all athletes as well as coaches. Most sports played today are really about short to midrange acceleration and physical domination, therefore explosive speed as well as explosive strength is a must. A solid speed and strength program will not only help in your performance. In addition it will greatly reduce the risk of injury. Here are a few tips to becoming faster and stronger athlete and a few misconceptions exposed.
1. The best way to become more explosive is to learn proper technique. Proper technique will make you more efficient and smoother. Proper technique should be used at all levels of speed and strength and strength training. Warm-ups, scrimmage, drills games no matter what you are doing proper form and technique should always be used and must continually be practiced.
2. The most important muscles to work on for becoming faster more explosive athlete are: hamstrings, glutes, abs, and lower back, hip flexors and oblique (side of the stomach). The only way to become faster and more explosive is to become stronger in the proper functional muscle groups. Strengthening these muscle groups will make you stronger, faster, jump higher and give you more overall athletic ability. More than anything else this will help prevents injury. Training these muscles should be a top priority.
3. Becoming a faster, stronger, more explosive athlete requires you incorporate five areas of physical training, speed, strength, agility, reaction and coordination. All of these must be trained on a regular basis. All five are equally important aspects of any sport. Use tools such as short hill sprints, agility ladders, weight training, change of direction, balance and reaction drills as well as form and technique drills.
4. When running, arm action is often overlooked. The faster the arms move the faster the legs will move. The shoulders and hands should be relaxed and placed in a 90-degree position. Only the shoulders should move. The elbows and hands should remain locked in the 90-degree position. The shoulder should act as a sort of hinge and should move the arms in a semi circular motion bringing the hands from the side of the face to the rear of the hip (cheek to cheek).
5. Your training routine should be balanced. You should try and work speed training twice weekly, absolute strength (max effort gym work) twice weekly and dynamic explosive strength twice weekly. You can combine more than one area per day, but only work each area twice weekly. You also must consistently change your exercises and drills, as the human body will adapt to a specific task rather quickly. The only way you can get better is to challenge the body and mind to master new tasks.
Coach Rick Scarpulla is the West Point Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Army Powerlifting. He is the head coach and founder of Ultimate Advantage Training, is a consultant to several top high school and college programs. He is also a SPARQ Certified Nike Combine coach, a trainer to numerous college, pro and All-American atheltes. You can submit training questions to him at: rick@myultimateadvantage.com
May 14th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
As in dynamic explosiveness what do you mean what kind of workouts?
May 15th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
what is good for skills for a RB to learn to become eilte?
May 26th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
i ran a 4.9 and now i run a 4.2 and i am ready go college.
May 26th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I recently began training with a new speed coach to prepare for upcoming college combines who has helped me to make some radical changes to my 40yd. technique. One particular adjustment was rather interesting. He suggested to hold my breath for the first 15yds. and then violently exhail. The only way to describe the feeling is like having booster jets turn on upon exhailing. I’ve been able to cut my 40 time by 2 tenths of a second over the past 2 months, lagely due to learning proper breathing tecnique.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Jamaal - I'd focus on quick feet if you want to become a better RB. Check out some of the videos in The Film Room of LaDainian Tomlinson training on a speed ladder: http://www.sparqtraining.com/videos/?col=srch&q=LT&x=0&y=0
June 5th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Hi my football team lost are runningback and the coach wants me to be the runningback next year do you have any drills to make me stronger and faster?
June 6th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Hey Zach
Check out some drills that use power bands for strength and quickness together - http://sparqtraining.com/videos/index.php?v=C216E7C0E9FBE4FB
and
http://sparqtraining.com/videos/index.php?v=32A47CA92148EA9B
http://sparqtraining.com/videos/index.php?v=1D3260888C4F16BB
June 19th, 2007 at 2:06 am
i have always wondered if holding your breath for a short time will help. i have heard it would but i am just wondering if that is really true
June 19th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
what tips do you have for a defensive lineman with bad knees that is trying to become more explosive. about a year and a half ago i had acl surgery and my other knee has inflammation. how can i strengthen these areas and become more explosive?
June 22nd, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Taofik - To do that, you'll need to devise your own workouts that incorporate all your needs. No one drill will do it, because your knees aren't the driving force behind explosiveness. (Notice, above; the muscle groups for explosive action are your core and your hammies.) You can work with SPARQ power bands to strengthen your knees, doing simple resistance work, but for professional rehabilitative strengthening check with your doctor.
June 26th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
i am 13 and going to be a freshmen. I am thinking about repeating 8th grade so i have more time to train and so i will have an upper hand in highschool to be faster and stronger. im young enough to be held behind. what are ur thoughts on that? would that be a smart decision or not?
July 26th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
i am 14 yrs old and I play runningback and everybody tells me I am to small I have average speed about a 4.9 I am about 5 ft 5 I am very though I maxed in benching at 225 and I maxed out in squating at 350 I am very strong because I was lifting with my big brother earlier about 11 yrs old I was lifting should I just give on football
July 26th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Mike - You should talk to your parents (or whoever you live with) about your decision for school.
Will - It sounds like you should reassess why you compete, and what sports you might want to continue with. Then figure out your specific positions. And work on your writing skills too!
July 26th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
hi i play lb and i would really like to know so drills and a workout plan to become faster and stronger.
July 26th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
hi i play lb and i would really like to know so drills and a workout plan to become faster and stronger.
July 26th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
hi i play lb and i would really like to know so drills and a workout plan to become faster and stronger.
July 26th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
hi i play lb and i would really like to know so drills and a workout plan to become faster and stronger.
July 26th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
hi i play lb and i would really like to know so drills and a workout plan to become faster and stronger.
July 27th, 2007 at 3:04 am
this is my first year of qb and wuold like to no some drills and a workout plan to work on to make more dominant at my position
July 27th, 2007 at 3:04 am
this is my first year of qb and wuold like to no some drills and a workout plan to work on to make more dominant at my position
July 28th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
hey i am 12 and i am a goalie for my school soccer team…..everybody says im great but i think i need to improve…anytips??
July 30th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Hello
I recently took part in the nike combine @Hillboro Or. and would like to know my score and why its not on the web sight. Could you help me please?
November 6th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
VERY GOOD WEBSITE!I LIKE IT.
December 16th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
im and a linebacker and fullback and ive played it my whole life but going into my senior year, im going to be the starting tailback. the only problem with this is that im not that fast. i run a 4.9 40, but im very strong. i bench 315 and squat 465 and i weigh 185, but i was wondering if you could give me some drills on becoming faster and quicker so that i can get a division 1 scholarship.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:39 am
On my site myultimateadvantage.com there are some good drills and articles on becoming faster check them out and if you have any questions email me one of the things I like best is jumping read my jumping article that will help
December 17th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Where can I purchase the flex bands used in the scissor squat jump exercise?
December 18th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Loredo, You can purchase the flex bands at our SparqStore here
December 18th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
im a linebacker going into my jr. season and i’d really like any tips on being a better LB…please reply!!!!