July 3, 2008 E-MAIL PRINT

Improve first-step quickness

by Pete Asadourian/

Falling runs 1

Falling runs 1

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When you are watching athletes compete, one of the first things you notice is how fast they get to a spot or how explosive they are. Explosive power and speed is extremely important in all sports, and it can absolutely be improved through proper training.

There are a number of different techniques I use to help my athletes develop explosive speed. Running sprints until you are blue in the face is not going to cut it. Instead, you should focus on running form. For example, an athlete’s knee drive and arm movements play a huge role in how fast they are. My initial evaluation of an athlete includes “break down techniques,” which break down the athlete’s stride into three movements: foot strike, knee drive and arm movement. We tackle each one of these movements individually and make them as efficient as possible. For example, I will have athletes run on their toes and stride out their legs, which may feel odd and uncomfortable. However, your power and explosiveness are dependent on how your legs, arms and feet are moving and striking, and this drill can improve that.

When explaining and breaking down running form, I tell athletes that when their feet are striking down onto the ground, they should visualize that they are raveling up the surface behind them, like a rug. By taking this approach, they are making themselves push off the surface as quickly as possible. This is where we gain our power and explosiveness, and right from the start it’s important to have soft, fast feet.

Proper knee drive is important as well. We see too many athletes at all levels who run flat-footed, and by doing so their knee drive is hindered. Without proper knee drive, athletes will not be able to maximize their explosiveness. A good practice tool is to think about doing a high knee motion while striding, but instead of actually doing the high knee motion in your traditional upright position, the knees are going to be up and out in front. By doing this motion, it is going to force athletes onto their toes and off their heels. With proper lean to the body, this will make for an explosive stride.

Another area that is often neglected is your arms. I tell athletes to think about a pulley in the air with a rope on either side of it. They should be pretending to pull each side of the pulley as quickly as possible, while keeping their elbows in and close to their sides. Many athletes bring their arms across their body when sprinting, which actually slows them down. Crossing their arms over their body while running decreases the efficiency of going forward, which ultimately decreases explosiveness.

Foot strike, knee drive and arm motion are the three key components to running form. These three movements are the main areas to attack when trying to develop speed.

Following are a few drills that will help develop better explosiveness.

Falling Runs

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise up onto your toes. Once up on your toes, fall into your stride using the proper running form described in the article on this page — knees up and out, run on your toes. Make sure you are not dropping your chest when you are falling into stride. Keep your head and chest up.

Lateral Hops to Sprints

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Moving laterally, explode back and forth in a lateral motion in place for 20 seconds. After the time has elapsed, explode out into stride. This is a great exercise to improve lateral quickness as well as first-step quickness into your stride.

Foot Fires to Sprint

Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Start firing your feet as fast as you can in place for 20 seconds. After 20 seconds, continuing with your fast feet, explode out into stride using proper form, knees up and out with a slight lean in your body.

Pete Asadourian is the founder/owner of Future Fitness Sport Specific Training in Cromwell, Conn.

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