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3 Speed Drills To Get You Faster As Soon As Possible

Aaron Brack of Functional Fury in Albuquerque, NM shares some fast twitch drills

Here are 3 speed drills that are going to help you get faster as soon as possible.  

Speed is the name of the game when you've got guys over 300 pounds running up 4.7, 4.8 40-times in college and the NFL.  Natural speed is a God-given gift, however there are certain drills that you can do to help you become more explosive and increase your speed.  

1) Box Jumps

Box jumps are super duper helpful in helping you become a better athlete.   There are two different types of box jumps that you can do.  

  • Traditional box jumps - Do 3-4 sets of 10 box jumps onto a flat surface box or chair that is about knee height or higher.  Upon landing, immediately explode into your next jump.  This exercise is going to develop your explosion and fast twitch muscles to help make you faster and more explosive.  Watch video  
  • Depth box jumps - Do 3-4 sets of 10 depth box jumps.  Depth box jumps require you to jump down from a box and as soon as your feet hit the ground you explode up again jumping onto another box.  So obviously this exercise requires two platforms to jump down from and onto.  Watch video 

2) Stadium stairs

Do 3 sets of 10 runs with 2-5 min rest in between sets.  Do this exercise 1-2 times a week.  These are super duper helpful in terms of helping you develop this speed necessary to be a good athlete.  The power drive motion from your knees as your running up the stairs that movement is extremely beneficial in terms of developing your turn over speed.  This exercise is really good for your hip flexors, strengthening your calves and ankles to make you a faster runner.   I dropped 2-tenths off my 40-time by running stadium stairs when I was at the University of New Mexico.   Watch video

3) Pushup starts

Do 4 sets of 10 pushup starts and sprint for at least 10 yards.  When doing a pushup start you want to start on the ground in a pushup position, push up simultaneously while bringing your dominant foot underneath your body to run up off the ground.   To avoid falling pick up your eyes and focus on picking up your heel and through for fast foot recovery.  This requires timing, turnover, and balance.  This drill helps increase hip flexion strength, full body and core strength, and increases your balance awareness. Watch video

Alright guys, in addition to you getting faster, you also need to get bigger, and stronger...