Best Acceleration Drills for Athletes
I’m cutting down. Cutting down the amount of drills I do. Cutting down the amount of exercises I use. I’m trimming the fat. I want my programming to be simple and effective. And in relation to acceleration, I only use the best acceleration drills.
Over the next few days, I’m going to share a couple of posts that dive deep into the best acceleration drills for athletes and WHY they’re so effective.
You might know that over the past few months, I started using a new method to help athletes with their speed. It’s the isolate, elevate, and integrate method.
Essentially, this method isolates a weak component of an athlete’s sprint. Then it elevates that week component. Once that component is elevated, I reintegrate that elevated component into a sprint.
That’s the basis behind the two drills I’m about to share with you here.
They’re going to isolate a certain component of the acceleration phase of an athlete’s sprint and elevate it. Then it will be reintegrated into a full on sprint.
Here we go:
Wall Drill
The Wall Drill is one of the best acceleration drills to raise the threshold of an athlete’s sprint.
Despite what I said earlier, the wall drill doesn’t actually work on the mechanics of an athlete’s acceleration.
It doesn’t train technique, but it raises the threshold of the movement and translates it to your sprint.
When I say raise the threshold, I mean that we’re training the sprinting motion, but we’re doing it at a higher velocity. This is because you don’t have to fight gravity with the wall drill.
Here’s how to do the Wall Drill:
Start with your hands about shoulder height and lean into the wall. The angle of your body should replicate the position you’re in during the acceleration phase. Next you’ll lock in your glutes and core. After, raise one knee. You want to have a positive shin angle, but still be able to see that toe over your knee.
The way you perform your reps depends on how advanced of an athlete you are. If you’re just dipping your toes into the water in regards to sprinting… You can perform once switch. Or you can perform a series of switches for time.
Either way, once you’re finished you’ll move into the next acceleration drill.
2 Point Start
Next you’ll move into the 2 point start. If you’re a football player or a baseball player you can use your 40 start or 60 start stance.
Essentially, you’re going to perform this drill with the highest technique possible.
Remember, your power leg is always in front with a 2 point start. If you’re right handed, your power leg is probably your left leg. If you’re left handed, your power leg is probably your right leg. Also make sure you throw the arms when you come out of your 2 point stance AND take big powerful steps.
The goal is to produce as much horizontal force as possible to build to maximum velocity quickly.
You can think of the wall drill and 2 point start as a sort of contrast training. The wall drill allowed us to raise the threshold of our acceleration mechanics by allowing us to move at a higher velocity. The 2 point start then becomes a little easier and more mechanically sound.
The Components of Speed
To gain speed fast, you need a series of training methods in place.
You need speed mechanics, stretches, strength training, plyometric, core training, and more.
It can be complicated to create.
Especially by the untrained eye.
That’s why I dropped Athletic Speed System earlier this year.
Over a thousand athletes are currently riding with Athletic Speed System. And almost all of them have increased their speed in 30 days or less.
I’m certain it can do the same for you…
IF… You’re serious about your speed.
Head over to the link below for more details.
