Over the past seven years of training athletes,
I’ve had the unique opportunity of analyzing the common traits of the fastest athletes.
And I’ve noticed something common amongst the fastest athletes I’ve trained.
Here are the 3 ESSENTIALS of Speed Development!
1. Relative Force Production
What It Is: RFP is the amount of force you produce relative to your bodyweight.
The higher your RFP is, the faster you’ll move down the field.
Why It’s Important: If you don’t have sufficient RFP, you’ll be heavy-footed when you strike the ground,
Your strides will be weak and short,
And you’ll struggle to accelerate and maintain top speed.
2. Acceleration Mechanics
What is it: Acceleration mechanics are the determining factor in how fast you build to your top speed.
Acceleration mechanics come down to your stance, steps, and start.
If a single one of those is off, you’ll lower the rate that you build speed.
Why It’s Important: In one research study, sprinting researchers found that if two athletes are equal to each other in everything besides the start in a 100m race, the athlete with less efficient sprinting mechanics will lose that race by one full second.
In a 100m race, that makes a huge difference!
3. Frontside/Backside Mechanics
What is it: Frontside/Backside Mechanics have to do with the top speed of your sprint.
When you have them honed in, you’ll be able to produce 100% more force in your sprint.
That literally means doubling your speed.
Why They’re Important: The top sprinting scientists have found that we naturally run with backside dominant mechanics.
That means you’re placing a cap on your force production during the sprint, and sprint speed, if you haven’t spent time to work on your speed mechanics.
