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How do you sprint faster?

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KZNSharksFan

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With the rugby season coming up, i would like to improve my max sprint speed as i'm sick of cheeky bloody backs running around me :%#%#: . I know that one can't change their proportion of fast to slow twitch muscle fibres but i was wondering if there is any kind of simple training i could do to improve in this area.

Cheers.
 
Do a little bit of research on plyometric training.
I would go into it, but i've got to go to work, so just look up that and if no one's helped you out by this evening i will put a few training examples in.
 
Do a little bit of research on plyometric training.
I would go into it, but i've got to go to work, so just look up that and if no one's helped you out by this evening i will put a few training examples in.
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Cheers, i'll look into it
 
Ok mate, try out this link below.
It's got some basic examples for upper and lower body plyometric training.
Link.

Hope this helps a little.
 
I haven't read RC's link, but just in general; lunges, squats, leg press, explosive running

I'm no expert, and i'm not too technical with my work out, yet I know enough to say with some confidence that a balanced leg routine is the ****. Building your quads not only allows you to burn more fat (i think :/), but it tightens up ya knee, making it less susceptible to side hits and thus protects your lateral collateral and medial ligaments. Then of course it means better speed + leg drive.

With running, instead of a jog, for a short stint take a gentle pace, then for another short stint, break into a sprint. You've probably already done it mate, but if you haven't it simulates the explosive running you do in rugby and builds match fitness.

That's all I can add, like I said i'm no expert.
 
I'm not an expert neither, but sprinting and tackling are basically the only two things i do really well.
to run faster, i begin running giving many "short steps" in a fast way in order to accelerate more quickly...and once i have already accelerated, i give larger steps to sprint faster.
it's difficult to explain, i hope you understand.
but yeah, it's a great advice to train short runs, instead of long distances. good luck
 
I train for acceleration, speed and power myself. If you can go in a pool for training it will help you a lot. Just get in the water, put your hands in the back of your head and run in a STRAIGHT line. No zigzagging, just straight and contract your abs while doing so. Keep an even, running like pace. This will give you power on your legs and abs. Do plyometrics to complement this exercise so you have explosive strength and you'll be getting those back in no time. ;)
 
pylometrics
short sprints with little rest
and weight training for power (fast contractions) tempo of 3-1-1
 
I know this might seem dumb but have you taken a look at your strides because I noticed when I use to play touch that some of us have little strides so our acceleration was good but others with longer strides had heaps better overall speed but they couldn't sidestep as well.

So I guess if its overall speed you want try doing longer strides but if you want good acceleration and easier stepping do little strides and if you can get a balance between the two than your be the man.
 
Just practice a lot or try to catch up with some guys from the athletics department.
 
I don't really know much about the science but i am a very fast sprinter, and i am sure it is a natural fast twitch fibre thing rather than anything i 'learned'. Even now i sprint pretty fast and i don't do any exercise.

However, i used to try doing someting called 'fartlek' (Sp?) when i was younger.. basically you can do it anywhere that has some space (the park) and you alternate sprinting and jogging. Warm-up a bit, then start off at a slow jog, then sprint as fast and hard as you can until you run out of puff. Then have a slow jog to recover, when you recover sprint again. Keep doing this until you are satisfied that you are sprinting harder or faster.

It's best on the lines of a pitch where you sprint the short ends and jog down the pitch, but it's obviously better if you can sprint for longer.. so try it occasionally with a longer sprint.

I'd recommend just getting some athletics skills, just sprint as much as you can when you can. Try to build up your calves, gluts and quads. Try to get a simple stopwatch. One that just starts and stops with as less buttons as possible. Use that to time yourself when sprinting.. you have a record to beat then. Use a simple one because as you finish lets say 20m, you can easily hit the button. Or get someone to time you!


When you sprint try to feel how much power you currently have. You will find that you can control the power with some sessions.. i mean power in the way that you can tense the muscles and you really feel like you are running harder.

As with anything though, do it to your level and limitations. You can't really do anything over night. Just try to sprint more and it will help.
 
I'll try it as well, as now I'm jogging/ running 6 km every day.
It takes me like 50 minutes to go and get back home ( 2km) + the 6 km run, would love to run faster.
 

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