Yes, strength training is very important to helping athletes get faster. The stronger the athlete the more easily he will be able to carry and move his body weight. At some point, however, his strength will be sufficient and any additional improvements in speed will depend largely on the contraction velocity of his muscles, that is, how fast his muscles can contract.
This is the question I hear more than any other. Since strength training can interfere with the results of pure speed training, many athletes are asking how they should structure their workouts so they can take advantage of both strength training and speed training.
Here are 8 tips on how I recommend athletes schedule their workouts when they need to be both strong and fast – based on whether you are in mid-season or off-season.
Most athletes train for both speed and strength because both are needed in order to excel in their athletic skills. What few have understood is that speed and strength need to trained for separately and differently.
And You Must Understand the Difference – Because Your Muscles Will Know The Difference.
If you think you are training for speed and your muscles think you are training for strength, you will be disappointed in your speed results.
I was asked recently:
“I have been to numerous sites, and the majority say that plyometrics develops fast twitch fibers. It makes sense to me that in order to move your muscles fast, you would exercise them at explosive rates. Why would plyometrics be less valuable to speed training then isometrics? ”
Here is my response:
I recently received an email from a high school football player who was concerned about his speed. He explained that his coaches had him doing a lot squats with weights and even though he felt like he was getting stronger, he noticed he was also losing valuable running speed.
Here is how I advised him – and this applies to anyone in a similar situation.