In order to improve your running speed, it would be very helpful to understand the ‘Running Process’ and the muscles involved in each phase of the running process.
With the introduction of Speed Training Lessons – The Running Process, I have broken down the running process into 3 phases.
The Running Process consists of these three major phases:
1. The Push Phase
2. The Swing Phase
3. The Return or Pull Phase
Each phase of the running process uses a distinct set of muscles to propel the body forward. By focusing on each phase individually, you will learn which muscles are involved in sprinting and how to properly train them to gain the maximum speed possible from each set of muscles.
You will also see that muscles work as a group; in other words, a single muscle rarely does its job in isolation. This is important to understand in order to condition them in a similar manner as to how they are used when you are performing an athletic skill (and not as individual isolated muscles).
Since each phase is characterized by the specific muscles involved in that phase, it is more easily determined which muscles play a major role in sprinting and which muscles are not so important. By focusing your speed training on the primary muscles groups involved in sprinting you will more likely see significant increases in your sprint speed.
