Get a 35 Page Speed Training Report and Over 2 Hours of Cutting Edge Video… FREE!

Example of an Acceleration Workout:

* 3x 20 meters – push up (down position) start
* 3x 20 meters – push up (up position) start
* 3x 25 meters – seated facing ‘forward’ start
* 3x 25 meters – seated facing ‘backwards’ start

Rest interval in between each repetition is 2-2.5 minutes and 3-5 between each set.

Acceleration is the ‘easiest’ form of speed work because they are performed at such short intervals but don’t underestimate it’s importance. Acceleration work must be done before you can even look at starting maximum velocity (top speed running) work.

Maximum velocity work is when you are running at full speed,so your body will be completely upright (perpendicular to the ground), and you will no longer be leaning at an angle as you were during acceleration. You will want to relax or ‘float’ during maximum velocity. What this means is you want to ease back in the amount of effort you are expending while running but without slowing down and losing any speed.

This idea sounds contradictory, and like any new skill, it takes some practice to perfect. While running, you want to continue to step over the opposite knee, but you do not want to drive the ball of the foot down into the ground.This is tough to do but it is essential if you want to maximize your speed and reach your full speed potential. If you are not relaxing while you are running, your body is really fighting itself and causing you to slow down. Relaxation while at top speed must be practiced. A great work out for maximum velocity training is called ‘Ins & Outs’ or ‘Sprint/Float/Sprint’ or ‘Fly Runs’.

Example of a Maximum Velocity Workout:

Flying 40’s
Place a cone at the starting line, at 20yards, at 60 yards and at 80 yards. Accelerate hard to the first cone (20y). Maintain the speed you have generated by running relaxed and following the maximum velocity cues from 20-60 yards. Once you hit 60 yards, slowly decelerate for the next 20 yards, coming to a full stop at the last cone. This is a fly 40. Total volume for these workouts should be between 250 – 350 yards.

Workout 6-8 x Fly 40’s
Rest interval is 5-6 minutes between each bout.

Start with 2 days a week of acceleration work. Once you feel comfortable and are performing each rep with proper form and you have reached running 30 meter intervals with no problem, add a day of maximum velocity work in. The summer is not that long and there is a lot of training to get done. The first 2 weeks of the summer will look like this:

(**Note the days that I left blank I will fill in as we discuss other aspects of summer training in future newsletters) Also, it is summer so we can give our athletes the weekend off to ‘recover’.

Monday:
Tuesday: Acceleration
Wednesday:
Thursday – Acceleration
Friday:

Next 2 weeks
Monday: Acceleration
Tuesday:
Wednesday: Maximum Velocity
Thursday:
Friday: Acceleration

Depending on your improvements and progressions:
Next 2 weeks
Monday: Maximum Velocity
Tuesday:
Wednesday: Acceleration
Thursday:
Friday: Maximum Velocity

I will discuss Speed Endurance when I cover Conditioning as they will be easier to explain both topics together, but thisis what your speed training days will look like at the end of the summer:

Monday: Maximum Velocity (w/ Acceleration)
Tuesday:
Wednesday: Speed Endurance
Thursday:
Friday: Maximum Velocity (w /Acceleration)

The sport requirements and goals of the athlete will influence the workouts but those are some general recommendations.

Other Summer Training Speed Guidelines:
*Intensity 95-100%
*Distance of run 20-60 meters
*Rest interval approximately 1 minute rest for every 10 meters (this is what Charlie Francis recommends and it has worked amazing for our athletes)
*Number of reps/set 2-4
*Number of sets 2-4
*Total distance in set 80-160 meters
*Total distance in session 300 – 500 meters
*Rest at least 36-48 in between each speed session