Part 2 of the Speed Development program. This series is based on the program outlined in Sports Speed, published by Human Kinetics Publishers and written by Dintiman, Ward and Tellez.

Functional Strength and Power Training. The second phase of speed training involves conditioning all the muscle groups involved with sprinting to achieve maximum power and endurance. The designers of the program emphasize the ability to apply more force at the foot during ground contact. The only way to increase your speed of action is to accelerate (increase the speed of work) the speed at which your feet are moved.

Small explosive running backs can generate as much force as big linemen in short ranges. Why? Because force is influenced by either weight or acceleration (quickness). Now you see why Lawrence Taylor was so scary!

The major theme of power training is Olympic Style Lifts. The Clean, Jerk, Snatch are the big three and can be applied to any athlete’s program. Form is vital and you should learn these lifts with your coach and never try them without a spotter. Pages 92-97 outline these lifts and shows photos of technique. The authors outline and chart several sample Functional Strength and Power programs for beginners, intermediates and advanced athletes.

Functional strength exercise includes: Deadlift, toe raises, squats, bench press, lat. pulls, curls and abdominal work. A key point for young athletes to note is the relative strength ratio between the quadriceps (front thigh) and hamstring (rear thigh) . The quadriceps are the stronger of the two, but to prevent injuries and maximize speed and power you should aim for equal strength. Few attain this level. 80% of the quadriceps strength is considered acceptable for the hamstring group.

This chapter emphasizes just how important total body strength is to developing explosive speed. Since the demands of all sports differ from one another, so too will individual training programs. At this stage however, general, total conditioning is emphasized. Some specialization occurs, but the basics are consistent to most athletes and genders.