March 1998 Newsletter Article                                    To Newsletter Menu

Title: Speed Training Part 5 Sport Loading

Author: Ray Lauenstein

Are you faster yet? If you have been applying what you‘ve read in this section over the past five months the answer should be yes. Part 5 of Sports Speed focuses on Sport Loading.

According to the book Sports Speed, published by Human Kinetics Publishers, Sport loading is "the systematic adding of weight to your body in any form (uniform, vest, pants, or suit) or to the implements you use in your sport (bats, balls, etc.). Sport loading is a technique designed to improve explosive concentric movements such as sprinting speed. A relatively light resistance that does not drastically alter sprinting form produces the best results."

Methods of Loading

Weighted Body Suits

Weighted Vests

Harnesses

Parachutes

Uphill Sprinting

Stadium Stairs

Sand Runs

Weighted Sleds

For a complete description of the proper way to use these methods you should refer to pages 160-169. In addition, there are sample workouts which show how these workouts can be applied to your training.

As you train and become faster, you might notice an occasional mistake or blunder that was not in your game before. Timing is everything in some sports and your increase in speed can alter the timing of such things as a hand-off, pass pattern, trapping guard running over his own quarterback, losing the dribble in soccer or field hockey, getting to the base too fast as the pivot on a double play, running off the base runner in front of you and many others.

Make sure you work on these skills and timing sensitive actions to ensure that your new found speed is put to positive use.

Learn more about sprinting mechanics by purchasing Sports Speed, by George Dintiman, Bob Ward and Tom Tellez