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www.coachhelp.com/gridironcArchived Articles 8.2.4

The Archived Articles 1998 Crystal Publications Com

OU R P H I L O S O P H Y A T the Univer-sity of Cincinnati for footballspeed is simple. We work to

increase total body strength (with afocus on running muscles), to increasefunctional and static flexibility, toimprove overall conditioning. (withemphasis on the anaerobic energy sys-tem), to improve specific football agility,to follow a complete sports nutritiondiet, to get plenty of rest, and, mostimportantly, to RUN FAST.

Basic strength training is the cornerstone of the program. Every aspect ofour football program is based on thestrength program. Stronger muscles pro-duce more force, thus increasing thebodys (power) potential to enhancespeed, as well as his level of performanceon the field. Strong athletes are less sus-

ceptible to injuries, and if injury occurs, rehabilitation time iscut in half. Not only does the athlete benefit physically from aneffective strength program, but an athlete who is stronger hasmore confidence. If the confident athlete believes in himself, heprobably believes in his coach and the program. Since speedtraining and football are so physically demanding, the musclesand surrounding joints must be properly strength trained. Ourstrength program covers the entire body, focusing on the run-ning muscles. We work the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexorsand extensors, lower back, muscles of the inner and outerthigh, the muscles of the lower leg as well as the abdominaltwice per week. Strength training, especially lower body work

should not be done prior to speed work. Strength training canbe done at the conclusion of the speed work. No ballistic exer-cises are used. All exercises are done slow and controlled. Trynot to make the strength training more than it is simpleexercises done hard and progressive. Complicated techniqueexercises are difficult to teach and can become dangerous ifdone wrong. Keep the strength program basic yet productive. Agood strength program that illicits results is one of the keys forspeed enhancement.

Flexibility is another area that we will work on to helpspeed. Range of motion throughout a joint with strength icalled functional flexibility. Functional flexibility is the determining factor in injury prevention. This is improved fromproper strength training, working the muscles around the jothroughout a full range of motion. Static flexibility, which mof us do prior to practice, should be done after the body is

warmed up. To improve this flexibility the athletes body temperature must be increased. Its good practice to stretch postpractice as well. Hamstring and hip flexor flexibility is usedthrough the routine. Flexibility exercises must be taken seri-ously and done on a regular basis.

As in any training program, eating right and getting plenof rest can effect performance. In a comprehensive trainingprogram, the athletes are only going to perform well if theirbodies are completely nourished and well rested. We want otraining program to be very demanding on the athletes, bothphysically and mentally. If energy levels fall, then the traininintensity will decrease. Eating a well balanced sports nutritiodiet, while giving the body plenty of rest so the athletes can

train hard, is as important in the equation of speed training any other variable.

Overall conditioning becomes very important in speedtraining. Better conditioned athletes not only will run withmore efficiency (using less energy), but they will run faster flonger period of time. We will begin the program with a basaerobic conditioning program that will last 23 weeks. Twotimes a week, between 2030 minutes, is sufficient as long athe intensity is high enough to challenge the system. Anaeroconditioning, which is specific for football, is the next energsystem that needs to be trained. During the winter we will

work on this energy system twice per week. We set up 810stations of specific football drills with 812 athletes per statieach station lasts 45 minutes. This is the workout that we wdo before and after the specific speed group training. The beter-conditioned athlete can run at or very close to 100% spepotential. We feel that just being fast is not enough. We wanour athletes to run fast every play. We want our athletes torun hard and fast for four quarters for every game during theseason.

Throughout this article

the term RUN FAST will

be used. It means

nothing more than

running as close to

100% speed potential

as the athletes can-no

gimmicks, no devices,

just basic stuff, as

bread and butter. The

determining factor in

our program is work,

simple hard work. We

feel our speed program

is easy, productive, and

very efficient.

By Mickey MaroHead Strength Co

of the Univer

of Notre Da

Football Speed Training

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Because this program is designed for football, all aspects oftraining need to be stressed. Agility programs must be used fre-quently throughout a training period. The athletes need to puttheir bodies in a position that they will be in during a game.The muscles need to be worked in all angles. Improving quick-ness and agility is done by repetitions. If an athlete improvesagility, then football speed will be affected. Very rarely does anathlete run in a straight line. Most movements are zig-zag,

turning, twisting, lateral, backwards, change of direction, upand down, etc. The body needs to be trained through thesemovements. Speed training will help agility movements, as wellas agility movements will help straight-line speed. The affectsof learning to run hard and competitive will carry one into allaspects of training. Thats how speed group training can ben-efit from agility.

Many talk about speed in the sense of being a skill.We allknow that speed is dependent upon genetic factors and muchof the improvement is based on that fact. We like to call speeda genetic skill. Speed is a skill that is affected by genetics. Since

its a skill, there are some steps we can take to help improve theskill. Like any other skill, theres a process that we can use tohelp improve our technique. We use part to whole teaching,

where we break down the mechanics of running by body parts.Every body part will be involved in running. We take themechanics of each body part and stress it at _ speed until it islearned properly, then at _ speed, then at full speed. Skills areimproved by repetitions. We learn each body part mechanicsand repeat the skill over and over. We will use a 3050 yd dis-tance. The mechanics system consists of 14 terms. Each termrepresents where each body part should be during sprinting.

Starting from the head, then working down toward the footarea. While the athletes are running we will give them constantverbal commands and the athletes will have to correct that part,if needed. They must learn it at half speed before they run atfull speed. If only one of the mechanics is corrected in the pro-gram, speed will be improved. The athlete will run more effi-ciently, if mechanics can be improved. Speed experts talk abouttwo areas that need to change to increase speed potential: stridelength and stride frequency. Thus, speed mechanics works moreon the stride length area. A quality repetition is the key. If theathlete is in poor condition, then the quality of repetitions willbe poor. The learning process is definitely affected by condi-

tioning, or lack of it. As soon as the athletes are laboring andfatigue has set in, discontinue the learning of the mechanicsuntil another day. Spend time on the mechanics of speed.High school athletes need to learn and improve their runningform.

Probably the most important aspect of the total speed train-ing program is the speed group system. Track coaches all agreethe best known technique for speed training is to RUN

FAST. The body needs to be stressed at full speed to receiveany benefits of speed training.

To maximize ones speed potential one has to run fast.Running fast is hard. High school, as well as college athletesneed something to push them to their limits. This is done inthe form of competitive sprinting. Athletics are truly com-petitive. For an athlete to gain benefits of speed the athlete

must run fast. We try to put the athlete in a position where is running at or close to 100% speed. We want our athletes tlearn to be competitive and to learn to run at maximum speall the time. Football is played at full speed. We will train atfull speed.

The Program Speed GroupsThis speed group system is ideal for 46 weeks in the off-season and 34 weeks in the early summer prior to pre-season.The speed group training is done twice per week. The first dof training is done before the agility drills or conditioning

workout, while the second is done after the agility or condi-

tioning workout. Our agility workout consists of 9 stations,specific football drills done four minutes at a time, with 81athletes per station. The rotation is fast and done without re

We want the athletes to run completely fresh and get themused to running maximally while they are less fatigued. Speebeing a genetic skill, must be trained when the body is freshit can retain all the motor learning information. The second

workout has more of a conditioning effect on the system.

Also as the athletes learn to sprint post-fatigued, it will githem a competitive edge in the 4th quarter of a game.

We will run 816 sprints per workout, ranging from 20yards. You could also determine distance by position i.e. lineman 2025 yards while skill players run 3040 yard sprints.This is totally dependent on the teams needs.

After you have determined what you will run, then the teneeds to be divided into groups or speed groups. We rank team from fastest to slowest. You may rank by position, butyou may lose the full effect of the process. Five to eight members should compose a group. Group 1 should be the 58fastest members of the team (20 or 40 yard times).

During each sprint a coach must chart at the finish line wwins each race and who loses each race. At the end of the woout, total up wins and losses for each athlete. The athlete

within each group that wins the most for the day moves up the next-fastest group. The athlete who loses the most shoulmove down a group. If a tie occurs, then those who tied shomove up or down together. These results should then be posin the locker room or weight room by the end of the day. Th

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will motivate the athletes who see their name up on the walland where they stand with their teammates. This speed groupsystem benefits every player and position. It gets your team

working together while, competing against each other. You willbe amazed how fast and how hard your athletes are sprinting.This is true speed training.

Results

From speed group training, a coach can determine work ethic,accountability, speed while fatigued and competitiveness.Ultimately at the end of your training program the order of fin-ish should be the same exact order that you started with 46

weeks before. But if it is not, the finish order will be a directreflection of work. Sometimes the fast guys dont always runas fast as they can all the time. Sometimes slower guys runharder than the fast guys. This is great for team toughnessand attitude. Positive peer pressure will work. As players startseeing guys that are not working hard, hopefully they willbecome leaders and push them rather than the coaches alwaysmotivating.

OvertrainingThere comes a point where the coach has to determine howmuch is enough. Sometimes we as coaches get carried away andoverdo it. Sense how your athletes are doing and then deter-mine how many sprints are going to be beneficial. Rememberyoure sprinting to get fast. Athletes cannot run at 100%speed all day. Use other modes of training for conditioning.Every sprint has to be run at 100% speed, 100% quality, 100%effort. You will see your athletes running harder and faster thanever before.

Give the athletes enough rest time between sprints. If youdo not give sufficient rest time, then quality and speed will bnegatively affected.

Do not attempt to do speed group sprinting, immediatelyafter strength training. It should be done on the off days so tmuscles are recovered.

AlterationsOther techniques that can be used include relay races. This

would be a great change of pace. Use football specific drillswithin these races. Carioka shuffling, backpedaling, turningand weaving are all good modes. Relays can be very competiand fun. If there is something on the line for the athletes, suas pushups, sit-ups, etc., the competition will be fierce. Havegoal or something for them to work for.

ConclusionSpeed group or competitive sprinting is a great system forincreasing speed. John Harbaugh, an Assistant Football Coa

at the University of Cincinnati, and I devised this programafter talking to retired coach and professional scout, FrankLauterbur. Its funny how training methods have changedthrough the years. What Coach Lauterbur did in the late 60

what we feel to be the most beneficial speed program in the90s. Basic things that are done well and hard are more benecial than being overly complex. All positive training results adependent on one common trait, HARD WORK.

Mickey Marottihas just recently moved from the University of CincinnaNotre Dame. Although he misses Cincinnati chili, I suppose there are one two advantages to compensate. You can write him at Loftus Center,University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556.n

For a complete listing of GRIDIRON Coach archived articles, call (877) 262-2464.

Speed Group Review

1. Rank team from fastest to slowest.2. Place 5-8 players in each group.3. Determine the distance of the sprints.4. Run twice each week, on the off days of strength

training.5. Run one day before and after conditioning work-

outs.

6. Run 6-14 sprints each workout.7. Run 4-6 weeks in the off-season, 2-4 weeks in the

early pre-season.8. Rank who wins and who loses each sprint.9. Post daily results.10. Reward those who move up or maintain their

position.11. Do not over do it.12. Post final speed group standings.

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