8 Week Speed Development by Gray Cook

8 Week Speed Development Program Gray Cook

Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

Nearly all speed development programs work to some degree. Most are inherently correct, fundamentally strong and progressive. Each of these characteristics is important for strength acquisition and speed development. I feel that modern strength conditioning practices can and should provide us with even more advanced approaches. One mistake that I think has been evident in the past is that strength coaches have been asked to lecture about and publish on speed development programs without consideration of individual variances and adjustments real life requires. This requires the strength and conditioning specialist to speak hypothetically about situations and, many times, the hypothetical situation has very little resemblance to the actual practice and application when working with individuals. This approach, although helpful for the novice, is the strength and conditioning equivalent of playing fantasy football where statistics and data in strength and conditioning can be crunched to represent the perfect progression and application of exercise. My goal is to present a slightly different perspective. I too will use a hypothetical situation but will try to represent two extremes. I will present two athletes with identical goals in identical sports who differ greatly in their movement patterns. Given the same speed program neither athlete could maximize the benefit of an 8 week investment. I feel that we have made incredible advancements in strength, conditioning and speed development research over the years however we lack in our practices of individual assessment. We still make the mistake of discussing muscles instead of movements. So in a nutshell we seem to have more advanced program variations than ever before with little advancement in our ability to evaluate the individual wanting to develop speed. I propose that the speed development program should be based on an individual’s performance in a functional pyramid. This process will help establish the weakest link affecting the individuals speed. Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

The first rung of the pyramid identifies limitations and common left-right imbalances with respect to flexibility, mobility, and stability. Examples are restricted or limited fundamental movement patterns. Examples: 1. The inability to deep squat with arms overhead below parallel. This may implicate poor core stability and compensation. It may also implicate quad dominance which can increase injury potential and rob efficiency. 2. Significant differences in the balance when performing a narrow stance lunge between the left and right side of the body. This may implicate an asymmetrical stride between the left and right side, which can rob efficiency limit coordination and agility. 3. Limitations in hip extension between the left and right side of the body. This can be identified with the “Thomas Test” or extensor strength testing. This can be caused by hip flexor tightness and gleut. weakness. This is also evident with poor single leg balance in a stepping or high knee pull position. It can cause poor initial explosion and push off and hurt acceleration. 4. Poor torso rotation or asymmetrical torso rotation where the left torso turn far exceeds to the right in a simple flexibility test. This can hurt the reciprocal action of the arms (they are the counter balance to running) and create compensations in the core. The next rung of the pyramid would be gross athleticism or general performance. This would deal with speed but not specific speed. For additional and supplemental information also look at generalized endurance, strength, power, and quickness. This level of testing would use basic generalized performance data to look again at the left and right side of the body but also at a gross or fundamental level of performance. A performance test is something that can be counted, timed or Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

rated by quantitative data whereas a movement assessment (first rung of the pyramid) tends to lean toward qualitative data. Examples of gross athleticism are: vertical leap, singleleg vertical leap, standing long jump, T-test, 40-yard dash, a rep out of push-ups, a rep out of sit-ups and general one rep max free weight lifts such as the squat, bench press and so on. The third rung of the pyramid is sports-specific skill. Here, not only specific skill drills are the focus but the strength coach can look back at statistics that the athlete has generated over the past year and also ascertain problems with respect to sports-specific skill. Take a basketball or soccer player who consistently scores better from one side of the goal than the other. These individuals may have a left-right imbalance or a poor ability to decelerate on one leg as opposed to the other. Their cutting ability between the left and right side may be altered and this could affect scoring statistics. Another way to look at situational statistics in sports competition would be to look at the statistics of a particular player as the game progresses. If a player comes on strong and has better stats in the first quarter or half of a game than in the last quarter or half of a game, the strength coach may want to consider energy systems, stamina, endurance as well as the potential for injury as fatigue mounts. If an athlete consistently has better statistics toward the end of a competition and is poor early on, the strength-conditioning specialist must recognize the need for more specific warm-up, more consistent flexibility practices and how the strengthconditioning program needs to be modified to suit that individual’s needs. Ten to fifteen minutes may be too much of a warm-up for some individuals and barely scratch the surface of waking up another individual’s metabolism and neurological system. All of this information is in front of you if you just look. To present you with an example of how this system can be applied, I will play the hypothetical game as well. But I will Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

introduce two young male high-school athletes wanting the same goal and competing in the same activities but demonstrate how they need specifically different programs to reach their common goal while maximizing their time investment. Let’s take a situation where we have two young male athletes interested in speed and control on the basketball court but who also want to be competitive in the short sprints for indoor track and field. Let’s complicate matters by the fact that they would like to compete in track and field year round with club and in recreational events. We now have to consider the energy systems for basketball as well as the quickness and sports specificity of cutting, turning and deceleration as well as the all-out pure fluid mechanics needed to execute explosive start and powerful acceleration in the short sprints. Assume the athletes are aware that the main focus of the 8 week program is speed and that once the speed base is developed basketball specific drills can be added. Although the goals for these young athletes are exactly the same, with respect to sports specificity, conditioning, energy system and performance, they may bring completely different performance pyramids to the table. I would like to take these two young athletes and make them examples of very common functional movement profiles (extremes at each end of the spectrum). As the eight-week program develops, you will see how they start at different places, to address their weakest link, and how they are slowly brought toward their similar goals following completely different paths. It is necessary for the modern strength-conditioning specialist to understand that assessment and separation of; (1) movement quality, (2) gross performance, (3) sports skills are all necessary tools in today’s highly scientific sportsconditioning arena. Simply understanding new programs, new progressions and equipment will not cut it anymore. Understanding individual needs is paramount. We need to learn what great sports coaches have taught us all along identify the weakest link of an individual or a team and target that weak link with sound fundamentals and the highest level Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

of science and technology available. Continually recheck the weak link until it is resolved or managed. Then look for another. Strength coaches need to do the same thing – target that weakest link even if it does not seem to relate to the individual performance goal of speed. That weakest link may be flexibility, core stability, coordination, a left-right asymmetry or a general lack of power or endurance. Once identified the weak link and the entire chain will get stronger and it will have some level of influence in every performance statistic and sports skill that you test overtime. More importantly it will be the best injury prevention insurance you can impose, because the weakest link will either be the problem or cause the problem. This approach may seem simple and it may seem that the athlete is not given enough variety. The drills and exercises might seem basic and lack flash, but remember the greatest sport coaches of all time have taught us that fundamentals are always the foundation. The rest crumbles when the foundation is gone. Let’s get started.


Athlete A “The Overpowered Athlete” Athlete A has very poor movement patterns. He is unable to deep squat with his heels flat and is extremely unstable in an in-line lunge movement that looks at hip mobility as well as ITB and quadriceps flexibility. He is generally stiff through upper body movements and has a poor torso rotation as well as lat tightness that restricts complete full overhead reaching. He is extremely strong with weight-lifting statistics and is considered pound-for-pound one of the strongest athletes in his high-school program. His sports skills are above average but not spectacular and his statistics and coaching feedback indicate the same. This athlete has slightly poorer sports statistics at the onset of competition and seems to warm up, become loose and more fluid in his movement patterns as competition progresses. He also is noted to demonstrate slow warm-up and practice and plays his best basketball and runs his best sprints after a lengthy warm-up and plenty of activity. The way to make this athlete perform better and demonstrate greater speed both in his short sprints and basketball skills is to focus on getting movement more flexible and functional, not to focus on weight room. He has already obviously maxed out his talents and demonstrated significant strength. His weakest link seems to be his flexibility and ability to coordinate his movement patterns thereby indicating poor efficiency. He has to use the strength of some muscles to overcome the tightness of others. He is not as efficient because of his poor movement patterns. He is considered to be “overpowered” because his performance rating exceeds his movement rating.


Weeks 1-3: “Don’t waste time adding horsepower when the wheels need grease” *This is a stride development program. The athlete generates excellent power but is not making full use of range of motion and energy is wasted overcoming tightness. Light calisthenics for a warm-up including jump rope, jumping jacks and a few plyometric push-ups. We will do light flexibility work for torso rotation, hip mobility (all directions), gastroc-soleus stretching and lat stretching. It should be noted that the athlete does not simply stretch for an arbitrary number of minutes and move on. It is necessary to incorporate this into some movement training. Therefore, we will do deep squatting and lunging movement patterns. We will start with 5 sets of 10 repetitions of deep squatting with a dowel rod held overhead and a 2” heel lift. This heel lift will allow the athlete to go deeper into the squat and therefore use the flexibility he has gained in his stretching program in a coordinated fashion for functional movements. He will also do 5 sets of 10 left in-line lunges and right in-line lunges. The dowel will now be held vertically on the spine with a hand position as follows. If the left leg is forward in the lunge, the right arm will be holding the dowel at the area of the neck. The left arm will be at the area of the low back. This will allow the dowel to touch 3 other points – the head, the upper spine and the buttocks area. The athlete will be instructed to keep the stick as vertical (in all directions) as possible and lunge on a tapeline on the floor. Five sets of 10 repetitions will be performed with a left lunge, 5 with the right leg forward that would require an alternate hand grip. This extremely strong athlete will struggle with these moves simply because it is a coordination issue (he must learn to relax the muscles he is over using and contract the muscles he is under using). It is an efficiency issue – not a strength issue. He has been trying to overcome inflexibility and wasting energy in Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

doing so. He will have to learn to generate better motor programs in slow movement before he can utilize increased hip flexibility and improve core stability in fast movements. Even though this workout does not seem that rigorous, it is extremely intensive for somebody with restrictions. Now it’s time for stadium stairs. This athlete will perform stretching and mobility work until deep squat and hip mobility reach certain standards set by the coach. Example: Perfect deep squatting form with overhead dowel press should be performed with no greater than a one inch heel lift prior to training (if this means 17 minutes of mobility work – SO BE IT). If this athlete had run stadium stairs prior to flexibility or movement training work, he would have compensated by rounding out his spine and losing his lordosis during running. The increased tightness with torso rotation and general hip mobility would have caused inappropriate use of the low back. This athlete would probably experience low back and knee pain as a result. Usually, the ankles and hips are generally stiff and the feet, knees, and low back have to compensate thus making them highly vulnerable areas prone to injury. With the movement training and flexibility work, stadium stairs are now difficult but possible. We will do these in intervals of a 15- second stadium stair sprint followed by 1 ½ minutes of rest for a total of 15 sprints. The athlete will perform the stadium stair sprints by skipping 2 or 3 steps depending on stride length. He may start at 2 and move to 3 or start at 3 and just learn to move more efficiently (movement observation will revile the best format). The stadium stairs will require the athlete to use greater range of motion and we would require him to try to maintain approximately the exact same sprint time throughout the entire exercise (or continually improve his time). If we notice increase in sprint time up the stadium stairs, then we will lengthen the rest break to try to keep the performance and intensity at the same level. The cool down will be the same movement training that was done prior to the stadium stairs. Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

*Wight Training You may notice that there is no weight training here. It will only be a deterrent to improving flexibility and movement pattern acquisition and can be reinstituted once speed is improved. This athlete will have a lot of soreness and need to spend any extra time maintaining flexibility and working out soreness. Weight training can resume following the eight week program, but only if a more functional approach is applied. *This program will be done in a two a day format with morning and evening sessions three days a week or 5 days a week with only one session a day and weekends off.

Athlete B “The Underpowered Athlete” This athlete has near perfect movement patterns with excellent single-leg balance, full and deep lunges demonstrating good spine mechanics and full range of motion even with the feet in an in-line position. His deep squat demonstrates full range of motion and is free of biomechanical errors. This athlete is considered to have above-average flexibility with all movements. Gross athleticism measurements of power and vertical leap, weight-room statistics and speed are below average if not generally poor. This athlete does not store energy well and has never jumped rope in his life. All tests of his plyometric ability show deficiency. His rhythm is off for most plyometric activity and he is extremely uncoordinated with explosive movements and weight training. Pound for pound he would be considered somewhat weak with respect to weight training. His sports skills are above average. This athlete performs best in the onset when his neurological system is functioning high. He is able to control his motion but once fatigue sets in, he gets sloppy and has poor body control. His deceleration in Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

cutting greatly deteriorates as the basketball clock time progresses and his sprints are always best when he is fresh. He is an excellent basketball player and a consistent sprinter and is said by both of his coaches to be above average. His statistics indicate the same. This athlete obviously does not have movement pattern problems. He has problems demonstrating control and dynamic stability when he is fatigued. This is a common problem with athletes demonstrating normal or greater than normal flexibility. Many times, they have more flexibility than they can control. This poor control of motion is why we consider this athlete “underpowered”. Weeks 1-3: “You got the moves you just don’t pack a punch” *This is a “RPM” development program. This athlete has no limitations to maximum stride length but lacks the power to turn over quick stride cycles. This athlete requires little stretching and little warm-up since movement patterns and flexibility are adequate for the activities to be performed. A short general overall warn up is all that is needed. We need to work with the amount of energy he has available at the onset of a workout because his fatigue will be present quickly into the routine. We will start with super-setting jump rope and plyometric push-ups. This athlete can barely do one push-up with a clap in the middle so we will put him on an elevated plyometric platform approximately 2’ high. This will shift more of his weight to his feet and as he progresses and becomes stronger we can slowly lower the platform until he can do a flat plyometric push-up clap in the middle. We will superset this jump rope which is extremely awkward and difficult for the athlete. We will teach him how to jump rope by putting both handles in one hand and turn the rope to first establish a rhythm base, before he Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

has to jump over the rope. We will start with a boxer style jump rope where both feet land and we will not allow him to perform double jumps. This indicates extremely poor plyometric reactions. Plyometric push-ups will be done for 15 seconds and we will monitor his repetitions. Jump rope will be done for 15 seconds and we will monitor rope turns. Rest break can be approximately 1 minute between each bout of exercise but he should strive to keep his repetitions and rope turns plus or minus 3 over 7 sets. Jump rope and plyometric both increase core stabilization. They jar the body and stimulate the core reflexes to react faster and more efficiently. These activities wake up the neurological system. We will have Athlete B run stadium stairs as well but we will have this athlete use 1 or 2-pound dumbbells in the hands to increase arm activity during running. The increased stress throughout the arms should improve core stabilization and stimulate upright posture. Loading the arms is another way to load the core and increase core stabilization. The arms are the counter balance for the legs and the core should transfer energy from one segment to the other. Greater arms activity will increase the need for greater core stability and increase reflex stabilization activity. With greater core stabilization will come greater movement potential in the lower body. Hip range can improve and stride cadence can increase. Weighted hands will create momentum which is one form of stress to heighten stabilization reflex stabilization. Another way to increase core stability is to use a light sled. Instead of the standard waist or shoulder harness resistance bands or tubing can be attached so that one piece of band or tubing will go to each hand. When the resistance band is initially stretched the sled will not move but as the athlete runs and pumps his arms the sled will move as the resistance bands are pumped. Intervals of exertion and recovery should be set to maximize performance and demonstrate at least 6-10 sprints with in 10% of each other. The first 2-3 sets will have Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

the athlete hitting every step. Then the athlete can skip a step on the remaining stadium stair sprints. *Weight Training This athlete must learn to transfer energy and control above average mobility. He will be given two weight training moves to be performed 3 days a week following speed work. 3 sets of 812 repetitions will be performed for the Deep Squat Push Press and the Hang Clean. The Deep Squat Push Press will holding the bar in a front squat position and descending into a deep squat position (not a range of motion problem for this athlete) in a controlled manor and returning to standing. This is the deep squat portion of the movement. The push press is basically an overhead press with an initial cheat of the legs. The athlete should bend the knees slightly and explode upward pushing with the arms and finishing the movement with elbow extension. The bar is lowered eccentrically without help of the legs. The hang clean is a more common movement and can be easily referenced. Both movements require explosion with the lower body, core stabilization, and energy transfer. The first movement requires a push with the arms and the second movement requires a pull with the arms. This will give six sets of explosion training to the legs and avoid upper body fatigue (by splitting push and pull activity). The deep squat movement in the first exercise will require core stabilization through full hip range of motion. *The speed and weight training programs should be done three days a week with weekends off. Speed work should always go before the weight training and weight training can be done in the afternoon if speed in done in the morning. Jump rope and push-up (with clap) must be done on off days even when no speed or weight work is done.


It’s now time to look more closely at speed. Preprogram testing revealed the helpful information that produced the unique approach taken with each athlete. More in depth speed analysis could have been done but may not have revealed the critical information to initial program development. The other more fundamental factors were observed in early testing and targeted since they are considered fundamental blocks of speed (power, quickness, core stabilization, flexibility of muscles, mobility of joints, and anaerobic capacity). Knowledge of speed is helpful to know the starting point and the capability of the individual but potential can be greater by looking at the breakdown of the abilities that together produce speed. Now that three weeks of fundamental work have been introduced a much clearer picture of speed and speed potential can emerge. We will use a 120-yard dash to get an idea of speed specificity per each athlete. This test is not so much a choice because of sport specificity (since most sports and sprints are shorter than 120 yards of one direction activity) but for the qualitative and quantitative feedback it generates. The 120-yard dash is really three 40-yard dash sprints. The first sprint will be timed starting with the 3-point stance. As the athlete crosses the first 40-yard mark, the first timer will be stopped. The athlete will continue sprinting through the 80-yard mark at which time the second timer will be stopped. The athlete will continue sprinting through the 120-yard mark where the third timer will be stopped and the third 40-yard dash will be completed. By subtracting the first 40 from the second 40, we are able to get the flying 40 speed. This is a 40-yard dash that is timed with a running start. The third 40-yard dash time can be gained by subtracting the first two 40-yard dash times and give a representation of the athlete’s speed endurance. Now we can analyze the athlete’s in three specific speed categories. The first 40-yard dash that involves a start from a static stance is representative of quickness and acceleration. The second 40, commonly called the flying 40, looks at the athlete’s ability to maintain as much of the initial speed as Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

possible and looks mostly at running mechanics since starting mechanics and acceleration have been removed. The third 40 is an opportunity to look at speed endurance. This is often neglected but a very important factor when speed training. If the athlete’s speed endurance and third 40-yard dash is the weakest of all three races, then this athlete will have a high rate of fatigue and require longer recovery times between athletic bouts of activity. But the strength coach should be concerned about training as well. An athlete with a speed endurance problem will not benefit from a large volume of speed work simply because fatigue will set in quickly, proprioception and body awareness will be reduced, chance of injury is increased and, most importantly, when the athlete fatigues they will have poor body mechanics and practice that involves poor body mechanics that will reinforce poor body mechanics. *Each athlete is given this explanation of the 120 yard dash: **To assess acceleration, subtract flying 40-yard time from stationary 40-yard time and record the difference. This difference is your time delay required to accelerate. If there is more than a 0.7-second difference, it is recommended that you improve acceleration. This can be accomplished by balancing the body, by building a strength base, and by building a power base specifically with plyometrics, power movements, heel running, jumping rope, and sprint-starts. To quickly ascertain how fast you should already be sprinting in a 40-yard dash from a stationary start, add 0.7 seconds to your flying 40-yard dash time. With appropriate acceleration training, this is what your 40-yard dash time should be. Next calculate speed endurance. Compare your flying 40 time to your 80 to 120 time. If these scores happen to be the same of almost the same, you are in excellent physical condition, according to the authors of Sports Speed, to ‘sprint a short distance such as 40 yards repeatedly during soccer, Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

football, basketball, rugby, lacrosse or field hockey without slowing down due to fatigue.” If these two scores differ by more than two-tenths of a second, you need to target speed endurance in your training. The authors of Sports Speed say, “Speed endurance is easy to improve. You only need to sprint short distances 2 to 3 times per week and keep a record of how many repetitions you sprinted, how far you sprinted, and how much recovery time you took between each repetition. The rest is easy. On each workout, you simply increase the sprint distance and decrease the recovery time between each repetition. In a period of 6 to 8 weeks, your speed endurance scores will be better.” Results: Athlete A demonstrated a fairly good initial 40-yard dash and seemed to be most limited in the second 40-yard dash and adequate in the third 40-yard dash with minimal decline. This athlete had an explosive start and great acceleration but is still slightly limited in his ability for good, efficient sprinting mechanics and toward the end of the second 40 he started losing his form. Because he is a strong individual, he was able to maintain his speed through the third 40 showing that his problem is not necessarily speed endurance but less than optimal running mechanics in a flying 40. He looks much better all together but we still need to make a longer more fluid stride. Other testing revealed that overall flexibility is improved and this is common. Range of motion will improve when trained but cannot be readily or totally integrated unless it is used at the speed of competition. Results: Athlete B once again was opposite of A. His initial 40 was less than optimal with a poor start and poor acceleration but once he got going, his second 40 was impressive. His start hurt him because he is still not as explosive as he should be. We would also like to see his third 40 be a little more consistent without a gross loss of efficiency. And, as we expected in our initial testing, he still has a problem with fatigue and maintaining speed endurance. Other testing reveals his Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

strength has improved as well as his power. Much of this improvement is simply neuromuscular efficiency. He is learning to stability his core and moves his extremities quickly. The interval training is having some effect on his fatigue tolerance but this can still improve. The next 4 weeks get interesting. Form week 4 to week 6 the athletes get completely different programs 3 days a week. Weeks 7 and 8 will reduce the programs to twice a week and add medicine ball drills 3 days a week. Following the med. Ball drills each athlete will either practice their sprits (track event) or basketball agility and skill drills. This will give six days of med. Ball and event training in the last two weeks of the program. The med. Ball work will be used to stimulate the weakest link identified in each athlete. Med. Ball activity is performed at a speed near competition and is excellent to stimulate the neurological system. In the last two weeks of training each will need to integrate speed into sport. Therefore 20 min. for each of the remaining six days (M,W,F of each of the last two weeks – T, Th. Will be week 4-6 program continued) will be basketball or short sprint preparation. Athlete A Weeks 4-6 Athlete A will continue his warm-up and stretching, as well as movement training. This process should take less time to reach the same or greater flexibility demonstrated at the end of the warm-up in the first three weeks (approximately 4-8 minutes). We will replace the time he spent on the stadium stairs with two activities on the track. We will time and measure these activities over the next two weeks giving feedback to the athlete on how to improve each. The first activity following warm-up and movement training is the triple jump. It will be done 12 times. Six triple jumps will be performed with a left foot take off and 6 will be performed with the right. The athlete is responsible for help with measuring each jump. The athlete will alternate each jump and record each jump. This will create a small rest Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

interval (not to exceed 1 to 1 ½ minutes). The triple jump will give great feedback to this young competitive athlete. It will be a lot more fun for him than stadium stairs as well. He loves to explode. He loves short activities. So this drill will have his interest. He will learn his right left differences by comparing his left and right triple jumps. To improve he must increase his stride. This is of course just plyometric bounding but the athlete gets great feedback and it is not all from his coach. He is starting to get in touch with his problems and actively managing his solutions. The short rest breaks will make him push hard to have good form and breath and recover between jumps. I like the triple jump better than bounding because athletes are competitive by nature and like feedback as well. The next drill is a 200 meter low hurdle sprint with low hurdles spaced every 5 steps with alternate leg leading each hurdle. It is the athlete’s responsibility to step off the hurdles the first day. He will of course use his comfort zone stride (which is shorter than I would like it to be). I time him for his initial run and say that this is his base time and any other runs must be equal or less. I of course tell him this after his best effort. I now pose the problem to him. He must run eight 200 low hurdle sprints following his twelve triple jumps each training session. Here are the rules: For every hurdle he deletes he can drop one hurdle sprint for the remaining two weeks training. He will be responsible for readjusting the hurdles and setting his alternating stride. All sprits must be faster or equal to the original time or they do not count. This feeds his competitive spirit, forces maximal effort, and increases his stride all at the same time. He is in control of his rest breaks and removing hurdles. If he takes to long he just has a longer work out. If rest breaks are too short he will have a poor time and loose the effort because a slow sprint does not count. If he removes a hurdle and wants to replace it he must also add the sprint he previously removed. He cannot touch or hit more than two hurdles. If he does he will loose the effort and must repeat the sprint. He now exerts some control over his training and must problem solve as well. This will help him develop his competitive maturity. Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

* He will do this three times a week. On his off days he will perform his warm-up and movement training and do five 100 yard light sled pull with a long deep lunge stride. This will help develop his stride work his hip extension. No time will be imposed and he is encouraged to rest between pulls by stretching and doing movement training. Weekends are off. Weeks 7-8 **MEDICINE BALL LIFT THROW FROM A LUNGE STANCE This is introduced 3 days a week and week followed by sport drills. 4-6 is repeated 2 days a week. Use a 1-, 2-, or 4-kilogram medicine ball that bounces. Get into lunge position with a block wall to your left (figure 13.18a). The left leg should be forward, bent 90 degrees at the hip and knee. The right knee should be down. Hold the ball in the right hand and swing it up and across the body toward the wall. Throw the ball out in front so that it bounces off the wall and comes back, but try not to bend, twist, or lose balance. Keep the spine upright and erect. Quickly pick up the right leg and step into a lunge position with the right leg forward (figure 13.18b). Allow the left knee to go down. Catch the ball and hold position. Focus on keeping the body low. Do not stand up and do not lean the trunk forward. After making a successful catch, return to the original lunge position with the left leg forward and repeat. Use this drill to move down the wall 5 to 7 catches. Reverse direction and repeat 5 to 7 catches going the other way. The farther you are from the wall laterally, the greater power you use in the throw. If one side is more difficult, spend more time working that side. Develop coordination, and power will come. Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

Athlete B Weeks 4-6 Athlete B will continue his warm-up, push-ups, and jump rope. His push-ups are now at floor level with no need for a plyometric box. He is performing smooth push-ups with a fast consistent clap. His jump rope routine is now a left / right alternate step. He performs 4 sets of each pushing for maximum reps in 15 seconds. He will alternate between push ups and jump rope. He will replace stadium stairs with two other drills. The first activity following warm up is the long jump. This athlete has a problem with acceleration and needs to become more explosive. The length of his jump is largely dependent on his ability to accelerate. If he wants to jump farther he will have to find the distance in his acceleration. I want him to figure this out and feel how he solves the problem. He will be responsible for measuring the jump each time with no greater than 1 to 1 ½ minutes between each jump. He will do12 jumps total and he can jump off of either leg. He does not have a flexibility or symmetry problem and his jump is more dependent on his speed at take off than the leg he jumps off of. Once this athlete has performed his 12 long jumps he will also be given the 8 low hurdle 200 meter drills. All rules will be the same but his benefit will be for a different reason. He will have the stride and flexibility to clear the hurdle but core stability and speed endurance will be his obstacles. This is a great situation because each athlete must compete with himself not just the other. He will need core stabilization to maintain hurdle technique trough out the sprints. H e must use the strong upper body counter balance he developed on the stadium stairs with light hand weights. He will want to finish the sprints and be done with his practice but if he has a poor time the sprint does not count. He must find his speed endurance and a consistent recovery strategy. He will also remove hurdles but must maintain technique since he cannot hit or touch more than two hurdles either. If a Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

third hurdle is touched in a single sprint the sprint must be repeated. This is a great drill because if forces potential form each athlete. This drill originates with the athlete setting a baseline. He picked the number of hurdles for his original sprint (with out knowing what was coming). He also gave maximal effort since he thought he was being tested in his initial low hurdle sprint. He may have 3 less hurdles than his friend initially. He may have a hard time drooping hurdles to reduce his mandatory number of sprints. He must maintain his speed to make the effort count. He gets to work with his technique under fatigue, core stabilization, and speed endurance from this drill. He has a competitive mark and gets to problem solve and manage his rest. All of this information will help his athletic and competitive development. * He will perform this routine three times a week. On his two off days he will continue his weight training program. He will move up in weight keeping sets and reps the same. He will do a light warm-up on those days and will not have to do the push-up jump rope routine on his off day.

Weeks 7-8 **HURDLE STEP MEDICINE BALL THROW This is introduced 3 days a week and week followed by sport drills. 4-6 is repeated 2 days a week. Stand with your left side toward a block wall. Use a 1-, 2-, or 4-kilogram medicine ball that bounces. With the ball in your right hand, swing it down by your side and then up and across your body in a lift-type pattern toward the wall. Throw the ball against the wall; it should bounce back in the same diagonal downward pattern. When you lift the throwing arm up and across you body, lift the left knee up and forward so that it resembles a hurdle step (figure 13.13). Use the Copyright 2004 http://www.SpeedExperts.com For more great programs, check out http://SportSpecific.com

momentum in the left leg as a counterbalance to the arm crossing the body and propelling the medicine ball. As you develop better coordination and power, move farther away from the wall so that you have to propel the ball farther and harder to get it to bounce back. The bounce back should follow the same path as the throw. Note any left-right differences. The spine should be tall and erect throughout the drill. If you observe a significant difference between the left and right side, always work the weaker side to develop improved power in the hurdle step stance. It is not uncommon to have better coordination on your dominant side; however, a little practice should improve stability and power in both directions.

Hopefully you will note that individualization of programming is based on fundamentals of movement and movement can be categorized. This does require thought and analysis but most the results will be worth it. “What did you expect from the movement screen guy?” Gray Cook MSPT,OCS,CSCS ©2003 ** Taken from Athletic Body in Balance Optimal movement skills and conditioning for performance By Gray Cook Human Kinetics


About Gray Cook Gray Cook is the author of the best-selling Athletic Body in Balance which has revolutionized the strength and conditioning industry. He has published and presented on the national level with the NSCA and USWF. Gray is currently the creative director of sports-specific training for Reebok®. He is also Reebok's® first Master Coach - a position developed from his approach to conditioning based in motor learning. Website: http://www.functionalmovement.com


8 Week Speed Development by Gray Cook

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