Developing & Training Sport Specific Speed John P. Piper, MA, CSCS, ACSM-HFI Toppenish SD – Performance Training

The Toppenish Philosophy  Injury proof  Improve work capacity (athletic fitness)  Improve performance through athletic skill (vs. sports skill)  Help each athlete have the best experience possible

The Elements  Performance Psychology  Performance Nutrition  Injury Prevention  Comprehensive approach to training the Components of Performance Fitness

Coordinating with Team Coaches  Questions and communication  What’s the problem?  What’s the Science?  How do we apply the science to move toward solutions? (Applying the Science)

Want speed? Start early “Speed is most efficiently patterned early in an athletes development. Therefore training should begin at the critical stage of development…bouts of exercise with full recovery. - Vern Gambetta

12 Components for developing Sports Specific Speed  #1 Movement Preparation for Speed Development  #2 Core Training  #3 Prehabilitation for Speed Development  #4 Strength & Endurance Training  #5 Power Development  #6 Straight-Ahead Speed  #7 Lateral Speed / Agility  #8 Metabolic demands  #9 Flexibility  #10 Recovery  #11 Nutrition  #12 Putting it all together

Running Speed, Straight-Ahead Speed Running speed is an interaction of an athletes stride length and stride frequency (stride rate).  Stride length – relates to body height and leg length (moderately trainable).  Stride rate – has a much greater impact on final velocity (highly trainable)

Injury from sprinting  injury occurs when sprinting due to the deceleration of body segments.  Hamstrings  Hip Flexors  Keys to prevention; strength & dynamic flexibility

Injury from Agility  Stopping or breaking forces  Eversion sprains  Non-contact ACL (PEP program,  Key to prevention: Proprioception

Component #1: Movement Preparation for Speed Movement prep prepares the body for the demands of training or competition. Prepare at the intensity that the body will be expected to perform. “Get ready to fly”

Movement Preparation   Ability to perform at a high level.   High energy activities that stimulate all systems – dynamic movements.   Dynamic movements that simulate performance movements – multi directional Jumps, slides, and change of direction   Prehab acceleration and deceleration training – decrease injury occurrence (ACL)

Movement Preparation Simple to Complex  Increase body temp., heart rate, respiration rate. - Jump Rope  General Movements - Skips, Hops, Jumps (45 pop)  Dynamic Flexibility - Hamstrings, Hips Flexors, Hip Rotators  Compound Movements - Multi-directional movements  Transitions - Quick, smooth changes from one pattern to another (sports specific)

Component #2 Core Training  What is the core? “The core musculature can be defined as the 29 pairs of muscles that support the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex…The core is also referred to as the ‘power house’, or the foundation of all limb movement.”

Core Training How should the core be trained?  Strength vs. Stability  Multi-directional  Simple to complex  Lying to standing  Static to dynamic

Core Training  Core Bracing - Stand tall  Stabilization - Planks and holds  Flexion & Extension - Hip-ups and walk-outs  Rotation - Chops and swings

Component #3 Pre-habilitation   Prehab acceleration and deceleration training – decrease injury occurrence (ACL)

Pre-habilitation for Speed Development  Hip Complex - Hamstring - Hip Flexors - Hip Rotators - Train the movement, not the muscle

Pre-habilitation  Hip Flexors - Dynamic flexibility movements  Hamstrings - Step Ups - Lunges  Hip Extensors & Rotators - Seated bands - Monster walks

Component #4 Muscular Strength & Endurance  Resistance Training (not always weight training – body weight) should be a part of your training plan

Strength/Endurance In-season strength training…  Improves injury resistance.  Maintains a higher season-long fitness level.  Improves confidence and self-esteem (motivation).

Strength/Endurance Training  Simulate sport movement (2-3x per week; 1-3 sets of reps)  Double leg movements - Squats - Deep Squats - Overhead Squat  Single leg movements - Lunges - Touch Downs - Cone Touches

Component #5 Power  Can be easily fit into practice plan  Power is the ability generate force. Strength + Speed = Power.  Plyometrics (1-2x per week; 1-3 sets / contacts, depending on age)  Teach jumping and landing  Injury prevention  Teach sport-specific explosiveness

Power Training  Vertical Power - Squat Jumps  Horizontal Power - Obstacle Jumps  What does your sport primarily involve?

Component #6 Developing Straight-Ahead Speed 3 areas of focus;  Sprint techniques and mechanics  Speed Strength  Speed Endurance

Speed Techniques & Mechanics  Posture – Stand tall  Arm action – shoulders to pockets; punch arms  Leg action – Knee up, heel up, toe up (Triple extension)

Speed Strength  Assisted Speed - Objective: to develop stride rate  Resisted Speed - Objective: to develop stride length and acceleration

Speed Strength  Resisted Speed (1-2x per week; 4-6 reps) - Strap Pulls - Parachutes - Tire Pulls  Assisted Speed (1-2x per week; 4-6 reps) - Let-goes - Down Hill Runs - Bungee Cords

Component #7 Lateral Speed - Agility  Agility is the ability to decelerate, accelerate, and change directions while maintaining body control without decreasing speed

Agility  Identify and develop the target movement patterns  Identify and develop key movement combinations  Identify key stimuli and subsequent reactions.

Developing Agility Areas of focus;  Posture - Athletic position  Visual focus - Look in direction of action  Arm action - Punch to sprint  Leg action - Step in direction of travel “hips and shoulders will follow eyes and feet”

Agility Training Starts, Stops, Restart  Reaction (falling, square, lateral, reverse)  Lines  Cones Turns  Box Drill  Touch Downs General Movement Patterns  Ladders Specific Movement Pattern  Daily work intervals

Component #8 Metabolic Demands – Anaerobic Endurance  Lactic Acid build up is the major cause of peripheral fatigue in anaerobic sports.  Solution: develop ability to recycle lactic acid.

Metabolic Demands  Metabolic Endurance (work capacity) - Out of season preparation for increased work capacity  Absolute Speed - Maximum efforts with full recovery  Speed Endurance - Sustained effort equal to or exceeding game efforts. - How long will your athletes have to produce effort? - What distance will they travel in a competition?

Speed Endurance  Needs to be sport specific  Ability to hold top speed for duration of competition segment  Analysis of competition film  By sport position  Examples; - Baseball - Soccer - Basketball  Must have a sport specific aerobic base to build on (appropriate work capacity)

Component #10 Recovery ? What’s recovery? “Training recovery is the recovery between successive work-outs or competitions…the period between the end of one work out and the beginning of the next.”

Recovery “Control what you can control”   You can control what goes on at practice.   Recovery practices   Daily fluid intake   Practice nutrition

Recovery Practices  Stretching  Yoga  Foam Rollers  PVC  Golf Balls

Component #11 Nutrition  Pre Training  During Training  Post Training  Influence – Intake, Body Composition

“If you see a turtle on a fence post you know that he didn’t get there by himself.” - Former WSU Director - Former WSU Director We can wait for the talented, or we can develop their talents. We can wait for the talented, or we can develop their talents.

Component #12 Putting it all together (?)  What are the speed demands of your sport?  What will be your area of focus (based on; age, training age, sport)  In-season or out-of-season?  Give it time to work  Keep data, give feedback

Contact Information John P. Piper, MA, CSCS, ACSM-HFI Toppenish SD – Performance Coach

References American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada. (2000). Nutrition and athletic performance – Joint position statement. Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise. Vol. 32, No. 12, pp Bompa, T.O. (2000). Total training for young champions. pp Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. Bishop, P.A., Jones, E., Woods, A.K. (2008). Recovery from training: A brief review. Vol. 22, No. 3, pp Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. Brown, L.E., Ferrigno, V.A., Santana, J.C. (2000). Training for speed agility and quickness. Pp 79. Human Kinetics. Champaign, IL. Faries, M.D., Greenwood, M. (2007). Core training: stabilizing the confusion. Vol. 29, No. 2, pp Strength & Conditioning Journal. Ischander, M. et. al. (July,2007). Progressive dehydration causes a progressive decline in basketball skills performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Vol. 39, #7, pp American College of Sports Medicine.

References Jeffreys, I. (October, 2006). Motor learning – Applications for agility, part I. Vol. 28, #5, pp National Strength & Conditioning Association. Jefferys, I. (December, 2006). Motor learning – Applications for agility, part II. Vol. 28, #6, pp National Strength & Conditioning Association. McBride-Triplett, T. (no date). Lactic acid: understanding the burn during exercise. Vol. 3, No. 4, pp Performance Training Journal.