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The 40-yard dash is a sprint used to primarily evaluate your acceleration and speed over a short distance. Football scouts use the 40-yard dash as a good determinant for future prospects for the NFL draft or collegiate sports programs. Other people wish to improve the 40 time to simply determine their strengths or weaknesses in acceleration and speed. You can improve your 40 dash time by implementing a training routine that combines strength, power, acceleration and speed.
High intensity cardio has been proven to improve cardiovascular fitness as well as to burn more calories and reduce more fat than moderate or low-intensity exercise. Not only does higher intensity cardio burn more calories while you are exercising, but the after-burn -- or the calories burned after the exercise is finished -- are also increased. Because this type of workout is intense and effective, you can cut your workouts down to 20 or 30 minutes and can see results with as few as 10 minutes a day. There are various ways to increase the intensity of your exercises.
The 40-yard dash is not a competitive event in track and field, but it is a distance used to measure the speed of athletes in official evaluations. The 40 is best known as the speed test for football players being scouted by colleges and later by National Football League teams. Running a series of 40-yard sprints will only go so far in helping an athlete improve his time but there are a number of drills he can do to help improve his time.
Running is a sport unlike any other; its flexible, inexpensive and accessible nature sets it apart from other methods of aerobic exercise. As with other sports, however, excelling at running requires dedication to the primary components of all fitness: cardiorespiratory stamina, muscular endurance and flexibility. Whether you're breaking in your first pair of running shoes or consistently following a tried-and-true regimen, running-focused exercises in each of these areas are necessary for improving speed and overall performance.
Running faster involves setting realistic goals to progress at consistent levels. Increase your running pace with advice from a strength and conditioning coach in this free video on cardiovascular exercise.
Regardless of sport or goal, running faster is a key part of exercise in many people's eyes. Focusing directly on the athletic arena, speed is an important factor in overall performance. One major mistake that people make when trying to increase speed is that they only use running exercises to increase it. However, speed-related exercises are only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to getting faster. Speed will only take you so far without power and strength.
Learn tips and techniques how to run faster in this free instructional video on how to run for exercise, fitness and competition.
