How to Run Faster in Sprints
The ability to run fast is given to some people at childbirth. But this is not the case for everyone. Even those who do have lightning-fast sprinting speed are always looking for ways to turn it up even one notch faster. In order to pull this off, you need to have some mental strength, a few useful tools and a little bit of discipline for good measure.
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Instructions
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Speed it Up
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1
Add some weight to your body. During your daily activities, strap extra weight to your body. This can be ankle weights, a gravity belt, a weighted vest or a combination of all three.
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Use a power chute. A power chute is a training tool that gets fastened to your body. When you run you release it, and the chute pops open behind you. This causes more resistance to your runs and will in turn give you more speed when you are running without it.
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3
Run hill sprints. Locate a nearby hill that is about 1/10 mile long. Do a 10- to 15-minute warmup run, then come to the bottom of the hill. Now sprint up the hill and jog back down. Do a series of these, then do a 10- to 15-minute cool down.
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4
Do some balance training. Do two-foot and single-foot balances on a BOSU. This will strengthen the connective tissue in the ankles, knees and hips. It will also strengthen the plantar muscles in the bottom of the feet. This will all allow you to push off harder and also reduce the chances for injury.
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Work your core. A lot of your drive strength is generated from the core. Do some exercises that target the upper abs, lower abs, obliques and lower back.
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Do flexibility exercises. Doing flexibility training will increase your range of motion. This will translate to longer, smoother strides. It will also reduce your chances of pulled muscles and connective tissue damage.
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Tips & Warnings
Attend a yoga class to get a full-body flexibility workout. Wear the added weight when you are doing hill sprints. You just might have to adjust the weight down a little bit.
Be aware of your knees when wearing ankle weights. If you are feeling any pain or pressure, reduce the weight or opt not to use them at all.
