How to Increase My Football Speed
Speed can separate average from great football players. Offensive players with exceptional speed are a threat to score on any play. Defenders with exceptional speed provide versatility. Genetic makeup determines a lot of your potential, but proper training can help improve your speed. Football is a game of explosive moves and violent collisions. Developing football-specific muscle strength helps you become a more valuable player. Speed training involves flexibility work as well as weight training.
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Instructions
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Develop a training program that involves both upper, lower and core body workouts. Overall strength is important, not just strong legs. Power cleans and hang cleans are Olympic lifts that help football players perform explosive movements such as running through a tackler or tackling a ball carrier with explosive force. Squats produce strong quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and hips flexors. Calf raises, leg curls and front squats are other lifts that produce powerful legs. See the "Strength Exercises" link in the Resource section for photos and video of many of these exercises.
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Train twice each week to strengthen your legs. Training too often will cause fatigue and can lead to injury. Perform each lift with proper form to achieve maximum benefits and to avoid injury. Producing bar speed is the key to performing Olympic lifts properly.
Power cleans start with the bar on the floor. Extend your legs while raising the bar off the ground. Power cleans end by swinging your elbows around the bar and catching the bar on the chest. Drop the bar on the floor to begin the next repetition.
For hang cleans, hold the bar at arm's length, usually slightly above knee level. Swing your elbows and catch the bar along the chest as with power cleans.
Squats generally begin with the bar on your shoulders as you're standing erect. Bend your knees and hips. Maintain an arched lower back while sticking your chest out. Descend until your quadriceps are parallel with the floor. Then straighten your legs while maintaining an arched back with your chest sticking out.
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Practice running at least twice a week on days you're not performing lower body lifts. This will decrease the chance of fatiguing your legs and also help get rid of the soreness associated with lifting. Practice running 40-yard dashes in 30-second intervals.
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Practice running mechanics to increase efficiency in every stride. A slight forward lean of the entire body and relaxing your muscles are two minor adjustments that can produce major benefits. Running tensely will slow you down.
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Tips & Warnings
Always use a spotter when performing lifts with heavy weights. Spotters help ensure proper form is used when lifting and provide safety support.
Contact a local personal trainer if you're unsure on how to perform a lift. The safest and best way to learn is with hands-on experience.
Never sacrifice form when lifting. Use lighter weights if form is compromised when lifting. Serious injury can occur if proper form isn't used.
Stretch every day to keep your legs flexible.
