June 2002 "How To Run Faster"

This article is reprinted with permission of Gene Coleman, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Houston Astros.

You can cut up to a tenth of a second of your time from home to first in six weeks. The first step to running faster is to improve mechanics. Regardless of how strong you get or how much you stretch, you'll run only as fast as your mechanics permit. Don't take speed (or the lack of it) for granted. Spend three to five minutes a day working on posture, arm action, and leg action.

Posture
Where your head goes, the rest of your body follows, If you look down, you'll lean forward. Look up and you will lean back. Excessive lean in either direction reduces speed. Turning your head to the side makes it harder to run in a straight line. Body lean comes from the ankles, not the waist. To find the right body lean for you, stand up straight and shift your weight toward your toes until the heels begin to leave the ground. That position is your proper body lean. Don't run hunched over. Keep your body tall and straight, as if you are looking over a fence.

Arm Action
Remember your arms, not your legs, control running speed. Here is a checklist for efficient and powerful arm speed:

  • Elbows locked at approximately 90 degrees and close to sides
  • Elbows move directly upward and backward from the shoulders
  • Hands alternately forward to cheek level, then back past pockets
  • Palms toward the body
  • Driving action of hand past butt coincides with opposite leg triple extension
  • Arms pump faster to increase speed

    Leg Action
    The action of the legs focuses on the foot, ankle, knee, and hip. Here is a checklist for efficient and powerful leg action:

  • Forward, not upward knee lift (forget high knee lifts)
  • Toe up, snap the foot down and back to drive forward
  • Foot strikes ground directly under center of gravity
  • Load the ankle by flexing it before extending it to push off
  • Push the body forward by pushing feet down and back (don't reach and pull)

    Football Speed
    Although the validity of the 40-yard dash has never been clearly established, it continues to be used in football as a measure of speed at almost all levels. Here are the best times posted during the 2002 National Football League scouting combine:

  • Running backs - 4.31
  • Receivers - 4.25
  • Defensive backs - 4.34

     

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