Not getting Faster

[GBaschski]

Alright guys, I've been running tons of sprints and working out my legs like crazy since the beginning of summer vacation, all in an effort to become faster. I squat and deadlift a lot of weight for my age and size, and I have been running different kinds of sprints 3-4 times a week for a while now. I've seen some small increase in speed but not very much for as hard as I've been working and its getting really frustrating.
Its even worse when my bud hasn't done a leg workout once in his life and never runs on his own time...but he's still much faster than me, and always has been.

Is it possible that its just not in my genes to be a fast runner? Is there some secret to getting faster that I missed out on? Somebody give me some advice or something, because I'm mad.

[LongIslandLax]

Try your technique

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md46.htm

http://www.athletes.com/fun/speedandagility.htm

[ZeroV]

Some people, I hate to say it, are born faster then others. Just keep working the frik out and sprint always as hard and as fast as you can. Your speed's not going to increase exponentially, sometimes it might not even increase at all, everybody has a peak. Just keep at it, your speed will go up in time, keep lifting and make sure to use the right technique when you sprint, keep on your toes.

[bigDman]

whats your leg workout look like
whats our sprint workout look like

If you post them i think i can help

[WHEELAX2]

I would also do research on speed specific training. u might find that your technique is lacking..

[goalieskcickay]

"Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard."
Just keep working at it, if your friend is lazy he's going nowhere.
I was born fast, but I used to be incredibly lazy. I started running cross country, and forcing myself to work, and I've actually improved a huge amount.

[MangOPimP]

What are you using to guage your speed increase. You could possibly be over-exerting your muscles both by doing sprints and lifting so much as well as trying to continually peak. Your body will regress if you try and stay at your top level too long.

[Diesel4958]

I agree with mang, you may over training, and thus no seeing many results, and like BigDman said, lets see your workout...

[robi]

Yeah from what your workout sounds like, your muscles have not much time to rest and recuperate.

[RockStar]

Note that top-tier sprinters work for years to shave fractions of a second off their 100m times.

Problem might be that your goals are unrealistic!

[GBaschski]

Here's a rough outline of what a leg workout for me would be. It changes sometimes based on what our trainer is telling us to do, or how I'm feeling that day...

Squats 4x5
Walking Weighted Lunges 3x30 (15 each leg)
Leg Press 3x10
Leg Curls 3x10
Calf Raises 3x50
Squat Jumps 3x10

And then Ab stuff.


Lately we've been running with our trainer at conditioning, but when I sprint on my own I'll do something like 3x10 sprints up a hill (10 straight, 10 karaoke *5 facing each way*, 10 back pedal). Or I'll do 3x10 up a set of stairs, or 3x10 straight 100 yard sprints on a track.

I'm pretty sure I don't overtrain. I'll generally work out my legs once a week and run three times a week.

[Diesel4958]

Eh, make sure you are eating enough if yuo are hitting it that hard. Are you going heavy? Maybe you should switch your training up.

[GBaschski]

Eh, make sure you are eating enough if yuo are hitting it that hard. Are you going heavy? Maybe you should switch your training up.

I eat like a dinosaur...I also take a protein supplement everyday. Yeah, I use decently heavy weights.

[centlax21]

well it seems like your working hard. It has already been said but its probably a technique thing, there is a proper way to run and it could be possible you may not be striding out enough or ur striding out too much. And try to use ur ankles cause i didnt do that very much and i got way faster. Also do plyrometrics they are good.

[GBaschski]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm going to try to work on my technique next time I go running (hopefully tomorrow). It was pouring today so I didn't get the chance, but I'll definitely take some of your advice.

[laxb0rder]

I dont train as mcuh as you but i do conditioning 3-4 times a week and run alot on my own i cant seam to get to the speed as every one else on my team, even when i try harder than almost all of them. Its really fusterating but just keep at it maby ur endurance is better. Is it?

[bigDman]

Here's a rough outline of what a leg workout for me would be. It changes sometimes based on what our trainer is telling us to do, or how I'm feeling that day...

Squats 4x5
Walking Weighted Lunges 3x30 (15 each leg)
Leg Press 3x10
Leg Curls 3x10
Calf Raises 3x50
Squat Jumps 3x10

And then Ab stuff.


Lately we've been running with our trainer at conditioning, but when I sprint on my own I'll do something like 3x10 sprints up a hill (10 straight, 10 karaoke *5 facing each way*, 10 back pedal). Or I'll do 3x10 up a set of stairs, or 3x10 straight 100 yard sprints on a track.

I'm pretty sure I don't overtrain. I'll generally work out my legs once a week and run three times a week.


heres what i think you should do (my aproch to getting faster im sure other people have differnt ideas(such as ccburylax) )

i think you need to train differnt. Hit legs 2 times a week once for max strength and once for explosivness. I think you need to work in some pylometrics. Your sprint workout IMHO is not to great
I would work in agility drills and a differnt varity

[GBaschski]

heres what i think you should do (my aproch to getting faster im sure other people have differnt ideas(such as ccburylax) )

i think you need to train differnt. Hit legs 2 times a week once for max strength and once for explosivness. I think you need to work in some pylometrics. Your sprint workout IMHO is not to great
I would work in agility drills and a differnt varity

My legs are usually still recovering three days after my workout, so its hard to get in two leg workouts a week, but I could try...How would I work out explosiveness as opposed to strength?

Also...how would agility drills help? I'm trying to work on flat out speed.

[bigDman]

My legs are usually still recovering three days after my workout, so its hard to get in two leg workouts a week, but I could try...How would I work out explosiveness as opposed to strength?

Also...how would agility drills help? I'm trying to work on flat out speed.
ill answer your first question tommorow

as for your second question the better your agillty the faster you can get ot your top seed therefore teh faster you are it also helkps your explosive ness which will help your speed

[MangOPimP]

As stated before, sprint times are lower by fractions of a seconds a time. Drastic changes are not likely to happen. First, are you trying to train for lacrosse, track, or just general fitness? If it is for track, consult a sprint coach, if it is for lacrosse, you should worry about being able to hold a sprint speed(sprinting endurance, yes there is such thing) and if for the last one, fitness, why are you so worried?
Switching gears, how long have you been working with this routine? Perhaps you should, if desiring to do this for track, stop hitting the weights for power but turn to them for tapering(keeping what you have) and working on the actually running part. Once we know what you're interested in doing, then we can help more. As for explosiveness, if you have an excel sports, or any other 'bigger' name sports improvement company, go to them. There are a lot of camps that will work with you to bust out of a plateau.
As for training at home to improve your explosiveness, look at some of these. They are pretty much just plyometrics developed from Soviet coaches in the mid-late 20th century in order to improve their athletes ability(which I must say, did happen)
(im saying now that, by improving a vertial leap, horizontal leap, or any over aspect of jumping/running, you are bound to improve overall fitness, running form, and ease of holding a speed)

http://www.ultimatehandbook.com/Webpages/Health/vertical.html
http://faccioni.com/Reviews/plyometrics.htm
----> http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Plyometrics :thumbsup:
http://athletes.com/fun/ss1.htm (soccer is a lot like lacrosse in running aspects)
http://athletes.com/fun/speedandagilitytrain.htm

Hope that will help for now, im in accounting and cant do too much. Let us know what your general status in running is (times, be honest, we need to know so we can help)
If I were you, I would work with both the school's track coach, and a S&C coach if yall have one, along with the AT there. I worked with the AT ( cuz im majoring in it, hes cool with me cuz i help him) and the track coach at my highschool to improve my times quite a bit. My mile went from a 5:40 to a 5:30, my 400 time went from a 53.2 to a 51.9 ( small difference but it is what helps you win) and my 100 time from an 11.4 to an 11.2. If your on par with my times before, i could almost guarantee you can get down to my after times (this though, took about 3 months during track season. my events were hurdles, no straight sprinting)
But most importantly, let us know how long youve been doing what you are doing, and what you are doing it for.

[tomahawks11]

ummm whatever this guy said here is probably what you need to do^^^^


that is an insane amount of writing

[bigDman]

okay here is what i think you should do

1 leg day
Max effort box squat work up to your 3-5 rep max over atleast 5 sets (for example mine is 300 heres what i do 45x10 135x7 175x5 225x5 250x3 275x1 300x5)
Power Clean 5x3
Romanian deadlift 4x4-6
Lunges 4x4-6
GHR 2x5

then another leg day (these wieghts are light like 40-60% of your max and are done as fast as posible)
Speed Squat 9x3
Snatch 4x3
Hang clean 4x3
Jump squats 3x8-10


Then 1 day id do sprint workout
Id do some
10 yard dashes
20 yard dashes
40 yard dashes
60 yard dashes
80 yard dashes
100 yard dashes

Then an agility day
(see thread title something like parsi speed school dvd review)

then a pylometric day read MangOPimP's links to get an idea post up if you still need help

[GBaschski]

In response to MangoPimp...I'd like to get faster for lacrosse. I'm not a track athlete, but I am a midfielder and I want to be better at sprinting down on those fast breaks, and getting back on defense.
I honestly can't give you an accurate time for any runs. My last mile was a couple months ago at 6:05, but I believe I could have done better at the time and I've been conditoning hard core since then, so I think 5:45 or lower would be more accurate to my current condition. I ran a 5.2 40 yard dash at the beginning of the summer, but I have most definitely gotten faster since then. Not too much, but 5.0 would probably be closer.

There's a 'Velocity Sports' place around here, but its pretty pricey. I have been thinking about going to a speed and agility camp this summer instead of a lacrosse camp, though.


UPDATE:
Today I conditioned with the rest of the lacrosse team at my school. We were running 50 meter dashes (among other things) and after looking at a few articles on sprinting form, I tried to correct my form a little bit. I pulled my legs higher, ran on my toes, and pumped my arms correctly straight up and down. I noticed a pretty considerable increase in speed. I was going faster and I was beating people that had left me in the dust before. Definitely helped, but I still feel like I could be A LOT faster for all the work I've been doing.

[fossil8412]

My trainer at the local YMCA says that hamstring muscles are the key to speed...

[bigDman]

My trainer at the local YMCA says that hamstring muscles are the key to speed...
Wow some one at YMCA made a smart statment :bartmoon:


Yes the hamstrings, and glutes are the biggest part to speed

[rjattack19]

ok i hate to break it to u but...its just the way that u were born...its a fact that some people were just born to run...the only way to increase ur speed is technic (sp?)