A still from the film North by Northwest by Alfred Hitchcock.
You won't get anywhere with a light jog. If you want to get in great shape, you have to run fast and even faster. And he will tell you how to achieve this Main coach Nike Run Club and British Athletics endurance coach David Harmer. If you want to learn even more about running, read all the materials on our running website.
1. Think carefully
If you give it your all, break it short distances in your mind into three parts and concentrate on each in turn. In the first part you are still fresh, but in the last part you are almost there. Use your willpower to cope with muscle pain in the second part, which is fundamentally important for victory.
2. Strengthen your balance
The fastest way to great running shape isn't through difficult posture changes, but in the gym. Learn to do 10 squats on each leg with one weight, and you can run faster without any problems.
3. Run on an empty stomach
The faster you run, the less food you should have hanging around in your stomach. Don't eat anything at least an hour before training, this will make it easier for you to run and have enough energy until the finish line.
4. Pull iron
Some runners worry that heavy weights can lead to a decrease in speed, but if you do the exercises at an explosive pace, you can increase your running speed. Combine barbell squats and jumping jacks, and the results in your jogging will follow. Your muscles will ache, but your speed will increase.
5. Change your shoes
You need light shoes, e.g. running shoes. If they are of high quality, they absorb less energy and are easier to maintain speed with.
6. The main thing is warmth
Forget about sweat-wicking materials and compression suits. Running shorts and high socks are enough to keep your muscles warm. This reduces the risk of injury and looks good. But this does not mean that if it is -2 degrees outside, then you need to run in socks and shorts. We are talking about the warm season, which is coming very soon. In the meantime, run in the gym!
7. Build stamina
If you want to run a faster 5K, you need to work on your endurance. Start with short sessions of 10 repetitions of 100m with a 90-second rest, and then gradually increase the distance until you can run 300m at the same pace.
8. Reboot
If a steep hill takes your breath away, it will be difficult to get back into rhythm. Try taking three medium breaths and then a long exhale. This will empty your lungs and allow you to regain your breathing rhythm.
A lot has already been written about this topic, but let’s look at the intricacies once again.
Athletes have to overcome their own capabilities in order to reach their best performance. Both professional athletes and just amateur runners, striving for perfection, want to increase their running speed. Running fast and long is the dream of all runners without exception! It is impossible to increase speed indefinitely, everyone has their own limit of physical abilities, after all, genetics does its job, but you can achieve the maximum by systematically training and setting yourself powerful motivation.
Factors affecting running speed
Running speed is influenced by innate factors that cannot be changed radically. You can't escape genetics. Only regular training with good dedication and overcoming one’s own indicators can maximize the potential of an athlete.
Physiologically, running speed depends on the processes occurring in the nervous tissues, which is reflected in the frequency of muscle contractions, the ability to quickly relax and the ability to accelerate.
Here you can remember the white and red muscle fibers. White fibers are responsible for muscle relief, volume and speed-strength indicators. The source of fuel for white or fast fiber is carbohydrate. The main task of such fibers is powerful short-term contraction.
In addition to congenital factors, athletic performance can be influenced by:
- Physical and moral condition.
- Overwork, both physical and nervous.
- State of mind.
- Weather conditions and equipment.
The components of running speed are stride length and frequency. This is what you can pay attention to during training.
Features of training
The result of improving running speed will not be long in coming if some simple conditions are met:
- There is a specific goal (to cover the distance in certain time).
- Regular training with full potential.
- There is a competent training program.
Leg muscles are critical to running speed. Therefore, it is always necessary to include leg strength exercises in your training program.
Second, no less important point- jumping ability, the ability of an athlete to push off and instantly accelerate in a jump. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out not only static exercises, but also dynamic. To feel the speed in your legs, you need to perform accelerations, for example, at 60 - 150 m, where you need to accelerate immediately to the finish line.
Many trainers advise not to forget to include in your training work on speed indicators, jumping and strength exercises, and also practice running technique by performing SBU.
Exercises to develop running speed
These exercises can be included in the “strength” day training program.
Half squat in a jump. 10 reps of jumping from a half-squat position to maximum height.
Jumping lunge. 10 repetitions of jumping from a lunge position, changing legs at the moment of the jump.
Jumping over a barrier. 10 identical barriers are placed on the treadmill in a checkerboard arrangement at a distance of 60 cm. It is important to jump over the obstacles.
Jumping. 10 jumps on one leg with full effort and an attempt to hang in the air.
Among other exercises, you can perform exercises with a skipping rope, jogging with jumps (stretch your legs in height and length). An excellent strength load is provided by working in pairs of two resistance athletes.
Should be done on a day when there are no heavy strength exercises. Alternates calm running and sprinting at top speed. Each race is accompanied by mandatory rest. You cannot rest for a long time, otherwise the muscles will relax completely. One of the interesting workouts is running downhill for 30-50 meters almost at the maximum, with a minute break between runs.
Calculating your running speed (pace and speed)
Preparation for covering a distance in a certain time is to achieve the desired result.
He considers it best to cover the distance evenly. To do this, you should divide the entire distance into separate equal sections and imagine at what speed you need to overcome the next segment, that is, make a layout based on pace.
Running a half marathon distance requires divisions of 1 km and every 5 km. If you plan to complete a half marathon in an hour and a half, then the time for a kilometer is 4 minutes 30 seconds, and for 5 km - 21 minutes and 40 seconds.
Another important component is speed. Here you need to take into account the length of the distance and conduct training with a reserve of time and speed. The principle is quite simple, but it makes no sense to constantly calculate the necessary indicators. To do this, you can create a special table containing all the data for the main distances or use a pace and speed calculator. Such calculators are available in a large number of versions on the Internet. It is enough to enter the necessary data to get the required calculations.
Pace and speed calculation table
Table for calculating pace and speed for different distances, including half marathon and marathon
During training, many athletes use a wrist stopwatch with a heart rate monitor, which helps calculate the load, pace and speed for a given distance.
Endurance and the ability to maintain the required pace are developed through constant training with full dedication.
- You should start training at your usual pace and gradually increase it.
- Marathons or half marathons must be run without paying attention to other athletes. Attempts to catch up or get ahead will lead to leaving the race.
- While running, you do not need to control your running technique. This throws off the rhythm and slows down the speed. The technique must be worked out in training.
- Artificially increasing your stride can lead to ligament injury.
- Training can be done both in the morning and in the evening.
- Skipping workouts leads to a violation of the regime. Be sure to study and stick to your schedule! However, it is better to postpone classes if the athlete has recently been ill or experienced emotional, nervous, or mental overload.
- If you don’t want to go to training, this may not be a manifestation of relaxation and laziness, but the consequences of illness or overwork/overtraining. You need to be able to distinguish this.
Russian record holders in sprinting
Brednev Alexander- one of the most famous Russian athletes, thanks to the highest performance in running. In the Russian Championship, Brednev showed 10.38 seconds. The athlete has a champion title in indoor running at 60 meters.
Masterkova Svetlana included in the list of the most famous athletes in Russia. She started running at 800 meters and was the champion of the USSR before its collapse. After a break for maternity leave and a leg injury, Svetlana returned to the sport with the support of her husband and immediately took up olympic gold in Atlanta. She is a four-time world champion, whose records have not yet been surpassed.
It's hard to find any runners who don't want to run faster. Amateurs and professionals, juniors and senior athletes - everyone wants to increase their running speed. Why does it depend? How to learn to run fast? If we abstract from the relief and weather conditions, then there are only two factors: genetics and training.
At the same time, during training, the number of mitochondria in muscles can change, and, accordingly, their ability to generate energy with the participation of oxygen. This is also important for speed, especially on long distances. In addition, training leads to muscle fiber hypertrophy and the percentage of muscles will also change.
In untrained people, fast fibers are usually glycolytic, that is, type B predominates, and slow fibers are oxidative. This will be enough for mini-sprint races of 20-30 m to the bus stop or, for example, to the entrance from the meeting with the neighbor's dog. But of course, it is absolutely not enough for competitive sprinting and, especially, fast running over medium and long distances. There is no way without targeted training.
Mitochondria are unique organelles in which glucose or fatty acid molecules are broken down through a cascade of reactions into carbon dioxide and water, resynthesizing ATP necessary for muscle contraction. At the same time, it does not form lactic acid molecules, which “acidify” the muscle, as during glycolysis. Due to the appearance of additional mitochondria, fast muscle fibers in their oxidative potential are converted from glycolytic to intermediate, and the transition of intermediate fibers to oxidative is also possible.
Even if your genetics don’t work out, by training regularly you can significantly improve your performance and achieve good and sometimes excellent results!
Maximum oxygen consumption
The role of muscles in ensuring speed qualities is great, but, of course, not absolute. After all, in order for the muscles, as well as others, to be vitally important organs received oxygen - coordinated work of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems is necessary.
The most well-known indicator describing the connection and efficiency of these systems and muscles is maximum oxygen consumption(VO2 max), which shows the amount of oxygen (in milliliters) a person is able to consume within 1 minute.
On average, MOC in young untrained men is 45 ml/min/kg, in women – 38 ml/min/kg.
As a result of training, not only does the number of mitochondria in the muscles increase, but also physiological adaptations occur such as an increase in blood plasma volume, systolic heart volume and stroke volume, tissue capillarization and, ultimately, such adaptations cause an improvement in the efficiency of oxygen transport to muscle cells and its use, and this is the key to improving performance in medium and long distance races.
BMD depends on genetic factors, age, gender, and is also closely related to muscle mass and quite accurately reflects the level of training.
Up to 20 years of age, there is an increase in the value of MIC, from 25 to 35 years - stabilization, and from 35 years - a gradual decrease in MIC.
By age 65, maximum oxygen consumption decreases by about a third.
Economy of running
Although knowledge of VO2 max will be quite informative, in long-distance competitions what is more important is not the maximum that can be squeezed out of oneself, but the submaximal speed that the athlete can maintain throughout the entire distance. And this speed will depend on MIC, and on the ability to utilize fats, the ability of buffer systems to fight “acidification” with lactate, on running technique, which allows optimal use of the body’s resources, etc. Actually, all this is united by such an integral concept as running efficiency. Running economy can vary between runners with the same VO2 max by up to 20%. In well-trained athletes with similar VO2 max values, running economy is the best predictor of performance.
Therefore, it is the increase in running economy that will improve performance, and therefore speed, in long-distance runners.
Summarizing the above, I would like to emphasize that an athlete’s running speed will be largely determined by his genetics.
In the same time proper training allow you to significantly increase running speed due to adaptation processes occurring in the muscles, respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
Interview with Dmitir Nikolaychuk
What exercises do athletes use in practice to develop running speed? How can amateur runners increase their running speed?
Professional athletes are best versed in matters of speed development. He shared approaches and “secrets” for learning to run fast Dmitry Nikolaychuk, member of the Ukrainian athletics team, champion of Kiev, prize-winner of the Ukrainian Athletics Championships 2013-2018, graduate student at the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
- Hello, Dima! Our readers will be interested in learning about the experience of a professional athlete. Please tell us what approaches are used to develop speed among amateurs?
- It’s hard to name me professional athlete. I would say that I am simply a professional, since my main job is scientific activity plus coaching practice, which, however, does not at all prevent me from competing at official competitions. Although after each podium at the National Championships, the club and coach tell me that it’s enough to mock others with this approach and way of life.
- So here it is. The main approach when working with amateurs is to do no harm :) But in fact, before training running speed, the person must have a certain “base” (physical fitness level, strength training, endurance), time for training and recovery, and motivation (goal). Accordingly, if there is no “base” or it is weak, we first work with it, laying the foundation, without which further progress will be impossible.
– If a runner has a sufficient base and experience, we determine what his goals are and how much time per week (month) he is willing to devote to training. Moreover, the training schedule should also be combined with proper recovery, and take into account different life situations. You need to develop gradually, step by step, making sure that there is no overtraining. Due to the nature of the busy nature of amateurs - the main job, often family, you need to try to ensure that training fits harmoniously into life, and does not create additional stress for the trainee and those around him. There is already a lot of stress in life that affects our health, mood, running technique, etc.
– Okay, Dima, it’s clear about the importance of the base. Let's say we are lucky, there is an amateur with a good base who wants, for example, to improve his performance at 5 or 10 km, what exercises should be used to increase running speed?
– In this case, training to develop speed can be based on three “pillars” that have been known to us since the last century:
- Gorki
- Segments
– Please tell us in more detail here :)
– Of course, now let’s go through each point.
Exercises to develop running speed
Gorki
Slides are a fairly universal exercise, including increasing endurance, strength and learning to run fast. In addition to the fact that hill running strengthens many of the muscles involved in running, it also develops cardiovascular system and oxygen use efficiency. This means that by training slides, a person will be able to run faster.
Important points:
- You should start by running on low hills, with a slight slope and short distances (50-60 m).
- after the slides, be sure to jog and “run up” your legs, that is, do several short accelerations on level ground;
- slides can be done 1-2 times a week, depending on the overall training volumes and tasks.
Special running exercises
Special running exercises (SBE) are speed exercises that affect muscle groups that affect the economy and efficiency of movements while running. And the more economical the running, the faster the speed over a given segment.
These are the muscles of the anterior and posterior surfaces of the thigh, the flexor muscles of the hip, the knee joint, the calf muscles, the flexor muscles of the foot and leg that produce repulsion, the muscles responsible for adducting and abducting the hips, the muscles of the buttocks, the abdominal and back muscles.
In addition, SBUs help improve intermuscular coordination.
– What exercises do you recommend?
– Regarding exercises:
- Running with shin splints
The exercise is mainly aimed at warming up the knee joint and strengthening the muscles. back surface hips.
Technique:
In this exercise, a kind of elastic running is performed with alternate bending of the legs at the knee joint and throwing the shins towards the buttocks. It is important to touch your heels to your buttocks and have a high cadence.
During the exercise, the torso is slightly tilted forward, the shoulders are relaxed, the arms work as when running (or are simply behind the back). When performing the exercise, pay attention to the soft and silent removal of the leg from the support.
- Running with high hips
The exercise affects the muscles of the anterior surface and flexors of the hip and foot, and also helps improve intermuscular coordination.
Technique:
While standing on your foot, you need to alternately raise the thigh of your swing leg high. The thigh rises parallel to the surface, and when landing, the leg is elastically placed on the support. You need to maintain a high frequency of leg lifts.
While performing this exercise, your shoulders should be relaxed, your arms bent at the elbows, your supporting leg and torso should be on the same line. The foot lands on the front part, the back should be straight. Beginners can work with their hands, experienced runners can isolate their hands behind their backs.
- Running on straight legs
The exercise affects the calf muscles, as well as the muscles responsible for adducting and abducting the hips. Helps improve repulsion.
Technique:
When performing the exercise, the straightened leg is actively placed on a support and the swing leg is quickly extended, at approximately an angle of 45°. At the same time, rapid progress occurs.
The body is almost vertical, with a slight tilt back. Hands perform active work, as in running.
- Deer running
Exercise aimed at development calf muscles and muscles of the back of the thigh.
Technique:
When pushing off, the pushing leg is fully straightened, and the swing leg is brought forward, bent at the knee joint. Hands work differently to help maintain balance. The position of the body is vertical, with a slight bend forward.
- "Bike"
This exercise helps strengthen the hamstrings, hip flexors, and feet.
Technique:
The leg bends at the knee joint, the thigh rises parallel to the ground. Then the shin is brought forward and the leg, with a raking motion, begins to lower down onto the support under the center of gravity. After pushing, the pushing leg is swept back and the movement is repeated, but with the other leg.
The body is in a vertical position. Hands perform active movement over a large amplitude.
- Lunges
Lunges develop balance, stability and coordination
Technique:
The exercise is performed slowly. The stride should be of such length that the angle of the front leg is straight.
Maximum wide steps, placing the foot on the heel, deep squatting. At correct execution over the next two days, all the leg muscles will remind themselves of themselves in the most unexpected places.
- Mincing run
The exercise develops running technique and coordination.
Short steps as long as your own foot. Land on your toes, relaxed shoulders and arms.
More exercises and techniques for performing them can be seen in this video:
SBU can be practiced independently, at home, but it is advisable that the exercise technique be “set up” by a trainer first.
Segments
Segments are direct work with speed. Depending on the goals and objectives, the intensity of the run and the length of the segments will vary.
What is important:
- for speed work, amateurs will need 200-300 m sections
- After each segment you need a good rest and recovery (about 8 minutes).
- for beginners, the number of segments should not be large, 3-5 will be enough; The main thing is to qualitatively work out the accelerations themselves.
- It is best to do speed work when you are rested and “fresh”, for example on Tuesday after resting on Monday or even on Wednesday.
- when working with more trained athletes who have experience and a good base, the number of segments and length can be increased depending on the tasks.
– Dima, please tell me, will the exercises for long-distance and medium-distance running be different and in what way?
– At the initial stages – practically none. Then, of course, for middle-distance runners, along with the development of speed, it will be necessary to adapt the body to the need to utilize lactate and work in “acidification” mode. For long-distance runners – important because metabolism will be the establishment of a fat oxidation system, which is achieved by long runs in the aerobic zone.
– How about using marathon pace training for recreational distance runners?
– This is unlikely to be necessary for most amateurs. Everything, of course, will depend on the goals and objectives of the preparation. For some, this type of training will also be relevant. But due to the stress it places on the cardiovascular system, it must be used wisely. It’s not for nothing that all training systems for track and field athletes necessarily include a long slow running. The popularizer of introducing such running into the practice of training athletes was Arthur Lydiard. It is slow, long running that helps develop the cardiovascular system for subsequent intense loads during high-speed work.
– What can you say about using a running exercise like (variable speed running) to improve running speed?
- - this is also very good way when used correctly. For example, alternating short accelerations with jogging can be used to develop speed skills. Longer accelerations, shorter jogging times, can be used to develop speed endurance.
– In general, everything needs to be taken into account in training. Athletes have a popular saying: “a plan is not a dogma, but a guide to action.” By the way, which, as it turned out for me, was paraphrased from an article by Engels and Marx.
– I see, thank you very much, Dima!
- Please! And don’t forget about the need for quality recovery after training. Otherwise, all the results of preparation may be “reduced to zero.” If you have good basic training, speed will come! Train regularly and don't rush! Remember - you play sports to first of all improve your health!
It is quite normal for a runner to strive to develop his athletic skills. Achieving new heights always makes a person happy and pushes him to new actions and further self-development, because human strength is limitless.
Fast running is a transition to a new, better level in the life of an athlete, which, in turn, develops skills such as ability and strength.
But many experienced runners who have been training for several years, just like beginners, may face the problem of developing speed in running. Sometimes it seems like your performance has nowhere to go, but that's not true. The development of speed qualities in running requires complex training , which includes: a positive morale attitude, development of certain muscle tissues, and time that will be devoted to fast running techniques.
Spirit of Speed
To improve and make running more comfortable, there are the following recommendations:
- choose a more inspiring place to train. Let it be more interesting than the previous one, so new exercises will be performed more easily, as if in a familiar place. Due to the change of environment, it is easier to set yourself up for a better result;
- jogging with a friend. It doesn’t matter whether you run together or not, the main thing is that you feel the presence of a partner, and therefore you can evaluate yourself from the outside, which will give you a chance to think about what you should strive for;
- run with your opponent. This doesn't mean that you have to run with a real person, come up with the image of a runner who will train for a certain distance at a speed you set.
When the situation is conducive and you are psychologically ready for speed running and developing speed qualities, then success is guaranteed, because Believe in yourself plays an important role.
What makes you run faster?
It is better if the step distance when running is optimal. This guarantees the athlete short-term relaxation, even if the run is quite fast. It is not the length of the step that is important for speed, but the jerks from the ground. If the runner's goal is to run faster, then the push should remain strong and the time spent on the action should be less.
Along with the decrease in time during the jerk, the speed of movement of the leg also increases, and there is no need to wait until the leg is on the track, but rather tends to push off faster. Running and proper development speed qualities depend not on the length of steps, but on their number and frequency.
Body movement technique
In order to learn how to develop running speed, you should first study certain aspects of body positioning when running.
To run faster, you need a ground that is soft, like a spring, but at the same time quickly and strongly pushes off the track. This position will help you understand how develop a running burst.
When running at an accelerated pace, the athlete's torso should be leaned forward, but not very much, otherwise the swing leg will slow down the takeoff. Each person must adjust the inclination individually; it depends entirely on the build of the body and the general physical fitness of the runner.
Method for increasing speed performance
There are many techniques and exercises to increase running speed, mainly aimed at developing endurance. The most common method is or.
It is popular because by quickly running a short distance, and then resting, smoothly jogging or walking, you develop in yourself. Exercises for the development of running and walking train the leg muscles, produce correct positioning the foot when it lands on the ground and increases the frequency of the step, which promotes fast running.
Warm-up
Before a hard workout, you need to properly stretch all the muscles using several with a combination of light jogging.
- It's better if you run a couple of laps at a comfortable pace, but you shouldn't waste all your energy.
- It was believed that stretching should be done before running, but most athletes now recommend doing it after a run, which can prevent unexpected injuries.
- Perform a few light movements with your arms and legs.
- Holding onto the support, begin to swing your leg back and forth, increasing the swing, then change your leg and repeat the movements.
Exercises to develop speed qualities
Below you will see popular exercises for developing running speed that will improve your performance.
Exercise 1.
The first exercise is to run in a straight line, slowly, increasing the speed to maximum over time. You need to run in segments of 50 meters, 5-6 times. 
Exercise 2.
We repeat the first exercise, only now you need to tilt your body 5 degrees. You need to run up to 10 times. 
Exercise 3.
The third exercise for developing running involves running. from a low start, with segments of 50 meters. 5 repetitions will be enough.
Exercise 4.
To strengthen the psoas and quadriceps tissue muscles, as well as practicing running technique(the desired position of the foot and hip extension), alternating legs. The exercise should be done on your toes so that your heels do not touch the ground. At the same time, your knee joints must strive upward and move forward. The posture is straight and the stomach is tucked. 
Exercise 5.
You need to run in one place, jumping up, while reaching your buttocks with your heels. Your posture is also straight, your arms move as if you were jogging normally. This exercise trains the back of the thigh and develops proper foot placement on the ground.
Exercise 6.
You need to actively push off, jumping from one leg to the other and moving forward. With this exercise for developing running also leg muscles are strengthened, and the ability to dash off the ground improves.
Exercise 7.
The body position is the same as at the start, but one leg is slightly forward. When jumping, you need to change legs, but you must not allow your heels to touch the ground. Such a simple exercise shakes muscle tissue thighs, buttocks and calves. Improves running speed, as well as technical skills in hip extension and leg alternation.
Exercise 8.
This exercise for developing running speed involves tensing the calf muscles and lifting onto your toes while exhaling, and returning to their original state when inhaling.
Exercise 9.
This exercise begins with a standing position, one foot on a stool and the other on the floor. When you exhale, you need to rise to your toes on the floor, and when you inhale, return to the initial stage. Thus the leg muscles are processed separately.
Exercise 10.
To strengthen ankle joint and tibialis muscle we do rolling from toe to heel. It is better to hold on to the back of the chair while controlling your posture.
Exercise 11.
Jumping in one place. Try to push off the ground stronger and faster, while not forgetting about a straight back and a toned stomach.
Exercise 12.
Run backwards. Try to pull your socks up as if you want to catch something with them.
Exercise 13.
Ask a friend to ride in front of you on a bicycle and try to catch up with him.
The question “How to run fast?” Many newbies ask this question. For professional athletes and highly qualified coaches, this question sounds about the same as the rhetorical “what to do?” and “what should I do?” Before answering this question, let's look at the concept of "running fast."
Each athlete has his own concept of “fast”. For an amateur who has been training for less than a year, 10 km in 40 minutes is unthinkable. And for a professional, these 40 minutes are an easy cross-country workout. As for the sprint, 9.58 in the 100-meter dash is a world record, and for a student who needs it, 12.8 will be the ultimate dream.
Therefore, in this article we will not use stopwatch hands, but will consider general recommendations on how you can increase your own running speed at a given distance.
All distances in athletics are divided into four types: sprint, middle distances, long distances. Ultramarathon, trail running, cross-country running are not official disciplines athletics, although they are directly related to long distances.
How to learn to run fast sprint (60 m – 400 m)
To learn how to sprint quickly, you need to have good strength and jumping training. Unlike middle and long distance running, for 100 m endurance is practically not needed, only general endurance is needed physical training. However, in order to be able to run 400 m without slowing down, you need to train speed endurance.
Running speed depends on the frequency and length of your stride. Step frequency develops most effectively in children under 12 years of age. Unfortunately, developing this skill in an adult is much more difficult. The technique in sprinting is different from middle distance running. Here the knee rises higher, the step becomes longer, and the arms work actively. Generally fast run more energy-consuming.
It is very important for 100m sprinters to have very strong leg muscles. Therefore, one of the main components of sprinter training is strength exercises, hurdle exercises, and a reinforced SBU complex. Many exercises in the power block are done with additional weighting. These include: short maximum accelerations with a “cart”, accelerations with braking (the trainer slows down the athlete’s running with the help of a fitness tape), “strreading” and lunges with a light barbell. Sprinters spend a lot of time in the gym. Jumping work produces explosive power in the sprinter, which is extremely necessary.
Accelerations are performed in different series of 50–300 m, after a rest of 4-5 minutes. Also, to develop speed endurance, many trainers recommend running 150 m, performing 10-15 runs.
How to learn to run fast middle distances (from 800 m to 2000 m)
To improve your performance and run fast middle and long distances, you need to know the basics of running - correct breathing, technique, warm-up, perform strength work for running. Running 800 and 1500 m requires speed endurance. For this purpose, average athletes use such types of training as tempo run, uphill intervals. Having high-intensity speed workouts will ultimately help increase your speed.
Varying the length and intensity of your training sessions improves cardiovascular endurance and allows you to work out longer. This workout may involve several short bursts (2 to 8 minutes) of very fast running speed, separated by short rest periods. High-intensity training develops speed endurance, but it is extremely important to remember that their amount in the total volume of your training process should not exceed 40%. Try to do at least 4-5 workouts a week, of which only 1-2 will be high-intensity, and spend the rest of the time working on running technique and slow cross-country runs (50-60 minutes each).
How to learn to run long distances quickly (from 3000 m to marathon)
Many people are interested in how to run 3 km in less than 12 minutes. For these types of results, runners need to focus on training their speed, oxygen use efficiency, and aerobic strength.
The foundation for any stayer is volume: these are long cross-country runs, at least an hour, which must be run at least twice a week. Professional stayers run 100-150 km per week. For amateurs, this figure is much less - about 40-60 km. It is impossible to show a 3 km result in less than 11 minutes if your weekly volume is 30 km.Running uphill brings great benefits. It is better to use a gentle incline 300-500 m long and run up it 8-10 times so that the pace of each run is approximately the same, but not maximum. Rest between series – 3-4 minutes.
In addition to running training, you need to carry out a set of general physical training to strengthen your hips, feet, and calf muscles. You will need them.
Running technique
Regardless of what distance you plan to run quickly, at the initial stage one of the fundamental determinations for you should be running technique. It will significantly improve your running speed. For a sprinter, technique is the key to a high result; for an average athlete, it is a means of increasing one’s efficiency over a distance to 100%; for a stayer, it is running economy.
1. At first, even 1 km is difficult for an unprepared person. Start with short runs at a very low speed. At each subsequent workout, increase the distance covered by 500-800 m.
2. Always start and end your workout lightly for 10-15 minutes at a heart rate no higher than 145 beats per minute.
3. Don’t perceive training as something unpleasant, obligatory, painful, because with this attitude you will last for 2 weeks, and then the frenzy will pass.
4. Start training early. If you have to take the PHYS, then start preparing no later than 4 months before the test. You shouldn’t count on a miracle that you will run 3000 m in 10 minutes without preparation. Miracles do not happen, and nothing will help an unprepared person.
5. Give up bad habits. At least for the preparation time.
6. Proper nutrition is as important for an athlete as running theory. Do not exercise immediately after taking it large quantity food, do not starve after a grueling workout, it is important to close the carbohydrate window, drink recovery sports drinks.
7. Do not try to run long cross-country races at a high heart rate (above 165). There will be no benefit from this, only overwork, injury and excessive stress on the heart.
8. Work out at least 3 times a week.
Plan each workout
Absolutely every workout should consist of a warm-up, a main block and a cool-down. Before starting the active part of the workout, you need to jog lightly for 10-15 minutes, then perform general development exercises (general development exercises), which are all called stretching, for 10 minutes. And only then proceed to the main block. Warming up will warm up the muscles and ligaments, “start the engine”, and minimize the risk of injury. At the end of the main (intensive) part of the workout, you should always do a cool-down - 5-15 minutes of light jogging and static stretching: this will speed up the recovery process and relieve unnecessary muscle pain.
Every person without health problems can run any distance quickly. Having received theoretical knowledge, start studying. Don't try to jump over your head. Have patience and realize that it is not possible to achieve results in 2-3 weeks; everything takes time.
