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Quote from: LanceSTS on July 31, 2011, 11:42:42 pm

You thought wrong.  The 40yd dash is pushed so heavily and sprint coaches have nit picked every detail from the big toe to the top of the head.  The vertical jump is coached primarily as "jump".   There are of course exceptions but most combine training facilities are "practising" the vertical jump, while teaching in detail sprint technique/starts/every step in the race.

I agree. A lot of linebackers and elite defensive ends have the same vertical jumps as defensive backs. It's there massive lower body strength that gives them so much power to jump high.  But, in the 40, they can't keep up with the little guys because it's hard to have fast top end speed when you weigh 250 lbs.  Extra body weight takes away from your reactivity, which will effect how "springy" you are once you've reached top speed. The more springy you are the more ground you are covering with each step you take. 

Hello all,

I have a couple tryouts coming up for indoor football teams. 

I'm a pretty experienced trainee.

Weigh 178. Squat 385. Deadlift 385.

VJ: 37 40: Low:4.40. Hi: 4.61: Median: 4.5

I usually build up to a 1 rep max once a week on the squat or deadlift.  I do a couple other supplemental lifts for the p-chain.  The rest of my time is devoted to speed training.

What's a good strategy for trying to peak for tryouts? 
Rest for a few days to be super recovered and fresh and run the risk of losing technique. Or...hit the field every day for light workouts without pushing it too hard (i.e running at max velocity, doing a lot of volume) etc. 

^ Depends on how intense the sets are.  You only need to do 3 sets a week at 90% to stimulate your nervous system enough to gain strength.  The rest of your leg work should be devoted to hypertrophy gains that make your legs bigger and stronger and will assist you in adding strength to your squats and deads.


If you do 6-8 sets twice a week, that's 12-15 sets of intense lifting.  You will likely drain your nervous system and find that you are not progressing.  Your nervous system needs more time to recover than your muscles. 

Also, don't forget to do power exercises during your strength phase to maintain your explosion. 

During your strength building phase start introducing low level plyos as part of your warmups before each workout. 

Do things like bounds, hops, some running jumps.  This will help keep you athletic and maintain your reactive strength while your looking to build your limit strentgh. 

It also serves to fire up your nervous system and makes your squats more explosive. 

Once you've introduced the low/medium level plyos, and are finished with your strength phase, you switch to a plyo phase where you squat heavy only once a week and the rest of your workouts are devoted to increasing power and reactive strength. 

Plyo Phase
Mon.
Warmups-skips, line hops, shuffles, backpedal
weighted squat jumps. (use 10-30 % of your max)
running jumps
40 yards sprints 3-5 sets
Depth Jump 15-20 reps

Wed. (Low Volume Day)
Warmup
Depth Jump (use a lower box then mon.) 12-15 reps
agility drills -pro shuffle, zig zags
Squat 3 X 1 (85-90 % of max)

Fri.
Warmups
Depth Jumps
Flying 30's
20 yard starts
hang clean
optional glute-ham if feeling fresh enough

I am a football player and am looking to increase my quickness on the field.  My explosion is very solid, but I can't juke anyone for shit!

What are the best ways to improve quickness.  The old saying is that you improve by simply playing your sport...and I agree. I engage in route running 2-3 times a week to sharpen up every route i run.  But...this won't give me the super quick jukes or fast progress that I am looking for. 

I just wonder if I'm missing anything in my training.  Obviously if someone wants to improve their speed, unless their strong as a bull they can benefit by improving their numbers in the gym.  I'm curious to know if there's anything I can do in my training that will directly apply to quickness and make me springier. 

Thanks

How are these guys so fast with hardly any muscle mass to speak of.  Is it soley based on their reactive abiltiy and leg and tendon lengths? I can see how they would have good top speed after 50meters or so....but what about the first 50?   

They have to be running  slower 40 times compared to NFL defensive backs who pack a good amount of muscle on them.  Am I right?

I've heard coaches say that it is good to take shorter steps in your start to keep your hips under your center of gravity.  I have also had coaches instruct me to take the largest steps possible when firing out of the hole. 

Which theory is correct? 

I know for me personally, I "feel" a lot more explosive taking shorter steps but that doesn't mean I'm actually moving faster. It can sometimes feel a little choppy, and that may lead to deceleration.  But the shorter steps allow me to fire out lower and not raise my torso up too soon. 

What do my choopy steps indicate? Is it a weakness in hip power? A poor stance?  I have a had a strength coach look at my stance and he hasn't made any changes so it may not be my stance.   

A note about the stance.  A lot of sprinters seems to raise their butts really high in the air. when I do this I feel like I am noce diving into the ground and I have to take recovery steps to get my balance.  When I keep my butt parrallel or slightly above my back then I feel I can drive out easier and more efficiently.  But when I look at combine videos, it seems like all the guys butts are really high in the air. 

**Any comments or suggestions would be really helpful.

Thanks