Speed Kills, a short simple, yet deathly honest phrase. No matter what discipline you pursue, speed added to the skill set only makes it that much better. Speed makes things happen more efficiently and obviously faster, speed separates 1st from 2nd... speed develops a greater overall strength! Speed Kills!


As a sprinter at heart, speed work has always been a staple of my success and developing speed one of my specialties training athletes and clients alike. Speed is a extremely beneficial skill to have and develop due to it's infinite applications in life. The faster you can accomplish skills, the better in most cases. Speed can translate across the spectrum of physical activity providing an edge into whatever you chose to do. 

In the pursuit of developing speed, there is a very necessary addition to your workout routine that needs to become a part of your weekly routine. Plyometrics!

Plyometrics are a style of exercise based on the concept of producing maximal effort and force in a minimal amount of time. Jumps, sprints, throws, catching, landing. Reps from a dead start, etc. There are numerous ways to apply plyometric qualities to any workout. 

The way plyometric exercises work is teaching the body how to fire muscles quickly and effectively in order to accomplish some kind of physical activity. Starting from a neutral position, your body loads itself into a position optimal for explosive movement. and in order to accomplish the exercise the body requires enough power to move, and this requires the muscles to activate quickly, activating as many muscle fibers as possible in order to produce maximal force. With the combination of quick activation and total activation, muscles are taught how to produce maximal force in a short amount of time, exactly what speed is. 

Plyometric work is key to developing proper speed. if the muscles are not able to accelerate adequately you wont be as fast as you possibly can. and with the proper implementation of plyometric exercises along with your strength routine and sport specific training, your speed at doing the skills required of you will increase. Plyometric work should be done at the beginning of your workout when the muscles are fresh in order to enjoy the full benefits of nueromuscular training. Also, it is not to replace your training regimen but act as a compliment. Be sure to add it in as an intense warm up or a precursor to some speed work on the track or a power session in the weight room. Plyometric routines shouldn't last longer than 30 minutes, but need to last longer than 10 to achieve their effect. 

As with any of these principles and ideas for sport training, I am open to communication for more detailed explanations and help on achieving the desired results. 

At the end of most of my posts I place the phrase "Every Day... A Little Stronger." It's not just a simple phrase to put at the end of a brand name, nor a stereotypical cheesy theme. Becoming stronger every day is an essential piece to living a healthy, full, and prosperous life. It's a pursuit that never ends. Strength is not just the size of your muscles or how much weight you can lift, strength is an all encompassing characteristic of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual function. The training that I talk about, the ideas that I propose are intended to challenge the person to become more than they think possible.