Speed Endurance For A Late Game Push
Think of this scenario. You and your team are driving to score late in the contest. You just have to get around one defender and you can score and win the game. The defender stops you at the last second as the game ends. With just a slight adjustment to an athletes training regiment athletes can prevent this scenario from happening and win the contest.
Speed training and speed endurance training can help athletes train their bodies to use fuel more efficiently throughout their contest, as well as giving them the tools to blow by an opposing player.
This is done by making the bodies natural fuel systems, which are powered by what athletes eat, more efficient at using, storing, and producing energy. Athletes who perform higher intensity cardio exercises which last 30-40 seconds will see tremendous improvements in not getting as winded, or fatigued late into games.
This is especially important for sports like soccer, football, basketball, or tennis, as powerful bursts of energy are regularly used for long periods of time. This speed endurance training will also give athletes the ability to lower their heart rate faster during breaks or timeouts, and recover quickly during these short stops in play.
Athletes and coaches need to remember that an athlete is just like a car in the fact that neither one of them will operate to their full potential if there is no gas in the tank. Athletes and coaches need to be making good nutritional choices before and after games to help athletes with energy production and recovery. This will play a large part in late game energy levels and success.
Kbands Extended Speed Skaters
The Kbands Extended Speed Skaters use an explosive full body movement for 30 seconds to tax the bodies energy systems, gain speed, and increase agility. Those are the main benefits to performing this speed training drill, but athletes will see improvements in many other areas as well. Since the speed endurance drill is a unilateral power movement (jumping off one leg) athletes will see major improvements in their balance and coordination. Athletes will also be building stability in the body as they absorb each impact, stabilize, and then redirect.
To perform the Kbands Extended Speed Skaters athletes will need a set of Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and two Speed and Agility Cones. After securely attaching the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands just above the knees athletes will set the Speed and Agility Cones. These Speed and Agility Cones should be set at a challenging distance from each other (aka the athletes must work hard on each jump). Coaches and athletes should not be afraid to reset the distance of the Speed and Agility Cones if it is to challenging or not challenging enough.
After the Speed and Agility Cones are set athletes will stand at one Speed and Agility Cone, so the other Speed and Agility Cone is to their side. Athletes will raise their inside foot, load their arms and hips, and powerfully jump to the opposite Speed and Agility Cone. As athletes jump and land at the opposite Speed and Agility Cone they will switch legs in mid air, landing and stabilizing on their opposite leg. After a quick rebalance athletes will launch their bodies back to the original Speed and Agility Cone, switching legs and landing on their opposite leg.
Athletes will continue this lateral jumping motion for 30 seconds before stopping to recover for 30 seconds. Athletes will perform 6 resisted sets of the Kbands Extended Speed Skaters, with an optional unresisted seventh set of the speed drill. To perform the unresisted set of the Kbands Extended Speed Skaters athletes will simply remove the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands from around the knees and then perform the same lateral jumping motion for an additional 30 seconds.
Increase Intensity Of Speed Training
Kbands Leg Resistance Bands are a great way to add additional intensity, and see additional results from speed, agility, and athletic power training. The placement of the tension allows for additional hip flexor, glute, and leg activation to maintain regular motions. Keeping regular movements and motions should be a focus for coaches and athletes as they perform speed training drills with the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands.
As athletes begin to master the Kbands Extended Speed Skaters and other plyometric, speed, and agility training drills with the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands they will need to find additional ways to raise the intensity of the speed training drill. Athletes can accomplish this by increasing the tension of the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands. Green or Red level resistance bands are great places to start but as these levels of resistance become easier athletes who want to continue to see results and improvements will need to move up to using Blue Level Leg Resistance Bands.
Executing Speed and Agility Drills
An important part of athletic training is knowing when to perform what kind of exercise. Athletes and coaches should take a few things into consideration when designing a speed and agility training workout.
The first thing to consider when organizing your speed drills is “How much energy will my athlete have after completing this speed drill”? It would not make much sense to wear your athlete out with 20 full out 40 yard sprints at the beginning of the training session and then perform footwork drills on the Speed and Agility Ladder. The athlete will be so fatigued from the earlier sprints that their footwork and training quality will suffer on the following Speed and Agility Ladder. However, switching the order and performing Speed and Agility Ladder Drills with Kbands Leg Resistance Bands, followed by all out sprints will be a more effective speed training sequence.
The second main thing to consider when organizing speed training exercises is the level of the athlete. Younger, less experienced, athletes need to focus on fundamentals and build a strong foundation. Don’t be afraid to take the training down a bit if you feel the athlete is not getting the most out of their speed and agility workouts.