Strength Training For Speed | Dumbbell Step-Ups

If you’re spending time in the weight room each week and your goal is to increase your speed, it is important that you are completing the correct exercises. Continually finishing sets of bench press will never help you run faster. Organize a collection of exercises that will train the muscles needed to be more explosive. Notice in the video below the athlete drives his knee through the resistance of Kbands and up through the weight of the dumbbells. The weighted dumbbell step-ups shown in the video below is a great exercise choice for increasing your speed.

Focus During Your Weighted Step-Ups

Waited step-ups can be a difficult exercise for novice athlete. It requires stability and strength throughout the hips to keep proper spine alignment as you step-up. Notice the athlete does not lean forward as the leg straightens. You must maintain an erect spine position to help get flexion throughout the hip flexors. Utilize the weight that you can easily manage. The first set should be a bit of a warm-up. Strap on your Kbands and grab some light dumbbells for 16 repetitions per leg. As you become stronger you can add weight in your hands. The dumbbells should never make you sway, or move off your center of gravity. Focus and control your body throughout the repetitions.

Can Weights Help You Improve Your Speed

Weight training is a good way to help improve power in your body. The key to any elite training program is to optimize your ability to perform. By building strength and stability throughout your body, you’ll have the ability to focus on the sport specific movements required to be the best athlete possible. Utilizing a weighted step-ups will help improve hip strength. These muscles are very important for body control helping you to improve your speed and agility in whatever sport you are playing.