Track Workout Ideas To Increase Speed | Will High Knees Make You Run Faster
When looking for track workout ideas it’s important to choose drills that will help you increase your speed. Speed is key to becoming a successful track athlete. You must be faster than all of your opponents to achieve greatness. So what is a good track workout idea? Track workouts must focus on specific elements of the human anatomy to increase your speed. First, track athletes must increase hip flexor strength and explosiveness. Second, track athletes must increase stride frequency and stride length. A simple drill utilize my track athletes of all ages is the high knee sprints. Analyze the video below while paying close attention to form and the workout equipment needed to maximize your results.
Why Should You Do High Knees To Increase Your Speed And Track?
High knees is a simple drill normally utilized as a warm-up for track athletes. With 50 to 60% effort, high knees can effectively increase blood flow to the area required for acceleration. Here at KbandsTraining.com we spend more focus on high knees working in a ballistic movement fashion. By being explosive and working at 100% intensity during the high knee portion of this drill you will activate the hip flexors working through the resistance of Kbands before sprinting. The combination of these two elements will allow your body to adapt to the new load. Working in a ballistic movement fashion. By being explosive and working out 100% intensity during the high knee portion of this drill you will activate the hip flexors working through the resistance of Kbands before sprinting. The combination of these two elements will allow your body to adapt to the new load.
High knees are effective to build power in your stride. As you have probably noticed, when you accelerate from a stationary position your body tilts forward. If you were to stand your body up, you would notice that your knee is close to parallel to the ground. The forward tilt of your body is a bit deceiving. This means that we must functionally drive up with power. The quicker we can chamber our leg the faster you will be able to sprint.
Should You Always Use Resistance
Resistance training should be cycled throughout your weekly workouts. If you are completing the same resisted movements each and every day your benefits will begin to fade. The structure of a workout should rotate with variety. Different training message will help optimize your results.
Back To The Question: Will High Knees Make You Run Faster?
In our experience training athletes, high knees are and efficient and a must when it comes to developing speed. You will never find a track athlete at the top of their game that cannot explosively chamber their leg back to an upright position quickly. The explosive chamber effect is essential to maximizing stride turn over. The key to building speed from the high knee exercise is on focus and intensity. If you complete the high knee exercise at half speed you will not find any results. If you complete the high knee exercise before sprinting with vigorous effort, you will see the results you are looking to achieve.
The Little Things Are Important
Remember the high knee exercises not just all about the legs. You also must incorporate proper arm movements to develop good habits. You must also focus on foot position. When you strike the ground it is important that you strike the ground underneath your body. You should not hit the ground in front or behind. When looking to maximize your speed the proper strike position is very important. In addition, you will also want to chamber your toe up towards your shin after each repetition. By chambering your foot you will stretch the calf muscle. This will help enhance your calves ability to explode back off the ground. This concept is known as the stretch reflex and is why plyometric training has become such a popular method to become faster. You must learn to maximize your body’s potential with proper form.
Track Workout Wrap Up
This exercise should be completed 2 to 3 times a week. It pairs nicely with other track sprinting exercises but should be done towards the beginning of your workout. To maximize your results during this exercise you’ll want fresh hip flexors. Please enjoy the workout and let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.