Increase Stride Length For Sprint Speed | Hurdle Push Drill
What is stride length? How do you increase your speed? These questions will be answered throughout this article utilizing the drill below. Listen closely throughout the video as we touch on some points that can optimize your results.
What Is Stride Length?
Stride length is the distance at which your legs strikes the ground while running. Both stride length and stride frequency are the biggest factors that play a role in your sprinting speed. Stride length specifically, is associated with power off the ground. The more power you can generate off the ground the farther your body will travel while maintaining velocity. The key to improving your stride length is by optimizing running form, and developing more power off the ground. During this drill you will be utilizing an anchor technique to create more force off the ground. An athlete that has the ability to quickly accelerate with power, in the proper running form, will in time generate more power off the ground during sprinting.
Throughout the video you will recognize that the athlete has a flat back position throughout the entire sprint. It is important that you set the total height to a height at which you can maintain this angle. If the hurdle is too low it will roll over. If the hurdle is too high it will tip up. Find the height that is close to your stomach.
How Will Stride Length Increase My Speed
Stride length and stride frequency are two of the major components that will build speed. By gaining more distance than an opponent during each stride you will accelerate past them. The key to stride length improvements is running with proper form with frequency. Some athletes work hard to increase their stride length only to find themselves over-striding.
What Is Over-striding When You Run
Over-striding is when an athlete reaches too far with their leg and strikes the ground in front of their body. When you over-stride you will continually slow your momentum. Your foot strikes in front of you and momentum is slowed every time you try to make the exchange for the next leg. The force generated off the ground will diminish throughout your body, rather than accelerating you forward. The best way to understand if you are over-striding is to film yourself running with a high-speed camera. As you reach the camera, take a look at your foot strike to knee position. Does your foot hit the ground underneath your body, or does it hit the ground in front of your body? By mastering the ability to increase stride length without over-striding you will improve your speed.
What Drills Can I Do To Increase My Stride Length
Anchoring drills such as the one above are great drills that have been proven to increase your stride length. By increasing the load you encounter while running, you’ll improve force off the ground. Training at maximum intensity is essential to help train for proper form. Imagine if every drill that you completed, you only ran it at 50 percent effort. Do you think that your running form will stay consistent when you reach max effort? The answer is most definitely no. Train like you compete, and the results will follow during competition.
If you have any questions on how to increase your stride length or would enjoy more drills focusing on stride frequency, browse through our training section for more workout recommendations. Please feel free to leave a comment or any email for any questions that you may have.