Increase your Strength & Speed (Usain Bolt Inspired)

Everybody wants to be Usain Bolt fast.  The man is smiling before the finish, meters ahead of the competition!! 

Here's why:  his form is perfect, his legs are strong and his top speed makes him the fastest man on the planet. After watching him win his 4rd straight gold medal in the 200m event last night I woke up this morning just wanting to sprint and see how fast I am.

Look it doesn’t matter if you are in your prime or if you are retired athlete playing in flag football beer leagues..Being the fastest person anywhere is one cool feeling. 

But does being fast all depend on your genetics? Aren’t some people just born fast? No.

Believe it or not, speed is a learned skill. These olympic athletes like Usain Bolt train endless hours on the track working hard on perfecting THEIR form. I emphasize THEIR because everybody has different optimal ranges of motion when it comes to their running form…. that’s for another story though.

Today I’m going to show you 5 exercises you can do right now that will tremendously improve your speed and help you run faster.

1. Weighted RFE Jumps

How you do it: 

• Set up a bench, plyo box or anything comfortable enough for you to put your foot on.
• Grab 2 dumbbells, (go lighter to start)
• Place 1 foot on the bench behind you and stand with your other foot facing straight on.
• Slowly bend your back knee lowering it to the ground while keeping your knee right over your foot.
• Explode up and drive your foot into the ground as fast as you can
• Land soft and repeat. Be sure to keep your chest up the entire time.

What it works: 

• Type II fibers, explosiveness, glutes, quads and calves
• This is great for developing the ability to drive a force into the ground at a fast rate!

How many Reps?:

• 3 Sets X 5 Reps each leg. (rest at least 1:30 in between)

2. Band Resisted Knee Drive

How you do it: 

• Simple. Set a resistance band around anything solid that won’t move.
• Go into push up position and place the band right around the top of one foot.
• Staying stable in perfect push up position, drive your knee to your chest and hold for 2 seconds
• Repeat.

What it works: 

• Hip Flexors, Rectus Abdominus (abs) and your glutes
• This is great for the entire body but for sprinters this really teaches you the knee drive.

How many Reps?:

• 3 Sets X 10 Reps ea. leg (rest 1:30 in between)

3. Power Lunge

How you do it: 

• Start with 2 DB’s, 1 in each hand. (lighter ones)
• Perform a reverse lunge
• Rapidly drive your back foot forward while simultaneously cleaning both DB’s
• Land in good position in a front lunge.

What it works: 

• Glutes, Quads, Arms, Calves
• This is really good for developing the fast twitch muscles and the knee drive for sprinters

How many Reps?:

3 Sets X 6 Reps ea. leg (rest 2 minutes in between)

4. Push Up to Sprint

How you do it: 

• Start in a flat push up position (head up, elbows tucked)
• On “go” push up to your feet as fast as possible
• Sprint as fast as you can for 20 yards

What it works: 

• Explosiveness and first step quickness
• Perfect one for teaching you to always step forward and not backwards when sprinting.

How many Reps?:

3 Sets X 20 yards each rep (rest 1:00 in between)

5. Glute/Ham Weighted Sit Ups

How you do it: 

• You’ll need a partner for this one to hand you the weight
• Get a barbell, or EZ curl bar and add some weight to it (start light)
• Carefully put your feet in the racks with your chest up towards the ceiling
• Keeping your core tight as possible perform a sit up  holding the bar on your chest like a bench press
• Sit up fast and simultaneously press the bar over your head
• Repeat

What it works: 

• Hip flexors, abs, quads and shoulders
• This one is pretty intense. Your entire anterior side (front) of your body has to contract to move the bar and press it overhead. It’s great for runners as you really hit the hip flexors which help pick up the knees and your core which we all know sprinters need.

How many Reps?:

2 Sets X 10 Reps (rest 1:30 in between)

Try out these 5 movements today and become that “fast dude or chick” that nobody can catch. Maybe you are the next Usain Bolt?

Chase it!

Ben Boudro

Gronk Trainer

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