Can Hill Sprints REALLY Make You Faster???

[Texas Ranger]

Has anyone used or are currently using hill sprints in their routine? Have they increased your sprint speed?

[Alex.V]

Hill sprints will make you faster if you're new to sprinting, but if you're already a trained runner they'll have much less of an effect. In fact, if you're an experience sprinter (say, collegiate or better), they may actually HURT your sprint speed as they alter your form.

More important to increasing your sprint speed is figuring out WHY you're not as fast as you could be. Is it a power issue? Leg turnover issue? How's your start? How long does your acceleration phase last? How's your knee lift?

Figure out where you're leaving speed on the table, and you'll be much better off than simply throwing in a strenuous accessory exercise that may or may not help your goals.

[r2473]

Sprinting over what distance? Or in other words, what specifically do you want sprint speed for? Are you trying to cover more of the tennis court? Are you trying to improve your 40-meter time?


What kind of shape are you in now? What type of training are you doing now with respect to sprinting?

[Texas Ranger]

Hill sprints will make you faster if you're new to sprinting, but if you're already a trained runner they'll have much less of an effect. In fact, if you're an experience sprinter (say, collegiate or better), they may actually HURT your sprint speed as they alter your form.

More important to increasing your sprint speed is figuring out WHY you're not as fast as you could be. Is it a power issue? Leg turnover issue? How's your start? How long does your acceleration phase last? How's your knee lift?

Figure out where you're leaving speed on the table, and you'll be much better off than simply throwing in a strenuous accessory exercise that may or may not help your goals.

I'm training a group of middle to high school football players. We're in the gym three times a week focusing on getting stronger on the basics like squats, deadlifts & bench. I was thinking of adding in hill sprints twice a week. Since I've heard good things sbout them when the focus is acceleration(10-20 yards).

[Alex.V]

Ah yeah, in that case, hill sprints should help quite a bit, since it doesn't sound like you're too worried about perfecting their form.

For the initial drive and acceleration, hill sprints are great, but also think about sled pulls (belt around waist) and chute sprints- both of these things really help with leg drive, and sled pulls have the added advantage of getting your guys used to getting low... one of the major flaws I see fast kids have on the field, especially at that age, is they sprint way too high and don't have that low center of gravity that lets them do quick cuts... or even run block effectively.

[Sirtificate]

I agree with alex, you got to get low to go

[Texas Ranger]

Ah yeah, in that case, hill sprints should help quite a bit, since it doesn't sound like you're too worried about perfecting their form.

For the initial drive and acceleration, hill sprints are great, but also think about sled pulls (belt around waist) and chute sprints- both of these things really help with leg drive, and sled pulls have the added advantage of getting your guys used to getting low... one of the major flaws I see fast kids have on the field, especially at that age, is they sprint way too high and don't have that low center of gravity that lets them do quick cuts... or even run block effectively.

I read an article & interview by Joe Defranco and Louie Simmons. They both advocate heavy sled drags to get athletes faster. I have 2 tire sleds that I can stack 45lb plates on top of. Defranco has his guys pull using straps & leaning forward. Does it matter?

[Alex.V]

I read an article & interview by Joe Defranco and Louie Simmons. They both advocate heavy sled drags to get athletes faster. I have 2 tire sleds that I can stack 45lb plates on top of. Defranco has his guys pull using straps & leaning forward. Does it matter?

Depends on your purpose- for pure runners, straps around the shoulders or arms would completely trash their form. For your wideouts, corners, safeties, you don't want them pulling from the top like that- give them a waist strap and they'll still need to get low and use leg drive, but have their arms free to pump.

For your O line, you want them to be driving through the shoulders, so it's not a bad idea to have them loaded at the top. Think about how you want to see your guys moving, and load the sled accordingly.