Wednesday, August 16, 2006

SPEED ENDURANCE TRAINING

These speed endurance drills will help you to maintain a higher work rate for longer. They are excellent for improving performance in sports such as football, soccer, hockey and basketball.

In fact... Any athlete that is often required to repeat high intensity sprints in quick succession can benefit from these speed endurance exercises.

Like pure speed and agility training these drills will tax your aerobic energy system. However, there are 2 important distinctions...

1. Speed endurance drills should last from 30 seconds up to 2 minutes rather than 10 seconds for agility drills.

2. Instead of allowing your body to fully recover rest times between sets and repetitions is reduced.

What effects will this have? Your body will produce high levels of lactic acid in a short period of time. By continuing to work at a high intensity you will be conditioning your body to tolerate lactic acid more effectively.

Be warned... Some of these drills are unpleasant! In fact they are more demanding than most situations you are likely to face in competition. Do not; I repeat do not perform these drills after you've just eaten! More importantly... SPEED ENDURANCE DRILLS Speed endurance training should form the later part of pre-season training and in-season training.

It is important that you've developed a solid fitness base beforehand, which includes strength and endurance. Also... Perform a speed endurance session twice a week maximum. This may be reduced to once a week during the competitive season.

Because speed endurance training can be so demanding keep session duration to 20-30 minutes maximum. Rest between sets and reps should be in the form of active recovery. Avoid standing still, sitting down or falling asleep. It goes without saying how important the warm up and cool down are before such a training session.

Use the drills below to make up the speed endurance training session...

HIGH INTENSITY SHUTTLE RUN - Pace out 30 meters on grass or a running track. Place a cone at the start and at 5 meter intervals (7 cones in total).

Sprint from the starting cone to 5 meter cone and back. Turn and sprint to 10 meter cone and back to start. Sprint to 15 meter cone and back to start and so on until you sprint the full 30 meters and back. - Rest for 90 seconds and repeat. Complete a total of 6 sets keeping rest periods to 90 seconds.

PYRAMIDS - Pace out 50 meters placing a cone at the start and then at 10 meter intervals (6 cones in total).

Starting at the first cone sprint all out for 10 meters and walk the remaining 40 meters. Turn and sprint 20 meters and walk for 30 meters. Turn and sprint 30 meters and walk for 20 meters. Turn and sprint 40 meters and walk for 10 meters. Finally... Turn and sprint 50 meters and then turn and sprint 50 meters again back to the start. - This is classed as one set. Rest for 90 seconds and repeat for a total of 4 sets. Rest for a full 3 minutes and repeat.

CRUISE AND SPRINT

Mark out a distance of 100 meters. From the start gradually accelerate to reach full speed at about 60 meters. Sprint all out for the final 40 meters. - Slow down gradually, turn and repeat. - Continue for 2 minutes and then rest for 2 minutes. This is one set. Repeat for a total of 6 sets.

HOLLOW SPRINT

Set 5 cones out in 30 meters intervals. Sprint 30 meters, jog 30 meters, sprint 30 meters and jog 30 meters to the final cone. - Turn around and repeat always alternating jogging and sprinting. Work for 2 minutes and then rest for 2 minutes. This is one set, try and complete 6 sets

CROSS DRILL

Using 4 cones mark a box 30 meters by 30 meters. Place another cone in the center of the box. - Starting at the center cone sprint to each corner and back in a clockwise direction. Once you have completed a circuit rest for 60 seconds. - Perform a total of 6 circuits to complete one set. A session could contain up to 4 sets with a 3 minute rest interval between sets.