Training to Improve Speed – Strategies, Exercises, and Tips

Running: Training to Improve Speed – Strategies, Exercises, and Tips

Speed is one of the most sought-after aspects by runners, whether they are professional athletes or enthusiasts eager to push their limits. Increasing speed isn’t just about pushing harder with your legs; it requires a strategic approach that involves strength, technique, endurance, and recovery. A targeted training plan can lead to significant improvements, optimizing running efficiency, reducing the risk of injuries, and enhancing the ability to sustain high speeds for longer periods. In this article, we will explore the most effective strategies to develop speed, essential exercises to incorporate into your training program, and practical tips to achieve concrete and lasting results.

The Fundamental Principles of Speed Training

Improving running speed isn’t just about running faster during workouts. It’s a complex process that involves multiple physical and technical aspects. To achieve concrete results, it is essential to develop muscle strength, refine running technique, enhance endurance, and boost speed and coordination. Let’s explore each of these elements in detail.

Muscle Strength and Power

Running speed largely depends on the force that muscles can generate to propel the body forward. The key muscle groups involved include:

Quadriceps and Hamstrings:

• Generating Propulsive Force: When the foot hits the ground, the quadriceps extend the knee and add power to the stride, while the hamstrings help complete the backward push.
• Absorbing Impact: Every step in running exerts an impact force on the ground. The hamstrings help stabilize the knee and prevent injuries from sudden deceleration.

If these muscles are not strong or flexible enough, there is a higher risk of injuries like muscle strains or tendinitis. Exercises such as squats, lunges, and leg curls are essential to keep them strong and responsive.

Calves (Gastrocnemius and Soleus):

• Enhancing Push-off Power: A strong calf contraction enables a quick push-off from the ground, increasing stride speed.
• Stabilizing the Foot and Ankle: They help maintain proper foot positioning upon landing, reducing the risk of sprains or imbalances.

Training the calves with exercises like calf raises and plyometric jumps improves reactivity and reduces ground contact time.

Glutes (Especially the Gluteus Maximus):

• Providing Maximum Forward Propulsion: As the foot leaves the ground, the glutes extend the hip and drive the stride forward.
• Improving Hip Stability: A strong and well-controlled hip prevents unnecessary movements that can waste energy or lead to injuries.

Weak glutes can cause muscle imbalances, knee overload, and lower back pain. Exercises such as hip thrusts, step-ups, and squats are excellent for strengthening them.

Core Strength:

• Maintaining Proper Posture: A strong core prevents excessive forward lean or lateral swaying, optimizing running efficiency.
• Preventing Ineffective Movements: A weak core forces the body to use extra energy for balance.
• Protecting the Spine: It reduces lower back pain and keeps the upper body stable while the legs generate power.

Core stability can be improved with exercises like planks, Russian twists, and leg raises.

Additionally, incorporating plyometric exercises such as explosive jumps and hill sprints is highly effective in improving the ability to generate power quickly.

Running Technique

A good running technique helps optimize movement, reduce energy consumption, and prevent injuries. The fundamental aspects of proper technique include:

Posture: The Key to Efficiency

Maintaining proper posture is essential to avoid unnecessary tension and improve propulsion.

• The trunk should be slightly leaned forward, following the body’s natural alignment. This tilt helps utilize gravity to generate momentum without wasting energy.
• The gaze should be directed forward, never downward, to keep the body aligned and anticipate obstacles along the route.
• The back should remain straight, avoiding arching or creating tension that could strain the lower back.

Cadence: The Secret to Smooth and Fast Running

Cadence, or the number of steps per minute, is one of the most important factors for efficient running.

• The ideal cadence is between 170 and 180 steps per minute, reducing ground contact time.
• A higher cadence lowers the risk of injuries by preventing heavy landings and minimizing stress on the knees and ankles.
• To improve cadence, training with a metronome or using specialized running apps that help synchronize the running rhythm can be beneficial.

Foot Strike: Reactivity and Impact Reduction

Foot placement is crucial for optimizing push-off and preventing injuries.

• It is best to land on the forefoot or midfoot, avoiding a heel-first landing, as this increases joint impact and slows down the run.
• A proper foot strike reduces ground contact time, allowing for a more reactive and dynamic stride.
• To improve this technique, specific drills such as high-knee running and bounding drills can be practiced.

Arm Movement: Stability and Coordination

Arms play a fundamental role in running, contributing to balance and propulsion.

• They should swing naturally, back and forth, without excessive lateral movements that can waste energy and create imbalances.
• Arms should remain relaxed, with elbows bent at approximately 90 degrees, to promote a smooth motion.
• Proper arm movement helps maintain rhythm and cadence, especially during acceleration and sprinting phases.

Essential Exercises for Optimal Running Technique

✅ High Knees

High knees involve lifting the knees rapidly up to hip level while maintaining an upright posture and a steady rhythm.

🔹 Benefits:

• Improves coordination between legs and arms, making running smoother.
• Increases strength in the quadriceps and hip flexors, essential for a powerful stride.
• Helps develop a faster and more reactive cadence, reducing ground contact time.

🔹 How to Perform It Correctly:

• Keep your back straight and gaze forward.
• Lift your knees quickly up to hip level.
• Coordinate the movement with your arms, keeping them relaxed and swinging back and forth.
• Land lightly on the forefoot, avoiding heavy impacts.

 

✅ Butt Kicks

In butt kicks, the heels are lifted quickly to touch or nearly touch the glutes. This exercise enhances muscle reactivity and improves stride efficiency.

🔹 Benefits:

• Strengthens the hamstrings, which are crucial for a powerful push-off.
• Improves running economy, reducing unnecessary energy loss.
• Helps develop a more elastic and faster stride.

🔹 How to Perform It Correctly:

• Keep your torso upright, avoiding leaning forward or backward.
• Lift your heels toward your glutes in a quick and rhythmic motion.
• Maintain light foot contact, avoiding heavy impacts with the ground.
• Synchronize arm movements with your legs for better stability.

 

✅ Posture and Cadence Drills

Posture and cadence drills help improve stability and step speed, making running more efficient. Some examples are:

🔹 Marching Drill (High Knee March)

• Simulates the running motion in a controlled manner, improving posture and movement control.
• Activates core muscles, which are essential for maintaining balance during running.

🔹 Fast Feet

• Involves short, quick steps with minimal ground contact.
• Increases step frequency, helping to develop a more efficient cadence.

 

How to Integrate Them into Your Training

To achieve tangible benefits, it is important to perform these exercises consistently.

✔ When to do them?
Include them in the warm-up phase before every running session to activate muscles and improve technique.

✔ How much time to dedicate?
Just 5-10 minutes of drills can significantly improve running biomechanics.

✔ How to perform them?
Quality is more important than speed: perform the movements in a controlled and precise manner, focusing on posture and rhythm.

Fatigue Resistance: The Key to Maintaining Speed

Speed in running is not limited to the ability to sprint quickly; it also includes the capacity to maintain a high pace for extended periods without physically and mentally breaking down. For this reason, developing strong fatigue resistance is crucial for improving performance and sustaining intense efforts without a drastic decrease in speed.

Types of Training to Improve Endurance

To increase endurance in running, it’s essential to adopt a varied and structured approach, combining different types of training:

✅ Long-Distance Steady Pace
Training on long distances allows the body to adapt to fatigue and improves cardiovascular capacity.

🔹 Main Benefits:

• Increases the efficiency of the aerobic system, allowing you to maintain higher paces for longer.
• Enhances muscular endurance, delaying the onset of lactic acid.
• Trains the mind to manage mental fatigue and maintain focus during the more challenging parts of the run.

🔹 How to Perform It:

• Choose a distance longer than your usual run and maintain a steady but sustained pace (around 70-80% of your maximum heart rate).
• Focus on breathing and posture to avoid wasting energy.
• Gradually increase the distance and pace to improve endurance without overloading the muscles.

 

Speed and Coordination: The Key to a Faster Run

To increase speed in running, it’s not enough to just improve strength and endurance; it’s also essential to develop speed and neuromuscular coordination. These elements enable smoother, more responsive, and efficient movements, contributing to a faster and more controlled run.

Factors That Affect Speed in Running

Speed in running depends on several biomechanical and neuromuscular aspects, including:

⚡ Reaction Time

• Refers to how quickly the body responds to a stimulus (visual, auditory, or tactile).
• A quicker reaction time allows for a more explosive sprint start, which is critical in sprint races and pace changes.

👣 Step Frequency

• The faster the feet hit the ground, the greater the overall acceleration.
• The goal is to increase cadence without sacrificing stride length, optimizing speed without excessive energy expenditure.

🤝 Neuromuscular Coordination

• Allows muscles to respond more quickly to nerve impulses, optimizing movement control.
• Good coordination reduces unnecessary movements and improves biomechanical efficiency, preventing energy waste.

 

Exercises to Improve Speed and Coordination

To refine speed and reaction ability, it’s useful to include specific exercises in your training routine:

🏃‍♂️ Sprints on Short Distances (30-50 meters)

• Improve explosiveness and acceleration capacity.
• Stimulate the central nervous system to react quickly and generate maximum power in the shortest time possible.
• Execution: Sprint at maximum speed for 30-50 meters, with full recovery between repetitions (8-10 repetitions).

🔄 Agility Drills with Ladders and Cones

Enhance foot speed and coordination of movements.

Promote stride control and precision.

Examples:

• Agility Ladder: Exercises like "side steps," "quick skips," and "double foot taps" improve foot responsiveness.
• Cone Slalom: Useful for training the body to make quick direction changes.

⏳ Reaction Drills

Train the nervous system to respond quickly to external stimuli.

Examples:

• Sprint starts triggered by a sound or visual signal (improves reaction time in races).
• Sudden pace changes on command (simulates intensity variations typical in competitions).

 

A Comprehensive Approach for Optimal Speed

Improving speed requires a structured training program that combines strength, technique, endurance, and agility. By working on all these aspects in a balanced way, significant progress can be made, not only in maximum speed but also in the ability to sustain it for longer periods. Integrating sprint, coordination, and reaction exercises into your routine will transform your running, making it faster, more efficient, and more powerful. 🚀🏃‍♂️

2. Specific Exercises to Improve Speed

A good speed training program should include a combination of sprint exercises, strength work, and technique. Here are some fundamental exercises:

Short and Repeated Sprints: The Secret to Boosting Speed

Sprints are one of the most effective tools for developing acceleration, top speed, and muscle fatigue resistance. This type of training helps improve the body’s ability to generate and maintain high speeds, enhancing explosive strength and neuromuscular coordination.

Benefits of Short Sprints

🚀 Improve Acceleration

• Help the body generate power quickly in the first few meters of running.
• Strengthen the muscles involved in the push-off, such as quadriceps, glutes, and calves.

⚡ Increase Top Speed

• Train the central nervous system to coordinate movements more efficiently, allowing for longer and faster strides.
• Stimulate fast-twitch muscle fibers, essential for maximum speed.

💪 Strengthen Muscular and Cardiovascular Endurance

• Allow you to maintain high speeds for longer periods without quickly tiring.
• Help the body tolerate the buildup of lactic acid, delaying the onset of fatigue.

How to Perform Sprints for Maximum Results

🏃‍♂️ Ideal Distance: 50-100 meters

• Shorter sprints (50-60 meters) are useful for improving initial acceleration.
• Longer sprints (80-100 meters) help develop top speed and speed endurance.

⏳ Full Recovery Between Repetitions: 2-3 Minutes

• Adequate recovery ensures you can maintain maximum intensity in each sprint without compromising the quality of the workout.

📌 Sample Speed Training Workout:

• 6x60 meters at maximum effort
• Recovery: 2-3 minutes between each sprint to ensure maximum power in every repetition.

⚠️ Tips for Performing Sprints Effectively:

• Warm up well before starting to prevent injuries (include mobility and muscle activation exercises).
• Maintain a stable posture and a slightly forward-leaning body position.
• Be mindful of foot placement, avoiding heavy heel landings.
• Use your arms in a coordinated way to assist with propulsion.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is one of the most effective techniques for improving speed in running. This method involves alternating short periods of intense effort, such as a sprint, followed by active recovery phases, where you run at a lighter pace. HIIT is ideal for developing both aerobic and anaerobic capacity, two essential components for maintaining high speeds during running.

During a typical HIIT workout, for example, you perform 30 seconds of sprints at maximum effort, followed by one minute of light jogging for recovery. This cycle is repeated for a period of 15-20 minutes, depending on the fitness level. The main advantage of this type of training is that it stimulates the cardiovascular system and improves fatigue resistance without the need for prolonged and monotonous workouts.

Incorporating HIIT into your weekly routine allows for significant improvements in speed, increasing the body's ability to manage intense, repeated efforts and maintain high speeds for extended periods. Additionally, HIIT has the benefit of accelerating metabolism, helping improve body composition and increasing the efficiency of oxygen consumption.

 

Plyometric Training

Plyometric exercises are an excellent method for developing explosive power in the legs, which is essential for improving propulsion during running and increasing movement efficiency. These exercises focus on the rapid activation of muscles, stimulating the neuromuscular system to produce force in very short periods of time.

Some of the most effective plyometric exercises include standing long jumps, which improve the ability to generate horizontal force, box jumps, ideal for developing vertical power and coordination, and lateral bounds, which strengthen lateral stability and reaction capacity.

Plyometric training is particularly useful for improving explosiveness and speed during the acceleration phases of running, helping to increase top speed and the ability to perform quick, decisive movements. Incorporating plyometric exercises into your program also helps reduce the risk of injuries, as it improves joint stability and endurance.

Hill Running

Hill running is one of the most effective exercises for developing leg strength and improving cardiovascular endurance. Running on inclined terrain requires more effort, as the leg muscles, particularly the quadriceps, glutes, and calves, have to work harder to overcome the incline. This type of training not only helps build strength but also improves push effectiveness, which is essential for increasing speed and acceleration during running on flat surfaces.

An example of hill running training could involve eight repetitions of 100 meters on an inclined path, with active recovery during the descent. During recovery, a light run or jog is maintained to promote muscle recovery without stopping completely, training fatigue resistance as well. Hill running not only improves strength and power but also helps perfect running technique, making the body more efficient at managing energy during training and competitions.

 

Technique Drills

Technique exercises are essential for improving coordination and optimizing running biomechanics. Working on technique allows you to correct any errors in movement, increasing efficiency and reducing the risk of injury. For example, high skipping, which involves lifting the knees up to hip level, helps improve cadence and coordination between the legs, promoting smoother movement. Butt kicks, on the other hand, stimulate the activation of the hamstrings and improve foot extension, increasing push-off and ground reaction. Another useful exercise is the bounding run, which emphasizes vertical movement, improving explosive strength and the ability to generate power during running. Including these exercises in your training routine allows you to develop a more efficient running technique, reducing energy waste and optimizing overall speed.

 

Weight Training

Weight training is a fundamental component for developing strength and muscle power, which are crucial for improving running speed. Working on exercises that target the legs and core, such as squats, lunges, and deadlifts, helps strengthen the key muscles involved in running, allowing you to generate more power with each step. Barbell squats, for example, are an excellent exercise for improving overall leg strength, focusing on the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. Dumbbell lunges, on the other hand, work each leg separately, improving stability and balance while also strengthening the muscles essential for running. Regularly including weight training exercises in your workout routine helps improve push-off capacity and reduces the risk of injury by strengthening key muscle groups.

Strategies to Maximize Results

Recovery and Rest

Recovery is one of the most important aspects of any training program, especially for improving running speed. During intense training, muscles are stressed and experience microtrauma. The recovery process allows muscles to adapt and grow stronger, reducing the risk of injury. It is essential to include active rest days, where light activities such as walking, stretching, or swimming are practiced, as they help promote recovery without overly stressing the body. Getting enough sleep is just as crucial, as sleep is when the body repairs damaged tissues and recharges energy. Proper rest between training sessions not only prevents muscle overload but also improves overall performance. Lack of adequate recovery can lead to chronic fatigue, decreased performance, and, in the worst cases, serious injuries.

Nutrition and Hydration

A balanced diet and proper hydration are fundamental for optimizing athletic performance and supporting effective recovery. To support the intensity of training and muscle recovery, it is necessary to consume a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, provide long-term energy and are essential for fueling muscles during prolonged runs. Lean proteins, like those found in white meat, fish, legumes, and dairy, are crucial for muscle repair and growth, aiding recovery after exercise. Healthy fats, such as those from avocados, nuts, and olive oil, support overall body health and hormonal function. Hydration is another key aspect: drinking enough before, during, and after training helps maintain optimal body function, preventing dehydration, which can reduce performance and increase the risk of injury. The use of electrolyte drinks can be helpful to replenish minerals lost during intense training or in hot conditions.

Gradual Progression

A gradual progression in training is essential to reduce the risk of overload and prevent injuries. While it may be tempting to push to the maximum in search of quick improvements, it is important to avoid increasing the intensity or volume of training sessions too quickly. Starting with a manageable workload and slowly increasing it allows the body to adapt safely and effectively. For example, if you want to improve speed, it is crucial to gradually progress with sprints or high-intensity training, increasing duration, frequency, or intensity only once the body has adapted to the previous load level. Additionally, adding training days or increasing running distance should be done in moderation to avoid overloading the muscles and cardiovascular system. A slow but steady progression is the best way to prevent injuries and achieve lasting improvements over time.

Listen to Your Body

Every athlete is different, and it is therefore crucial to listen to the signals the body sends during training. Ignoring pain, fatigue, or other signs of overload can lead to injuries that may hinder long-term progress. If you experience muscle or joint discomfort during training, it is important to take a break and, if necessary, consult a doctor or physiotherapist. On the other hand, when feeling strong and rested, you can gradually increase the intensity and work on ambitious goals. Every day brings a different physical condition, so adapting training to daily sensations helps optimize results without risking harm to the body. Listening to your body also means giving proper attention to rest, recovery, and nutrition to improve performance in a healthy and sustainable way.

An Example of a Weekly Plan to Improve Speed

Here is an example of a weekly program that integrates various aspects of speed training:

Monday – Sprint and Technique

• Warm-up (15 minutes of light jogging + drills)
• 6x60m sprints at maximum effort
• High skips and bounding (3x30m)
• Cool down

Tuesday – Strength and Power

• Barbell squats (4x6)
• Dumbbell lunges (3x10)
• Deadlifts (3x8)
• Core workout (planks, Russian twists, leg raises)

Wednesday – Hill Running and Endurance

• 8x100m uphill sprints
• Recovery jog downhill
• 10 minutes of running at a steady pace

Thursday – Rest or Light Activity (swimming, yoga, stretching)

Friday – HIIT Training

• 30 sec sprints / 1 min jogging (total 20 minutes)
• Box jumps (3x10)
• Butt kicks (3x30m)

Saturday – Agility and Quickness Work

• High skips, lateral jumps, cone slalom
• Short sprints (4x40m)

Sunday – Long Distance at Moderate Pace (40-60 minutes)

 

Improving speed in running is a journey that requires a comprehensive approach, combining strength, technique, endurance, and quickness. Only by integrating targeted training and consistently focusing on every aspect of physical preparation will you be able to see real and lasting progress. It is essential to listen to your body, respect the signals it sends, and allow proper recovery to avoid the risk of injury and continuously improve. At the same time, it is crucial to keep motivation high, approaching each training session with determination and awareness. With dedication, consistency, and a well-planned strategy, you will see your efforts translate into tangible results: superior speed and performance that will lead you to new milestones in running!