Want to increase the speed of your athletes? In this post see a simple yet effective speed mechanic drill called Fast Leg. Coach Latif Thomas demonstrates and shares key coaching cues to help the athlete develop proper mechanics.
The Fast Leg Drill is one of Coach Latif Thomas, owner and CEO of Complete Track and Field, favorite drills. Coach Thomas believes that the this drill most closely approximates the range of motion and the intensity that is required during effective sprinting.
The Fast Leg Drill requires that the legs execute exactly the same motion as if the athlete were sprinting. The difference is that they are going to go through the range of motion isolating one leg at a time.
The coaching cues that Coach Thomas shares are as follows:
1. Recover the heel
2. Step over the knee
3. Drive the foot down and into the ground so that it lands under the hip
4. Stay tall. The athlete should not bend their torso forward and “dip”
Mark of approximately 30 meters. Have the athlete execute the fast leg drill with one leg as many times as they over the 30 meter distance. The number of repetitions are not as important as the quality of repetitions. Tells the athletes to proceed slowly and think about their technique. Allow them to get rhythm without worrying about how many reps the get in. As the athletes gains coordination and rhythm, then they will naturally increase the frequency (or density) of the exercise. It is important to do the same number of repetitions for each leg. Coach Thomas also stresses do not make this a competition. Go slow and do the drill correctly.
Coach Thomas has developed a Complete Speed Training Program. The clip below is from his Complete Speed Training 2 Program. He has since released a new version with additional high quality training tips. You can learn more about this excellent program by clicking here:
Latif Thomas Complete Speed Training 3 (CST3)
The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that you volume is turned up and that you have access to the site. Note that some schools block access to YouTube.
I am also including two links to additional sprint drills that I posted earlier this year. Both are courtesy of Complete Track and Field.
Want to learn how to build a Championship Sprints Culture in your program? Click on the link for more information about Complete Speed Training 3 by Latif Thomas