Let’s get straight to the point. Acceleration and top speed running are different for several reasons. One such difference is technique. During acceleration your body position is leaning forward, your stride length is shorter and ground contact time is longer than during top speed running.

The differences are visually obvious and many coaches and athletes will devote a lot of time and attention to coaching specific techniques related to acceleration or top speed running.

However, what’s not totally obvious is the different contributions from muscle groups during acceleration and top speed running. Coaches and athletes often miss these crucial differences.

Now, during acceleration say a 10 – 20-m sprint, the quadriceps, gluteals and upper-body have a very important role to play in the development of force.

Whereas in top speed running, the hamstrings, gluteals and hip flexors have more of an important role to play than the other muscle groups.

Coaches often plan training programmes to focus on one specific aspect of training say, top speed running and at the same time programme resistance training.

What some coaches often forget is that the type of resistance training should compliment top speed running training. That is you should choose resistance training exercises that focus on the development of the hamstring, gluteals and hip flexors when training for top speed.

This relates both to the choice exercise and set-and rep scheme. Generation of high force is required during top speed running and resistance training should therefore focus upon developing high force muscular contractions.

For instance there is no point prescribing, 3 sets of 20 reps of bench press when 1) this rep and set scheme does not develop high force muscle contractions and 2) the exercise develops upper body strength which has less of a contribution to top speed running.

So what resistance exercises are best for developing the muscle used during acceleration?
Squats, power cleans (from floor), push press, sled sprints (medium load), and incline sprints (medium incline).

And for top speed?
Romanian Deadlift, Good mornings, Bounding for distance, Single leg squats and lunges to name a few.

All these exercises should be used with a rep scheme from 1 – 6 and sets between 3 – 5 depending upon your training experience.
So when planning your training, make sure that whatever your major goal is you choose exercises that compliment the attainment of this target. Get specific and analyse the movements and contribution of muscle groups.

If your serious about improving your speed then you’ll find all the information you need and more in the excellent special report training for speed, power and strength. Click on the link to order your copy now!

PeakSpeed.net, helping you break the speed limit.

Alan Ruddock CSCS, YCS