How to get faster

[bonzeben23]

So I am already fast, but I want to get faster. Im 64, 225 lbs (roughly 100kg).

Anyway I want to improve these times

 

40 yard dash

from 5.2 seconds to <4.7s

 

100

from 12 seconds to <10.75

 

Mile

from 8:24 to <7:00

 

Any suggestions? I have this winter off from real sports because Im playing laser tag. I also play Football in the fall (Middle Linebacker and Fullback) so I do not want to lose weight. In the spring I throw for Track & Field (Discus, record as a freshman = 797) so I want to stay big. Any advice?

[Iamdan]

90 meters, sub 10.75s?

 

That's a huuuuge difference, I don't think you will get 10.75 anytime soon.

 

Find a sprinter and get him to critique your start, and your form. There isn't much I can help with form over the internet. When doing a race/time trial hold your breath for the first 30m. Start at a crouch and don't go fully upright until then. When you reach the 30m mark you should be at full speed, upright, and push out all your air hard. Keep your face and arms relaxed, drive your knees down hard.

 

Do 30-60-90m*3, with your walk back as recovery. Put in 100% each rep.

 

That 40 yard time also sounds a bit slow for that 100 yard time.

[bonzeben23]

my 40 time was taken when I sick, thats why I its slow. But, I have game film of myself traveling 40 yards in as little time as 4.6 seconds. I plan on working with my form this year as well to get a lot faster. I really want to spring the 100 meter dash

[Powman3]

So I am already fast, but I want to get faster. Im 64, 225 lbs (roughly 100kg).

Anyway I want to improve these times

 

40 yard dash

from 5.2 seconds to <4.7s

 

100

from 12 seconds to <10.75

 

Mile

from 8:24 to <7:00

 

Any suggestions? I have this winter off from real sports because Im playing laser tag. I also play Football in the fall (Middle Linebacker and Fullback) so I do not want to lose weight. In the spring I throw for Track & Field (Discus, record as a freshman = 797) so I want to stay big. Any advice?

 

You're a pretty big for your height. You should try playing receiver.

 

Mile speed is different from sprinting speed. If you want to sprint faster, work on your calves and hamstrings (don't live so heavy, don't want to weigh yourself down), do plyometrics (box jumps, burpees, squat jumps, lunge jumps) to work on explosiveness, and when you're sprinting you should sprint on the balls of your feet instead of running heel then toe. When you try to sprint with your heels touching the ground before the balls of your feet it creates a resistance.

 

Now, if you want to run a faster mile you're obviously going to have to do longer distance jogging. You will also lose muscular gains faster if you do that.

[re4p3r1]

if you want to just to be a faster runner work on all the muscles you use to run, your calves, cause when you running at top speed you're not really set your whole foot down on each stride so you're using your calf muscles a lot when you're sprinting. your thighs and back leg muscles would come next, for that explosion and acceleration.

 

if you want better times on your meets, i would say work on your form. i'm not too sure, i didn't do track, i did football.

 

both of these would require good diet and constant training though

[sithlord_man]

You can lower your mile time just doing longer running work outs. Instead of just doing one mile, do at least 2-3 miles. That builds up your endurance and helps with getting a faster mile time. Also, you could try hill-repeats on a good sized hill (if you have any nearby), at least 4-5 to start with, then over time work to 6-7 or even 7-8.

[muggiwhplar]

The mile's pretty easy to speed up on, considering it's more of an endurance test than a sprint test, and seeing how long you can maintain a decent pace for.

 

On Tuesdays and Fridays I warm-up for my legs/abs workout with a 1-mile run. When I started running the mile for a warm-up, it took about 8:30 to run. Now it takes about 7 minutes. I'm a poor distance runner, so I just gradually increase my pace each week. I've also got a bunch of songs on my iPod which are between 7 and 9 minutes long, so I know that I need to have finished the mile before the song ends as a pace-setter.

 

...but I'm sure the running gurus around here could give you much more efficient methods of developing your mile-speed rather than my example, hah.

[noble_aloof]

I'm sure you're aware of the fact that you are a giant. at that height and weight, muscular inefficiencies and problems with your long distance form will hinder your ability to train for and possibly go sub 7. I say this because I've never seen a football player with what is considered acceptable running form. Unless you have been logging (for example) 10-15 mile weeks consistently it will be virtually impossible to go sub 7 or to start an effective running regiment without substantial weight loss. There is also a very high chance of injury if you are looking to make such a radical improvement at a distance that is quite frankly a whole 'nother world apart from the 100 and the 40.

 

 

My advice:

 

start easy. and start now. don't wait out the winter because this is going to be a long term improvement type of thing. start out every other day doing hip strength and foot strength exercises. those are two common areas of problem for inexperienced runners. on the days that you don't do the hip/foot exercises, go out for a run. 1 mile, 2 miles- that's all you need. assess your areas of problem and inefficiency. the first thing you'll notice is a deficiency in your vo2 max. that's normal. next you'll probably realize a terrible heel striking problem. at this point I'm assuming that you have bought a good pair of shoes for a heavy runner. if you feel fine after your run, do heel raises to build shin strength.

 

then your on your way to being able to run a sub 7. honestly i would recommend trying the 800 before anything but if you enjoy the mile, more power to you. see you on the running thread.

[assassin_696]

I pretty much know the square root of f-all about training for running so I'd take other people's advice on that front over mine, but assuming a 1 mile run is similar to a 2k rowing machine test in terms of mix of endurance and power (they're comparable time wise) the best way to train for those is to mix interval training of varying length, with longer steady state pieces each week plus one hard distance piece each week.

 

So to equate it, maybe run for 30-60 mins 2-3 times a week at a reasonably comfortable pace, do varying length sprint intervals and one ~20 minute run where you push hard each week. It's the combination of anaerobic, aerobic and psychological training that makes this kind of mix effective for rowing fitness and I don't see why it should be too different for running. For sprints I'd work on explosive power as someone else said, box jumps, sled drags and squats are all good.