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NS Runners- How can you get faster?

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Crack.
Posts: 6020 - Karma: 84
I am a pretty fast kid and I was thinking about playing track next year. I have played tennis since almost 6th grade but I'm not too good, i'm average but that's not where I want to be. I figured since i'm a fast kid I could run the 100 meter or something like that. A lot of my friends run track and I am a lot faster then them (granted, they are long distance). So anyways if i am going to play track next year, I want to be more then ready. So post any exercises that can help you get faster and increase your agility.

P.S. Yes, I could always google search and I have, but I would much rather have the opinions of fellow NSers.
15 years ago
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theabortionator
Posts: 52332 - Karma: 170,806
Practice, run regularly, eat pasta.
15 years ago
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Bar_Down
Posts: 5896 - Karma: 395
get jacked
15 years ago
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I.Love.Beezy
Posts: 2117 - Karma: 784
train at high altitudes and drink rams piss
15 years ago
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2560 - Karma: 151
Interval training, I would know. Also not say "play track" because it sound sstupid and like you don't know what you're doing. Running is illin' get er' done.
15 years ago
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Billek
Posts: 5665 - Karma: 98
Performance enhancing pugs.

Look at him go!

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15 years ago
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Billek
Posts: 5665 - Karma: 98
grr
15 years ago
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prontocuts.com
Posts: 5244 - Karma: 42
run barefoot

srsly
15 years ago
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stokedelic
Posts: 1553 - Karma: 4,482

a few things from a fellow trackee. one its run track. not play track.

as for running. learn how to use blocks, those can knock off a second if used right. second dont clech your fists. hold a pringle in your hand while you run and if you break it then your running wrong. distance running helps your speed. they use the same muscles just differently. race kids about as fast as you and push yourself to win.

15 years ago
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Crack.
Posts: 6020 - Karma: 84
this is great advice man thank you. And to you and the other guy i'm sorry for saying play track haha my bad
15 years ago
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pmw
Posts: 5760 - Karma: 831
run and run hard. hills are great, but dont overdue it. work yourself at steady intervals, but give yourself more then enough time to rest between during intervals. dont do anything long distance because it wont help with speed. do plenty of leg workouts, and make sure you have a strong core.
15 years ago
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theabortionator
Posts: 52332 - Karma: 170,806
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[img]http://z.about.com/d/animatedtv/1/0/v/H/sp803_Up_The_Down_Steroid.jpg[img]


15 years ago
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
calf exercises
15 years ago
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boomboompow
Posts: 32 - Karma: 21
My favourite and most painful exercise for getting fast again for track.

sprint 200m
50 second rest
x4

2 min break

sprint 200m
50 second rest
x4

Absolutely killer. You've got to maintain your times throughout the 200m sprints so aim for 23s/24s 200's depending on how quick you are. The most important thing is consistency of the times/speed. This is for 400m to 100m runners in my team and it works.

Good luck with track.
15 years ago
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jester8589
Posts: 346 - Karma: 15
lol don't compare your sprinting speed to long distance people. we have no idea how to sprint. so basically what you want to be doing right now is building up your base. so start by just running long distances like 5 miles easy pace. easy enough to be able to hold a conversation with someone. work on good running posture on these long runs. stand up straight puff out your chest keep your head up and your body relaxed. then after you feel comfortable with longer runs start upping your threshold with threshold work outs. a good one is  to do a good fifteen minute warm up just jogging at an easy pace then go to a track and run 300 m all out then walk the other 100 then repeat like 8 times then another 15 minute easy jog for cool down. and hit the weights hard to build your muscles. more reps than weight though. then you can start learning sprinting technique. basically move your arms as fast as you can with a relaxed body. one breath for a 100 meter dash. inhale for the first 40 meters and exhale for the last 60. you run faster while exhaling.

and you kinda sound like a meat head so sprinting is perfect for you.
15 years ago
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bstuck1
Posts: 426 - Karma: 46
Tabata sprints. 20 seconds full out work, 10 seconds of rest. Repeat for 4 minutes. This works for any exercise.
15 years ago
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Bepo
Posts: 8195 - Karma: 17
you need a negroplasty
15 years ago
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Sulli
Posts: 324 - Karma: 27
not that it matters, but isnt it "do track", or is it "play tarck"
15 years ago
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rot4te
Posts: 148 - Karma: 13
really though, it builds lower leg muscle faster than anything except steroids.
15 years ago
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artfullydodged
Posts: 8358 - Karma: 1,674
Start by building your base this summer.
Your base is all the mileage you put in before the season actually begins, essentially its endurance training. So set a weekly goal for yourself (for example im at 30-40miles this week) and run everyday until you reach that goal. If you want you can ratchet your mileage up every week, tapering it just before the season begins. Having a good base makes a HUGE, HUGE, difference in your performance.

Once school starts join XC if you can. This will help you continue to develop endurance for track season.

Come track or winter track, you should be in really good shape. Let your coaches know what kind of mileage you've put in and they will probably have you do less distance and more speed work. Speed work workout are based on whatever event you have coming up (ex. 2X600@800pace, 2X400@800pace)

Do all that and you'll be fast as fuck.
15 years ago
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jester8589
Posts: 346 - Karma: 15
stress fractures, ligament sprains and makes your feet sore so you can't focus as much on the race. 
15 years ago
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BerkeleyD
Posts: 131 - Karma: 19
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15 years ago
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Eli.D
Posts: 476 - Karma: 603
run regularly, dont run the same route often, run hills
15 years ago
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jester8589
Posts: 346 - Karma: 15
as lame as cross country skiing is is one of the better winter sports to keep you in shape for running. it makes your cardiovascular system like whoa and it is more gentle on your joints than running.
15 years ago
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stompdat
Posts: 641 - Karma: 50
it really depends on when you want to run well(by school, tryouts, in a year?), what you run, and how well you run now (to figure out the times you should be running in your workouts). tell me these and i'll get you a set workout. (running and lifting) You can't get better without lifting. Especially in short sprints.
15 years ago
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[-mvee-]
Posts: 1713 - Karma: 10
my football coach told me to run hills: uphill for endurance and downhill for speed. thats all i got
15 years ago
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stompdat
Posts: 641 - Karma: 50
don't run hills.
15 years ago
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skinakedfast
Posts: 1296 - Karma: 494
this is very true. Sprinting downhill is an amazing way to get faster find a steep long hill and sprint down it  10  times and jog up it as well you will see results in a few weeks. Sprinting downhill works muscles that are hard to work.
15 years ago
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jester8589
Posts: 346 - Karma: 15
you probably shouldnt do this too often. running down hills is really bad for you knees.
15 years ago
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andreweckels
Posts: 594 - Karma: -4
when winter rolls around talk to the captain of the team. all highschool teams do preseason training.

and whoever reccomended distance running i beg to differ. distance running depletes fast twitch muscles which are huge for sprinting. i'm not saying don't ever run long distances, but running xc would definalty not help your sprinting.

lift weights.
15 years ago
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andreweckels
Posts: 594 - Karma: -4
sorry for the double post but a lot of people are telling you to build up your milage and stuff like that which is great for distance running but isn't going to help you at all for sprinting.

work out in the gym and get big
15 years ago
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dave44
Posts: 11052 - Karma: 113
DO run hills. Running downhill is more of a mental training thing, it helps you get used to your body parts moving faster than they normally do. This is to work on maintaining your speed with proper stride over the last 50-60m of the 100m sprint, as opposed to acceleration out of the blocks.

It's gotta be done with proper form though... dont wanna be jamming your toes into the ground to slow down, that defeats the purpose.

15 years ago
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teleak
Posts: 2251 - Karma: 105
it's "do track"
15 years ago
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Jamie_Baril
Posts: 2196 - Karma: 2,513

haha, this is true. but you know what else is bad for your knees? skiing, so if you are a skier you cant be too concerned about your knees.

15 years ago
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jester8589
Posts: 346 - Karma: 15
yeah but you don't want to make it worse. save your knees for skiing. but to be honest everything is bad for your knees besides swimming.
15 years ago
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prontocuts.com
Posts: 5244 - Karma: 42
Not after you get used to it, baby steps.

Running barefoot is the most natural way of running, shoes actually hurt your back and form more than anything
15 years ago
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stompdat
Posts: 641 - Karma: 50
alright. well don't do hills more than once every two weeks. you just don't need to. many other workouts can suffice. and when doing hills. find a paved incline. you don't need to be running on grass if you are running short sprints in track. form is key, and hills can help a lot when it comes to having form in the end of your race when you are tired. focus on keeping form throughout your hill workouts. if you plan, or have any workouts at all.
15 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31074 - Karma: 29,630
masturbate. seriously. also, really think about moving your legs faster. I shit you not this helps a couple of my friends.

/strange but helpful hints
15 years ago
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jester8589
Posts: 346 - Karma: 15
i dont know if youre right or not but wearing shoes has more advantages than not wearing shoes. running on a track is really the only good place to do it but if the heat is a larger one you're probably going to get your feet stepped on once of twice and i'll tell you most people at meets are not barefoot or wearing normal shoes. theyre wearing spikes. running on the street and sidewalk or a trail in a park or something is just stupid because you never know whats on the ground. cut your foot open get a nasty infection. so unless youre training on the track and only the track, shoes are more practical.
15 years ago
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chapz
Posts: 10182 - Karma: 66
do stairs....
and running barefoot is good, but make sure you wear spikes or something light in a race because going from training with no shoes to competing with running shoes fucks you over..
15 years ago
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[-mvee-]
Posts: 1713 - Karma: 10
well duh you take it easy and switch up your workouts. jerry rice, one of the nfl's greatest recievers, did this ... but on mountains instead of hills.

he might be on a different athletic scale than the normal person, but you get the picture
15 years ago
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gyarados
Posts: 1186 - Karma: 401
run far distances at a low pace, it will build up your anaerobic thresh-hold allowing you to maintain a fast sprint throughout your race
15 years ago
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Uhgah
Posts: 129 - Karma: 10
This. The key to this is starting of easy and not just changing over night and going right into a 4 mile run. Also, now that it is approaching summer though I would recommend getting a pair of Vibrams Five Fingers for inclement weather and for when its a hot sunny day, otherwise you could get some gnarly blisters on your pads.
15 years ago
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
toughen up sally
15 years ago
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mommy
Posts: 12072 - Karma: 60
do as dave "the grave" thomas once said: just chug a can of sphagetti-o's. also wear your skis and boots when you jog, imagine how much easier it will be when you take them off.
15 years ago
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jester8589
Posts: 346 - Karma: 15
have you ever had a toe stabbed with a metal spike at the start of a two miler?
15 years ago
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Black-Bandanna
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 1,603
Squats, plyometrics, and stair workouts, squats, plyometrics, and stair workouts, squats, plyometrics, and stair workouts, squats, plyometrics, and stair workouts.
15 years ago
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ElbridgeGerry
Posts: 5902 - Karma: -27
no...this is all wrong.


1.) That's going to recruit slow twitch muscle fibres, which isn't really what someone who does 100 wants.

2.) The only real ways to get faster aside from technique is increasing stride length and increasing strength. Work on those and you'll get faster.
15 years ago
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Black-Bandanna
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 1,603
For some reason the rest of my post didn't show up...

Also, do bungee workouts if you have sprint bungees. Have a friend walk out until it's taunt, then pull you for about 15 yards while you run at full speed. This makes you run faster than you actually can on your own. The more you do this, the faster you'll get. Along with this do sprint ladder workouts. 100 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters, 200 meters, 200 meters for the first set. 300 meters, 200 meters, 200 meters, 100 meters for the second. Work your way up to more sets.

Good luck.
15 years ago
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,017
interval training helps, go to a track, do 100 meters sprinting, 100 jogging, and keep that going
15 years ago
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Mr.SoloDolo
Posts: 1138 - Karma: 150
befriend a ladder and the weight room. the stronger your legs get the fast youll be...
15 years ago
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