Hill Sprints, Heavy Sled Drags Or Sled Sprints For Sprint Acceleration?

[Texas Ranger]

A 16 year old on his way to becoming a DI football player does not usually look like a typical 16 year old.

More and more high schools are using advanced training methods for their athletes, and those are usually the schools pumping kids into DI's like Auburn.

I agree you shouldn't over-burden kids with too much weight on more advanced movements, but I don't believe there is anything detrimental to training kids in that manner so far as they aren't complete weaklings that have a total lack of a strength foundation.

Just a little insight on my son. He's 16 years old, 6'0" 230lbs and a sophomore. I had him start out with the basics last year focusing on squats, deadlifts, bench, rows, and trap bar jumps. He went from 185lbs to 230lbs in a year. He can squat 405lbs for 2 reps, trap bar deadlift 495lbs for 2 reps, and bench press 225lbs for 9 reps. He got clocked at 4.9 in the 40 about 3-4 months ago.

 

[Texas Ranger]

As Bigpapa stated number 1 exercise for explosion, hang cleans power cleans. If not able to due to equipment, box jump plyometrics.

40 time is lot about technique training and many parts to it. There are good video on the net about start alignment first step placement and form running. Different start positions , Pushup starts ,rolling starts etc all help teach shin angle.

Competative sprints are great for speed training. 3-4 per session .

USC old warm up (on the net) is great for core and flexibility training. Will help lessen the chance of hamstring issues.

Ak

We do box jumps before training the lower body, but I'm thinking of adding broad jumps repeats and power skips since they're supposed to have a greater carry over to sprints.

 

[Texas Ranger]

I just read an interview with the head strength and conditioning coach at Auburn. He said he seen impressive results in force production and acceleration by pairing heavy sled drags 3x15 yards with 3x10 yard sprints contrasting the two. Joe Defranco also has his players/clients do heavy ass sled drags. So, that speaks volumes!!

We're going to have to try these. They're so simple they have to work!

 

[Texas Ranger]

I ran across this info online. They did a study on heavy sled drags replacing squats for leg strength on an injured QB with 2 herniated discs and his team. After 6 weeks, the QB's 40 yard time decreased .26 seconds and the team's time decreased .20 seconds! Increased speed in QB with low back pain: Case Study review - The National Association of Speed and Explosion (NASE) Inc.

 

[Millineum Man]

Please include dot drills in their warmups. This was EXTREMELY helpful for alot of athletes including myself. Quick feet and position go a long way

 

[bigpapa]

Just a little insight on my son. He's 16 years old, 6'0" 230lbs and a sophomore. I had him start out with the basics last year focusing on squats, deadlifts, bench, rows, and trap bar jumps. He went from 185lbs to 230lbs in a year. He can squat 405lbs for 2 reps, trap bar deadlift 495lbs for 2 reps, and bench press 225lbs for 9 reps. He got clocked at 4.9 in the 40 about 3-4 months ago.

that is a big sophomore and pretty impressive numbers for a 16 y/o.

what position does he play?

 

[Texas Ranger]

that is a big sophomore and pretty impressive numbers for a 16 y/o.

what position does he play?

Thanks brother. He's playing defensive end and tackle, right now due to the team needs. He was a 5'10" 185lb freshman before I took the training wheels off and we started hitting the iron together.

 

[trikpony]

As a teaching fitness pro for 25yrs, my advice is hire a pro. You dont know what you dont know, the high school should have a strength coach? IF not how about a good trainer in your area? these boys need a qualified pro helping them. Its that important!

 

[lvnp814]

Just a little insight on my son. He's 16 years old, 6'0" 230lbs and a sophomore. I had him start out with the basics last year focusing on squats, deadlifts, bench, rows, and trap bar jumps. He went from 185lbs to 230lbs in a year. He can squat 405lbs for 2 reps, trap bar deadlift 495lbs for 2 reps, and bench press 225lbs for 9 reps. He got clocked at 4.9 in the 40 about 3-4 months ago.

Well I stand corrected, your son is a big boy. I would really focus on speed and athleticism. Especially at his size, it will take him further.

 

[Texas Ranger]

That's my thought too. Sprints up hill teach proper forward lean and explosiveness. In my readings and experience the mechanics are changed somewhat with resistance sprints.

I seen alot of high school, college, and pro guys do sprints and footwork drills uphill on Youtube and Stacktv.

 

[Texas Ranger]

As a teaching fitness pro for 25yrs, my advice is hire a pro. You dont know what you dont know, the high school should have a strength coach? IF not how about a good trainer in your area? these boys need a qualified pro helping them. Its that important!

There isn't any extra money in the budget for a trainer. We've been getting pretty good results training together for the past 1 1/2 years. Plus, it gives us time to bond and hang out.

 

[bigpapa]

Thanks brother. He's playing defensive end and tackle, right now due to the team needs. He was a 5'10" 185lb freshman before I took the training wheels off and we started hitting the iron together.

awesome. seriously though, i was a two way starter, played MLB and guard, the best exercises for those positions for explosion are cleans, deadlifts and front squats. think about, coming out of a stance at those positions, almost the same movements as those. and since he is playing on the line, of course you need strong upper body strength for pass blocking and such, but the real difference maker is going to be close grip bench. think about it. hand positioning when pass blocking, run blocking. inside control. bull rushing, where are the hand placements for drive? same position and movement as a close grip.

 

[Millineum Man]

awesome. seriously though, i was a two way starter, played MLB and guard, the best exercises for those positions for explosion are cleans, deadlifts and front squats. think about, coming out of a stance at those positions, almost the same movements as those. and since he is playing on the line, of course you need strong upper body strength for pass blocking and such, but the real difference maker is going to be close grip bench. think about it. hand positioning when pass blocking, run blocking. inside control. bull rushing,

where are the hand placements for drive? same position and movement as a close grip.

The close grip bench does make ALOT of sense.

 

[pitbull8701]

I have the current record at my high school in the 200m...21.3 was my time back in 06 when i graduated...i also ran a 4.4 fourty yard dash...one exercise that helped me out alot was jump squats with dumbells. Jumping on a bench then stepping down...if you want explosiveness you have to do explosive exercises..i also would sprint up hill as well as down hill..each works different fast twich muscle fibers...doing 20 30 40 50 yard sprints at 100% will work as well...short distance explosive sprints at 100% max

 

[Texas Ranger]

I have the current record at my high school in the 200m...21.3 was my time back in 06 when i graduated...i also ran a 4.4 fourty yard dash...one exercise that helped me out alot was jump squats with dumbells. Jumping on a bench then stepping down...if you want explosiveness you have to do explosive exercises..i also would sprint up hill as well as down hill..each works different fast twich muscle fibers...doing 20 30 40 50 yard sprints at 100% will work as well...short distance explosive sprints at 100% max

Wow! 4.4 is blazing!! You said jump squats with dumbbells, right? Was that jumps in place or did you also use dumbbells in your hands for box jumps? How much weight did you use and how many reps?

 

[pitbull8701]

Wow! 4.4 is blazing!! You said jump squats with dumbbells, right? Was that jumps in place or did you also use dumbbells in your hands for box jumps? How much weight did you use and how many reps?

What i did was i would get a regular bench that you would do dumbell press on...i would grab 45 pound dumbells in each hand...i would then squat down with back strait then explode and jump up on the bench...then would step back down..i would do 4 sets of 12..if you have to lower the weight thats fine but you want a good weight...just make sure you explode and get deep with your squat

 

[Texas Ranger]

What i did was i would get a regular bench that you would do dumbell press on...i would grab 45 pound dumbells in each hand...i would then squat down with back strait then explode and jump up on the bench...then would step back down..i would do 4 sets of 12..if you have to lower the weight thats fine but you want a good weight...just make sure you explode and get deep with your squat

Got it. How many times should we do them a week? Sprint first and do these after? Did you do any heavy lifting?

 

[pitbull8701]

Got it. How many times should we do them a week? Sprint first and do these after? Did you do any heavy lifting?

I used to lift weights and do sprinting on different days..That way you can give it 100% on both and not slack on one cause your tired from the one before..i did alot of heavy lifting...when it comes to training for athletes the one body part a day is a no go...problem being your only isolateing a muscle group once every seven days...i used to do chest, back and tri's on Monday. Shoulders, bi's and legs on Tuesday..take weds off the repeat Monday and Tuesdays workout on Thursday friday...take sat sun off...i would do sprinting stuff on the days i didnt train legs. When i lifted i did everything in a explosive manner with good control and form

 

[ozman]

Any athletes or performance enhancing specialists out there? I'm training my 16 year old son and a few of his high school teammates for the upcoming football season. We're following the Westside lifting protocol ala Louie Simmons. I really want to focus on improving their sprint acceleration(10-20 yards).

We have access to a steep hill that's 15 yards tall nearby our house and a few homemade tire sleds that weigh roughly 25lbs each. In YOUR opinion, which is better? Thanks in advance for you input, guys!

I found weighted sled running worked best for my speed in high school but we quickly adopted a resistance cable system that had us puking our guts up after the first session.

I always had strong legs growing up and utilised a lot of leg press and squats which helped tremendously for the explosiveness I needed with my vertical and 40 dash. I had no problem running a 4.4-4.5 40 my second year in the program where i'd started at 4.88 the previous summer and put on 20 lbs to the year before

 

[REPSTAR]

Hill sprints , sand sprinting, water sprinting, these gave my my best improvements