Speed Ladder Training - Acceleration Training

Acceleration training has been gaining a lot of creditability the past couple of years. Acceleration training can be a great tool for gaining speed and quickness especially when it is incorporated and works with a speed ladder training program. Acceleration training is simple making your legs move faster than they can normally go. In that process the athlete actually builds fast twitch muscles because of the fast movement that the legs are going through. The athlete is also training the brain into thinking the legs can actually move that fast.


There are many ways to perform acceleration training drills or exercises. One exercise is to use a treadmill. Yes a treadmill can be a great way to simulate acceleration training and incorporate it into a speed ladder training program. The best way to perform this acceleration training on a treadmill is to start out by walking fast and every two minutes turn the treadmill to the fastest mode you can run for 20 seconds. Slow back down to a fast walk and repeat. If this is part of a speed ladder program then only do about 10 sprints. If this is the only type of training the athlete is doing the athlete should perform about 25 sprints. Do these 3 times a week.

Another acceleration drill that can be performed is by using a bungee cord. This takes two participants. The trainer should simply wrap the bungee cord around the athlete pull it as tight as possible while the athlete stays in place. When the bungee is as tight as possible the athlete should start the sprint towards the trainer holding the cord. Once the athlete gets even with the trainer the trainer should drop the bungee. This exercise actually pulls the athlete faster than the athlete can normally run. A bungee that can stretch at least 10 yards should be used. Do these 3 times a week.

A third exercise which requires no money, simply run down hill. Running downhill safely and fast as possible will make the athlete run faster than they normally could. Another great thing about using a hill is that you can run up hill for resistance training and then run down hill for acceleration training. If this type of training is incorporated into a speed ladder training program, do 10 sprints downhill of about 25 yards. If this the only type of speed training the athlete is doing, perform at least 25 sprints 3 times a week.



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