Interval Cardio For Speed Athletes

As a speed athlete, you should do more speed interval cardio to improve your performance. Athletes training for speed and power should do a variation of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) cardio exercise. Doing too much distance running will not allow you to reach your maximum speed and power potential.



Also, HIIT is the best way to burn fat in the shortest amount of time as well as increase VO2 Max. All that's needed is 20 minutes per session.

Here is an example of how HIIT could work for an athlete:

After a proper dynamic warmup, sprint for 10-15 seconds and walk for 1 minute. The sprint has to be at maximum effort. Do this rotation for 20 minutes. To continually challenge yourself, progress this cardio exercise to surfaces such as inclines, hills and stadium steps. Weighted resistance, such as vest, could also be used. Its just that simple! And that tough!

Another good interval cardio exercise for speed athletes is speed jump rope. It is performed in short intervals at up to 200 RPM (revolutions per minute). It also uses the anaerobic energy system (85% to 95% of max heart rate) and develops fast twitch muscle fibers.

This type of speed jump roping gives you more speed, quickness, agility, balance, coordination, power and knee/ankle/foot strength. Jumping rope also improves your timing---a critical element needed in sports. Boxers are legendary speed jump ropers.

Try more speed interval cardio during your workouts. It will help your athletic performance.

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Sport Specific Training At Speed And Power Camp

"Sport-specific training" is important because you can "train for movements in your sport." Because some sports have similar movements, athletes at Sports Fitness Hut's Speed and Power Camp did some sport-specific training.



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When done right, sport-specific training will definitely improve your game on the field or on the court. When done wrong, sport-specific training will lead you to many injuries!

Parents should not get too eager to put their kids in a sport-specific training program. Foundational core training and general muscle strength/stability/endurance should come first. Trust me, I have seen many injuries related to high intensity sport-specific training because the player's body wasn't ready for the demands of this type of training. Don't skip steps A and B to get to step C!

You should do a major part of your sport-specific training during the offseason when you have more time to devote to improving your athletic skills, strength, power and speed. Offseason training also gives you time to recover from the full speed, intense exercises. YOU MUST TRAIN FAST TO GET FASTER AND MORE EXPLOSIVE.....IT IS HIGH RISK, HIGH REWARD!

The exercises mimic the actions made in your sport and strength is developed in the same range of motion used in your sport. Running exercises also duplicate what you need to compete. For instance, football players would need starting speed, acceleration speed, speed endurance and power. Both training volume and intensity is high during this phase.

Plyometric exercises are also a big part of sport specific training. This is a critical phase for an elite athlete. See this post for common plyometric exercises.

Train hard and smart!

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Athletes Burning Body Fat At Speed And Power Camp

Athletes must burn body fat to improve game-time performance. At Sports Fitness Hut's Speed and Power Camp, athletes worked hard, in 100 degree heat, to burn fat and improve body composition (less fat, more muscle).



See Speed Camp Youtube video!

During the camp we did bodyweight strength exercises, weight lifting exercises, medicine ball exercises, speed exercises and plyometric exercises. These types of intense exercises will burn body fat like crazy!

Have you ever seen an overfat athlete who was performing her or his sport at a high level? That same athlete would perform at an even higher level if her or his body fat was at an acceptable level for athletes.

Acceptable levels of body fat for athletes are as follows: Women 14-20%, Men 6-13%. Some athletic positions, like a catcher in baseball, might require a little more body fat (like 10% instead of 8%). Whereas a swimmer would need less body fat. The point is this: if you are serious about your athletic performance, being overfat will not help you achieve your highest athletic potential.

Research has also proven that the heart health benefits of anaerobic exercise (short bursts like jumps or sprinting) is superior to aerobic exercise.

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Sprinting Faster At Speed And Power Camp

You can learn to sprint faster no matter who you are! Athletes at Sports Fitness Hut's Speed and Power Camp practiced speed training mechanics every day. Hopefully, they will continue to practice every day!



See Speed Camp Youtube video!

The running mechanics are important to improve straight-ahead speed. Practice these mechanics every day! Strengthening your body (core included) will also help make you faster.

You have to train fast to get faster! This might sound simple but how many times have you seen coaches have their players run "sprints" after practice. That IS NOT speed training---that is general conditioning!

You can only run full speed when your body has recovered. That means you need adequate rest between sprints in order to run each one at full speed. About 1 minute of rest is needed for every 10 yards sprinted. Coaches, instead of having your players run sprints after practice, make sure that they practice at full speed during practice and drills.

And, a better tactic would be to run sprints before practice when your player are fresher (they would still need adequate recovery between sprints). Metabolic training and speed endurance training is also important for athletes.

The same holds true for plyometric exercises such as squat jumps. These drills need to be done at full speed with adequate recovery time between sets. Drills like squat jumps help improve speed and power.

Many times, its practicing the "little things" that make you better!

Train hard and smart!

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Improving Reaction Time At Speed Camp

Athletes worked to improve their reaction time at Sports Fitness Hut's Speed and Power Camp. One drill we used to do this was the mirror drill. The two athletes face each other and one athlete mirrors (reacts to) the movements of the other (see picture below).



See Speed Camp Youtube video!

Reaction time is the ability to respond quickly with proper posture and control to a stimulus such as sound or sight. In many instances, quickness is more important than straight ahead speed. In many sports, maximum speed is rarely reached or needed, but explosive reaction is often necessary. Athletes can improve reaction times by training to make the right choices (choice reaction).

Researchers in France performed a study that proves reaction time is a skill that can be improved and/or learned. The study looked at world class sprinters' reaction times. The main findings were these:

1. Reaction times were quicker as the races shortened (from 400m to 60m).

2. Sprinters in shorter races (60m to 100m) anticipated the starter's gun while runners in longer distance races where happy to respond to the sound of the gun shot.

Experience playing collegiate athletics proved to me that reaction time is critical. Athletes should devote more time to reaction drills in practice. Athletes continue to get faster and faster and the margin of error continues to decrease. If you react quicker than your opponent, it could mean the difference in making the play or getting beat.

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Core Training At Speed And Power Camp

Athletes did core training every day at Sports Fitness Hut's Speed and Power Camp. A strong core is critical to prevent injuries and succeed in sports. Many athletes have strong limbs and weak cores.



See Speed Camp Youtube video!

Powerful athletic movements initiate with or transfer through your core area. For example, the best way to increase arm speed is that power needs to be transferred from your legs through your core to your throwing arm. This will increase your arm speed and throwing miles-per-hour (MPH). Many athletes have strong, powerful legs but weak cores......that will give you a power shortage!

Advanced core exercises should be performed in a standing position because most athletic movements are made on your feet. When you do standing core exercises, you engage all of the trunk and hip stabilizer muscles and not just the abdominals and low back.

For beginning athletes, start with low-intensity exercises and master technique/improve strength. Then you’ll progress to lying, sitting, kneeling, standing, standing on one leg and power (high speed) exercises. Failure to follow these progressions will lead you to certain injuries like low back pain and trauma.

Core exercises should be performed in all 3 planes of motion (sagittal, frontal, transverse) since athletic movements occur in all 3 planes of motion.

Many medicine ball exercises such as throws, rotational passes and wood chops engage the core and total body in all planes of motion.

What have you been doing to improve your core strength?

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Plyometric Exercises At Speed And Power Camp

Plyometric exercises will help you improve your speed and power. If your body has the needed strength and stability, plyometrics will improve your sports power and explosive speed. Plyometric exercises were a big part of Sports Fitness Hut's Speed and Power Camp.



See Speed Camp Youtube video!

It doesn't help you to continually get stronger if power development is not there also. Power, or speed strength (how fast your muscles can produce force) is one of the best physical predictors of success in sports. Plyometric exercises help you to increase power.

Here is a good general plyometric workout to improve your sports power and speed.

1. In Place Vertical Jumps, full speed, Double Leg, 3 sets/10, 2 minutes rest between sets

2. Depth Jumps, 2 sets/10, 2 minutes rest between sets

3. Bounding and Lateral Bounding, full speed, 2 sets of each/10, 2 minutes rest between sets

4. Side to Side Hops, full speed, 2 sets/10 each side, 1 minute rest between sets

5. Standing Long Jumps, full speed, 2 sets/10, 2 minutes rest between sets

6. Dumbbell Calf Raises, full speed, 3 sets/25, 2 minutes rest between sets

Do a plyometric workout no more than 2 days a week because of the full speed intensity of this type of workout.

Avoid knee injuries by perfecting jumping and landing techniques before progressing to full speed plyometric workouts.

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Basketball Agility And Quickness at Speed Camp

As a basketball player, you make a living with your agility and quickness. Without these qualities, you won't make the team. Athletes worked on agility and quickness every day at Sports Fitness Hut's Speed and Power Camp.



See Speed Camp Youtube video!

Speed, agility and quickness (SAQ) are necessary components that all successful basketball players have. Fortunately, SAQ can be trained for and improved. The basketball player must be able to move fast, quick and efficiently while changing direction, shuffling or backpedaling. Here are some basic tips to improve the SAQ of basketball players:

1. Running mechanics in basketball must be mastered just like dribbling and free throw shooting.

2. Basketball drills designed to improve speed should be more than just "suicide drills." Game-time situations in basketball require the player to be quick and fast in many directions while controlling posture. They also have repeated short sprints following walking, running or jogging. In order for the player to be explosive, she or he must train for game-like situations. Drills such as cariocas, shuffles, lateral speed drills, back pedals, cone drills, etc. should be incorporated into the basketball player's training regimine.

3. Core strength is critical for basketball players too! A strong core will lessen risk of injury, allow the player to have stronger limbs and allow the player to perform game moves with speed and explosion. The cross-over lunge is a great leg and core exercise for basketball players.

4. Speed drills should be performed while the player is still fresh. Performing speed drills at the end of practice will only serve to increase the player's endurance. You must train fast in order to be fast!

Now, get yourself ready to play basketball!

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Lateral Speed And Power At Sports Camp

Develop your lateral speed and power and you will be a much better athlete! Athletes at Sports Fitness Hut's Speed and Power Camp worked on lateral speed and power every day.



See Speed Camp Youtube video!

Some important exercises to incorporate in your exercise programs are lateral lunges (with or without dumbbells), lateral bounding, lateral step ups (with or without dumbbells) and lateral shuffles (with or without resistance).

Straight-line speed is important but so is lateral speed and agility in sports. You have to move quickly and efficiently from linear to lateral positions (and back again) many times during a practice or game.

The lateral lunge forces you to decelerate movement through one hip at a time, placing greater emphasis on the gluteals and hamstrings. It trains you to move correctly in the lateral direction.

Many knee ACL injuries occur when you place too much stress on your knees and not enough stress on your hips during deceleration. In other words, the hips are often under-used during sports activities.

Lateral bounding is a progression from lateral lunges that requires you to practice lateral movement at game-time speed. Do not progress to full-speed lateral bounding until the proper mechanics are achieved with lateral lunges.

One common mechanical breakdown is when the knees protrude far in front of the feet when decelerating, landing or squatting. This puts undue stress on the knees and often causes injury.

Lateral shuffles (with or without resistance) also work well to train correct lateral movement. Lateral shuffles without resistance can be practiced at game-time speed.

Lateral step ups emphasize development of your hips, quadriceps (especially outer) and glutes.

Any serious athletic exercise program would be incomplete without these exercises. They can be performed as strength or power (high speed) moves.

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

Side To Side Hops At Speed And Power Camp

Use side to side hops to improve your power in the frontal plane of motion. This is part of what athletes did at Sports Fitness Hut's Speed And Power Camp!



See Speed Camp Youtube video!

The frontal plane is an imaginary bisector that divides the body into equal front and back halves. The motions primarily involve abduction and adduction (side-to-side motions).

Abduction takes your limb away from the midline of your body and adduction takes your limb closer to the midline of your body. Examples include exercises performed on hip abductor and hip adductor machines. Other frontal plane motions would be lateral lunges, dumbbell lateral shoulder raises and lateral spinal flexion.

Quickness and agility movements made by athletes require adequate frontal plane stability, strength, power, flexibility and balance.

Side to side hops are done as fast as possible. Also, your feet should remain on the ground as little as possible as you do the hops. Focus on hopping (not jumping) from side to side (on the balls of your feet) with very little vertical height. You are working to improve lateral power with this exercise and not vertical power. Do 8-10 repetitions per set.

As you progress, you can begin to do single leg side to side hops. Train hard and safe!

Need more sports training tips? Subscribe to my Sports Performance Tips eNewsletter and get my Free eBook, "10 'Must Know' Speed Training Tips!"

Other things being equal, a muscular, powerful athlete will outperform a fat, slower or skinny, weaker athlete. Sports Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Athletic Power Training System will give you your "lean and mean" athletic machine!

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!