Shifting Gears

Somehow this never even appeared on the main page... bump.

Good question. What you meant to write was that you know how to get FASTER, and have developed in that regard. You are asking about QUICKNESS (that is, the ability to accelerate to top speed in as few steps as possible). I'm not sure exactly what types of exercises you could do to improve quickness, but I know being shorter helps. Mottram remarked in an interview that being taller than his rivals means it takes longer for him to get up to speed in a tactical situation because his long legs are harder to get spinning and even though his top end is just as fast as anyone's, he needs to anticipate their moves rather than react to them (e.g. attack first). For now, you might just have to accept your lack of quickness as a weakness and do as Mottram does: pay attention to your rivals, and preempt their attacks. Maybe do practice accelerations: run at pace then accelerate to top end as quickly as possible. Work on power with pylos/drills performed very rapidly, like accelerations over low hurdles spaced close together, bounding/jumps, fast-feet, and single-leg squats standing on a box (lower slowly and explode upward very fast).

Disclaimer: I'm not a coach, and I'm not fast or quick.

1) Explosive weights such as squats, cleans, etc.

2) Plyometrics.

3) Float and sprint: 100m as 25m float(think maintain, don't consciously slow down), 25m accelerate.

1) Try shifting gears during workouts and regular runs.

2) If you know that this is a weakness don't sit around and wait for someone else to make a move, take charge and have them respond to your move.

Thanks.

All of them great replies. I don't have much to add to what's already been posted.

As zxcbv mentioned, I always thought there's a difference between "being fast" and "being quick". I have discussed this issue with Regina Jacobs before (before her drug accusation!) when she got beat by that Russian girl. The Russian was very quick when she made her move and, before Regina knew, she had some 10~20 yards on her. Regina is, as you know, very leggy and she swings her legs like a windmill. That's, as someone else said, not very advantageous to being "quick".

There are some ways to help but it's more of a nerve issue and there's a limit. You have to determine whether you're a fast guy or a quick guy. If you're not that quick, then you need to plan your race like sitting 10 yards behind your main opposition's right shoulder and, when you make a move, you have some distance to accelerate so by the time you go by him, you're at full speed. Also, you have to position yourself so you'll know when your "quick" opposition is making a move, you can see him and have enough time to react to his move.

Usually, if you're not quick, you'll have to make your move much eariler like 500m to the finish or 300. That's knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and your main opposition's strengths and weaknesses and strategise accordingly.

Yeah -- I like to go with 800 to go and try to destroy people before accelerating quickly to top speed ever becomes an issue. But there's compensating for a weakness, and then there's eliminating that weakness. I'll try some of those things -- but I'd like to know if there's any way to improve the reflexes. Drugs are out, of course.

Does anyone have any training solutions for the problem of pace changes during a race? For example, staying with an opponent who throws in a move with 800 to go. Like me.

hills will greatly aid your exposiveness.