I was wondering if anyone thinks there may be a speed benefit forwards, by running backwards?
If so, how would you incorporate into training? Would it be some sort of drill, or a whole session in itself?
Not a troll by the way, I've been reading some research on how it can be used for injury prevention but I couldn't find sufficient studies into whether it can improve forward speed.
September 16, 2011 - IAAF Diamond Leage Final Brussels (Memorial Ivo Van Damme). We almost had a world record athlete in the family: Tim Rummens ran the worl...
#1 for injury prevention and joint stability. I blew out a hamstring in early May and back to full sprinting in 8 weeks. 1/2 mile/day, walking the curves, jogging/running straights most days. Subbed in hills and now do those daily.
My HS coach was big into backwards running for injury prevention. He always used to say "when was the last time you saw a defensive back with a pulled hamstring".
Take it with a grain of salt, our top sprinter pulled his hamstring a couple of weeks before the state meet and that probably cost us a state championship.
Aaron Yoder from Lindsborg, Kansas is the world’s fastest backwards runner. Despite the once little-known sport picking up speed, he remains the world champi...
Uthoff, A, Oliver, J, Cronin, J, Harrison, C, and Winwood, P. Sprint-specific training in youth: Backward running vs. forward running training on speed and power measures in adolescent male athletes. J Strength Cond Res 34(4)...
"These results demonstrate that forward and backward sprint-specific training programs enhance speed and power measures more than natural development in adolescent male athletes. Furthermore, the greater training responses in sprint performance and CMJ ability indicate that BRT is a useful tool for improving concentric strength and power and may be classified as a sprint-specific training method."
Uthoff, A, Oliver, J, Cronin, J, Winwood, P, Harrison, C, and Lee, JE. Resisted sprint training in youth: the effectiveness of backward vs. forward sled towing on speed, jumping, and leg compliance measures in high-school ath...
'The probabilities of improving sprinting performance after BRS (∼70%) were on average ∼10 and ∼8% better than the FRS and CON groups, respectively. The BRS and FRS showed similar probabilities of improving CMJ (75 and 79%) and KN (80 and 81%), respectively, over the CON group. It seems that BRS may be a means to improve sprint performance, and regardless of direction, RS seems to be a beneficial method for improving jumping height and leg stiffness in youth male athletes.
They should have runners run half the race backwards. For example, in the 800m, the first lap running forwards, then at the bell, you have to run backwards to the start. Avoiding the guys behind you will be part of the tactics and skill.
Being good at running forwards is only half of it. It's like as if in boxing, you were only allowed to throw left hooks and not right hooks. You can't say you're the best runner in the world if you're not also the best runner in the world running backwards.
