- 1). Test your basic speed. Sprint over 40-50 meters as fast as possible and check your time. Find out if you have good basic speed or if your fitness is endurance based. In physiological terms, sprinters have a greater proportion of fast twitch fibers in their muscles. Endurance athletes have a higher proportion of slow twitch fibers. Baylor University athletic coach Clyde Hart advises that improving the endurance of someone with basic speed is easier than trying to increase the basic speed of a slower runner.
- 2). Practice starting to improve your speed off the mark. If you are a runner, use starting blocks. Practice standing starts if you take part in other sports. Run for 20 to 30 yards aiming to get up to top speed as quickly as possible.
- 3). Learn to accelerate. In field sports that will allow you can get to the ball quicker or get away from an opponent. In a sprint race, sustain the initial drive from the starting blocks. Practice accelerating in the middle of a race to gain an advantage after a slow start.
- 4). Build speed endurance. Speed is only useful if you can maintain it for the duration of a race or a game. A top-class soccer player can cover around 10 kilometers during a match, with many fast bursts at sprinting speed. However, according to the website Sports Coach, most athletes start to slow down after 5 to 8 seconds. So it is important to improve endurance and develop a running action that minimizes energy losses.
- 5). Stride 100 to 150 meters at a fast pace. Aim to run at a fast pace as economically as possible. Take a short break and repeat a number of times. Increase the number of fast runs as your fitness increases. This type of training builds endurance at speed. Do longer runs of 20 to 30 minutes to build basic endurance.
- 6). Focus on improving your running technique. Increase leg drive by sprinting up a short hill several times. The hill forces you to put maximum effort into your run. Train with faster runners to maintain your basic speed. Practice sprinting with a ball if you take part in field sports.
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