Speed Training Tips
There are some rules to keep in mind when developing
speed in your skills:
1. The skill must be conducive to speed training.
Most martial arts skills can be done at full speed, either in the air, with
a partner or against a target. Gross motor skills are more easily adapted for speed
training than precision skills.
2. The skill must be physically sound.
Do not try to build speed until you have mastered the basic physical model
of a skill. If you have to think about the mechanics of performing a skill or you
are performing it without the correct biomechanical form, your potential for speed
development is limited.
3. Relax.
Speed training requires relaxation from the point of initiation up to the
point of impact. At the point of impact, the muscles should briefly tense and then
relax again to facilitate quick recovery.
4. Recover.
Recovery
between executions is essential for improving speed. If you are training a single
skill, like front kick, the recovery between kicks can be brief, up to fifteen seconds.
If you are working on combinations, spend a bit more time between repetitions so
you do not become fatigued too early.
5. Practice first, practice last.
There
are two theories on where in your workout speed training should come. Many experts
advise putting speed training early in the workout so you are not fatigued and your
muscles are fresh. This is good advice if you are relatively flexible, have good
muscular endurance and can relax easily. There are two drawbacks to doing speed
training early in a workout: you can become too fatigued to perform well later in
the workout and you may be too tense to fully achieve your potential. Practicing
speed skills near the end of a workout means your muscles are looser and therefore
you may find it easier to relax although you may sacrifice some freshness. Arrange
your speed training to suit your performance style.
6. Use low repetitions.
Keep the number of repetitions of each skill low (less than 10) but the quality
of each repetition very high. Perform each rep with complete concentration and fully
rest between repetitions.
7. Feel the speed.
As you perform each repetition, you may find that a particularly fast repetition
“feels” different from all the others. Try to capture and recreate this
feeling, whether it is a feeling of lightness, relaxation, energy, intensity or
whatever name you assign to it.
8. Take time off.
As you practice for speed, you may find that you have hit a speed bump,
a pace which you can consistently imitate, but cannot break through. When this happens,
it’s time to take a few days to a week off from speed training. Instead of
practicing the technique, spend time each day visualizing breaking through the speed
bump.
The above article is copyrighted by the author. All rights reserved.
