Date of post -Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A question I get asked a lot is... 'what equipment should I buy for speed training?' People want to know what to spend their hard earned money on. You often see athletes or professionals using high-tech equipment to improve their athletic performance and think that it must be good, and this must be the route they should take. You also may have seen those over-speed treadmills or other expensive equipment which can sometimes be good but other times be a little too flash and a lot less substance.
I used to be one of those coaches drawn to the big, flashy, expensive equipment thinking that it must be good if it costs a lot of money. Something like the over-speed treadmill really is just a waste of money. For what it's worth it has little effect on improving speed in an athlete. Nowadays I believe less is more. I have gone more to the basics, improving movement quality. The equipment may look good and fancy but how much does it really effect performance?
Here is what I believe are the most effective and cost effective speed training equipment around and how they can be used.
1) Medicine Balls.
Price: $10-50
Use: Power, core training, balance, strength building.
2) Dumbells or Barbell.
Price: $10-50
Use: Power, strength building.
3) Ladder
Price: $40
Use: Quick feet, power and balance, core training, speed mechanics.
4) Boxes
Price: $20-150
Use: Plyometrics, strength building, speed mechanics, quick feet.
5) Jump rope
Price: $5
Use: Conditioning, speed rythym, resistance for speed mechanics.
6) Bands
Price: $5-$25
Use: Strength training, resistance for speed training, flexibility.
7) Swiss Ball
Price: $10
Use: Strength training, Balance and landing technique.
8) Hurdles
Price $40
Use: Quick feet, power and balance progression, speed mechanics.
9) Poles
Price: $50
Use: Agility, quick feet, power and balance.
10) Body weight or partner body weight
Price: FREE
Use: Strength building and speed mechanics
Have fun implementing these into your training.