Speed and Agility (Running Back)

[Supremo]

Hey all so I started on a new diet/workout plan designed primarily for bulking up.

I'm really wanting to get in shape for lacrosse and football next year speedwise as well as strength and size.

Previously, I've played wide-receiver mostly because I'm pretty fast (but not really fast) and I can catch the ball.

My goal for next year is to try out and make running back. What my coach said I need to work on for that to happen is my strength (check), my weight (check), and my speed.

Right now, my endurance is good enough because of lacrosse, but I need to get my short distance speed up.

What drills do you guys know (or set of drills) that I can work on which focus mainly on explosiveness and agility? Thanks.

 

[HandyAndy]

Most running backs i know are bulky with low bodyfat, basically theyre buff, gain some muscle mass and you should be able to truck anyone who gets in your way on the field

 

[Create Reality]

try running in sand dunes. not only the flat sand, but also up and down the sides of dunes. it will build up your foot control.

 

[Supremo]

I agree with you, but they're also fast as hell. Our current RB has a 4.67 40.
Thats ****in fast, at least for me.
My 40 time, after a 5 minute lesson on how to start from the get-go, was 5.23.

That's terrible.

As posted before... any drills that focus on explosiveness and agility?

 

[Fuglydude]

No offence man, but 5.23 for a 40 is pretty brutal. That's like O-lineman speed. It could be due to slower reaction time...how were you timed? Like was it electronic w/ a laser or just some dude with a stop watch? Start doing sprint training, A/B/C skips, etc and working on footspeed. I know you can do a lot better...I have a feeling its just an issue of you starting too slow because you weren't used to the drill. In the end, its all about field performance anyways. What's your ht/wt. like?

My 40 was pretty poor: I ran a 4.65, my 30 m was like a 4.00, which is quite slow given I was only 5'8" - 180 lbs at the time. Keep in mind i was 21-22 at the time, so older and more developed than you, and I had the benefit of electronic timing. I found plyometric/ballistics training such as jump squats, powercleans helped with developing explosive power output.

Lotsa squats and lower body work along with plyos is what I'd recommend. Also, dropping a bit of bodyfat would help you get faster as well. Look up drills you can do for sprint training. Ideally you can get together with a track coach once a week to go over stuff like that, as there's lotsa drills you can do.

 

[i am me]

first of all, make sure u hav the correct form. it makes a huge difference....run on the balls of ur feet so that ur recruiting ur glute and quads instead of ur hamstrings (for more explosiveness) and make sure ur strides arent too short or too long. also, swing ur arms but not too much...its hard to explain but jus look it up on google or something.

i would suggest jus doing some plyometrics, suicides, and basic agility drills like running in and out of cones. also, doing squats should help. theres really no secret to being more explosive, u should stick to the basics but work really hard at em

 

[WesCottII]

Yeah, look up Rugby drills. It's pretty much the same thing.

Resistance runs. Shuttle sprints. Illinois agility. 505, zigzag runs....there's a plethora of them on the internet.


Also, explosivness? Screams Plyometrics to me.

 

[mrRuckus]

40 time doesn't mean much.

Perfect straight line run in perfect conditions isn't the same as game speed. Hell even your 40 time changes depending on what field you're running on.

I don't know why they use these sort of tests. Like that 225x? bench press thing they do. What's it have to do with anything?

It's this sort of stuff used as measurements why undrafted free agents become stars (Priest Holmes, Willie Parker) and first round picks are often complete duds.

 

[Supremo]

No offence man, but 5.23 for a 40 is pretty brutal. That's like O-lineman speed. It could be due to slower reaction time...how were you timed? Like was it electronic w/ a laser or just some dude with a stop watch? Start doing sprint training, A/B/C skips, etc and working on footspeed. I know you can do a lot better...I have a feeling its just an issue of you starting too slow because you weren't used to the drill. In the end, its all about field performance anyways. What's your ht/wt. like?

Ok so today after working out, the football coach said he would time our 40s to have as a base, then check it every two weeks to see if we're improving.

It was raining, I had slick-soled Adidas on, and I got a 5.02. My form sucks, I've never spent the time learning how to get down and start but hey, at least I'll have a number to look at and improve.

I'm 5'10" and 150.25 lbs (as of today).

BTW guys thanks for the drills. Will try after finals this week.

 

[Fuglydude]

I'm assuming you're running on a track or on grass? Use spikes and I bet you your time will drop another 0.1 to 0.2 seconds...told ya there your 40 was inaccurate! Shoes are really important. The start of any drill like that is basically a controlled fall where you're basically leaning forward and using the momentum from your body leaning forward coupled with explosive leg drive to get to accelerate.

I'm not sure about highschool football...but 5'10" at 150 seems pretty light for a running back. One of my good friends started at RB for my first university and he was around 5'10" - 200. Maybe work on putting on mass as well? I think your running will improve once you do more drill work.

Are you doing any powercleans and/or other olympic lifting? I think these in combination with plyos will really help your explosiveness. And remember like these guys are saying, the 40 doesn't mean much. Its all about on field performance.

 

[HandyAndy]

Ok so today after working out, the football coach said he would time our 40s to have as a base, then check it every two weeks to see if we're improving.

It was raining, I had slick-soled Adidas on, and I got a 5.02. My form sucks, I've never spent the time learning how to get down and start but hey, at least I'll have a number to look at and improve.

I'm 5'10" and 150.25 lbs (as of today).

BTW guys thanks for the drills. Will try after finals this week.

My coach tells us to hold our breath the first 10 yards, i have no idea why though

 

[Supremo]

I'm not sure about highschool football...but 5'10" at 150 seems pretty light for a running back. One of my good friends started at RB for my first university and he was around 5'10" - 200. Maybe work on putting on mass as well? I think your running will improve once you do more drill work.

http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=134889
I just started this journal (this week I'm testing maxes) and am working on bulking up. I pretty much have 3/4 of a year to do it.

I would LOVE to be 180 lbs+ but I want to also keep my BF% below 10.

Honestly the bulking isn't what I'm worried about, it's the short burst speed.

Once I get goin with my workout program next week, I'll be doing squats and power cleans like you said.

Someone told me that those agility ladders were really good? I always hated them but after watching numerous football training vids on Youtube, I think I'll give 'em a shot.

 

[The Inside Man]

I was a running back in high school at about 155-160. There are some really quick guys in that range, I ran for 15 yards my first carry. I only played for a year though. As far as speed and agility-

HILL SPRINTS!!!
learn about them. Perfect for short bursts of speed and power

 

[MrS]

Sprint backwards!
Hill sprint!
Sled push and drag!