What's the ONLY Way to Get Faster?

On a daily basis I receive emails from subscribersLike you asking variations of the very same Question:
What is 'step over drive down?'
How do you 'step over drive down?'
What does 'step over drive down' actually do?

I think you understand what I mean.

And this is a great question that clearly needs some further explanation.

The only way to get faster is to learn to apply more force to the ground. Simple Physics state that every action has an equalAnd opposite reaction. So it stands to reason that the more force you apply to the ground with every step, the more it is going to give back to you.

Now this is an overall concept of course. Athletes must use a variety of training methods to develop this ability. But it is this ability to apply greater force to the ground that determines how quickly an athlete can accelerate, change directions or maintain top speeds.

So I don't want you to get the idea that if you practice one specific drill or do one specific lift in the weight room that you will now have done everything required to help athletes achieve all their speed goals.

The truth of the matter is that you have to build all of your speed development around this fact. By improving things such as flexibility, doing short hills runs, running at full speed, performing speed drills, strength training and plyometrics, athletes directly and indirectly improve their ability to apply more fore to the ground by becoming stronger, more coordinated and thus more efficient.

All of these elements added to a structured speed workout program will result in every athlete quicklyimproving their ability to run faster.

But for the purposes of this article, I want to focus on the action of 'step over drive down' because efficiency is important and if your athletes' running form is terrible, then they will not be able to take advantage of all the work that goes into mastering the ability to apply force to the ground.

Some coaches and trainers have suggested that doing speed drills will not improve technique. Some say that other elements of training will actually correct technique by their very nature.

In my experience working with thousands of athletes of various ages, sports and skill levels, I find that *certain* speed drills are an excellent and required means of reinforcing these ideas. So what exactly am I talking about?

First, lets break running down into two parts: accelerating and maximum velocity or speed maintenance.

Most sports rely heavily, if not exclusively, on acceleration. This means that athletes rarely reach full speed during while competing in their sport. A great example of this is American football where athletes compete mostly in spurts of running that last 5-20 yards. The only time they reach full speed and must try to maintain it is when a breakaway occurs.

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I bring this up because there are going to be differences in the way athletes must run and think about running depending on whether they are accelerating or attempting to maintain top speeds. The differences are subtle but significant and must be addressed.

Yet, the overriding principle remains the same, they must 'step over, drive down'.

More specifically, athletes must learn to step over the opposite knee and drive the foot down into the ground so that the foot lands, generally speaking, beneath the hips.

As I just mentioned, there are subtle differences between where the foot strike will take place depending on what phase of running the athlete is in.

The important factor is that they be able to put themselves in a position to apply force to the ground as efficiently as possible.It's really one of those paradoxes that we often find in athletics. At the end of the day, no matter what else an athlete trains and regardless of how great their coaching is, if they aren't in a mechanical correct position upon foot strike, it doesn't matter how perfect the rest of their training is, they're going to under perform.

At the same time, all the mechanics in the world won't help an athlete who doesn't have the strength, coordination and flexibility required to apply that force.

And this is why athletes *need* a complete speed training program to help them achieve their full potential.It's the reason why sometimes we see super strong athletes who can put up ridiculous weights in the weight room, but get them on the track or on the field and they're slow as molasses on a cold winter morning.

It's lack of efficiency, not lack of strength. As coaches and athletes we must change our focus.

And that's' why I cue the step over, drive down technique. As an athlete, and I pretty darn fast one I have to say, this was my Achilles heel. No one ever taught me how to do this properly and so I suffered from a number of the side effects of poor efficiency: painfully slow acceleration and chronic hamstring, arch and knee problems.

Talent took me to a pretty high level, but now I sometimes sit back and think to myself that curse afflicting many former athletes 'what if...'

So that's why I've made it one of my life's missions to make sure that other athletes and coaches don't allow themselves or their athletes to underachieve like I did.

Because if one person, one time had been a good enough coach to pull me aside and teach me how to 'step over, drive down' my entire athletic career would have gone in a completely different direction.

So as I've spent all these years studying speed development, in many ways searching for the reasons why I didn't achieve my athletic goals. 'Step over, drive down' is a Truth that always rings clear in my head as the primary solution to many athletes' lack of achievement.

Over the years I've found a particular progression of cues, drills, exercises and techniques that, when taught in a specific order using specific ways of understanding how and why it works, athletes quickly make radical changes in their technique and efficiency.

And that means, of course, they got much faster.

Next week I'll be back with the second part of this article, where I'll go into further detail explaining how to teach this 'step over drive down' technique that has so many of you both intrigued and confused.

But the truth is, you could have your own copy of Complete Speed Training in your hands before I send out the second part of this article.

You can see my specific drill progression on video. And watch as I perform each drill with perfect technique as I explain exactly what to look for, how to teach it and where and how athletes will do it wrong.

Because like I said. Without getting this technique down, the rest of your training is like trying to teach algebra to an infant: Pointless.

Click here to learn more about Complete Speed Training
right now:
http://www.completespeedtraining.com

Complete Olympic Lifting, 10 more reasons why...

It doesn't matter what sport, age or training goal you have.

People from all over the world agree that Complete Olympic Lifting is a 'must-have' in any coach or athlete'straining library...

'This is the most complete training DVD on the market on the Olympic Lifting subject It is stocked from top to bottom with incredibly insightful information about how to perform lifts safely and productively. Each exercise is demonstrated from multiple angles, which I believe, will really help viewers with their exercise form. Each movement is broken down and learning progression is demonstrated and explained so no detail is left untouched. This DVD will serve as a completeintroduction for any beginner, and as a go-to reference guide for an experienced lifter's skill refinement and/or refreshmentIf you are looking to develop explosive speed and strength either for yourself or your athletes and are into Olympic lifts this is a must have DVD.
Congratulations on a wonderful product.
Efim Kourbatski,
Personal Trainer
Melbourne, Australia


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'I work with a professional team of soccer called GENOA CFC as a physical trainer. I also teach to the soccer players the correct technique of the Olympic Lifts because many times they don't know how to do them correctly. With your fantastic DVD I can show them all the correct progressions. In this way I can eliminate the possibility of injuries. The demonstrations with the explanations are very clear and easy to learn. I'm very satisfied with this product.'
Alessandro Pilati,
GENOA CFC, Italy


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'I have found the progressions and demonstrations provided in the Complete Olympic Lifting DVD to be the top of the field for Olympic lifting instruction. Not only are the lifts performed with accurate technique and impeccable form but the variety of lifts and easy to follow progressions will certainly help you and/or your athletes quickly accelerate through new strength and power plateaus. This is a must have DVD for any aspiring coach, CSCS, PES or CPT-it's been one of the best investments I've made in my training career. Trust me your clientele/athletes will thank you for it!!'
Robert Belley BS, CPT, YCS,
Pembroke, MA
Purely Physique: Results Training Systems

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'I have 5 different videos or DVDs about teaching the Olympic lifts. This is by far the best one I have. Detailed, professionally shot and narrated. Great teaching progressions and an excellent section on trouble shooting the Olympic lifts. I have shown my athletes this DVD and just seeing the lifts performed correctly has helped them dramatically. If you include the Olympic lifts in your program, you need this DVD!!'
Dale Spitzer,
Head Football Coach,
Fort Defiance High School


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'I have been coaching fitness and strength for rugby league at Secondary level (16-18 years old) for the last 10 years at Saint Brendans College in Yeppoon, Australia. In that time we have had bit of success winning 7 state titles and 1 Australian title. Since we started Olympic Lifting in our in-season program this year, our players are faster and less fatigued than where they were previously on conventional strength programs. I would nothave contemplated switching to olympic lifting if it wasn't for your DVD. So thank you very much.'
Lindsay Jones,
Yeppoon, Australia


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'During this past winter , my daughter, Trisha, a U-15 soccer player- trained and lifted- using your DVD on the TV in my basement. She followed the instructions- and although not performing all the lifts- managed to put on 15 pounds of musclefrom November through February. She is more explosive, her shot is better, and her Olympic Development coach states- 'Trisha - You have made a quantum leap this year!' Thank you!!!!!!!'
Mark J. Wladecki, M.D.,
Avon Lake, Ohio


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'I have the complete olympic lifting video and have studied and applied these methods for my weight training program.The video was very educational and help me to understand the proper method to use these lifts. I'm coming along well and hope this will help improve my throws. I'm a Senior athlete and compete in Senior and Masters T&F. My goal is to improve on both my strength and quickness. Thank you for sharing this information with me.'
Donald Lantrip,
Angleton, TX


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'We are so happy to have found your DVD! We have used it with our classes to give them a good visual of how the lifts should look. As we all know some kids are visual learners and having your DVD as that resource has helped us to get the point across in a much more direct manner. It has also helped some of our coaches with their teaching techniques. The DVD has helpedour whole program tremendously'.
Chuck Markiewicz,
Head Football Coach
Arundel HS, Gambrills, Md.


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'As a Track and Field coach for over twenty years, it was like a beginning of a sunny day when I got the Complete Olympic Lifting DVD from Athletes' Acceleration. I have made for many years the Olympic lifting a part of my explosive training for power in my athletes. I was always looking fore good demonstrations to show my new athletes many variations ways and break down the drills in Olympic lifting. Like I say, everybody can run and jump but to be quick and explosive is another thing and fun to practice.The DVDs from Athletes' Acceleration are very good to have when you're teaching the lifting techniques to new athletes that are looking for quickness and explosive in their sport. It is no question about it.'
Hlynur Chadwick
Guðmundsson , Iceland


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'This product is jam packed with information. If you are serious about learning the Olympic lifts; this resource is invaluable. I gave it to all of my trainers to watch and each had similar reactions. No question we all benefited tremendously from this DVD. I highly recommend the purchase.'
Thomas Phillips,
ThomasPhillips.com


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Take the advice of your colleagues and order now.
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Vertical Leap - you wanted proof...

By now I’m sure you’ve heard of sports performance coach Luke
Lowery and his program ‘The Vertical Project’ (theverticalproject.com).

In it, he guarantees that he can improve ANY athlete’s
vertical leap a *minimum* of 6 inches in 60 days.

Just think of how that could improve success in just about
every sport!

But as a speed coach and performance consultant, I’m very
hesitant to just buy into everyone’s bold claims on how
revolutionary their product or service is.

Well Luke called me last week and offered to prove to
everyone that his program is truly the Real Deal.

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Click here to find out what he’s talking about:

http://www.completespeedtraining.com/Lowrey.html
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He knows that a lot of people think that his claims about increasing
vertical leap are ‘ridiculous’, ‘impossible’ and ‘a scam’.

In fact, since we started promoting The Vertical Project, we’ve gotten
some emails from people who visited his site who said the same
things!

Remember the article I sent you last week about how to find the
ideal speed training program?

Well just apply those criteria to Luke’s program and I think you’ll
be impressed.

Because any successful performance enhancement resource must
pass the burden of proof with potential customers and other members
of the training industry.

And Luke’s does.

But I’m not writing to you today to try to get you to purchase the
Vertical Project.

I want to talk to you about something even more
comprehensive and more valuable.

When I talked to Luke last week, he told me about a program that
he is offering to an extremely limited number of coaches, athletes
and trainers.

Being the kind of guy I am, I had to ask him why he’s putting his
neck on the chopping block to offer such a powerful program.

I thought he was going to give me the same generic response I
get from other people who come to me to promote their
information, something like:

‘I want to prove all the doubters and haters wrong.’

Or

‘With my customer base, I know this program can make us
a lot of money.’

But Luke didn’t say anything like that at all.

In fact, his response really impressed me and that’s why I’m
writing this letter to you.

Because any performance enhancement resource I promote
becomes one that affects my reputation with you.

And that’s something I take very serious.

Instead, Luke started telling me how ever since he released his
program a few years ago, he began consulting with coaches,
athletes and trainers from all over the world.

As word of the results people were getting began to spread, he
started receiving phone calls from some Big Name professional
athletes.

And these are Big Time NFL, NBA, NCAA and Olympic
athletes that you would certainly recognize.

****Sorry I can’t ‘name drop’ here. We sign non-disclosure
agreements with athletes at this level, so we can’t talk about
our training arrangements!****

Luke believes that there are a ton of coaches, athletes and
trainers that are busting their butts to get better at what they do.

And you don’t deserve to be left out of this ‘insider information’
when you can use it to your advantage just as easily as these elite
athletes and coaches do.

I’ve been to and listened in on some of these elite training seminars
and I know how the most cutting edge information stays in these
circles for a long time before trickling down to the ‘masses.’

Have you ever heard the saying:

‘The rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer.’

Well that’s how the sharing of training information can go in
our industry.

But Luke wants to change that and I fully support his idea.

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OK, you’ve peeked my interest, show me that link again:

http://www.completespeedtraining.com/Lowrey.html
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Like I said before, Luke is only allowing an extremely small
number of coaches, athletes and clients to sign up for this offering.

With giants like JumpUSA and Peak Performance UK promoting
this amazing tele-seminar as well, I can guarantee you that over
250,000 people will have access to only a relative handful of
openings.

So I strongly suggest you click on the above link to find out how
to secure your spot.

Now here’s the deal:

Registration opens on Thursday, July 13.

If you’re one of the lucky few who actually get into the program,
you’ll also get a FRE*E copy of Luke’s revolutionary program, The
Vertical Project (retail price $247).

So as you can see, the value of this seminar is incredible.

It comes with the full endorsement of Athletes’ Acceleration, as
well as several other industry heavy-weights so you have nothing
to lose.

So check out everything that Luke is offering and mark Thursday
July 13 on your calendar!

Click here now: http://www.completespeedtraining.com/Lowrey.html

Complete Track & Field

I want to let you know that we've just relaunched one of ourmost popular websites, Complete Track and Field.

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Check it out:http://www.completetrackandfield.com
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We've opened up our entire database of content so now youhave complete access to all the track and field training articles,programs and interviews that used to be exlusive to payingmembers.
In addition I invite you to register for our discussion board soyou can ask, answer and get advice for any aspect oftraining and coaching track and field athletes at every level.

Our discussion board is moderated my experienced coachesand athletes so you can be sure that your questions will betreated with respect and courtesy. Rude behavior simply won't be tolerated.

Our content is updated on a regular basis, whether its in theform of articles, interviews with elite coaches and athletes, activity on the discussion boards or news updates on theWorld of professional Track and Field.

So no matter where your interest in track and field lies, CompleteTrackandField.com has the information you're looking for.

Even if you're not a track and field coach, there's plentyto learn about how the world's greatest athletes train.

And it's all absolutely free!

We have so much content that we're still in the processof adding new content so keep checking the site for new training information.

But for now, there's a ton of exclusive content to read.So head over to the site, read some articles and sign up for the discussion board (and ask some questions so we canget things rolling!)

Check out the site now: http://www.completetrackandfield.com


I'll see you on the discussion board!

How to find your ideal speed training program

We get a lot of emails from people asking us what the differences are between the dozens of speed training programsthat are out there on the market.

So we took the questions that we get and made a quick listof exactly what you should look for in a speed training programto ensure that your money is well spent.

The truth is that you may not end up purchasing our program.

But as long as you follow these 6 guidelines, you'll be sure to findand be satisfied with your purchase, regardless of who sells it:


1. PROOF
Any speed training program worth it's salt must be able to provethat it can get results within the sales copy that describes and promotes the product. With the internet, anyone off the street canclaim to be a speed expert so you have to make sure that their information and knowledge is worth paying your hard earnedmoney for. There are two primary examples of proof that you should look for: specific examples of how athletes have improved their fastest times and testimonials from satisfied customers.

Only the most dishonest people would make up testimonials. So when you see programs that have pictures of people, names of schools and training facilities, cities, states and countries that is a sign that certainly increases the likelihood of those testimonials being from real people. Of course, the more testimonials that there are on a product site, the more likely that the program really works.


2. DEPTH
How comprehensive is the program? True speed development requires much more than a list of drills and exercises. The warm up, speed drills, conditioning, agility, coordination, core training, strength work and power development are just a few of the elements that go into a well rounded and effective speed training program. Does the product you are looking at cover all (or any) of these elements? If not, you are likely to just get a laundry list of speed drills that, while they may work, give you no real understanding of when, where and why they should be added to your current training program. Make sure that any program you purchase gives you all the pieces to the training puzzle, not just one or two.


3. STRUCTURE
This is related to the previous topic. How is the program structured? Is there an easy to understand rhyme and reason to the set up of the product or is it a bunch of random concepts throwntogether haphazardly? Regardless of the sport you coach, you need a program that is going to give you results and make your life easier. It should show you exactly what to do, when to do it and how to teach it. Just as importantly, it should progress from easy/basic drills and concepts to more difficult/advanced techniques. This way, you will know exactly how and where to modify different parts of your training program to fit the specific needs of your athletes. A valuable program should make you feel like it is doing the work for you.


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Compare these guidelines to Complete Speed Training:
http://www.completespeedtraining.com
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4. GUARANTEE
Most people are at least a little bit hesitant to purchase anything over the internet. I know that I am at times. People also want to make sure they're getting an appropriate return on their investment. After all, in this day and age, few people can afford to just throw their money out the window. So when deciding which speed training program to purchase, make sure it has some sort of specific guarantee attached to it in case you don't like the program or it doesn't work for you. A reputable business will stand by their products and services and give you the opportunity to return your program without jumping through a series of flaming hoops. Look for a guarantee that will refund your total purchase, yet still give you enough time to try the program out. It's tough to really tell if a program works if you only have 30 days from the date of purchase to test it out. A quality product will give you at least 6 - 12 months to give you ample time to use the program to its fullest.


5.VIDEO?
In this day and age I can't imagine why anyone would purchase a speed training program that wasn't on video. It's one thing if you are interested in learning training theory or periodization. But if you are searching for a practical speed development resource that you can actively apply to real athletes, make sure it is on video. Taking it a step further, make sure it is on DVD. This is the 21st Century and let's be honest, they don't even make VCRs anymore. It is nearly impossible to get a full understanding of how to properly perform or teach speed and agility drills or movements unless you can watch them done correctly on DVD. I don't care whose program it is, if it is a book or Ebook you're not going to be able to easily apply it to real life situations with a clear understanding.


6.GADGETS
In this case I'm talking about fancy equipment. Unless you work with athletes that are competing at the elite, professional levels, there is little need to spend your money on complex speed training equipment. Young athletes already have so many technical, form and strength related issues holding them back that trying to solve those problems with chutes and sleds is putting the cart before the horse. There are a few programs out there that hook you with their program, then sneak up and make you buy several expensive pieces of equipment in order to fully use their program. It's crafty from a business stand point but entirely unnecessary for you. I'm not saying that there's no place for speed training equipment in training because I do use them with some athletes. However, it's better served for breaking through training plateaus that come long after athletes have mastered other foundational concepts.


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I invite you to take this list and match it up with other speed development programs that you've found and think about the results.
Then go to: http://www.completespeedtraining.com

You'll immediately see that Complete Speed Training standshead and shoulders above its competition.

Before long, so will you.

http://www.completespeedtraining.com

Warm up Drills for Athletes

An effective warm-up must consist of a series of dynamic and active movements that start with low impact, low intensityexercises and progress naturally to high intensity, full speed 'exercises that simulate the intensity of the upcoming practice orcompetition.

As you know, in order for you to be ready to perform speed work or compete at high intensities, you must get warmedup properly.

We often find that there is some confusion as to what constitutes a proper warm-up. For example, some coaches are still using static stretching to get athletes loose before practices and competitions. Unfortunately, this outdated method actuallyreduces speed and power.

Think about it: how often during a practice or competition does an athlete hold a stretch position as part of their sport? That is right, not very often. So if you are still using this methodto get ready to compete, you are not getting the most out of your ability.

Instead, perform dynamic exercises that are similar to the types of movements you will be going through during practiceand competitions. Keep moving and gradually increase the intensity of your activity. That way you can get the blood flowing into the muscles through a natural progression.

Remember, a good warm-up should take at least 20 to 25 minutes to complete. This will reduce the likelihood of injury by ensuring that you do not try to go too fast too soon. In addition, you will get the most out of your muscles because you followed a thought-out progression of movements that went from low intensity jogging and skipping to high intensity speed development drills and exercises.

By the time you have finished warming up, you will be lightly sweating, fired up and ready compete!

Another issue to note when doing any type of drills is to make sure that you are performing the exercises correctly. You compete like you practice. If you are not performing the drills correctly you are going increase the likelihood ofinjury by adding unnecessary stress to joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Drills are designed to be done a certain way for a specific reason. If you are not technically sound during the warm-up you will not be technically sound in games and competitions when it counts. The warm-up is the foundation of the day's activities and sets the tempo for all that is to follow it.

So now that you know what types of activities must be done and how to approach them, let us take a look at an actual dynamic warm up that top athletes and coaches use to get ready each day.

Before trying this out, be sure to jog and/or skip for aboutfive minutes.
Here is a sample warm-up:

High knee walk - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Lateral lunge walk (both legs) x 10each leg
Jog 50 yards
Front leg swings - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Lateral leg swings - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Iron cross - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Scorpion - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Backwards run - 2 x 30 yards
'A' skip - 3 x 15 yards
'A' run - 2 x 20 yards
Fast leg - 2 x 30 yards (each leg)
Accelerations - 4 x 40 yards.

By performing this type of warm-up every day, you will be loose, powerful and fast. In fact it is the only way.

Be sure that you perform a dynamic warm-up before eachpractice and competition; otherwise you are not competing to the best of your ability and the likelihood of sustaining an injury is increased.

For sample warm up routines, step by step instructions for over 48 dynamic warm up exercises and active stretches (and how they fit into your overall training program) check out: http://www.completespeedtraining.com