#1 Assistant Coach posted:RJM posted:I sent my son to training specific to running the sixty. It improved his running technique. Plus he got stronger. He cut his time from 6.8 to 6.6. Added strength in college got him to 6.5.
Chances are a player isn't going to improve from 7.0 to 6.6 or 6.5. But improvement to 6.8 could change how he's perceived as a college prospect.
LU 57 posted:Not the best analog because I played football a million years ago, but I saw big gains in my 40 time and vertical leap, and explosiveness in general after starting power/Olympic-style lifting as part of my team's strength program -squats and power-cleans in particular. A lot of my teammates also saw big gains.
Learning how to sprint with proper form was huge as well. A lot of kids lose time when they are too tense in their shoulders and face, or if their head moves too much. Not utilizing the arms properly -not enough or erratically- are big time drags as well. I bet there are a bunch of youtube videos out there that teach proper sprinting form. Good luck!
Obviously no progress if no concerted and prolonged effort. Son was a 6-8/215 who got down to 6.97 (from 7.47 freshman HS year) at two different showcases summer before senior year of HS. Even though a PO, where simply "finishing the 60," (as Fenway says) is expected, he felt he had to do all in his power to be "perceived (well) as a college prospect."
LU57 mentioning power cleans and other Olympic style lifting, rings a bell also as I think the timing would be about right for son breaking 7.0 finally.
60-times I believe definitely falls under the category of "controlling what you can control."
My 2019 would fall under prolonged effort here. He works very hard and is seeing his 60yd time drop considerably each year, but he puts in a tremendous amount of effort. HS Frosh Tryouts: 8.6, HS Soph Tryouts: 7.9, HS Jr Tryouts 7.2. Another factor here in why he is dropping so much over his HS years is being a late bloomer. Again, I just hear so many talk about speed cant be taught and either you have it or you dont, so I am curious to hear if there are those out there that are hitting the low 60s that say it was god gifted and just showed up?