Speed

Get someone who is qualified to teach you proper running form and dynamic and static stretching. Then sprint. Alot.

What if you have no one to teach you proper running form and stretching?

There is some really good stuff on line. Also if you give coach Littlejohn at Flight School in Anderson SC a call he would be very glad to help you out. He is outstanding. You can google him and get his contact information. If there a HS close to you? Do they have a track coach? If there a college close to you? Do they have a track coach? You will be surprised who will be more than glad to assist someone who is trying to get help if asked.

Plyometrics and resistance training with focus on good sprint form. Keep in mind the difference between trained and natural speed and the upkeep involved in trained speed. Trained speed can go very quick if it isn't kept up. Those couple tenths you work 6-12 months to knockoff can come back very quick if you dont continue to maintain it.

Baller,

You would be amazed what a little practice can do. My son was running 7.3-7.4 60's. He wants to play college baseball and knows that he has to be under 7 for a position player. After 1 month of just running 5 or 6 timed 60's 3 times a week and getting a few pointers from a female runner who happened to be a the track that day, he ran a 7 flat on wet grass at a college camp. A few weeks later he ran a 6.9 at a college camp. Then a month later he ran a 6.8 at a travel team tryout. He reduced his time by a half a second in about 3 months. His goal is to run a 6.6 when he is timed next summer. Good luck. Stay positive - and run.

HVdad nailed it. It is kind of D'oh but if you want to get faster go practice it.

If you want to get faster find someone who can help you with form then get out and sprint 3 days a week. Get warmed up then practice starts while you are fresh and then run on alternative days "overs and unders" Work up to running 12ea 100yard sprints, and then run on alternative days run 40's. Mix in a few days of sprinting up the bleachers. You will be surprised how much faster you get.

work out with the hs track team

When a player is at a timed showcase, I always give one piece of advice. Find the fastest person or fastest looking person they can to run against. Many guys try to find just the opposite as they want to "look" good against whomever their running.

A timed showcase isn't about looking good because you beat some slow guy by ten feet. It's about running the fastest time you are capable of. So run with someone who will challenge or even beat you. That will push a guy to his fastest time if he gives it the effort to try to beat someone who is just as fast or faster.

quote:

Originally posted by Three Bagger:
When a player is at a timed showcase, I always give one piece of advice. Find the fastest person or fastest looking person they can to run against. Many guys try to find just the opposite as they want to "look" good against whomever their running.

A timed showcase isn't about looking good because you beat some slow guy by ten feet. It's about running the fastest time you are capable of. So run with someone who will challenge or even beat you. That will push a guy to his fastest time if he gives it the effort to try to beat someone who is just as fast or faster.

+1 on this. Spot on advice, Three Bagger.

I work several showcase events each year and have for quite some time. The 60 is always the first event. Many kids fail to warm up properly. No dynamic stretching before the event. Some static stretching before the event. Many have no idea how to run properly. Their form is poor. Many take a drop step when the start is given. They are actually stepping back as the clock is running. So the poor start and the poor running form are 2 strikes against them right there. Then many do not run in a straight line. They lose time right there. That could go down as poor running form as well. Then there is the failure to finish past the line syndrome as well. They actually start to slow down before they finish. They should pick a spot five or even ten yards past the finish point and run through it.

Of course all of this has to be in place before the day of the event. Learn how to properly stretch for athletic competition. Be it a game or a timed event. Learn how to properly run. Learn how to start and finish a timed event. And of course if you want to get faster you have to work at the things that will make you faster.

You have to sprint. You have to work at it. And doing it properly goes a long ways to say the least. Everyone can get faster. But only those that actually put the time in and proper effort will achieve that goal.

coach at our showcases the players are directed to be at the stadium at least one hour prior to the start of the 60 yd dash-----many just ignore it

My son is running track this winter in order to improve his speed for baseball. He has seen some improvement.

Found this three part series on you tube when I was looking for drills for my son. I went through and wrote it all out if anyone wants it send me your email.

http://youtu.be/pPQrgmYlRGQ

twotex,

That is a very good decision by your son. My two boys ran track all through high school and competed in AAU track at other times. The benefits in athleticism and speed were enormous. It also helps things like jumping ability which is also used in baseball defense. A few weeks ago my son jumped on a 50 inch high box standing right in front of it and a 65 inch high box from a running start, landing flatfooted on top of each box. I don't think he could do those things without having participated in running and jumping events all through his younger days. It sure helps him out in center field.

quote:

Originally posted by Three Bagger:
twotex,

That is a very good decision by your son. My two boys ran track all through high school and competed in AAU track at other times. The benefits in athleticism and speed were enormous. It also helps things like jumping ability which is also used in baseball defense. A few weeks ago my son jumped on a 50 inch high box standing right in front of it and a 65 inch high box from a running start, landing flatfooted on top of each box. I don't think he could do those things without having participated in running and jumping events all through his younger days. It sure helps him out in center field.

But it must be a problem carrying those boxes in and out from center field no?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

1) Get stronger
2) learn proper acceleration technique
3) work on hip mobility
4) Joe Defranco and Eric Cressey both have some great videos and articles about speed