Make gains by doing the simple things well

You can make huge gains by doing simple things well. Remember when you were learning to ride a bike or drive a car – you had to do it slowly until you mastered the task you were trying to learn? 

The same applies for running mechanics / technique. Many sportsmen, yes and I mean men don’t take the time to learn the basics well. They just plough straight into things at full pace, oblivious that if they only slowed down and learnt the tasks correctly they could improve at least 10% to 15% on their performance.  Maybe some of our sportsmen need to take time out from the “macho” image, slow down and get things totally correct so they have a good chance of reaching 100% of their ability.

Speed – Speed training is high intensity bursts over a short duration, with good rest recovery periods – you must rest the nervous system so it recharges. When the nervous system becomes tired you can’t generate power and co-ordinate your movements. Speed is all about total power –  the more fluent you run the more power you can generate. Fast arms produce fast legs, but first the arms must be performing in such a way to propel the body forward efficiently. Most people, whether sportsmen/women of any code as well as casual runners do not perform this well. It takes patience and the ability to slow down the pace and learn it slowly and correctly if you truly want to reach your true running potential.

Remember it takes 4 to 6 weeks to reverse an old habit!

---