Every year the NFL Combine tests power and speed but rarely do the athletes get tested again. The reason is twofold: the athletes only need to prove themselves once, and many coaches are afraid to test and train speed because of the possibility of injuries to hamstrings and other muscle groups. Everyone is fearful of losing their job, and that is understandable…. But there is indeed a way to train speed without pulling muscles.

The importance of train speed (without pulling muscles).

Not taking the risk, this hyper-conservative approach often backfires. Infact athletes usually lose speed by not training it, and injuries that result from not preparing for speed show up during games. The most precious gift in sport is speed, but it’s also a responsibility coaches are afraid to be involved with.

Did you know Three primary factors create the risk of pulling muscles:

Effort – Athletes who run submaximal speed will likely not pull, but they will also likely fail to stimulate the body to either maintain speed or get better.
Distance – Athletes who do super-short sprints usually don’t get enough velocity to prepare for games that may have longer possible bursts or higher outputs from arousal.
Mechanics – Running mechanics are hard to change when athletes become elite because very little time is available to teach train and teach.

This article shows how to test safely and train speed while screening for injury. This solution is not a magic bullet, but the ability to train speed, test it, and screen for injuries—all at the same time—is a game changer.

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