Simple Tips To Increase Your Running Speed

The key to running at any speed is to practice correct running technique. Keep your upper body tall and relaxed, work on correct foot landing, and swing your arms back and forth. Start slow and build up speed gradually whilst maintaining this posture.

Training techniques

One of the main problems with trying to improve on speed is finding time to train. Interval training provides a great way to squeeze in a high intensity exercise in a short time frame.

Fartlek training is a Swedish training technique that alternates jogs with sprints to gradually increase speed and endurance. There’s a reason you see runners sprinting in their warm up before a big race, it helps improve that acceleration technique that’s necessary if you want to push for faster times.

To increase your speed you’re going to be pushing your body further than it’s used to. In order to avoid injury, you’re going to need to combine static and dynamic stretches into every workout. Target your hip flexors specifically; better hip flexibility increases your stride length.

Skipping

Bear with us on this one. Boxers use the skipping rope in their workouts to increase their hand and foot speed - this benefits runners just as much as it does boxers.

Core Exercise

Exercising your core for 15 minutes a few times a week is enough to improve your speed - so make sure you’re doing it. Stronger core muscles allow you to tap into more force on the move, and a flabby midriff will definitely hold you back.

40 winks

An easy one to end with. If you’re taking part in running events, always make sure you get a good nights sleep the night before, it will benefit your reaction times, equalling faster running times.