How to Run a 4.2-second 40 Yard Dash!

Speed/ Plyometrics/ Conditioning

In my previous blog post, I revealed my Top 9 Drills to Improve Acceleration Technique. That blog post was well-received from my readers due to it's "timely" nature. You see, it's Combine training season and 75% of the "Ask Joe" questions I receive during this time of year pertain to improving the 40 yard dash. 

Running an impressive 40 requires a powerful start and acceleration; therfore, athletes and coaches love learning new drills that will potentially help with that portion of the race. The drills I revealed should be "staples" in every athletes speed training program; but the bottom line is those drills don't mean sh#t if you can't 'put it all together' when it comes time to actually run your 40! So I decided to take a video of four of our elite level athletes "putting it all together" during a recent technical speed session. This session focussed on perfecting each individual athlete's 40 yard dash stance and first 10 yards.

Although I've answered countless questions on this topic over the years; I figured what better way to learn than to watch four athletes that have all been officially clocked at 4.2 seconds in the 40 Yard Dash! I really don't think there are too many gyms on this planet that have this level of speed & talent training together in one group at one gym.  

So without further ado, check out this very special "behind the scenes" look at our "4.2 Crew" working on their 40 starts...

Notice the incredible angles they were able to hold while getting in their stances >> positive shin angles, flat back, and the strength to hold themselves up even though their front hand is placed behind the front shoulder, etc. Before they even started running, you could probably tell they were going to explode forward just by the angles they were holding in their stances.

By the way, did you notice the incredible physiques these guys possess?? One of the reasons they're all able to hold that "advanced" stance is because of their insane upper body strength.

Ironically, all these guys can bench press double their bodyweight. But before you go and order a pizza so you can "get your bench up" with the hopes of running a faster 40; please take note that the four athletes shown in the video have single-digit bodyfat percentages! As you can see, strength alone isn't good enough. As I've stated time and time again, relative strength is the key to sprinting speed! 

Hope you enjoyed this 'sneak peek' of an actual training session with elite athletes. One of the things I'm going to try and do more of is provide my readers with actual workout clips...performed by actual athletes...that are actually getting results in the real world!!! (This type of information is something that is definitely lacking in our industry.)

In my old age, I'm getting kind of sick of reading articles that are based on "theory" and written by "experts" whose client list is shorter than Mini Me! 

-Joe D. 

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*Got a question, comment or feedback pertaining to this blog post? If so, leave a comment below and I'll do my best to get back to you guys right here.

3 Comments

Top 9 Drills to Improve Acceleration Technique

Speed/ Plyometrics/ Conditioning

In honor of "Combine Training season", I've decided to provide a fool-proof list of drills that have helped us produce some of the fastest football players in the country. All of these acceleration drills are "economical" exercises that are simple to teach and provide fast results! (Speaking of "fast"... I'm going to make this blog post very fast and get right to the point. As many of you know; my time is limited during this time of year :))

So without further ado; here are 9 drills that have worked time and time again with regards to improving 40-yard dash starts and overall acceleration technique & power with our athletes. Incorporate them into your speed training programming and thank me later!

Here's my Top 9 List (in no particular order)...

#1) Prowler march: teaches proper acceleration lean (at a slow speed so athletes can "feel" it), along with positive shin angle and increases concentric strength/force application

#2) Mountain Climbers into sprint: rehearses the motor pattern of "driving one knee forward (positive shin angle) and fully extending the other leg backward"; my coaching cue for this is "splitting the thighs apart" / improves functional mobility / teaches athletes to fire out low

#3) Push-up starts: teaches athletes to fire out low / helps reinforce positive shin angle when driving out of the push-up position

*Here's a video showing the first three exercises "in action" with our new group of NFL hopefulls this past weekend...

#4) Jump-back Acceleration Starts: teaches athletes to push off both feet during the start of a sprint

#5) Bounding: improves force application & power / improves functional mobility / reinforces "covering ground" with each foot strike (as opposed to short, choppy steps)

#6) Heavy Ass Sled Drags: teaches proper acceleration angle & force application into the ground at slower speeds (for better learning) / improves concentric strength at specific angles

#7) Prowler and/or Sled Sprints (light/moderate weight): teaches proper accleration angle / overloads specific sprint musculature at higher speeds

#8) Medicine Ball throw into sprint: "momentum" of the throw helps with forward body lean and the feeling of "falling" during the first 10 yards of a sprint / improves overall power

#9) Hill Sprints: increases hip flexor and extensor strength / improves force application during each foot strike

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*For those who have been emailing and asking me about posting more videos of this years NFL Combine/Pro Day class -- it's time to start checking our youtube channel on a daily basis! Our Combine program is in full swing and I will be posting more videos and "introducing" you to this years crew in the days & weeks to come! In fact, we already posted our first video of University of Nevada All-American D-lineman, Brett Roy. Brett was the first player to contact me and reserve a spot in my Combine program this year; so I felt it was fitting to feature him in our first video. In case you missed it, here you go...

Once again, we have attracted an "interesting" bunch :)

Keep checking back to learn more about these athletes and their training as they prepare to play on Sunday's...

'Tis the season!!

-Joe D. 

P.S. Drop me a comment below and let me know what you think of my "TOP 9 LIST".....or share YOUR favorite drills for improving acceleration mechanics.

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6 Comments

TOP 3 Special Strength Exercises to Improve Vertical Jump!

Speed/ Plyometrics/ Conditioning

Q: Coach Defranco-

I recently graduated from university with a degree in exercise science. I have a desire to keep learning. Of specific interest to me is improving vertical leaping ability. To further my knowledge i recently purchased Special Strength Training Manual for coaches from elitefts. I also just purchased your power dvd - which btw, was beyond my expectations, so many exercises to choose from it is amazing!! After watching your dvd and reading through the special strength manual, my question to you is: If an athlete demonstrates adequate levels of maximal strength in the basic lifts (squat and deadlift), what are some of your favorite "special strength" exercises for improving leaping ability?? Do you have a top 5 list or something?? (I guess I just get overwhelmed with all the exercises that i've been reading about and seeing on youtube, dvd's,etc

If you find the time to answer this it would be an honor coach. Thnx!! Aaron

A: Aaron,

My initial response to your question was going to be a long-winded explanation about how it's impossible to narrow down the "best" exercises because there's so many factors regarding the athlete's strengths, weaknesses, physical maturity, training age, sport, technical jumping ability, flexibility, blah, blah, blah.

But then I said, "Screw it!" People love "lists" and articles that cut to the chase. Even people that hate to read will still read articles with the following titles: "Top 10 Foods to Burn Fat!"... "Best Triceps Exercises to Increase Your Bench Press!"..."Top 5 Pieces of Equipment every Gym MUST Have!"

Hopefully you get my point. I've come to realize that not every "Ask Joe" has to be an in-depth explanation of every single question. Every now and then, people just want to know what the hell they should do to jump higher, run faster or get stronger! Plus, it's already 1:35am so I'm going to cut right to the chase and give you exactly what you asked for :) Below you will find my current Top 3 List of Special Strength Exercises for Improving Your Vertical Jump!

[Without trying to sound cocky, I consider myself somewhat of an expert with regards to training athletes to improve their vertical jump. So I am extremely confident when I say the following three exercises have worked - and will work - for most high-level athletes looking to add inches to their vertical jump! NOTE: Remember that these are considered 'Special Strength' exercises and should only be used by athletes that possess adequate levels of maximal strength.]

Depth Jump into Underhand Med Ball Toss (for height)

Band-Resisted Kettlebell Swings

"Dumbell Drop" Box Jumps 

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-Joe D. 

2 Comments

POWER!, Weight Gain and Recovering from Surgery

Speed/ Plyometrics/ Conditioning

Q: Just watched the Power DVD and there are some really great exercises on the DVD. How would I incorporate Power exercises with Built Like a Badass? Would I still do my normal upper and lower body workouts and then add 2 power days? Keep up the good work!

Trav

A: Trav,

I wouldn't "add" more days to the 'Badass' Program. The whole point of that program is efficiency, less time in the gym, etc.

For the Lower Body Day, there is already a POWER exercise incorporated into the program. (We did this to improve overall athleticism, as well as excite the CNS before the heavy squats or deadlifts.) So you really don't need to make any changes to the template. What you can do is rotate some of the new exercises you learned in the POWER! DVD into the Badass Program. In other words, you can change "Exercise #1" every two to three weeks to one of the jump variations you learned in the POWER! DVD. (Just make sure you choose your jumps intelligently. Start with the basics and progress to the more advanced variations as the weeks go on.)

Incorporating POWER! into the Upper Body Workouts on the 'Built Like a Badass' Program is easy. I suggest concluding your warm-up on 'Day 3' with 3-5 sets of a medicine ball throw variation or another upper body POWER drill that you learned from the DVD. Once again, make sure you progress properly, as outlined in the dvd.

(Keep 'Day 1' exactly as outlined in the Built Like a Badass Program.) 

Hope that helps! 

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Q: Joe, I know you've had at least 5 back surgeries so I thought you may have some input. I herniated my L5-S1 and had surgery 7 days ago. I may have re-herniated again today while sneezing seated (worst pain ever). Any recovery advice? What to do? More so, what not to do while recovering from surgery/surgeries.

A: Brad,

Sorry to hear about your back surgery! (No one knows better than me how bad back surgery SUCKS!) I'm also well aware that all herniated disks and other back problems were not created equal -- everyone's problem/surgery/pain is individual to them. I can't tell you how many "experts" have given me advice that was supposed to be "tried & true" for the lumbar spine and I ended up getting WORSE! So without knowing your personal case, I won't give you specific advice, but I will give you some general guidelines that may help. 

First of all, let your doctor know about your "sneeze incident". I know that "sneeze pain" all too well (and boy does it F-ing hurt) but you may not have "re-herniated" anything. Make sure you have your doctor examine you to put your mind at ease. With that being said, I also strongly encourage you to make your doctor give you specifics of what you should and shouldn't be doing (movement wise). You obviously don't want to overdo anything, but you can "under-do" it as well. Your doctor needs to explain what type of pain is bad and what type of pain needs to be worked through. More specifically, find out how much stretching, bending, rotating you should and shouldn't be doing. You don't want to do too much too soon, but if you don't bend/stretch/rotate enough, you can develop very strong scar tissue that can be crippling if it develops around any nerve roots. (I speak from experience on this one!)

Speaking of scar tissue, start supplementing with a high dose of Bromelain! There is evidence that this supplement can prevent scar tissue from forming, or "eat away" at existing scar tissue, if you start taking it early enough. (I recommend starting it a few days after any surgery and then stay on it for a few months -- depending on the severity of the surgery.) Bromelain is a natural anti-inflammatory so it's a great supplement for anyone with injuries, arthritis, or any kind of pain. Keeping inflammation to a minimum should be your top priority, so I strongly encourage you to supplement with Omega-3 fatty acids as well. (This should be a staple in your diet whether you've had surgery or not!) Speaking of diet "staples", make sure you're drinking enough water, especially post-surgery! Don't under-estimate the power of water and it's ability to speed up the healing process, as well as flush out the "poisons" of surgery! 

Finally, anyone who is having surgery should always supplement with probiotics pre & post surgery; this will help combat the mega-doses of antibiotics that are given to patients during and after most surgical procedures. 

Hope this answer was of some help.

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Q: I have read both of your past articles on developing KnockOut Power in the weight room. I've been following the guidelines & feel they've been working out GREAT for me. Not only more powerful, but I have more muscle definition as well. However, I'm also trying to gain about 5 more lbs in lean muscle mass without losing any speed/explosiveness. To do this do I just need to up my calorie intake? Or should I adjust the workouts as well? If so, how?

I appreciate you time, thank you.

Sergio B.

A: Sergio,

I don't think you should change a thing, training-wise. (If it aint broke, don't fix it.) I always look to an athlete's diet (before training) when it comes to gaining or losing weight. In your case, you need to create a slight caloric "overspill" in order to gain your weight. I suggest shooting for a solid pound a week. (When an athlete gains weight gradually, he/she has a much better tendency to keep the weight on.) Since there is 3500 calories in a pound, I suggest adding an extra 500 calories a day. You don't need to go crazy counting calories, either. Just keep eating exactly how you have been and add one small meal or shake in addition to what you've been eating. This can be 2 scoops of protein powder with a tablespoon of almond butter before bed, or just a slight increase in portion size during your regular feedings. 500 calories is not a lot of calories to add to your diet each day. But, a few extra calories each day will go a long way after a month or two. You'll have 5 solid pounds on your frame before you know it! 

Keep kickin' ass!

-Joe D. 

2 Comments