BBC SPORT | Health & Fitness | Speed Academy session two

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Thursday, 29 September 2005, 15:32 GMT 16:32 UK

Speed Academy session two

This is the second session of our exclusive Speed Academy.

Research has shown that this eight-step programme will improve your speed and agility.

Just follow Mike Antoniades' training steps below and you could be turning defenders inside out like Thierry Henry does every week.

1. WARM-UP

14 ways to warm-up

2. AGILITY DRILL

This agility drill helps to improve your nimbleness on the pitch.

Speed hurdles

Equipment

Use sticks or cones lined up in straight line (10 lines) about 20 inches apart like in the picture above.

What do I do?

Start by weaving inside and outside the lines either with or without the ball and sprinting to the final cone.

Jog back to the start.

Now try the drill

Shuffling sideways through lines. Then run forward with 50% sprint to cone (x4)

Shuffling sideways through lines, Running backwards with 50% sprint (x4)

Shuffling backwards through lines, turn and run forward with 80% sprint (x4)

Shuffling backwards through lines, and run backwards with 80% sprint (x4)

Remember to stop and stretch the hamstrings and calf muscles after every four runs.

Seven step to success

Warm-up, Stretching & Cool-down
Strength and Power training
Ballistics and Explosiveness
Plyometrics
Sports loading and resistance training
Conditioning and speed endurance
Overspeed training

Single legs running

Double legs (feet together)

Sideways double legs (facing right)

Sideways double legs (facing left)

Single legs and sprint 10m at end

Sideways left and sprint 10m

Sideways right and sprint 10m

3. PRESS-UPS

Press-ups

This drill will help to build up your upper body strength.

How do I do a press-up correctly?

Place your hands underneath your shoulders with your arms fully extended and your fingers facing forward.

Bend your arms at your elbows, lowering your chest until it is two inches above the floor and your elbows reach 90 degrees.

Try to avoid sticking your bum in the air and make sure your rhythm is smooth.

How many should I do?

Under 13s 4 sets of 10 push ups

Over 18s 5 sets of 15 push ups

4. MULTI-DIRECTIONAL SPRINTS

Multi-directional sprints

Equipment

Cones

Tape measure

Layout cones in a rectangular shape, as shown here. The cones or markers are placed 5m apart.

How do I do it?

You should start in the start position of the graphic.

Runs as directed in the instructions towards all cones, returning to the start position every time.

You should rest for 2-3 minutes in between sets and stretch.

Under 13s run for 15 seconds

Over 13s run for 30 seconds

What do I do?

Forward running to each cone (x5) (with 15-30 seconds rest)

Forward running , backward return (x5) 15-30 seconds

Tips

Plant the foot and turn to the start

Work fast

Rest and stretch after every set

5. WARM DOWN

10 ways to warm down

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Related to this story:

Speed Academy session one (29 Sep 05 | Health & Fitness )
Speed Academy session three (29 Sep 05 | Health & Fitness )
Speed Academy session four (29 Sep 05 | Health & Fitness )
Speed Academy session five (06 Mar 06 | Health & Fitness )
Speed Academy session six (29 Sep 05 | Health & Fitness )
Speed Academy session seven (29 Sep 05 | Health & Fitness )
Speed Academy session eight (29 Sep 05 | Health & Fitness )

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