Entries by Dean Benton

Revisiting running drills

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As much as coaches love drills, it is important to remember that drills do not equal skills. If the intention is to enhance running skill, then this must be coached directly via running per se. Moreover, if you want to get faster you must run fast. This is simply adhering to the principle of specificity. The primary benefit of drills is to challenge posture and positions that are similar to those that occur during the sprint action. Drills should be considered as specific strength and functional flexibility development – the technical benefit is ancillary.

How runners can train in the water

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Swimming and athletics are the two most classic Olympic sports. In some ways the sports are similar, displaying different types of movement in their purest form. But in other ways they are complete opposites. For example a key component of sprinting is how the body navigates gravity and contact with the ground. Both of those play little role in swimming. As a result, the sports do not influence each other very much when it comes to physical preparation. That’s a shame, as there is a thing or two that runners could benefit from by jumping in the water.

Rethinking speed development for team sports

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Speed is often what defines key moments in team sports and distinguishes the good teams from the great teams. The key question faces coaches then is: are we creating and environment that nurtures speed, or kills it? All too often we see athletes that fail to get faster as their careers progress or typically, regress in their speed. The systematic progression of athletic and technical capabilities should see running-based sport athletes reach their speed potential in their late 20s or early 30s. It is up to coaches to create an environment to develop speed to its full potential.