Acceleration exercises offer several key benefits, particularly in preparing the body for faster running and improving overall speed mechanics.
Accelerations serve as an excellent warm-up and training tool. According to a source from 16-Mar-2021, they are a great precursor to faster training because they get the blood flowing and elevate the heart rate without placing too much overall stress on the body.
Key Benefits of Acceleration Exercises
Acceleration exercises provide numerous advantages for runners and athletes looking to improve their speed and efficiency:
- Effective Warm-up: By gradually increasing speed over short distances, accelerations help raise body temperature, improve blood circulation, and elevate heart rate safely, preparing muscles and the cardiovascular system for more intense activity.
- Low Stress Preparation: Unlike immediate high-speed sprints, accelerations build up speed progressively. This method allows the body to adapt to faster movement without the sudden impact and stress associated with going from standing still to full sprint immediately.
- Improved Running Mechanics: Regularly practicing accelerations helps refine form and technique at increasing speeds. The referenced source highlights that accelerations help to improve your mechanics. This includes better posture, arm drive, and leg turnover.
- Increased Comfort at High Speed: Through repeated exposure to gradually faster paces, the body becomes more comfortable and efficient running at higher velocities. The reference notes that accelerations help to improve your comfort running at high speed.
- Preparation for Faster Training: As the source indicates, accelerations are a great precursor to faster training. They bridge the gap between warm-up jogging and high-intensity speed work, making subsequent faster intervals or sprints feel more manageable and less jarring.
Practical Application
Incorporating accelerations into your training routine is simple and beneficial.
- Start with a light jog to begin your warm-up.
- Perform several repetitions of accelerations over 50-100 meters.
- During each acceleration, start at a comfortable pace and gradually increase speed to about 80-90% of your maximum perceived effort by the end of the segment.
- Walk back to your starting point between repetitions to recover fully.
- Perform these before speed workouts or as part of a general warm-up routine.
These controlled bursts of speed help build confidence and prepare the nervous system for quicker movements, setting a solid foundation for speed development.
