We get a lot of emails from people asking us what the differences are between the dozens of speed training programsthat are out there on the market.

So we took the questions that we get and made a quick listof exactly what you should look for in a speed training programto ensure that your money is well spent.

The truth is that you may not end up purchasing our program.

But as long as you follow these 6 guidelines, you’ll be sure to findand be satisfied with your purchase, regardless of who sells it:

1. PROOF
Any speed training program worth it’s salt must be able to provethat it can get results within the sales copy that describes and promotes the product. With the internet, anyone off the street canclaim to be a speed expert so you have to make sure that their information and knowledge is worth paying your hard earnedmoney for. There are two primary examples of proof that you should look for: specific examples of how athletes have improved their fastest times and testimonials from satisfied customers.

Only the most dishonest people would make up testimonials. So when you see programs that have pictures of people, names of schools and training facilities, cities, states and countries that is a sign that certainly increases the likelihood of those testimonials being from real people. Of course, the more testimonials that there are on a product site, the more likely that the program really works.

2. DEPTH
How comprehensive is the program? True speed development requires much more than a list of drills and exercises. The warm up, speed drills, conditioning, agility, coordination, core training, strength work and power development are just a few of the elements that go into a well rounded and effective speed training program. Does the product you are looking at cover all (or any) of these elements? If not, you are likely to just get a laundry list of speed drills that, while they may work, give you no real understanding of when, where and why they should be added to your current training program. Make sure that any program you purchase gives you all the pieces to the training puzzle, not just one or two.

3. STRUCTURE
This is related to the previous topic. How is the program structured? Is there an easy to understand rhyme and reason to the set up of the product or is it a bunch of random concepts throwntogether haphazardly? Regardless of the sport you coach, you need a program that is going to give you results and make your life easier. It should show you exactly what to do, when to do it and how to teach it. Just as importantly, it should progress from easy/basic drills and concepts to more difficult/advanced techniques. This way, you will know exactly how and where to modify different parts of your training program to fit the specific needs of your athletes. A valuable program should make you feel like it is doing the work for you.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Compare these guidelines to Complete Speed Training:
http://www.completespeedtraining.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

4. GUARANTEE
Most people are at least a little bit hesitant to purchase anything over the internet. I know that I am at times. People also want to make sure they’re getting an appropriate return on their investment. After all, in this day and age, few people can afford to just throw their money out the window. So when deciding which speed training program to purchase, make sure it has some sort of specific guarantee attached to it in case you don’t like the program or it doesn’t work for you. A reputable business will stand by their products and services and give you the opportunity to return your program without jumping through a series of flaming hoops. Look for a guarantee that will refund your total purchase, yet still give you enough time to try the program out. It’s tough to really tell if a program works if you only have 30 days from the date of purchase to test it out. A quality product will give you at least 6 - 12 months to give you ample time to use the program to its fullest.

5.VIDEO?
In this day and age I can’t imagine why anyone would purchase a speed training program that wasn’t on video. It’s one thing if you are interested in learning training theory or periodization. But if you are searching for a practical speed development resource that you can actively apply to real athletes, make sure it is on video. Taking it a step further, make sure it is on DVD. This is the 21st Century and let’s be honest, they don’t even make VCRs anymore. It is nearly impossible to get a full understanding of how to properly perform or teach speed and agility drills or movements unless you can watch them done correctly on DVD. I don’t care whose program it is, if it is a book or Ebook you’re not going to be able to easily apply it to real life situations with a clear understanding.

6.GADGETS
In this case I’m talking about fancy equipment. Unless you work with athletes that are competing at the elite, professional levels, there is little need to spend your money on complex speed training equipment. Young athletes already have so many technical, form and strength related issues holding them back that trying to solve those problems with chutes and sleds is putting the cart before the horse. There are a few programs out there that hook you with their program, then sneak up and make you buy several expensive pieces of equipment in order to fully use their program. It’s crafty from a business stand point but entirely unnecessary for you. I’m not saying that there’s no place for speed training equipment in training because I do use them with some athletes. However, it’s better served for breaking through training plateaus that come long after athletes have mastered other foundational concepts.

********************

I invite you to take this list and match it up with other speed development programs that you’ve found and think about the results.
Then go to: http://www.completespeedtraining.com

You’ll immediately see that Complete Speed Training standshead and shoulders above its competition.

Before long, so will you.

http://www.completespeedtraining.com

An effective warm-up must consist of a series of dynamic and active movements that start with low impact, low intensityexercises and progress naturally to high intensity, full speed ‘exercises that simulate the intensity of the upcoming practice orcompetition.

As you know, in order for you to be ready to perform speed work or compete at high intensities, you must get warmedup properly.

We often find that there is some confusion as to what constitutes a proper warm-up. For example, some coaches are still using static stretching to get athletes loose before practices and competitions. Unfortunately, this outdated method actuallyreduces speed and power.

Think about it: how often during a practice or competition does an athlete hold a stretch position as part of their sport? That is right, not very often. So if you are still using this methodto get ready to compete, you are not getting the most out of your ability.

Instead, perform dynamic exercises that are similar to the types of movements you will be going through during practiceand competitions. Keep moving and gradually increase the intensity of your activity. That way you can get the blood flowing into the muscles through a natural progression.

Remember, a good warm-up should take at least 20 to 25 minutes to complete. This will reduce the likelihood of injury by ensuring that you do not try to go too fast too soon. In addition, you will get the most out of your muscles because you followed a thought-out progression of movements that went from low intensity jogging and skipping to high intensity speed development drills and exercises.

By the time you have finished warming up, you will be lightly sweating, fired up and ready compete!

Another issue to note when doing any type of drills is to make sure that you are performing the exercises correctly. You compete like you practice. If you are not performing the drills correctly you are going increase the likelihood ofinjury by adding unnecessary stress to joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Drills are designed to be done a certain way for a specific reason. If you are not technically sound during the warm-up you will not be technically sound in games and competitions when it counts. The warm-up is the foundation of the day’s activities and sets the tempo for all that is to follow it.

So now that you know what types of activities must be done and how to approach them, let us take a look at an actual dynamic warm up that top athletes and coaches use to get ready each day.

Before trying this out, be sure to jog and/or skip for aboutfive minutes.
Here is a sample warm-up:

High knee walk - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Lateral lunge walk (both legs) x 10each leg
Jog 50 yards
Front leg swings - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Lateral leg swings - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Iron cross - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Scorpion - x 10 each leg
Jog 50 yards
Backwards run - 2 x 30 yards
‘A’ skip - 3 x 15 yards
‘A’ run - 2 x 20 yards
Fast leg - 2 x 30 yards (each leg)
Accelerations - 4 x 40 yards.

By performing this type of warm-up every day, you will be loose, powerful and fast. In fact it is the only way.

Be sure that you perform a dynamic warm-up before eachpractice and competition; otherwise you are not competing to the best of your ability and the likelihood of sustaining an injury is increased.

For sample warm up routines, step by step instructions for over 48 dynamic warm up exercises and active stretches (and how they fit into your overall training program) check out: http://www.completespeedtraining.com