RESOURCES -> ARTICLES

Speed Training is en vogue and athletes from all different types of sports are focusing energy on speed training exercises. Many of the workouts involve interval training, sprinting, parachutes, stretching bands, circuit training, and more.

However, medicine ball drills are overlooked by many coaches and trainers. Even when athletes and trainers do utilize medicine ball training, they only look at it as upper body and core strengthening. There are so many other facets that are available when working on medicine ball training. There are many different ways in which medicine ball training and drills can be used to increase your speed and quickness.

When an athlete uses quick and powerful force to the medicine ball to throw it or otherwise handle it the feet must be the other end of the equation that counteract that force the arms are applying to the ball so the legs get a workout as well. When an athlete is in a proper athletic stance and throws the ball across the body this movement forces the legs to move and simulate the muscles that are used during deceleration from lateral movement.

To test the theory that the position of the legs and the muscles used during lateral deceleration are important, have the athlete throw the ball sideways across the body with the feet in a narrow stance. You will see that lower power is lacking because they do not have the proper leg angles. Also, you may even see the athlete lean or stumble away from the direction of the throw when attempting to make a throw in one direction. This is due to the fact that the feet are so narrow they can't meet the action with an appropriate reaction and maintain balance and produce higher power.

The following 4 drills will improve speed and lower and upper body power.

1) Forward shuffle and quick push pass:
The athlete will be in an athletic stance and facing to the right. With the ball will be held at chest level and elbows out to the side. The athlete will shuffle 2-3 hard steps to the left and immediately push pass the ball the partner on one bounce. Make sure not to catch the ball in the air due to the potential for injury. Make sure that the athlete doesn't fall forward or lean forward causing a loss of balance. Make sure the athlete stays down in an athletic stance throughout the exercise to maintain balance. Sets and reps: Beginners should perform 1-2 sets of 5 reps on each side with a minute rest between sets. More advanced athletes can perform 2-3 sets of 6-8 on each side with a two minute break between sets.

2) The Backward Shuffle away from partner with quick push passes:
The set up for this drill is similar to the first drill except the athlete will be shuffling away from the partner. If the athlete is facing the right side and will be shuffling to the right then the right foot is the one that will be the planting leg while the left leg is the power leg during the shuffle. When the athlete stops the shuffle the angle of the right leg needs to be able to stop the body and apply quick force to get the hips through to make the throw. This drill is an outstanding drill to teach proper stopping angles while maintaining an athletic position.

Make sure the athlete can't allow the shoulders to sway to the right when shuffling to the right during the stopping action as this will diminish the power of the throw. The hips must open quickly so that the ball throws out of the hands quickly. You don’t want the athlete to fall forward or lean forward causing a loss of balance.

Have beginners perform 1-2 sets of 5 reps on each side with a minute rest between sets. More advanced athlete can perform 2-3 sets of 6 on each side with a two minute break between sets.

3) Catch the ball and with a hip turn and shuffle away and perform a push pass back to partner.
This drill is similar to the backward shuffle and quick pass drill but the athlete in this drill will catch a chest pass that is directed to the right or left side of the body. The athlete must hip turn in the direction he catches the ball on and immediately upon the hip turn the athlete will defensive shuffle for 2-3 shuffles and perform a quick push pass back to the partner.

Keys to watch for are that the athlete must be on balance and comfortable in the stance. If not, they will not be able to hip turn and shuffle away quickly and you want to watch to see if the hip turn and shuffle are one constant action. Make sure that they aren’t separate movements.

Have beginners perform 1-2 sets of 5 reps on each side with a minute rest between sets. More advanced athlete can perform 2-3 sets of 6 on each side with a two minute break between sets.

4) Medicine ball Routine:
Partners should stand at a distance that allows quick passing of the medicine ball without a drop in ball height. The routine has the partners facing each other and performing 5-10 quick chest passes each. Make sure the partners are squarely facing each other and perform 5-10 quick push passes on each side, aiming for the shoulders. Then have the partners stand sideways of each other and perform 5-10 quick side throws each on each side. The key you want them to focus on is to get rid of the ball quickly while maintaining a good athletic stance. On the side throws make certain that the athletes decelerate and re-accelerate the ball quickly.

If the ball is too heavy on this drill the throws will be slow and the body will compensate by bending and twisting to gain momentum of the throw. Make sure the athletes do not loose balance on throws or catches

Have beginners perform 1-2 sets of 5 reps on each side with a minute rest between sets. More advanced athlete can perform 2-3 sets of 6 on each side with a two minute break between sets.
Medicine ball drills work muscle groups and muscles that many weight lifting training workouts are unable to effectively build. Used properly, medicine ball workouts can be effective speed training exercises to supplement additionally speed training. Patrick Beith is a sports performance consultant at www.AthletesAcceleration.com