7 Best Exercises You Can Do to Improve Running Speed

You are probably here because you want to know what you can do to improve your running speed. Whether or not you are a runner or compete in professional competitions, there's a lot you can do to increase your power, strength, responsiveness and agility, all of which play a role in improving your speed.

To improve your running speed, the first thing you must do is build strength and muscle in your lower body. Simultaneously, you must also include exercises that help build endurance and stamina. If your muscles are well-developed and trained, half your job is done.

Exercises You Can Do to Improve Running Speed

To improve your running speed, you have to run more and faster. There are a variety of speed workouts and drills that can be performed to increase speed. Here's a look at seven of them:

1) Walking Lunges

Walking lunges work out and strengthen the major muscles you use while running: the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves and core. They work out your entire lower body, simultaneously improving your balance and core strength.

Here's how you can do walking lunges to improve your running speed:

Stand up straight with your legs hip-distance apart.
Take a large step forward with your right foot, and plant it approximately two feet in front of you, allowing your left heel to rise naturally as you advance. The toes of your left foot should remain rooted on the floor.
Both knees should be bent, forming right angles.
Press hard through your right heel, and extend your right knee to rise to a standing position while you lift your left foot off the ground and swing it forward to land it approximately two feet in front of your right foot.
Avoid bending your torso forward as you take this step from the hips. Exhale as you rise to your feet.
Continue alternating sides as you lunge forward with each step.

2) Carioca

This exercise is built to strengthen the fast-twitch muscle fibres of your lower body and increase the range of motion of your natural running form.

Carioca will not strengthen your lower body like squats and lunges but will activate your glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors, in addition to several muscles in your upper body.

Here's how you can do it to improve your running speed:

Stand sideways in the direction in which you want to walk.
Cross your right foot over your left.
Step to your left to uncross your legs.
Cross your right leg behind your left.
Step with your left foot once more to return to your initial position.
Maintain your balance and rhythm.

3) Glute Bridges

Glutes are the powerhouse of running. These strong muscles that support you to stand, walk, sit and perform all basic activities are extremely important to improve your running speed. Perform glute strengthening exercises at least twice a week.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

Lie on your back in an open spot on the floor, using a mat if you have one.
Rest your hands at your sides; bend your knees, and position your flat feet beneath your knees on the floor.
By pressing your low back into the ground, tense your abdominal and buttock muscles.
Raise your hips so that your knees and shoulders form a straight line.
Compress your midsection, and draw your belly button towards your spine.
Hold the position for anywhere between 20 and 30 seconds.
To return to the starting position, lower the hips.

4) High Knees

This exercise can be performed as part of a warm-up before your run. It can also be included in a weekly workout regimen to improve power and endurance in your lower body muscles. It activates all your major lower body muscles and your core.

Here's how you can do it to improve your running speed:

Stand straight.
Looking ahead, open your chest, and engage your core muscles.
Bring your right knee towards your chest, just above the level of your waist. Move your left hand up in a pumping motion concurrently.
Reduce your right leg and left hand quickly.
Repeat with the left hand and left leg.
Alternate between the right and left legs for the required duration.

5) Single Leg Squats

Single leg squat is an excellent exercise to strengthen your legs and improve your balance and stability at the same time. It helps strengthen your glutes, calves, shins, thighs and abdominals: all muscles that are primarily engaged in running.

Here's how you can do this exercise to improve your running speed:

To begin, stand on your right foot. Raise, and hold your left leg straight and slightly in front of your torso.
Maintain an engaged core and an upright torso throughout the exercise. As you descend into a squat, begin to press your hips backward.
Get as low as possible so that your hips are parallel to the ground.
To stand back up, squeeze your glutes as you push off the right foot. Try to maintain your left leg elevated between reps.
Perform five to ten repetitions before moving on to the left side.
Perform three sets.

6) Sled Push

This is an exercise that can help you build explosive power and strength in your lower body. The exercise specifically increases your speed and boosts performance.

Here's how you can do it to improve your running speed:

Mount the sled with 25% of your maximum load capacity. Choose a weight you can push for ten minutes with short breaks. Beginners have the option of pushing the sled without any weight.
Position yourself behind the sled, and grasp the poles with a firm grip.
Engage your core muscles, and begin propelling the sled as quickly as possible using your entire leg.
While moving the sled forward, extend your hips and knees. Your foot position should mimic your natural running stance.
Drive for 10 to 20 yards.
Take 30–60 seconds of rest.
Repeat 4–6 times, with 30–60 seconds of rest between sets.

7) Ladder Drills

No exercise list to improve running speed and agility is complete without including this extremely beneficial exercise, which is a part of most athletic training routines. Ladder drills help increase your speed, agility, reactivity and quickness.

As a form of neuromuscular training, agility ladder drills necessitate quick thinking and reactive behaviour that can help improve your running speed. Regularly engaging in this workout can improve your responsiveness, quick thinking, cognitive ability and mind-body coordination.

Edited by Bhargav