Kevin McNair’s
Speed System
Speed is a skill...it can be taught
Philosophy of Speed
- No such thing as being fast or slow...it’s a matter of degrees of speed
- Speed can be developed...and it’s developed through a way of thinking
- Foot Plant
- Posture
- Eye Focus
- Hip Rotation
The way that you think...determines the way that you’re going to move
Myths of Speed
- You are born with speed
- faster arms result in speed
- higher knee lift results in speed
- faster knees result in speed
- faster, shorter steps at the beginning of a burst of a 40yd sprint results in speed
These myths are myths because they are only concerned with the recovery aspect of speed.
SPEED
defined: a series of falls and recoveries. The person who falls the fastest and recovers the fastest....runs the fastest!
There are two phases:
- The Falling (Drive) Phase: because of leg drive and the arm going back
- The Recovery Phase: this is what is seen in the front...with the knee and the hand lifting. Too many athletes and coaches concentrate on the Recovery Phase. They are aware of the Drive Phase. However, their real emphasis is on the Recovery phase. Why? Because one can see it. So, the deception is... is that the more frequent the hand and knee lifts... the faster one is deceived into thinking that they are running. And, in actuality, one just has quicker movements that are visible.