As a parent, you might find yourself wondering, “How can I help my child get faster without fancy equipment or complex training?” Speed is one of the most crucial skills in sports, and every child can improve their quickness with the right approach. The best part? You don’t need access to a high-tech gym or expensive trainers to make it happen.
In this post, we’ll break down two highly effective, research-backed drills you can do at home to help your child improve their speed. These methods focus on the fundamentals of running fast, building explosiveness, and creating better acceleration mechanics—all while keeping things simple and accessible.
Why Isn’t My Child Faster?
Parents often notice that their kids seem slower than their peers and feel unsure about how to help. But here’s the truth: no child is truly slow. Every young athlete has the potential to get faster within their natural capabilities. The challenge lies in providing the right kind of exposure and training.
A common problem is that many kids don’t spend enough time running at full speed. Without proper exposure to high-intensity running or targeted drills to build strength and power, it’s hard to develop the explosive speed required in sports.
Teach Kids to Run Fast
The first step to helping your child get faster is simple—have them run at maximum effort. Speed training isn’t about endless sprints or long distances. It’s about short, high-intensity bursts of effort.
How to Do It:
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Dynamic Warm-Up: Before anything else, ensure your child does a proper warm-up to prevent injury. A dynamic warm-up gets their muscles ready for the demands of sprinting. Check out our video here https://youtu.be/845SQAAn2Rw on a dynamic warm up athletes can do at home.
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Maximum Effort Sprints: Have your child run as fast as they can for 10 to 20 yards. Keep the sprints short to maintain proper technique and prevent fatigue.
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Recovery Between Sprints: After each sprint, allow for 60-90 seconds of rest to let their energy system fully recover. Speed training focuses on quality, not quantity.
Why This Works: Running at full speed activates fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for explosive movements. It also builds a neuromuscular connection, teaching their body how to move faster over time.
Add Resistance Sprints
Once your child is comfortable running fast, resistance Sprints is the next step. Using tools like sleds, tires, or chains can help teach your child how to properly apply force to the ground. This builds strength, power and improves their acceleration mechanics.
How to Do It:
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Set Up a Resistance sprint: If you don’t have access to sleds or chains, get creative. A sturdy object like a tire works well as long as it’s safe for your child to pull or push. The weight should only be 10-20% of their bodyweight to maintain proper technique.
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Perform Resistance Sprints your child perform three resisted sprints with 60-90 seconds of rest in between.
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Unresisted Sprints: After the resistance runs, switch to regular sprints without the added weight. This helps them translate the strength gained from resistance into explosive speed.
Why This Works: Resisted sprints naturally positions your child into a forward-leaning posture, which is essential for acceleration. It also strengthens the muscles they use to push off the ground, making their unresisted sprints faster.
A Simple 2-Week Speed Plan
Here’s a quick, actionable plan you can follow:
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Day 1:
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3 unresisted sprints (10-20 yards) Time each sprint
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3 resisted sprints
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Day 2: Rest or light activity
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Day 3:
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3 resisted sprints
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3 unresisted sprints
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Repeat this cycle for 2-4 weeks, allowing 48-72 hours of recovery between sprint sessions. On the final week, skip the resistance runs and perform a time trial to measure progress.
The Cheat Code: Why Resistance Training is Key
One of the biggest challenges in coaching young athletes is teaching proper acceleration mechanics. With resisted sprints, the load naturally teaches kids how to lean forward and push effectively without requiring complicated verbal cues. It’s a game-changer for parents who want results without overcomplicating things.
Why This Matters for Parents
Many parents worry about their child falling behind in sports, but the key to improvement lies in simple, consistent training. With these drills, you’ll not only help your child run faster but also give them the confidence to compete at a higher level.
Try It Today and See the Results
If you’re ready to help your child unlock their speed potential, give these drills a try. And don’t forget to check out the YouTube video where we demonstrate these exercises in action. Seeing the drills will make it even easier to apply them at home!
Watch the Video Here https://youtu.be/Rc0ym0NKpwU?si=dusHCZ-u_q4-byJm
At DYA Network, we’re here to support your journey. Share your child’s progress with us—we’d love to see how they’re improving!
Ready to help your child dominate the field? Download our free guide, How to Improve Your Child’s Athleticism: 7 Exercises, and get started today!