Australian Rules football is a dynamic sport and there are many components of strength and conditioning that need consideration; two of these key components are speed and power. As we dive into how you can improve your speed and power, you’ll discover there’s one component of strength and conditioning that reigns supreme. 

Reflecting on my own journey in Australian Rules Football, speed was my ally on the field. It wasn't just about sprint training to develop explosiveness and speed, it was about strength training. Strength is the one component of strength and conditioning that underpins all other components. This, along with learning how to run properly (AKA running mechanics), are the foundations of improving your explosiveness and speed on the field.

Whether in strength training or sprint training as part of conditioning, the need for proper progression is paramount. Proper progressions will lay the groundwork for maximising your explosiveness and speed on the field, plus it will reduce your risk for injury.

How Can I Improve my Explosiveness and Speed on the Field?

• Comprehensive Conditioning: Explosiveness and speed conditioning comprises sprint training (including acceleration, top-end speed and deceleration), change-of-direction (the ability to change direction in a pre-determined manner), agility (the ability to change direction in response to a stimulus), repeat sprintability, and speed endurance.

• Tendon Strength and Pogos: The tendons take seven months to remodel. When you strengthen your tendons, they don’t become noticeably bigger; they become more thick and dense. The most important tendon in being explosive and fast is the achilles tendon. And the best exercise for making the achilles tendon thicker and more dense, making you more explosive and fast, are pogos. Do them as much as you can handle.

• Muscle Groups for Speed Development: Certain muscle groups play an importance role in running mechanics. On the one hand they play a role in running faster, and on the other, they protect the body from injury. These muscle groups include the obvious glutes, quads and hamstrings. But the less well-known ones are the tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus. In addition, it’s important to train these muscles through all three types of contraction — concentric, eccentric, and isometric, focussing on the angles they are used.

• Core Strength and Running Mechanics: Proper running mechanics is essential to develop explosiveness and speed. Proper running mechanics starts with the pelvis; and getting the pelvis into the right position requires good core strength, particularly of the transverse abdominis. Proper running mechanics also requires active hip flexors in order to get the foot off the ground as quickly as possible. This is only possible with good core strength.

• Preseason Training and Progression: Working on the foundational strength necessary for explosiveness and speed in pre-season allows you to develop the prerequisites necessary for plyometric training later in the season. It also allows for a gradual progression from shorter distances to longer sprints in your sprint training to mitigate the risk of injury.

• Acceleration, Top-End Speed, and Deceleration Training: The mechanics of acceleration, top-end speed, and deceleration are all slightly different. It’s important to expose athletes to all three aspects of sprint training on a regular basis. My personal preference is once a week for most weeks of the year.

Enhancing explosiveness and speed on the footy field is a key attribute in maximising your performance. By embracing the strategies detailed above, with particular emphasis on strength-based training and meticulous preparation, you can improve your explosiveness and speed on the field.

Leave your thoughts to these questions in the comments section below.

As you contemplate your own journey to enhance explosiveness and speed, what strategies resonate with you the most? How do you plan to integrate strength-based training into your regimen to maximise your performance on the field? Share your insights and join the conversation below!