When people think of getting faster they think of legs, but speed is directly related to what you do with your arms. The arms stabilize your torso which lets power efficiently transfer through your hips and legs. The tempo of your arms controls the action of your feet. Increasing the speed of a correct arm swing will force your feet to turnover faster. And, if your arms cross or “flap” rather than power forward and back, your center of gravity is going to be off, your balance is off, and you lose forward momentum.
To use your arms to produce power and speed you need to maintain a 90 degree elbow angle, which will ensure your power is pushing you forward, not sideward. The hand is open rather than clenched in a fist which reduces resistance. The hand should hit the height of your back pocket on the back swing and your cheek on the upswing, adding the maximum power push.
Get your arms right; you’ll be faster. At Parisi Speed School we know that when we get the arms moving correctly running speed will follow. Learn more about our youth speed training here.
Check out this quick tutorial from the team at Parisi Speed School in Franklin Lakes, NJ.