I grew up in the late 70s and late 80s, and have been an athlete forever and have loved soccer as much as I can remember. One of my favorite training stories from mainstream media as a child was the legendary running back hill that I used to adjust myself in the offseason. Looking anywhere on the internet you can find stories about Payton’s conditioning of this world, how he trains athletes in all sports with him, and how he taps out of fatigue in the end. He was one of the NFL’s most prolific runners and undoubtedly one of the greatest runners of all time, and the hill was his secret.
I’ve coached for nearly 20 years and am obsessed with hill running. I have a Payton to appreciate this, and because speed is the ultimate goal of all my programs, the Hills (or the stairs for those who don’t have the right hill nearby) is an absolute must in any speed or conditioning program. I divided the majority of my career between California Poly and San Jose, but both locations have important hill/stadium slopes that are perfect for pounding athletes.
Why Hills?
Strength and force are important, especially when we talk about speed, in the acceleration phase.. A 40-yard dash, a great running back running through the seams, a batsman racing the first baseline to beat a throw, or a forward explosion into the hole, a sudden burst of speed are the most important factors. It is the first 3-5 steps that determine the success of your efforts.
Check out the NFL Combine. Seeing athletes running in their 40s is the start, the biggest decision maker of a fun time. Conversely, seeing a man trips out of the gate or takes a sloppy step can guarantee that time is not impressive.
Hill Running can’t do anything else, so we teach the drive phase of the sprint.. Due to the slope, runners must use their front paws to climb. One of the most important speed training clues we use is that the front of the foot is for speed and the heels apply brakes. Due to their size and tendencies, even the large guys who tend to first come into contact when they run on flat ground are forced into “appropriate” galloping positions. Think of the leans that world-class sprinters use in their first 50-70m 100m dashes. It is the position we want to teach, and the hill automatically does it for us.
The most obvious advantage is that the running road hill is placed on your feet. I’ve always thought parachute pulling, band running, and partner towing were stupid considering that these devices or routines were all targeting the benefits of time on the hill. Next to squatting, Olympic lifting, kettlebell training, There’s nothing to deal with the strength and explosiveness of the legs like a sprint on the hill.
Use hills for horizontal use
We spend almost every time change in direction training, as the majority of the teams I train for speed don’t really get the opportunity to actually run where track workouts benefit them (think top-end speed). Many children have little or no understanding of how to spin. They don’t know where their bodies are in the universe, and insist on using their toes to slow down, often having little control over their momentum when they run.
Due to the slope of the hill selected, the runner should naturally be located in the “toe” position when climbing the drive foot sideways. Otherwise, you feel that efficiency needs to be adjusted almost instinctively down the toilet. When on flat ground, one of the main takeaways of scaffolding I teach is the subtle toes on the outer legs of the turn. This does two things. First, the runner will have full access to the big thumbs when driving. Secondly, it is in sync with the direction they are trying to go. Believe it or not, this is something many of these kids don’t own when they first appeared. And what they get when they don’t own this technique is a slow, power stripped attempt to redirect themselves.
Next, gravity is bullies. The natural slope of the hill requires a very strong push. What athletes need on flat ground when they are about to accelerate. If I can carry the kids sideways or straight up to the hill, they have a context and I can get that type of understanding on flat ground.
Benefits of rear hill sprints
The hill running behind is a great way to hit athletes. The hill I use is behind Cal Poly’s sports complex, climbing around 35 yards with a grade of about 14%. It’s sudden. Integrated back to the final stage of hill training. Part of that is because my kids are pretty uncomfortable and want some of the functional speeds of defensive backs and linebackers.
When I was in college, we had to turn the outside of EKU’s Begley Building upside down. Honestly, it was a sub-signature method to make us miserable. The change in the slope outside was constant and was told to do this for more than 15 minutes without stopping, which was intimately linked to misery. It was a completely jerk move, but it taught us a lesson – learn how to push pain. There is nothing careless. It’s just a burning of legs that makes your own vomit almost a joke.
Foot drives running backwards cannot be replicated anywhere else.. It teaches children how to push along with everything they have from their front legs. Remember, do not forget that acceleration occurs in front of the foot and brakes occur on the heel. This will train runners on the right pressure, where to place them, and how to use their feet in an economical way.
Hills teaches running efficiency
Again, due to the slope, the runners are placed in a position where they have no choice but to make an all-out effort. Due to the distance, they have to climb the hill, casual jumps or hopping with squeals, climbing the hill only takes 10 times longer. They want to finish it as quickly as possible, so you get a natural full effort.
Boundaries turned out to be the most difficult thing for my children. Other things may hurt more, but the boundaries allow them to work as hard as possible, adjust their movements as efficiently as possible, and burn their anaerobic energy systems completely. It’s a joy to see.
Featured Image: Kieferpix/Shutterstock
