In the fourth part of our series, we look at the least known pillar of athletic performance: speed. This doesn't just mean that you perform movements at maximum speed, but also how quickly your head and body react to stimuli and signals.
The exercises presented are a mixture of physical and neural tasks. While physical speed primarily involves training acceleration, neuroathletics is about improving the networking between the brain, nervous system and body so that the signals reach the receiving organ more quickly.
"The body only moves quickly when it feels safe. The coordination of the eyes ensures this safety. The result: faster execution," says expert Westner. Professionals such as Nino Schurter have therefore sworn by such exercises for years.
On the trail, a faster connection between head and body means that the right movements are initiated earlier. Be it in a bend, when crossing root fields or on tricky uphills. "A trained nervous system also improves performance and quality of movement, which in turn prevents falls and injuries," says the expert.
The exercises presented are structured in such a way that a neuroathletic action is performed before each speed exercise. In our fitness series with Lara Westner, we also present the other pillars of athletic performance: Agility, Strength and Endurance and Coordination.
You can find all the other parts of our fitness series here:
Exercise 1: Step change jump
This exercise is also known as the "plyometric jump". It is an effective exercise to build strength and explosiveness in the legs. Benefit: a strong start on the bike.
How it works
Step into a lunge with your front knee level with your ankle. Now the action: push off the floor with your feet, using your arms to guide the movement with a swinging motion (photo). Change leg position in the air and land with the other leg in front in a lunge. Now repeat the movement. Training time: 20-40 seconds
Neuroathletics in preparation: training for the eyes
Special eye exercises connect body and mind and serve as good preparation for the strength exercises. The eye exercises can be strenuous at first, as we look at screens a lot and our eyes are not trained. Don't be surprised if you get a headache at first. This shows how important it is to train your eyes.
Preparation: Vertical gaze jumps
Use this exercise as preparation for the step change jump:
How it works
The outstretched arms are held so far up or down that they are still in the field of vision. The hands are clenched into fists and the thumbs are spread apart. Important: The head does not move during the exercise. Now switch your gaze precisely from one thumb to the other. Speed: The movement should be fast and precise without the image becoming blurred.
Training time: 30 seconds
Exercise 2: Jumping rope
Boxers swear by it and bikers should also jump rope more. Because the small, fast jumps challenge the whole body and also train the ability to react. Eye push-ups are ideal as preparation.
Preparation: Eye support
Use this exercise as preparation for jumping rope.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, one arm extended forwards with the thumb pointing upwards (image). Now fix your thumb and slowly bring it to the tip of your nose as far as you can still see it clearly. Repeat the exercise as soon as the thumb becomes blurred. The aim is to still be able to see your thumb clearly when it is directly in front of the tip of your nose. Training time: 30 seconds
How it works
Before you start: choose the right length of rope. Stand in the centre of the rope, the handles should now reach up to your elbow. Here we go: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and swing the rope forwards over your head from behind. Jump up with both legs in good time - beginners often jump too high, but the aim is to jump as close to the rope as possible. Keep your elbows close to your body and move the rope from your wrists. Ideally, do as many repetitions as possible - it's all about speed. Training time: up to 60 seconds.
Exercise 3: Box jump
The exercise promotes speed, agility and explosive power in the legs. This explosive movement helps to increase muscle strength and performance.
Preparation: Eye tracking
Use this exercise as preparation for the box jump.
The thumb is spread out on the outstretched hand. Now fix the thumb and move it horizontally to one side as long as you can see it clearly. Important: The head does not move, only the eyes. Bring your thumb back to the centre and now move it to the other side. Carry out the movement quickly, but you must always be able to see the thumbnail clearly. Training time: 30 seconds
How it works
Find a stable object, such as a box, a crate or a staircase. A height of around 30 centimetres is suitable to start with, but you can slowly increase this. Stand in front of the box in a shoulder-width position. Squat down slightly to build up energy for the jump. Use your arms to gain momentum for the action. The aim is to land on the box as softly as possible. Pay attention to the leg axis. The knees should not tilt inwards or outwards, but should be pushed forwards in a stable position. Training time: 40 seconds
Laurin Lehner
Editor
