Run faster with hill training

Pure speed comes down to improving stride length and frequency — the length of each step and how often your feet touch the ground.

And one drill to improve both requires little more than a hill in your neighborhood.

What it is: Inclined Sprints
Recommended by: Evan Simon, Utah State strength coach for men’s basketball and football
Why and how it helps: Running on an incline as opposed to flat ground adds resistance.

“Your body has to adapt, so more muscles turn on,” Simon says. “You train muscles to work harder at higher speeds.”

Running up a hill or a set of stairs doesn’t just build strength though.

“You learn to pump your arms harder, which hopefully will carry over to flat ground running,” Simon says.

How to perform
Inclined Sprints
•    Run up a hill or stadium stairs as fast as possible for 20-30 yards
•    Walk back to start
•    Repeat

Reps: Perform 1-3 reps and rest as needed between sprints; gradually work up to 12-15 sprints with 45-60 seconds of rest between each rep.

Perform exercise 1-2 times per week.