To maximize running speed you must train in the horizontal plane

by Brett Holland, PT, DPT, CSCS

When you think of exercises to increase running speed, the back/front squat, deadlift, and lunges quickly come to mind.  These exercises are performed in what is called the vertical plane.  Simply meaning the muscles are functioning in the same manner as they would for you to perform a vertical jump or get out of a chair ( I refrain from using up and down because horizontal plane exercises can be performed up and down, such as hip thrusters).  When you run your body produces both vertically directed efforts and horizontally directed efforts to propel you forward.  The majority of strength and conditioning coaches use vertical jump variations to test leg power, predict sprint speed, and as a training tool to improve sprint speed.  However, horizontal based movements are often neglected.

Let me give you a run down and further explanation of horizontal based movements and why horizontally based movements are good testing and training tools.

Horizontal plane exercises:

•  Replicate muscle actions which move you forward.
• A simple example would be a broad jump.
• During a broad jump you are aiming to jump as far forward as you can, this can be thought of as a horizontal plane exercise.
• A more complicated example is the hip thruster.  The movement appears up and down, but the muscles are acting in the same manner in which they are used to propel you forward.

Above is an example of two horizontal based movements.  The first exercise is the hip thruster, which trains hip extension in the horizontal plane.

Horizontal jumping and its relationship to sprint speed:

• A 2015 review published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found, “many kinetic and kinematic variables measured in horizontal jumps had stronger correlations to sprint performance than the same measures taken in vertical jumps. These findings suggest that using horizontal dynamic training movements may have a greater transfer to sprint performance than vertical dynamic training” [1].
• The same study found unilateral jumps to have the highest correlations to sprint speed in both the horizontal and vertical planes [1].  This makes sense as sprinting involves only one leg on the ground at a time.
• A 2009 study in elite sprinters found vertical, horizontal, and loaded vertical jumps strongly correlated to sprint performance [2].

What does this mean?

• If you can improve your vertical and horizontal jump performance you will most likely improve your sprint speed.
• There are many different training tools available in your arsenal.  To sprint faster it is important to use vertical, horizontal, and loaded/unloaded jumps and exercises.
  • Examples of these can include:
    • Vertical Squat Jumps
    • Horizontal Squat Jumps
    • Consecutive Squat Jumps Vertical
    • Consecutive Squat Jumps Horizontal
    • Unilateral Consecutive Jumps: alternating each leg
    • Unilateral Consecutive Jumps: Same Leg
    • Box Jumps
    • Unilateral Box Jumps
    • Drop Jumps: Bilateral
    • Drop Jumps: Unilateral
    • Depth Jumps Bilateral
    • Weighted Vest or Barbell Jumps
    • 180 jumps
    • Tuck Jumps
    • Bounding

*Be careful with jumping exercises, especially unilateral exercises.  Most ACL injuries are non-contact and unilateral jump exercises are potentially dangerous to the ACL.  I recommend seeing a professional to evaluate whether you are safe to perform these kinds of exercises.

These are only a few examples, there are many additional quality exercises and jump variations.

Use jumping as a testing tool:

• Horizontal and vertical jumps are excellent baseline measures prior to starting a program
• Both vertical and horizontal jumps are excellent ways to measure the effectiveness of training programs both during and at the end of your program.
• Example testing 8 week program:
  • Week 1 Baseline:  Vertical Jump, Drop Jump (vertical and horizontal), Unilateral Alternating 4 hop or Consecutive 3 hop test
  • Retest: Week 4 (middle point)
  • Retest Week 8 (end0

Take Home:  Do not forget to use horizontal based exercises and jumps as training and testing tools.  Horizontal jumps and exercises are another variation to help you improve your sprint speed.

References

1.  Dobbs, Caleb W., Nicholas D. Gill, Daniel J. Smart, and Michael R. Mcguigan. “Relationship Between Vertical and Horizontal Jump Variables and Muscular Performance in Athletes.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 29.3 (2015): 661-71. NSCA http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25226312
2. Loturco, Irineu, Ricardo A. Dʼangelo, Victor Fernandes, Saulo Gil, Ronaldo Kobal, Cesar C. Cal Abad, Katia Kitamura, and Fabio Y. Nakamura. “Relationship Between Sprint Ability and Loaded/Unloaded Jump Tests in Elite Sprinters.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 29.3 (2015): 758-64. NSCA. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25162648