40-Yard Dash Training: We Time It, Fix It, Then Time It Again
For athletes ages 8 to 18 getting ready for tryouts, showcases or combines. Coached by Von Thomas in Seward.
1.43 to 1.30 in one week
I train a brother and sister. We were running flying 10s: a 20-yard running start, then I time the last 10 yards. That’s top speed, with no slow start to hide behind.
The brother’s slowest time his first day was a 1.43. We went back to the drawing board and corrected some things. The next week he ran a 1.30.
He fist-pumped. He lit up. That was a good day for me, too.
His little sister ran a 1.59 her first time. That’s okay. I told her, “I want you to break 1.5.” A week later she applied everything I taught her and ran a 1.49.
Kids ask me all the time, “What’s a good time for my age?” I tell them. That number gives them a target, and the day they run faster than it, you can see it on their face.
How we take time off a 40
Week one, we get a baseline. Your kid runs a 40-yard dash, a flying 10 and a flying 20. I write it all down. That tells me where the time is hiding.
Then we fix the arms. Arms are the first thing I look at in every new kid. Crossing in front of the body, flying around, not driving down. Bad arms mean you’re losing speed somewhere.
Then knee drive. Getting the knees up so every step covers more ground and pushes the ground away behind you. For tall kids with long legs, it’s using that stride and turning the legs over faster.
Then the first few steps. A lot of kids get up to a good top speed. They just take too long to get there. We work on getting rid of false steps, the start, running against speed cords and bands, and how you go from the start into full speed. Some sessions we’re in the sand pit.
I film it in slow motion. Your kid sees their own back, neck and angles right there on the field, and fixes them on the next rep.
What to expect
You shave time off little by little. Arms, knees, the start, a few hundredths at a time.
The big jumps come as kids grow and get stronger and start using that strength to push the ground away. That’s when you see it.
Group or private?
Most kids work on their 40 in the small group program: 90 minutes, never more than 8 kids, from $150 a month. If your kid has a combine or a tryout date and wants every minute on their 40, a private session is $110.
Common questions
What’s a flying 10?
A sprint with a 20-yard running start, where only the last 10 yards are timed. It measures top speed. A regular 40 also measures how fast your kid gets going.
How fast should my kid’s 40 be?
It depends on age. Ask me and I’ll tell your kid the target for their age. Having a number to beat is half of what gets them going.
What sports is this for?
Football mostly, but any sport where getting there first matters: soccer, baseball, basketball, track.
Where do you train?
Seward. Outdoors at Plum Creek Park April to September, on a private indoor court October to March.
Come find out your kid’s number. Then we’ll go break it.
Elite Speed Nebraska · Youth speed and agility training, Seward, NE
402-523-2115 · espnebraska@gmail.com
Group Training · Lincoln Families · Private Training · 40-Yard Dash · Plans & Pricing