The Essence of Speed | Initiation & Performance Speed

In this series in The Essence of Speed we will look at both Initiation and Performance Speed. This will leave the last article in this series to look at Alteration Speed.

Initiation Speed

After you have perceived the need to act and have mentally sent the signals to the proper muscles, it then comes down to how quickly you can physically initiate the motion.

Improvement requires a concentrated effort on a very small amount of physical motion.  Supplemental training, such as weights or calisthenics are great to strengthen the major muscle groups involved in the initiation.  When doing so, it is important to note that you should be working fast twitch fibers of the muscles rather than the slow.  You need quick, explosive power as opposed to raw strength.  This is acquired using fast explosive repetitions with light weights.  Another type of supplemental exercise that can be of benefit is isometrics.  More and more studies are showing that both fast and slow twitch muscle fibers are worked in an isometric contraction.

Other than supplemental exercises, the initiation itself should be isolated and practiced by itself.  There are a couple of ways to do this: First is to practice the initiation from a dead still position, concentrating on beginning in your stance with no pre-empting movement, then bursting into the technique.  Starting from a still position is more difficult than when the body is already in motion.  Therefore, it will add the ultimate resistance, working the muscles harder, as well as teaching the body to be non-telegraphic.  Finally, you should work the initiation while in motion.  Most of the time, when the technique will be utilized, you will already be moving.  You will need to practice it until it is possible to initiate with immaculate balance, free of excess energy.

Performance Speed

Now we have gotten to the type of speed that is most readily recognizable.  Performance Speed is the time it takes from initiation until the completion of an action.

To work on performance speed, the amounts of drills are infinite.  Striking paper and shadow boxing are both excellent drills that I practice frequently.  An effective speed exercise includes repetition, in order to train the neural impulses (muscle memory).  Additionally, they should be drills designed to eliminate tension, so that speed is the focus rather than power.

Performance speed exercises can be done either solo or with a partner.  The main idea is to teach the muscles to perform more efficiently through proper form, repetition, muscle endurance, and strength.  The best way to enhance performance speed is to practice the desired movement repeatedly, all the while, concentrating on moving faster each time.