Looking to shave some precious seconds off your 40 yards dash time? We’ve got 3 undefeated tips that can help you drop your fastest 40 yard dash. Best thing about all three? You can start to use them right here, right now, today! Let’s dive right in.

Fastest 40 Tip 1: Trade inches for angles

If you want to drop your fastest 40 yard dash, then you have to learn to trade inches for angles. How do we mean? Many times, excellent kid athletes come in for their first session and crowd the line so much. Why? That’s because crowding the line as they do helps them run the shortest distance possible.

You’ve probably heard this before. It goes like ‘Set up on the line, then lean ahead as much as you can. That way, plenty of your body weight is over the line and you’re running 39.5 yards instead of 40. The shorter the distance, the faster you are, right? Exactly. Well, what if we told you there’s a better way, unh? It’s in optimizing angles and expressing your force in a way that you go at your best possible speed. It’s about the angles, position, and direction.

Anytime you’re attempting to make a run, two constant forces are antagonizing you. There’s the vertical force, which is gravity, and the horizontal force, which is your destination. Now, you’re on your knees, about to sprint. Take your lead leg. The front shin is like a cannon and the knee is the top of the cannon. The cannon goes wherever the top points to, yeah? When athletes crowd the line like that, the cannon points up, in a vertical direction. When they take off, they lose the acceleration angle. That’s because they’re trying to get a cannon pointed vertically to go in a horizontal direction. Not the best way to do things.

What do you need to do? Get that cannon pointing in the direction you want to go. This is like the biggest tip here. Now, to do this, we need to get the stance right. Stand on the line. Then, take your lead leg and slide it back to the heel of your trail leg. Next, slide the trail leg back all the way so that when you bend that knee, it’s roughly in the arch of the foot of your lead leg. If you want to know you got this right, your lead knee should be at the tip of the starting line.

If you’re getting confused at this point, do not hesitate to turn to the YouTube video up there. There’s a step-by-step description of this whole procedure for you. Watch it and get started on the journey to running your fastest 40yard dash.

Now, let’s talk angles. Remember, position, direction, and angles? When you’re set up like you’re supposed to be, the front knee should roughly beat a 45-degree angle. This way, you’re optimizing both the vertical and the horizontal forces to get that fastest 40. We should also mention a thing or two about the front and back shin angles. The front shin should be at 45 degrees but the back leg shouldn’t be too bent too. We’re talking something around 130 degrees inside that back knee. Both shins should be roughly parallel and pointing forward, in the right direction.

Again, check out that video if all of these gets muddled up in your head. But, what we’re saying is that a perfect 40 starts from the set-up and direction and that’s like the first thing you need to get right for your fastest 40 yard dash. Do take your time to practice this tip until you master it. If you’re not sure you’re doing it right, get a coach or someone who knows what they’re doing. Getting this part right is a huge step in the right direction.

Fastest 40 Tip 2: Practice Your Set-Up Technique

If this wasn’t important, it wouldn’t need a whole new number. Practice, practice, and practice. It’s not just your set up, but practicing your first 5 yards is crucial too. That’s because you’ll get to half your maximum speed in two, three steps after takeoff.

In practice, you form a very familiar routine. Take it like you’re a basketball player practicing free throws like ‘one, two, spin’. It becomes part of you. You feel an error the moment you make one because you’ve got a rep. You could be like ‘Oh, my front shin should have been more horizontal’ because you know it didn’t happen like you’re used to. It’s like you’ve set up a feedback system that lets you spot irregularities and improve on it.

Practice needs to be daily. Practicing your start, set up, and first 5 yards 10-20 times in a day isn’t all talk but the effort pays off always. Find that will to start now and push with all you’ve got each time you’re on it. Your fastest 40 yard dash is well underway!

SEE ALSO: HOW TO IMPROVE SPRINT TECHNIQUE FOR BEGINNERS

Fastest 40 Tip 3- Prioritize Power over Speed

In getting that fastest 40 yard dash, you need to be violent and aggressive about it from the get-go. Many times, we see guys moving their arms really fast but they’re not covering as much distance. What you need is patience while the rage is building inside of you. Wait, maximize your power and push, then give it all you’ve got the moment your foot leaves the ground. That’s when your strength is most influential.

Your time waiting at the line is to set-up properly, then gather all that momentum you need to convert into the first move you make. Your foot stays down the longest here so you’ve to make the most of the power you generate.

As a bonus tip, there’s one last thing that might just help you get that fastest 40 yard dash. With every step, there is a natural rise and it’s okay. It’s like one, two, three and you rise, then rise, then rise. Do not force the lean because that could lead to falling forward and trying to catch yourself. This slows you down. Go with this flow. It’s just like an airplane taking off on a runway, okay? It gradually builds and rises.

There, you have it, champions. Get down, practice, and push your way through to that fastest 40 yard dash!