Speed Improvement for Young Athletes: How to Sprint Faster in Your Sport in 30 Workouts [Paperback]

George Blough Dintiman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2006

This 2nd Edition of the popular book, Speed Improvement for Young Athletes: How to Sprint Faster in Your Sport in 30 Workouts, includes practical training programs for age group athletes 9-19 in football, basketball, baseball and softball, soccer, lacrosse, rugby, field hockey, and tennis that will improve speed in short sprints after only 30 workouts. This down to earth book allows athletes, parents and coaches to take a "just do it" approach by quickly identifying individual weakness areas that are limiting speed and turning those areas into strengths. A more complete testing battery can still be done in one session. Chapters have been updated based on new research findings, 17 illustrations have been added, and a complete bibliography is provided to allow more in depth study. The playing speed of team sport athletes is sure to improve after following this program, developed by one of the world's leading authorities.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up-A guide to evaluating speed strengths and weaknesses and improving team sports performance. Dintiman addresses stride rate and length, acceleration, endurance, and technique, and outlines some 30 hour-and-a-half workouts. The recognition of training differences for varying levels of skill and development, appropriate weightlifting exercises, performance considerations, and safety tips are the real strengths of his book. Lee Brown's Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness (Human Kinetics, 2000) does a better job of distinguishing differences in speed training for sport-specific programs. The appendix consists of a test score sheet, abdominal exercises, a list of emphasis areas by sport, and a list for further reading (including 15 titles by Dintiman). Black-and-white computer graphics and small photographs depicting weight training illustrate the book. Other exercises described do not have diagrams or pictures. The organization of the book demands some flipping back and forth between sections. Some terminology may be unfamiliar to readers; there is no glossary. Inconsistencies and grammatical, typographical, and other errors [...] and the lack of documentation limit the value of this book.
Janice C. Hayes, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Dr. George Blough Dintiman is an internationally recognized authority on speed improvement for team sports, author of 41 books, four videos, and over a hundred articles on speed, conditioning, fitness, nutrition, weight control, and health. He is co-founder and President of the National Association of Speed and Explosion (naseinc.com), a major certification body for team sport and strength and conditioning coaches in Speed and Explosion and information source on training to improve speed in short sprints for athletes and coaches in football, basketball, baseball and softball, rugby, lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, and tennis. Dr. Dintiman conducted the first speed camps ever held in the United States and his training techniques developed in the early 1960s have changed the coaching world at all levels of competition, from age group to the pros, and resulted in the hiring of speed coaches for team sports and the realization that every athlete can get faster in short sprints for their sport. He has worked with athletes of all ages and consulted in the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, and in professional tennis. Dr. Dintiman set over 15 rushing and scoring records at Lock Haven University, several of which remained in the year 2006. He was a draft choice of the Baltimore Colts (NFL) and selection of the Montreal Alouettes (CFL), a star for the University basketball team scoring 42 points in one college game and 56 in a high school game, and captained the Track Team competing in the 100-meter dash, high hurdles, low hurdles, and high jump. In 1993, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Capital Area Chapter. He received his B.S. from Lock Haven University, M.S. from New York University and Doctorate from Columbia University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: National Association of Speed and Explosion (January 2, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 0938074261
• ISBN-13: 978-0938074267
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Univ Prof., Track Coach, Author, Former NFL Speed Consultant, March 4, 2004

By 

George Colfer (Sierra Vista, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speed Improvement for Young Athletes: How to Sprint Faster in Your Sport in 30 Workouts (Paperback)

March 3, 2004

Reviewer: George R. Colfer, PhD.

After reading two mixed reviews from 2002 and 2004, I decided to read and review this book. Considering who the book was written for (i.e., young athletes), I would recommend it as a Resource and Guide for Speed Improvement. No book is ever perfect for all audiences regardless of size, length or type. When I see a title for "young athletes," I usually hold my breath as most imitate what works only for highly skilled athletes. The first thing I liked about the book was the introduction including "How to use the book" (pg. 11) and Chapter 1, which offers assessment to determine readiness for certain components of the workouts. Another example was regarding Plyometrics (pg. 90) where the author states a leg strength requirement and who by age level should avoid plyometrics, although I would rather see this at the beginning of the section as many youngsters "do" and don't read. Dr. Dintiman is very knowledgeable and also proven in the area of speed and running improvement. He has a much higher level book now in it's 3rd or 4th printing. Speed Improvement for Young Athletes is readable and follows a "how to do it" approach without a lot of "hype." My experience with speed is that it first requires self-motivation. There is a lot of material and equipment necessary which is why I think a youngster following this program would need the guidance of a coach, very knowledgeable parent or as part of a camp or clinic-type setting. The information and programs are proven to be effective with no doubt. Implementing them from reading about them may require some assistance as Dr. Dintiman mentions in the introduction (pg. 11-#1). Speed endurance is a relatively new term and is well covered in Chapter 7, but a more complete definition may be helpful. In the next edition, I would recommend updating some of the strength training photographs and I would find an index at the end to be very helpful. However, these do not detract from the content and program construction of the book (i.e., the 30 workouts), which achieves the author's purpose.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Parent, Coach, and University Professor's Review, November 1, 2002

By 

Fred J. Caro (Edinboro, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speed Improvement for Young Athletes: How to Sprint Faster in Your Sport in 30 Workouts (Paperback)

While focusing on several insignificant items, the reviewer for the "School Library Journal" missed an opportunity to fully appreciate an excellent book, concisely written with a practical approach, by the leading expert in the world. The favored work of the above reviewer,for the "School Library Journal," consists only of illustrated exercises with no workouts to follow, no specific information on training programs and little help to anyone, including young athletes, coaches, or parents. "Speed Improvement for Young Athletes" has more useful information on previously tested and proven techniques than anything ever written. It is a book that "gets to the point" and prescribes 30 specific workouts for age group athletes for all sports. This is not a research book and there is good reason to keep it clearly organized and understandable for the young athlete. "Speed Improvement for Young Athletes: How to Sprint Faster in Your Sport in 30 Workouts" is by far the best book on the market, and I highly recommend it for the young athlete who wants to move from the theory to actual practice and conditioning with effective gains in foot speed for their sport.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From a parent and age group coach, March 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Speed Improvement for Young Athletes: How to Sprint Faster in Your Sport in 30 Workouts (Paperback)

Eleven of my age group soccer kids completed the 30 workouts in this book in ten weeks. After seeing the improvement in acceleration and speed, the other 8 team members and their parents are sorry they didn't join in. The 30 workouts alone are worth the price of the book. You don't need a sports science background. If you are looking for a "just do-it" approach that improves speed in short sprints, this book is for you. The book cuts to the chase. There is no need to dig out anything. Everything that is included is important and the program works.