Depending on your team’s offensive spread, most football plays last between six and 10 seconds, with 25- to 35-second rest intervals between them.

Running at fast speeds for short distances (like playing football) uses the ATP-PC Phospagen energy system. Training this system means you run short sprints that last less than 10 seconds. The following drill will help you explode off the line of scrimmage and run as fast possible, building “football game speed.”

Perform ten of these game speed drills at first, then try to add a couple each week. You can perform the drill about three weeks before the start of camp, and you can do it during the season as part of your normal conditioning program.

• Start at the end of the football field
• Get into your normal position stance and line up on the field where you will be playing
• Imagine a snap count in your head, then sprint as fast as you can for six 10 seconds
• Rest for 25-35 seconds
• A variation on this drill is to push a sled as fast possible for 10 seconds, rest for 25 to 35 seconds, and repeat