THE NUMBER ONE TEST for football players is the 40-yard dash. This test can make or break an athlete’s chances for  a college scholarship, starting position or position placement. Much emphasis is placed on it, but little is known on how to prepare for it.

Since we began utilizing the following technique, our athletes have lowered their 40-yard dash times by an average of 0.07-to 0.24 seconds.

Football Vs. Track
When a coach tells a player to line up and run the 40, nearly 99 percent of them will assume a 3-point stance with his hand on the line. This is a football test, so shouldn’t a football stance be used? No! To maximize effort and explosiveness, a football stance should not be used.

A better technique is to utilize a modified track stance. This will easily lower the typical athlete’s 40 time by approximately 0.05 to 0.10 the first time and will keep the athlete lower to the ground upon take-off.

How can a modified track stance lower times immediately? Look at the specifics of the event first. The goal is to sprint from point A (starting line) to point B (finish line) as fast as possible. Why would you want to assume a stance where your feet are already 2 yards behind the starting line? This will place your first step on the starting line rather than ahead of it because athletes are taught to use the back leg as the push-off leg.

Try it yourself. Get in a 3-point stance and take your first step. Have you even made it up to the starting line yet?

Proper Stance
To correctly assume the modified track stance, determine which leg will be the power leg. This is usually up to the athlete, and is determined by which leg the athlete prefers to have back in his football stance.

This is different from the standard football stance, since the foot closer to the line will be the power leg. Place both sets of toes on the starting line and squat down. Take the non-pushing foot and move it back 3 to 6 inches. For example, if the left leg were the power leg, the right foot would be placed in the instep of the left shoe.

Take the hand that’s on the same side of the non-power leg and place it sideways on the starting line like a sprinter would do.

The difficult part of this stance is next. The athlete needs to keep his feet stationary along with this hand on the line. The hips and buttocks need to be raised to maximum height and the body will lean over the starting line. The athlete will be resting on his down hand and the balls of his feet. It is normal to feel off-balance at first. He needs to learn body control and balance.

The up arm is going to deliver the power needed to explode off the line and help with balance.

Balance, Positioning
The higher the hips, the more body lean there will be, and the higher the athlete will be on the balls of his feet. Have your players extend the up arm to generate power. The athlete should now be in the ready position for take off. Your player must be able to achieve this position and hold it perfectly for 1 to 2 seconds before take-off is allowed!

It’s important to teach and practice this stance because it gives your athletes enough time to get used to balance and positioning. Once balance and body lean are perfected, the athlete will need to determine when to take off. In 40-yard dash timings, the clock usually begins on the athlete’s first step.

Explosion
On the first step, have the player explode off of the power foot while swinging the up arm forward with maximum effort. The outward explosion of the power leg will cause the other leg to stride out farther than normal, and it will be approximately 2 to 3 yards beyond the starting line!