I just joined the football team. I'm a receiver, and I need to build speed and be able to turn and stop on a dime. I run a 5.5 on my 40, but I would really like to shave it down to a 4.4 or 4.3. I have been running and jogging a lot, and I used to be a really good runner, but after wasting a summer with a shitty girlfriend, sitting around and bullshitting with old friends,and not really doing any exercising, I haven't gone to any speed camps and I have barely worked out at all since spring sports,so I'm a little behind my fellow receivers. Any tips on how to get faster and better at working my way around defensive players?

EDIT:I was looking for something more of like a squat regimen or something like that.

Oh you like to recieve do you hur hur hur


Do Shuttle runs. Set up 4 cones/bricks/anything in a straight line, with about 20 metres between them. Start at one end. Run out and touch the closest, run back and touch the beginning cone. Then do the same for the next one out and so on until you are running the length of the cones to the far one to touch it and then start again. See how many cycles you can do in 1min/2min/whatever. Probably a short time if you watn to improve your explosive sprints.

Do Illinois runs. I started typing and realised i couldnt be bothered to explain this one so heres a link Vary the direction of travel and whether you are doing an all out sprint or sidestepping/running backwards.
http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/illinois.htm

my guess is you need to sprint, not squat.

Step 1 : draw swaztika on floor with masking tape.

Step 2 : recruit friend. Make this friend beat you with a waterlogged bamboo cane if you miss the tape.

Step 3 : run from one point of the swaztika to another, never going to an opposing arm of the swaztika - always take either a left or right turn at the center.

Step 4 : tabata the shit above, counting reps. Have your friend beat you with waterlogged bamboo every time you don't add at least one rep.

Step 5 : ???

Step 6 : enjoy the look on the teams/teachers/whatever's face when they walk through the door and see you taping a giant swaztika on the floor.

I swear, dude... it works. 'n step six can provide much lulz.

a 4.4 or 4.3 is asking a little much. but focus on picking up your knees higher and swinging your arms faster when you sprint

Will doing leg curls on a benchpress build speed?

not to be picky, but one really doesn't work their legs on a benchpress.

But I know what you mean, and my guess is ... strengthening your hamstrings shouldn't slow you down and maybe could make you a bit faster.
But I have to believe it won't work like magic.
One reason may be that in a running sprint, you are doing 4 reps per second.
On a leg machine you are moving way slower than that.
So you're training your muscles to work slowly , which is not what you really need.

If you can find a Keiser air resistance machine , or some other isokinetic device, and you work the hamstrings as fast as you possibly can, then that would be the best scenario.

slow hamstring curls are iffy, but better than not doing them, IMO.

Principle of specificity:

To get better at something, the best way is to DO that specific thing.

So, do sprints. Shuttle runs & such. Plyometric workouts are also very good at building speed, but won't help unless you are already doing sprint training!

oh yeah? try benching with nail hammered in your calf.

I kid.

Nah, i know it wouldn't compare to actual running, its just that i have a bench press in my garage and i would rather be doing leg curls while listening music on my P.A then running around the block where i would have to compete with weather.