After a few weeks, time yourself again and see how much you have improved! Then, over the course of a few weeks, stretch and exercise several times a week. First, time yourself running a particular distance. If you want to improve your speed, set some goals for yourself. If they're up for a race, go for it! However, just walking together for the fun of it is good exercise, too. Most animals with four legs can easily beat two-legged humans! You can also get some friends and family members together to run or jog together. Play chase and see if you can beat them in a race. Do you have any pets? If so, take them to a local park or the backyard and get some exercise together.
So, maybe you should set your sights on competing with some slower animals. Think you're faster than a cheetah? By now, you know that you're not going to beat a cheetah in a race.Wow! Today's Wonder of the Day went by really fast, didn't it? Keep learning more by checking out one or more of the following activities with a friend or family member: That’s fast, but it’s no match for the cheetah! This animal could outpace Bolt at about three times his top speed. That equates to a speed of just over 23 miles per hour. He set the world record in the 100-meter dash in 2009 with a blistering time of only 9.58 seconds. So how much faster are cheetahs compared to humans? Currently, the world’s fastest human being is Jamaican Usain Bolt. As they’re running, cheetahs use their tails to help maintain their balance and steer when sharp turns are necessary! This helps them circulate oxygen throughout their bodies more efficiently.Įven cheetahs’ tails help them run faster and turn quickly by acting like the rudder of a ship. Their hearts and lungs are also larger than other cats of similar size. These allow them to breathe in more oxygen when running. This feature gives cheetahs extra grip when chasing prey.Ĭheetahs also have large nostrils. This means that cheetahs can’t fully retract their claws like most other cats can. For example, cheetahs are one of only three types of cats that have semi- retractable claws. Why are cheetahs so fast? Scientists have identified several features that help the animal achieve such amazing speeds. Now that’s fast! In fact, it’s about as fast as the world’s most expensive sports cars can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour. A cheetah’s explosive speed can take it from 0 to over 62 miles per hour in just three seconds. But they can go that fast in short bursts that can cover up to 1,600 feet or more.Ĭheetahs can reach those speeds very quickly, too. Of course, they can’t sustain that high speed over long distances. Scientists estimate that cheetahs can reach speeds between 70-75 miles per hour. You can find cheetahs throughout most of Africa and parts of the Middle East.
Have you ever seen pictures of this animal? If so, you know that it is a large member of the feline (cat) family. The cheetah’s scientific name is Acinonyx jubatus. But how would those runners finish in a race against the fastest land animal on Earth? What animal is that? The cheetah, of course! At the Summer Olympics, you’ll see lots of fast human beings racing each other.