Every week we get people calling the gym looking for “speed classes”.  We always say we have no “speed classes” only performance enhancement programs.  Then they say… “Well he/she just needs to get faster.”  Then I say… “Why is he/she slow?”  SILENCE…
Truth is most people have no idea what encompasses speed, or what it takes to develop a faster more explosive athlete.  I can’t tell you how many totally BS misconceptions I hear every week about developing speed.  Many from other sport coaches and trainers!  Just recently a client of ours whose sons we have trained for years comes to me and says…” I spoke to a bunch of speed guys and they said sprinters should not squat or lift heavy.” From that he thought his younger son, the sprinter, should run CROSS COUNTRY as a way to improve his sprinting!  I said…ARE YOU F&*%^NG CRAZY!!!  Does Usain Bolt run 10 miles per day to become the fastest man on the planet!  Does Mariusz Pudzianowski do step aerobics to become a five time World’s Strongest Man!  NO WAY!  They sprint hard and lift heavy!
Let me break down the TRUTH about speed!
When I teach muscle physiology and motor control to my students at the local State University I always like to do a presentation on speed and strength development as many of them are athletes themselves and majoring in various forms of Exercise Science/Physical Education.  I like to break speed down in two categories: Innate ability and Learned Skills.  Each Category has several components.
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Article: Speed 101