What are the 3 biggest misconceptions when it comes to speed training?

We contacted six experts and asked them to weigh in on the three biggest speed-training misconceptions; here’s what they told us.

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JB Morin

Professor and consultant, Université Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne

Misconception 1: Some athletes cannot get significantly faster

The first misconception is thinking that some athletes cannot get significantly faster, i.e., increase their linear test speed or game speed. It is often an excuse for not taking speed training seriously, because there are very few athletes in the world who cannot get faster: elite sprinters at the peak of their careers, who—because of their development to that point—have very little to no room for improvement.

The question is not if someone can get faster, but how. Almost everyone can get faster if the quantity and quality of developmental work is significant and the speed coach is competent.

Misconception 2: “Ultra-specificity” as the main training focus

The second misconception is what I call “ultra-specificity” as the main training focus.

It is true that “just sprinting” will make most beginners and low-level athletes better and faster. But if it were that simple, there would be no need for coaches, and speed and S&C specialists. Athletes would easily train on their own: you want to improve your 40-yard dash speed, just do 40-yard dashes! It might work for a while, but performance will plateau very early.

Further improvements will come with a deeper analysis of the individual components underlying performance: kinetics, kinematics, muscle strength and power, ground propulsive force production and orientation, and other pieces of the fascinating individual “puzzle.”

Misconception 3: The role of “strength” training for speed

A third misconception is the role of “strength” training for speed. Too often, “strength” is understood to mean “maximum absolute strength capacity,” i.e., strength produced at very low movement speed, when what is really needed is strength output in the context of fast to very fast movements.

A top speed sprint is more than four steps per second, and ground contact phases are about 100 milliseconds at high speed on a track.

Think about it: at the end of a starting block push, at the beginning of a sprint, the lower limb action is faster than that of a vertical jump. Our studies show a very poor correlation between maximum absolute lower limb power output (e.g., during a squat push) and sprint-specific power output.

Force output is what matters most according to the fundamental laws of motion. But in the context of speed, it’s force output at high speed, in a very short time frame, and applied to the ground in the right direction.

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Carlos del Barrio

Lead Sport Scientist, Atlético de Madrid & Ceu San Pablo University

Misconception 1: Speed is all about sprinting fast 

One of the most common misconceptions is that speed training simply involves running at maximum effort. While this is undoubtedly true for sprinting, true speed development encompasses much more. It requires a focus on acceleration, deceleration, change of direction, and technical proficiency. Addressing these areas ensures that athletes can perform efficiently and adapt to game-specific demands. 

Misconception 2: Strength training slows you down 

A persistent myth in speed training is that strength training makes athletes bulky and less agile.

On the contrary, well-structured strength programs enhance force production, which is critical for improving sprint performance. Exercises targeting posterior chain strength—such as deadlifts, squats, and hip thrusts—directly contribute to acceleration and maximal velocity. The key is tailoring strength work to the specific demands of speed training, ensuring it complements rather than hinders performance. 

Misconception 3: Avoiding maximal velocity to prevent injury 

Some athletes and coaches hesitate to incorporate maximum velocity sprinting into training, fearing it increases injury risk. However, avoiding max velocity can leave athletes unprepared for the demands of competition, where reaching top speed is often required.

Gradually progressing toward max velocity in a controlled and monitored environment not only reduces injury risk but also builds the neuromuscular adaptations necessary for peak performance. Sprinting at maximum effort is a skill that must be practiced, enhancing efficiency and resilience.

Bonus misconception: More volume leads to better results 

Many coaches and athletes assume that the more sprinting they do, the faster they’ll become. However, speed training is high intensity and taxing on the neuromuscular system. Excessive volume can lead to fatigue, compromising technique and increasing the risk of injury.

Quality over quantity is key. Every sprint should be executed with optimal effort and mechanics.

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James Wild

Performance Consultant, Harlequins Rugby and the University of Surrey

Misconception 1: It is always necessary to address aspects of technique that deviate from the “ideal.”

One misconception is that it is always necessary to address aspects of technique that deviate from the “ideal.”

Not all movement deviations demand intervention. While some technical issues are worth addressing, especially if linked to injury or persistent underperformance, others may simply reflect individual variation.

There’s no clear cut threshold between “acceptable” and “problematic.” Instead, decisions should be athlete-centred, context sensitive, and based on key considerations. Is the pattern associated with injury history or performance limitations? Is it consistent across contexts? Does it worsen under fatigue or load? And, crucially, is the athlete capable of implementing meaningful change? In many cases, maintaining a non-ideal but functional pattern may be more beneficial than forcing a change that brings little performance gain or increases injury risk.

Misconception 2: There’s a one-size-fits-all approach to speed training

Second, is the thought there’s a one-size-fits-all approach to speed training.

There is no universal speed training system that is equally beneficial for all. No single system is “the best.”

Broadly, to target the ground reaction force characteristics that determine sprinting performance, interventions ought to consider which of the following areas need to be addressed: enhanced body composition, developing force generating capacities (e.g., strength, power, stiffness), and refining technique (ideally through a multi-modal approach shared between performance and medical teams). But how these are addressed must be individualised.

Athletes differ in movement patterns, training backgrounds, injury histories, and adaptive responses. What works for one may not work for another. That’s because speed development is a non-ergodic process: group averages don’t reflect individual responses. Coaches must avoid blanket prescriptions and instead interpret training principles flexibly, applying them to the athlete in front of them.

Misconception 3: Speed training is essential

Finally, there’s the misconception that speed training is essential. Speed is valuable in many sports, but it isn’t always the top priority. Outside of sprint-specific disciplines, it’s one piece of a much larger puzzle. For some athletes, improving decision making, tactical understanding, or conditioning may offer a greater return on investment than chasing marginal speed gains.

Sometimes speed training is not needed…and that is perfectly fine.

Moreover, speed training doesn’t need to be a standalone session. In team sport settings, seamless integration within the week is better than forced isolation. It can be effectively integrated via warm-ups, small sided games, strength training, or rehab without overloading the athlete or disrupting the wider programme. The key is knowing when to prioritise it and when to embed it subtly.

Effective speed development is not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters, when it matters, for the right reasons. And sometimes that means none at all.

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Tom Tombleson

Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Great Britain Rugby 7s

Misconception 1: You don’t need to train speed as a quality directly

There’s this idea that you don’t need to directly train speed as a quality.

Acceleration, striding, and sprinting are the most common actions in a variety of team sports. But there’s an assumption in our industry that acceleration is already catered to in technical training itself, so practitioners avoid more direct training so as not to “over-cook the steak.”

The problem in metabolic sports like rugby, football, and hockey is that athletes rarely train with the work-to-rest ratios that allow them to tap into their maximal or near-maximal abilities. If that’s not part of training, then we aren’t developing speed. At best, we are only having them express what they inherently possess. Those who do train speed / acceleration may assume that if they complete the required number of high quality efforts as part of strength / power work in training, then the job is done. But that neglects the importance of analyzing how they do these actions. If speed is a game breaker and one of the most common actions, practitioners should be assessing it like we do our tactical and technical work.

Misconception 2: Technical improvements only come from technical inputs

Next is the notion that technical improvements only come from technical inputs like drills, cueing, and technical directed coaching.

I love Dan Pfaff’s comparison that the human body is like a ship: the joints are like pulleys and the ropes are connective-contractile tissues. I’d add that the bones are masts, and the fascia is like sails.

Day to day, the materials on the ship degrade through wear and tear, either through chronic injury or simply the stresses of the sport. We can boost the function of the ship’s movement by upgrading its materials, allowing them to articulate and work in harmony.

Targeted joint work and soft tissue management helps the pulleys (joints), ropes (connective tissues), and sails (fascia) articulate in a more economical smooth manner, reducing the wear and impact on the ropes and pulleys.

Improved joint range of motion fosters improved power and stability in gait, whether through pain management, improved hydraulics, leverage, and length-tension dynamics. You may observe improved mechanics purely from a selection of different manual therapies or self-directed joint interventions. This is especially impactful when an athlete has large structural asymmetries during running.

Many athletes “un-learn” how to run efficiently through the compensations they carry over from previous injuries and other acute negative changes to the musculoskeletal system.

Practitioners can often attain quick technical improvements simply by removing the structural limitations and subsequent compensation strategies that come from from these deficiencies. In these instances, no coaching cue or technical drill is going to “out-restrict” an anatomical blockage.

Misconception 3: The effect of “transfer” exercises

Finally, be cautious of the effectiveness of so-called transfer exercises that have less of an impact on speed than more direct influences.

Social media is awash with reels and threads with tag lines like “the 5 best exercises for acceleration,” or “the best exercise for improving top speed you’re not doing.”

These may be gym exercises or locomotion drills that use the same muscles and look sufficiently similar to running, but do not get close to the temporal and force characteristics of the task at hand. Alex Wolf described these as “movement representation” exercises, which seems like an accurate term.

These options offer contextual positioning at slower speeds and intensities, which may well have benefit, but only indirectly and further down the transfer ladder than in-gait options with closer ground contact times, velocities, and horiziontal-vertical force ratios and vectors.

The alternatives to these aren’t novel or sexy, but sit a lot closer to the characteristics of acceleration and top speed. High speed knee dribbles or scissor bounds have much higher dynamic correspondence to the action you are trying to influence.

With these classics in mind, a final word of caution is that any drill or exercise may be good for the goose but not for the gander.

Just because something has high relevance doesn’t mean it does for everyone. An individual who has already maxed out on stride length may not find much potential gain in bounds for distance.

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Derek Hansen

Sport Performance Consultant, RunningMechanics.com

Misconception 1: Getting stronger makes you faster

Obviously, being strong is a desirable quality in any sport or activity. However, the act of sprinting is very similar to all other technical activities inasmuch that strength has a clear point of diminishing returns. 

Strength is a foundational element for developing power and, ultimately, speed. However, continuing to develop strength beyond what is useful can lead to diminished speed abilities and, in some cases, increased risk of injury.

Excessive strength training can fatigue and tighten up key muscle groups, as well as create coordination issues when athletes are required to turn their muscles on and off in a fraction of a second. 

The goal of the speed coach is to determine when the athlete has achieved appropriate strength levels, whether through sprinting, weightlifting, accessory strength work, or other dynamic means (i.e., jumps or throws). Once they have reached that point, the focus should shift to more specific activities to develop and maintain speed. 

Chasing numbers in the weight room is not the answer.

Misconception 2: Sprint drills are essential for speed development 

Sprint drills are a tool, just like any other tool in a coach’s tool box. I have had many fast athletes who were horrible at sprint drills. But when they would sprint, they looked like a gazelle and everything fell into place as it should.

Everyone is wired differently. Some athletes flourish with the structure of drills, while others get confounded by the constraints and monotony imposed by a drill. Sprint drills can provide specific strengthening and biomechanical guidance for sprinting athletes. While the drills may not provide direct adaptations for speed, they do help with putting some of the key pieces together when it comes to posture, limb positioning, foot placement, and relaxation.

Context will determine if your athlete or group will benefit from drills.

Misconception 3: Fixing sprint technique is all about proper cueing

Every coach is looking for the right word or instruction to help their athlete run better. Sometimes, regardless of what you say or how you say it, the problem may persist, and it might not be about a choice of wording. The actual issue may relate back to other elements that may be lacking, including strength, general fitness, proprioceptive abilities, general coordination and, in some cases, the presence of pain.

The job of the coach is to have a process in place that allows him to systematically determine the correct course of action for resolving technical issues.

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Cameron Josse

Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach, Detroit Lions

Misconception 1: More strength training will lead to more enhanced speed

The biggest misconception is that more strength training will lead to more enhanced speed.

It’s far too general a statement to say that the best way to get faster is to get stronger. It leads to practitioners thinking that athletes should endlessly continue adding weight to the bar to run faster. As many great speed coaches have pointed out, speed is about applying the right amount of force in the right amount of time and in the right direction.

Strength is important, but the specific strength qualities are going to fall more towards expressions of explosive strength, reactive / elastic strength, reflexive strength, and speed-strength, rather than towards endless amounts of maximal strength.

Misconception 2: Technique doesn’t matter when training speed

The next misconception is that technique doesn’t matter when training speed. We have a responsibility to understand the propulsion phases of sprinting to the best of our ability. The so-called “efficient” techniques associated with biomechanical models of speed performance are not required to achieve high outputs of speed. Great athletes are great compensators, and they can always find a way to get the job done. But in terms of saving energy through elastic recoil and potentially for health and longevity, the technical elements are paramount.

Misconception 3: One will magically get faster just from including sprint training in the program

Finally, there’s a misconception that one will magically get faster just from including sprint training in the program.

The entire training system determines whether one achieves higher levels of speed.

Speed is heavily governed by the central nervous system. If the training is not conducive to allowing maximum nervous system activation and development, then it’s quite hard to foster speed gains. Training compatibility, residuals, and overall adaptation periods must be understood as well as possible to ensure that excessive heavy lifting or overall excessive training “baggage” in the form of redundant drill work does not mask the fitness of speed.