Show notes
Why are some athletes faster than others? In this Speed Training 101 lesson, I explain how genetics, training age, sprint exposure and movement competency influence sprint speed and your ability to develop faster athletes.Are fast athletes simply born fast?Genetics absolutely influence speed. Fibre type, limb length, neurological characteristics and other inherited qualities can affect an athlete’s potential.But genetics only help establish the ceiling.The bigger coaching question is:How close is the athlete to that ceiling?In Episode 2 of Speed Training 101, I break down why athletes with years of strength and conditioning experience can still have enormous amounts of untapped speed potential.You’ll learn:Why genetics don’t fully explain sprint performanceThe difference between Training Age and Speed AgeWhy experienced athletes can still be speed-development beginnersHow structured sprint exposure develops speedWhy strength needs to transfer into sprint performanceHow movement competency affects speed developmentWhy maximum-effort sprinting isn’t always maximum developmentHow I use Learn → Load → Execute to develop sprint skillI also share the example of a 35-year-old professional rugby player who achieved lifetime best sprint performances over 10m, 20m and maximum speed after we changed how his speed training was structured.The lesson is simple:Your athlete’s genetic ceiling might be fixed. Their proximity to it isn’t.0:00 Are Some Athletes Just Born Faster?0:59 Understanding Your Athlete's Speed Potential2:00 Does Genetics Limit Sprint Speed?2:18 Training Age vs Speed Age3:29 What Is Speed Age?4:46 Why Experienced Athletes Can Still Be Slow5:13 How a 35-Year-Old Rugby Player Got Faster5:51 How to Increase Sprint Training Exposure6:25 What Does Proper Sprint Training Look Like?6:52 The Sprint Development Hierarchy8:27 Why Strength Doesn't Always Transfer to Speed9:14 Movement Competency and Sprint Performance10:15 Why Maximum Speed Can Limit Learning10:53 How Athletes Actually Learn Sprint Technique11:40 The Learn, Load, Execute Framework12:22 Why Some Athletes Are Faster Than Others13:15 Should Every Athlete Sprint the Same Way?⸻FREE FIELD SPEED TOOLKITGet the tools and frameworks to start applying the Sports Speed System with your athletes:https://speedbysportland.com/tool-kit?video=kBsjt6KZkokTHE SPORTS SPEED SYSTEMLearn my complete approach to developing speed that transfers to team sport:https://www.speedbysportland.com/sportsspeedsystembook?video=kBsjt6KZkokWATCH SPEED TRAINING 101Start from Episode 1 and work through the complete series:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMoh2cFJ0Ztk