What is the best way to get faster?
Probably the question I get asked the most as a sports performance coach is how do I get faster for my sport. With so many speed programs that are “guaranteed to work quickly”, it’s surprising to many that the two most important things to consider are strength and movement quality.
Contrary to popular belief, fast athletes aren’t created by running more. Fast athletes are created by an increase in strength. Speed is determined by one’s ability to push force into the ground, not how fast your feet move. A solid resistance training program will help you push more force into the ground, making you faster.
Optimizing movement quality ensures the athlete that they are not wasting time and energy fighting through a muscle tightness or weakness causing them to be slower. Improving one’s flexibility and body symmetry often leads to an increase in speed solely because the body is moving more efficiently.
By focusing on these two variables, athletes will be assured to be a path to better speed.