Both matter, but they need different methods. Prioritise based on your sport, your position and what your game demands.
Most sports are decided in the first few steps. But athletes who never touch top speed get injured when a match forces them to.
Acceleration: the first 0-20 metres
In football, tennis, padel and basketball most sprints are short. Acceleration depends on force into the ground and body position.
- Sled pushes and resisted sprints
- 10-20 m starts from different positions
- Strength work: squats, split squats, hip thrusts
Top speed: 30 metres and beyond
Maximal velocity is about stiffness, rhythm and fast ground contacts.
- Flying 20-30 m sprints with a build-up
- Short-contact plyometrics: pogos, hurdle hops, bounds
- Full rest - at least 2-3 minutes
Which one to prioritise
| Sport / position | Main focus |
|---|---|
| Tennis, padel | Acceleration and change of direction |
| Basketball | Acceleration, first step |
| Football wingers, full-backs | Both, with weekly top-speed exposure |
| Football centre-backs, midfielders | Acceleration plus repeated sprints |
Train acceleration often. Touch top speed every week. Never only one of them.
Keep it in the right place
Speed goes at the start of a session, fresh, 2-10 seconds per rep, low volume. When reps get longer than 10-15 seconds or rest gets short, you are training speed endurance - useful, but a different quality.
Train with a plan built around your season
Programs, load monitoring and a yearly plan for your sport.
