Question

What is speed? Explain the methods to develop speed in detail.

Hint:

Speed training should always be done at the beginning of a session when the nervous system is fresh, never at the end when the athlete is fatigued.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:  
Speed refers to the ability to perform movements or cover distances in the shortest possible time. It is influenced by reaction time, movement frequency, and acceleration. 

Step 2: Methods to Develop Speed: 
There are two primary methods used to develop speed: 
Acceleration Runs: 
Purpose: Used to improve the ability to reach maximum speed quickly from a stationary position. 
Execution: The athlete starts from rest and sprints for 20-30 meters at 100% intensity. 
Rest: Sufficient rest (2-5 minutes) between repetitions allows the nervous system to recover.

Pace Races (Speed Endurance): 
Purpose: Used to maintain maximum speed for a longer duration. 
Execution: The athlete runs a distance 10-20% longer than their competitive distance at a steady, high-speed pace (around 80-90% intensity). 
Example: An 800m runner may practice 1000m runs to develop the necessary endurance to maintain speed during the race.

Step 3: Factors Affecting Speed: 
Several factors affect speed: 
 

Muscle fiber composition (especially a high percentage of White Fast Twitch fibers)

Explosive strength

Technique and flexibility

Step 4: Final Answer: 
Speed is a measure of how fast a person can move or cover a distance. It is developed through Acceleration Runs to enhance start-up speed and Pace Races to improve endurance at high speeds.

Answer 2

Speed is best understood together with the physical factors that limit it, and the two standard training methods can then be explained by which limiting factor each one targets.

Definition: Speed is the ability to complete a movement, or travel a set distance, in the shortest possible time, and it depends on nerve reaction time, stride/movement frequency, and the body's rate of acceleration.

What limits speed: the proportion of fast-twitch (white) muscle fibres a person has, their explosive strength, and their running technique and flexibility all set a ceiling on how fast and how efficiently someone can move.

Method 1, Acceleration Runs, targets explosive strength and start technique:
Starting from rest, the athlete sprints 20-30 metres at maximum intensity.
A generous rest period of 2-5 minutes between repetitions is essential because this drill relies on the nervous system firing at its sharpest, without full recovery the quality of each rep drops and the drill stops training pure acceleration.
Repeated practice of this explosive start conditions the fast-twitch fibres and improves how quickly the body reaches top speed.

Method 2, Pace Races, targets the ability to sustain speed (speed endurance):
The athlete runs at a strong but not maximal pace (about 80-90% intensity) over a distance that is 10-20% longer than their competition distance.
For instance, someone racing 800m might train over 1000m, this overload teaches the body to maintain race pace even after the point where the actual race would have ended.

Overall, speed is how quickly the body covers ground, and it is developed through Acceleration Runs, which sharpen the explosive start, and Pace Races, which extend how long top speed can be sustained.