How Often Should You Do Speed Workouts?

What’s good people!

Welcome to today’s Speed Brief, where we dive into the essentials of athletic performance, helping you run faster, train smarter, and stay injury-free.

In today’s newsletter:

• On Your Marks: We’ll explore why striking the right balance between frequency and intensity in speed workouts is crucial for sprinters focused on speed development.

• Set: You’ll get expert advice on structuring your speed training to maximize gains without risking burnout.

• Go: Learn how to implement these principles into your own training regimen for sustained speed gains.

🏁 On Your Marks: The Balance of Speed Workouts for Optimal Speed Development

Back when I was training at Sutton Arena, we had a tight-knit group of sprinters, all pushing each other to be the best. Among us was a guy named Chris—one of the most naturally talented athletes I’ve ever seen. Chris had the kind of raw speed that made you do a double-take. He could effortlessly glide down the track, making it look easy while the rest of us were gasping for air. But there was something about Chris that always stood out—he was relentless.

Unlike the rest of us who stuck to the coach’s schedule, Chris was at the track almost every day. On our off days, when we were supposed to be resting or focusing on recovery, you could still find Chris there, doing extra sprints or working on his starts. At first, it seemed like his dedication was paying off. His times were improving, and he quickly became the guy we were all trying to catch.

But after a few months, things started to change. Chris began to complain about nagging muscle tightness, especially in his hamstrings and calves. His explosive starts, which used to be his strength, started to suffer. He wasn’t getting out of the blocks as sharply, and his top-end speed seemed to plateau.

Then came the injuries. Nothing major at first—just small tweaks here and there. But they started to add up. Chris would pull up during training sessions, holding his hamstring, or sit out a workout because his legs felt heavy. The more he pushed, the more his body pushed back.

Our coach noticed what was happening and sat Chris down for a talk. The problem wasn’t Chris’s work ethic—it was his approach. By constantly pushing himself without giving his body time to recover, Chris was burning out. His muscles weren’t getting the time they needed to repair and strengthen between sessions, leading to fatigue, reduced performance, and eventually, injury.

It was a tough lesson for Chris, but it’s one that stuck with me. Speed development isn’t just about how much time you spend on the track. It’s about balancing your efforts—training hard on the days you’re supposed to, and letting your body recover on the days you’re not.

The Big Insight?

The key to getting faster isn’t just about putting in more hours; it’s about making those hours count. For sprinters, that means focusing on high-quality, intense speed sessions a few times a week, paired with proper recovery to let your body adapt and grow stronger. Chris’s experience taught us that overtraining can quickly turn potential into problems. When it comes to speed development, less can truly be more—as long as you’re training smart.

⚡ Set: How to Structure Speed Workouts for Maximum Effectiveness

With the right balance of frequency, intensity, recovery, and variation, you can maximize your speed development. Here’s how to apply these principles in your training:

1. Frequency: Optimal Training Days

• Plan 2-3 speed sessions per week. This allows enough intensity to stimulate speed gains without risking overtraining. Start by scheduling these sessions on non-consecutive days (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday), giving your body time to recover between efforts.

• Why It’s Important: Chris learned the hard way that more isn’t always better. By sticking to 2-3 high-quality sessions a week, you can avoid the pitfalls he encountered and maximize your speed gains.

2. Intensity: Focus on Quality Over Quantity

• During your speed sessions, prioritize quality. Warm up thoroughly, then focus on short, intense efforts. For example, perform 4-6 sprints of 30-60 meters at maximum effort. Ensure each sprint is followed by full recovery, allowing you to maintain top speed for each rep.

• Why It’s Important: Chris’s initial success came from maintaining high intensity during his sessions. But when he started blending speed work with other types of training, his performance began to suffer. To see real progress, focus on pure sprinting intensity.

3. Recovery: Integrate Active Recovery Days

• On days between your speed workouts, incorporate active recovery activities like light jogging, cycling, or mobility exercises. Aim for 30-40 minutes of low-intensity movement to promote blood flow and recovery without adding stress to your muscles.

• Why It’s Important: Active recovery helps remove metabolic waste from your muscles, reduces soreness, and prepares your body for the next intense session. This keeps you fresh and ready to hit high speeds again.

4. Variation: Mix Up Your Speed Workouts

• Vary the focus of your speed workouts throughout the week. For example:

  • Day 1: Maximum Velocity – Focus on reaching and maintaining top speed over 60 meters.

  • Day 2: Acceleration – Work on explosive starts with shorter sprints of 10-30 meters.

  • Day 3: Speed Endurance – Extend your sprint distance to 100-150 meters to build the ability to maintain speed over longer distances.

• Why It’s Important: Different aspects of speed—acceleration, maximum velocity, and endurance—require different training focuses. Mixing these up in your weekly routine ensures comprehensive speed development and prevents training plateaus, helping you avoid the burnout Chris experienced.

🚀 Go: Implementing Speed Workouts for Optimal Development

Now that you’ve got the fundamentals of structuring your speed workouts, it’s time to refine your training routine to maximize your gains.

1. Evaluate Your Current Routine:

• Check Your Frequency: Take a look at your training plan and see how often you’re currently doing speed workouts. Aim for 2-3 focused sessions per week, ensuring you have enough time for recovery between each. Remember Chris’s story—overtraining led to burnout, not breakthroughs.

• Intensity Matters: Reflect on whether you’re truly pushing yourself to the max during these sessions. If your speed workouts are blending into endurance or strength training, you may need to dial in more focused sprint-specific intensity.

2. Prioritize Recovery:

• Plan Active Recovery: Between your speed sessions, include days dedicated to active recovery. Think light jogging, mobility work, or anything that helps you recover without adding stress. Proper recovery isn’t just about rest—it’s about preparing your body for the next high-intensity session.

• Listen to Your Body: If you’re feeling more fatigued than usual, consider adding extra recovery time. Just like Chris had to learn, sometimes less is more when it comes to speed gains.

3. Add Variation to Your Speed Workouts:

• Keep It Dynamic: Mix up your speed sessions throughout the week. Focus on different aspects of sprinting—like acceleration one day and top-end speed another—to keep your body adapting and avoid training plateaus.

4. Track and Adjust:

• Monitor Your Progress: Start keeping a detailed log of your workouts, including how you feel and your performance metrics. This will help you spot trends and make necessary adjustments to your routine.

• Fine-Tune Your Routine: Based on your log, make tweaks to your training as needed. If you notice you’re consistently fatigued or not seeing the results you want, adjust the balance of your workouts and recovery.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to refine your speed workouts and see better results in your sprinting performance. Remember, it’s not just about how often you train, but how smartly you do it. Experiment with these principles, pay attention to your body’s response, and keep refining your approach.

That’s it for today’s Speed Brief. Watching Chris go through this taught me a valuable lesson about training smarter, not just harder. I hope his story helps you find that balance in your own training.

If you found this email helpful, please share it. I’ll be back with another edition of this newsletter next week.

Have a great weekend.

Liam

TSP

www.thespeedproject.com