Running Speed Natural or Taught?

It will be interesting to see responses to this. My personal experiences with my son, similar to yours, tell me that great gains are made through speed and agility training along with strength training. Your older son proved that specificity in training gets the results you want. He followed their conditioning program and ran sprints, often it sounds like and he got really fast (6.5-60)!

I think the potential for exceptional speed (certainly World Class) is a genetic gift. However, a reasonable athlete can achieve great improvements in foot speed with proper training.

i agree with prime9, but you can also think of it like throwing speed. Not everyone will have the potential to throw 95+ but if you work hard and go on a throwing program, there are significant gains to be made.

There is a ceiling for every player. All you can do is work to reach that ceiling. Some kids are born with a higher ceiling. Some never work to reach that ceiling. And some never have to worry about it because they can just run and run fast enough where its not an issue.

I am new to this board but this thread caught my eye.

I have a 15 year old son that is a freshman in HS. He did the freshman tryout in the fall when he was still 14 years old and ran the 60 in 7.0. He was by far the fastest kid out there. I truly believe it is a natural talent that he has. We have never sent him anywhere for speed training or strength and conditioning. He is a natural athlete and sports come very easy to him.

He does do conditioning with his team. He even got pulled up to varsity because of his speed.

The answer is: Both.

There are always ways to improve anything in the game, including speed. But as Coach May said, there is a ceiling for everyone. Some people are just naturally faster than others.

I would recommend checking out www.thephew.com. I've worked with these guys and know several people who've lowered their 60's by a half a second just from working with them.

This topic has hit on here for years and the responses are always interesting. Having worked with Little Leaguers to MLB Gold Glovers anyone can improve their speed. Movement is a mechanical skill much like hitting or throwing. There are efficient ways to move and not so efficient ways to move.

Given proper coaching by a coach who understands the body and movement an athlete can improve their overall mechanics. "Baseball speed" is a bit different. A sub 7 second 60 doesn't mean a kid can play baseball but it's what they are measured by. I have seen kids run 6.4 second 60's who were horrible base runners and who otherwise could catch a fly ball but were marginal at best outfielders.

The 'skill' can be taught but I agree that the ceiling is limtied by athleticism, ability to be coached, and genetics. After all, you can't take a long eared donkey to the Kentucky Derby and expect to win.

I agree with Coach JasonTX completely.

Everyone has the ability to increase their speed but a) not all players know how, and b) some make quicker gains than others.

You see these guys at the NFL combine who are 6'4 260 running 4.39 with 41 inch verticals (Vernon Davis) who in my opinion is the biggest question mark in strength and conditioning history haha.

They do specific training dedicated to become better that the 40, vertical jump, shuttle runs. etc...

Yes, Vernon Davis obviously has more athletic capability than the majority of athletes but he is on a strict diet/workout that is dedicated to give him efficient gains.

This can trickle down to college, high school, and even junior high athletes. Some having higher capabilities, but don't work as hard as the next guy and he surpasses their level of play.

Your younger son can absolutely approach your other son's athletic ability, however you said he is bigger, stronger, and thicker?

Usually when you have lower body fat which I am sure your older son has, you are naturally more athletic. When your older son went away to college he was on a strict work-out regimen, along with a dedicated mindset to be the fastest. His body fat probably dropped in college, and his body became stronger (strength wise and athletically).

**I am in no way insulted you pr your son, and am only trying to help from the picture you have painted**

Your younger son should focus on getting more lean (from what it sounds like) but without losing that power he possesses. So...some things to consider for your younger son:

-Cutting out long distance running
-If he wants to do cardio have him do one of two things...HIIT (high intensity interval training) or simply walking uphill.

HIIT- will cut fat and will not have as much of a negative effect on his "fast twitch muscle fibers"
**downside** Might promote slight muscle tear-down meaning he may lost some strength.

Walking uphill: I would suggest this because he will lose fat while slowing down the muscle tear-down process.

That being said THIS IS NOT ALL HE SHOULD BE DOING. Along with weight training he should be doing:

-agility work
-speed work
-power training
-core strengthening

I hope this helps and I would be happy to answer any questions you have.

GL with your training!!

As others have already pointed out, things that depend on "fast-twitch" muscle fiber - throwing velocity, vertical leap, sprint speed - have a genetic limit component in humans. We can work to the end range of that limit, but there aren't too many realistic ways (legal and illegal, mind you) that you can exceed them. It's just physiology.

However, there are plenty of training methodologies that will take someone to that limit. Increasing strength is likely the best place to start for a relatively untrained athlete.

I'd read what Kelly Baggett has to say about this topic from Higher Faster Sports, as he's written a ton about vertical leap, sprint speed, and how they can be meaningfully improved through better mobility and increasing strength.

http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/articles.html

It's all free, too. Can't beat the price.

Plyometics, a agility ladder, and a jump rope worked for me. I dramatically cut down my home to first time in a relatively short amount of time, all while not interfering with my off season weight lifting.

Just to add to what everyone has said but with a caveat. My oldest ran a 7.4 at a PG event as a sophomore weighing in at 165. As he matured he gained speed. When he was a senior, his time got down to 6.9. He is now weighing in at 195 (Still just under 6') and was timed at about 6.5 on a hard surface. The scouts added 2/10 because of the surface so we are figuring a 6.7-6.8 now.

He has gotten "thicker" not leaner, he has developed larger muscles in his legs and glutes. In a sense, he has a much bigger engine then he had as a sophomore in HS and is able to generate more speed because of it.

A lot of full body weight training, and a little bit of speed and strength coaching while rehabbing a leg injury.

As Coach May indicated, everyone has a ceiling. Some are more motivated than others to find out what that ceiling is.

By: Coach Jason TX

quote:

Movement is a mechanical skill much like hitting or throwing. There are efficient ways to move and not so efficient ways to move.

Along with a lot of work… The above posted by Coach Jason is too often ignored by those who feel running is a completely natural skill. That is really too bad! I also agree with those who say everyone has a ceiling/potential. Only thing is, there are not many (if any) that ever reach their potential… Because it is an unknown! Some go well beyond the ceiling that others have placed on them.

I agree with PG. It is an unknown but it will remain an unknown unless it is trained and monitored by those who understand how the body functions and responds to stressors placced upon it.