Speed Training: Best Lifts, Principles, and How to Get Faster

What is the best lift to increase speed?

There isn't a single "best" lift for increasing speed; rather, optimal speed development hinges on a synergistic training approach that integrates foundational strength, explosive power, and sport-specific mechanics. Lifts that emphasize rapid force production, such as Olympic weightlifting variations and plyometrics, are particularly effective in enhancing the neuromuscular qualities crucial for acceleration and maximal velocity.

Understanding Speed: More Than Just Muscle

Speed is a complex athletic quality, not merely a function of how strong your muscles are. It encompasses several interconnected components and relies on efficient interplay between the nervous and muscular systems.

• Acceleration: The ability to rapidly increase velocity from a static or low-speed state. This demands high levels of initial force production and efficient body positioning.
• Maximal Velocity: The highest speed an individual can achieve, often sustained over short distances. This requires a combination of high stride frequency and optimal stride length, driven by powerful leg drive and efficient recovery mechanics.
• Rate of Force Development (RFD): The speed at which muscles can generate force. This is arguably the most critical factor for speed, as ground contact times during sprinting are extremely brief (often <0.1 seconds).
• Neuromuscular Coordination: The ability of the nervous system to effectively recruit and coordinate muscle groups for precise and powerful movements.

Ultimately, increasing speed means improving your ability to apply maximal force into the ground in minimal time, repeatedly and efficiently.

The Role of Strength in Speed Development

While speed is about power, absolute strength forms the crucial foundation. You can't express power you don't possess.

• Absolute Strength Foundation: Lifts that build overall strength, such as squats, deadlifts, and lunges, enhance the body's capacity to produce high levels of force. Stronger muscles have a greater potential to generate force. For example, a stronger athlete can apply more force into the ground during acceleration, leading to greater propulsion.
• Relative Strength: This refers to strength relative to one's body weight. An athlete who is strong for their size can move their body more efficiently and powerfully against gravity.

Without a solid strength base, attempts at pure power training may be limited in their effectiveness and potentially increase injury risk.

The Critical Link: Power Development

Power is the rate at which work is done, or more simply, Force x Velocity. For speed, it's not enough to be strong; you must be able to express that strength quickly. This is where power training becomes paramount.

• Explosive Strength: The ability to produce maximal force in minimal time. This directly correlates with RFD and is a hallmark of fast athletes.
• Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC): Many powerful movements involve a rapid eccentric (lengthening) contraction followed immediately by a concentric (shortening) contraction. This elastic energy storage and release mechanism is vital for plyometric activities and sprinting.

Lifts and drills that train the body to generate force rapidly and explosively are key to translating strength into speed.

Lifts That Directly Enhance Speed-Specific Power

When targeting speed, the focus shifts to movements that demand high rates of force production and mimic the triple extension (simultaneous extension of the hips, knees, and ankles) seen in sprinting and jumping.

Olympic Weightlifting and Its Variations

Olympic lifts are gold standard exercises for developing explosive power due to their requirement for rapid, coordinated triple extension.

• Power Clean / Clean: Develops immense hip and leg power, requiring a powerful pull from the floor, a rapid scoop, and an explosive catch. It trains the body to absorb and redirect force quickly. The power clean specifically emphasizes the explosive pull to the rack position without a full squat.
• Power Snatch / Snatch: Similar to the clean but involves moving the weight overhead in one continuous motion. This lift demands even greater speed, coordination, and mobility, making it highly effective for developing full-body power and RFD.
• Jerk / Push Jerk: Primarily develops upper body power and core stability, but the initial dip and drive from the legs contribute to explosive force production, which translates to a powerful push-off.
• Hang Variations (e.g., Hang Power Clean, Hang Power Snatch): These variations start from a position above the knee, reducing the initial pull phase and emphasizing the explosive hip drive, making them excellent for targeting the most powerful part of the lift for speed development.

Plyometrics

Plyometric exercises are critical for improving reactive strength, enhancing the SSC, and training the nervous system to fire muscles more rapidly.

• Box Jumps: Develop vertical power and the ability to absorb and redirect force. Focus on minimal ground contact and explosive upward movement.
• Broad Jumps: Emphasize horizontal power, directly applicable to the initial acceleration phase of sprinting.
• Depth Jumps: Train reactive strength by forcing a rapid eccentric contraction followed by an immediate, powerful concentric jump. This is highly effective for improving RFD.
• Bounding and Hopping: These unilateral (single-leg) exercises mimic the mechanics of sprinting and are excellent for developing specific leg power and coordination.

Ballistic Lifts

These lifts involve accelerating a weight through the entire range of motion and releasing it or leaving the ground.

• Jump Squats (with light load): Performed with a barbell or dumbbells, these train the ability to apply maximal force against resistance at high velocity.
• Kettlebell Swings: A powerful hip-hinge movement that develops explosive hip extension, a primary driver of sprinting speed.

Complementary Lifts for Speed

While not directly "speed lifts," these exercises build the foundational strength and muscular endurance necessary to support power development and reduce injury risk.

• Squats (Back Squat, Front Squat, Goblet Squat): Develop comprehensive lower body strength, particularly in the quadriceps, glutes, and core. Essential for force production.
• Deadlifts (Conventional, Romanian Deadlift, Trap Bar Deadlift): Crucial for developing posterior chain strength (glutes, hamstrings, erector spinae), which is vital for hip extension and maintaining sprint posture. The trap bar deadlift can be particularly effective for athletes due to its more upright torso position and ability to move heavier loads with less spinal stress.
• Lunges / Split Squats: Enhance unilateral leg strength, balance, and stability, addressing common asymmetries and improving single-leg power transfer.
• Glute-Ham Raises / Nordic Hamstring Curls: Specifically target eccentric and concentric hamstring strength, which is critical for both powerful hip extension and preventing hamstring strains during high-speed running.
• Calf Raises (Standing and Seated): Improve ankle stiffness and power, contributing to efficient ground contact and propulsion.

Beyond the Lift: Key Principles for Speed Training

Lifts are only one piece of the puzzle. To truly increase speed, a holistic approach is required.

• Specificity: Include actual sprint training. Lifts build the capacity for speed, but only specific speed drills (e.g., accelerations, maximal velocity sprints, resisted sprints, plyometric drills) will refine running mechanics and neural pathways.
• Progressive Overload: Consistently challenge the body by increasing weight, intensity, volume, or reducing rest times.
• Periodization: Structure your training program into distinct phases (e.g., general preparation, strength, power, speed, competition) to optimize adaptations and prevent overtraining.
• Technique and Coaching: Proper form in all lifts is paramount to maximize effectiveness and minimize injury risk. Seek qualified coaching for both lifting and sprint mechanics.
• Recovery: Adequate sleep, nutrition, and active recovery are essential for muscle repair, adaptation, and preventing fatigue.
• Nutrition and Hydration: Fuel your body for intense training and recovery.

The Verdict: A Multi-Faceted Approach

There is no single "best lift" to increase speed because speed is a complex athletic trait. Instead, the most effective approach involves a strategically designed program that integrates:

1. Foundational Strength Training: Using compound lifts like squats and deadlifts to build maximal force potential.
2. Explosive Power Training: Incorporating Olympic lifts (cleans, snatches, jerks) and their variations, along with ballistic movements, to enhance the rate of force development.
3. Reactive Strength and Specificity: Utilizing plyometrics (jumps, bounds) to improve the stretch-shortening cycle and transfer power to sport-specific movements.
4. Actual Sprinting and Speed Drills: To refine running mechanics and neurological efficiency.

By systematically addressing these components, athletes can develop the comprehensive physical qualities necessary to significantly improve their speed. Always prioritize proper form, progressive overload, and adequate recovery for optimal results and injury prevention.