What is Speed in Football?
Speed in football is not a single attribute. It comprises several components, each with its own training requirements.
Acceleration
The ability to reach maximum speed from a standing start or on the move in the shortest possible time. In football, this is rarely more than 10–15 metres. The first step is decisive.
Sprint Speed (Maximum Velocity)
Absolute top speed over longer sprint distances (20–40 metres). Relevant for counter-attacking situations and runs in behind.
Action Speed
The speed of decision-making and execution of a technical action: pass selection, shot, challenge. This component is often underestimated – yet during a match, it is frequently more important than pure physical speed.
Speed Endurance
The ability to maintain sprint speed across multiple short actions throughout a match. Football does not consist of a single sprint – but of 30–50 short sprints interspersed with recovery intervals.
The Two Developmental Windows for Speed
Speed has two particularly favourable developmental windows during youth. Knowing these windows allows you to train with purpose. Missing them means working significantly harder later on.
Window 1: 7–9 Years
The first window occurs in early childhood. The nervous system is highly adaptable – reaction speed and coordinative speed can be developed particularly well during this phase.
What should be trained in this window:
- Reaction speed (reacting to cues, transitioning quickly)
- Coordinative speed (rapid footwork sequences, stride frequency)
- Playful speed formats (tag games, reaction games, running races)
What is NOT sensible in this window:
- Maximum strength output
- Long sprints at maximum pace
- Conditioning-orientated speed training
The focus in this window is on neurological speed – not on muscular strength.
Window 2: 13–15 Years
The second window is the more crucial one for football speed. After the growth spurt, neural pathways for rapid movement patterns are well developed – while a targeted link with explosive power becomes possible at the same time.
Optimal timing:
- Girls: approx. 13–14 years (shortly after the growth spurt)
- Boys: approx. 15–16 years
Why this difference? Girls go through their growth spurt earlier. The optimal window for intensive speed training is approximately 6–12 months after Peak Height Velocity (maximum rate of growth).
What should be trained in this window:
- Acceleration with an explosive power component
- Reaction + immediate acceleration (combining both elements)
- Sprint speed over short distances (5–20 metres)
- Variations in starting positions (standing, on the move, after turning)
The Correct Load Structure for Speed Training
This is where most mistakes happen. Speed is a neural capability – it requires a completely different training structure than endurance or strength.
Rule 1: Short and Explosive
Sprint drills last 3–10 seconds. No more. After 10 seconds, maximum sprint velocity drops – the training leaves the speed zone and shifts into speed endurance.
Guidelines:
- Acceleration: 5–10 metres, approx. 3–5 seconds
- Maximum speed: 20–30 metres
- Combination format: Start + turn + 10-metre sprint
Rule 2: Full Recovery
This is the most crucial and frequently ignored principle: Full recovery between sets. For maximum speed, the central nervous system needs approx. 3–5 minutes of rest between sets.
Training speed with 30-second rests trains speed endurance – not speed.
Why this is so important:
Fatigued nervous system = lower firing rate = slower movement. If players sprint in a fatigued state, they learn to sprint slower. The exact opposite of developing speed.
Rule 3: Quality Over Quantity
Better 5 maximal sprints with full recovery than 15 sprints with short rests. The quality of execution is what counts.
Signs of dropping quality:
- Run-up posture alters (first steps become wider or flatter)
- Head drops down
- Arm action becomes less controlled
When these signs appear: take a break or end the drill.
Rule 4: Warm-up is Non-Negotiable
Speed training without an adequate warm-up is risky. Muscle and tendon structures must be prepared. A specific activation warm-up (dynamic stretching, ballistic movements, short progressive build-up runs) should take 15–20 minutes.
Speed and Coordination: The Connection
Speed without coordination is inefficient. Running fast while misplacing every second step wastes energy. Starting explosively only to lose balance still leaves you without the ball.
Therefore: Coordinative speed training is often far more effective in youth development than pure sprint training.
Examples:
- Fast footwork through agility ladders (developing stride frequency)
- Reaction sprint with a preceding change of direction
- 1v1 with a reactive start (who reacts faster?)
- Dribbling speed drills (accelerating with the ball)
Explosive Power: The Neglected Foundation of Speed
Speed has a muscular foundation: explosive power. The ability to produce maximum force in the shortest amount of time. Without sufficient explosive power, acceleration remains limited.
What trains explosive power:
- Jumps (squat jumps, counter-movement jumps, bounding)
- Short sprints with active push-off mechanics
- Plyometric drills (drop jump → immediate rebound)
When should explosive power training begin?
Only once a solid conditioning and coordinative foundation is in place. For boys, from approx. 14–15 years at the earliest using bodyweight, and from 15–16 years with light additional loads. For girls, earlier (approx. 12–13).
Warning:
Plyometric training during growth phases (during the growth spurt) carries an increased risk of injury. Growth plates are vulnerable during this period. Coaches need to know which developmental stage their players are currently in.
Typical Speed Training Mistakes in Youth Development
Mistake 1: Training speed as an endurance workout
Sprints with short rest intervals train speed endurance – not speed. If you want players to get faster in a sprint, you must allow full recovery.
Mistake 2: Speed training at the end of the session
Tired players cannot produce maximum speed. Speed training belongs at the start of the session – after the warm-up, but before any fatiguing conditioning work.
Mistake 3: Always using the same starting position
During a match, players never start from the exact same posture. Variations: from a seated position, after a turn, after a challenge, after a header. This makes training more realistic and varied.
Mistake 4: No technical feedback
Speed training without feedback on running mechanics, arm drive and push-off technique wastes potential. Fast players run economically – and that can be taught.
Mistake 5: Intensive speed training during the competitive phase
During the competitive phase with two matches a week, there is virtually no room for intensive speed work. It belongs in pre-season and in microcycles with a lighter fixture schedule.
Speed Tests: How to Make Progress Measurable
What isn't measured cannot be improved systematically. Simple speed tests for academies:
- 5-metre sprint: Measures acceleration
- 10-metre sprint: Combines initial acceleration with the first drive phase
- 20-metre sprint: Approaches top-end speed
- Reaction test with sprints: Starting on a visual or acoustic cue
These tests can be carried out twice a season (pre-season and mid-season) to track and compare progress.
Speed in Training Planning: Where Does It Belong?
In periodisation:
- Pre-season: ideal window for systematic speed training
- Competitive phase: maintenance and short activation drills, no systematic loading
- Transition phase: no speed training
In weekly planning:
- 1–2 speed blocks per week (during pre-season)
- 15–25 minutes per block
- Always at the beginning of the session (after the warm-up)
Coach OS and Speed Training
To ensure speed development in an academy happens systematically – rather than just whenever a coach happens to think of it:
- Drill database featuring speed drills (categorised by developmental stage, component, and intensity)
- Training planning: schedule speed blocks into microcycles and ensure they sit in the right spot (session start)
- Player OS: record test results for players and visualise progress across the season
→ Request a demo: coach-os.com
Conclusion: Developing Speed – But with Method
Speed is trainable. But only with the right dosage, at the right time, and with adequate recovery. Coaches who leverage the two developmental windows, understand the neurological basis of speed, and prioritise quality over quantity will develop genuine match speed – not just frantic training sessions.
FAQ: Training Speed in Football
Is speed in football trainable or genetic?
Both. A portion of top speed is genetically predetermined (muscle fibre distribution, nerve conduction velocity). However, acceleration, reaction speed, action speed, and speed endurance are highly trainable – and these are the decisive components in football.
When should you start intensive speed training?
Basic reaction and coordinative speed from ages 7–9. Intensive acceleration and sprint training at the earliest after the growth spurt – approx. 15–16 years for boys, and approx. 13–14 years for girls.
How long should sprints be during speed training?
5–30 metres, depending on the targeted component. Acceleration: 5–10 metres. Maximum velocity: 20–30 metres. Longer distances train speed endurance – which is a different objective.
How much recovery do I need between sprints?
For maximum speed: 3–5 minutes between sets. For speed endurance: 30–60 seconds. If you want to develop speed, never cut rest periods short due to time pressure.
Why is speed training at the start of the session important?
Because speed training requires peak neurological readiness. Fatigued players cannot generate maximal speed stimuli – effectively training slowness rather than speed.