ACSM Sports Medicine Basics HIGH VELOCITY TRAINING www.acsm.org Interest in the science of strength training and velocity and force development. A high progressive resistance-training. At the end its associated benefits is popular within fitness velocity training program lasting only a few of training, all subjects exhibited increased circles. Traditionally, training methods have days may also result in significant performance maximal strength, but more importantly, followed an overload concept of low speed gains, such as jumping, if the exercise is novel. measurements of neural electrical activity movements paired with heavy resistance. Therefore, resultant movement speed can be indicated that it was primarily responsible Nearly all contemporary resistance training increased if training exercises are performed for these early strength increases while prescriptions consist of detailed periodized very fast and with a light load. hypertrophy gradually increased as a (an organized process involving a progressive contributory factor over time. cycling of sets, reps and resistance) programs Over-speed lasting a minimum of eight weeks in order The ability to generate maximal velocity is Summary to increase muscle size and strength. The an essential quality of athletic performance It is clear from the research that high-velocity, consensus position supported by hundreds of and fitness. Over-speed training is a low-load training is related to an ability to experimental studies is that gains in strength method that enables the athlete to increase produce force quickly and has implications are the primary result of increased muscle limb velocity beyond their maximal level for activities of daily living as well as athletic size, referred to as hypertrophy. What is less (supramaximal), via assistance. In contrast endeavors. High velocity exercise results well known is the phenomenon that results to resisted, where weights or elastic bands in specific high velocity adaptations and in the manifestation of increased strength pull against the movement, assisted employs should be employed when attempting to (force development) and power (rate of force elastic bands that pull in the same direction increase high speed movements. Sports development) after only two or three training as the movement. Following the over-speed that require athletes to sprint faster or jump sessions. Studies have shown that short-term paradigm, assisted sprinting maximizes higher may benefit from assisted training resistance training can increase strength running speed by reducing the athlete’s body that mimics sport specific movement speeds. and power in the absence of hypertrophy. weight and increasing step frequency and Since maximizing speed is one of the most Speculation is that these short-term effects are stride length. Recent studies have also applied desired goals for fitness and performance, the result of changes in neural factors and are this to vertical jumping and demonstrated implementing innovative over-speed largely attributed to an increase in maximal increased jump height and take off velocity methods within a training program can aid in muscle activation of higher order motor units. via assistance. Previous studies found that maximizing performance. In addition, short acute jumping performance was greatest at 30 duration training is effective for the acute High Velocity percent body weight reduction following one adaptation of neural factors, which results The effects of high velocity training are minute of rest. Therefore, using short-term in an acute increase in performance in the related to an individual’s ability to move explosive training may illicit significant short- absence of muscular hypertrophy. quickly and maximize power output. term performance gains lasting a few minutes Experiments investigating short-term velocity to a few days. About the Authors specific training have had untrained subjects Written for the American College of Sports Medicine by Chantel C. Anthony, MS and Lee E. Brown, Ed.D., CSCS,*D, FACSM. participate in either slow or fast training and Training Adaptations Suggested Citation: Anthony, CC, Brown, LE. High Velocity found that strength did not change following The initial changes in strength following high Training. Indianapolis, IN: American College of Sports Medicine; velocity training occur at a rate too fast to 2016. ACSM Sports Medicine Basics are official statements by the slow training but fast training exhibited an American College of Sports Medicine concerning topics of interest approximate 20 percent increase in strength be accounted for by hypertrophy. Therefore, to the public at large. ACSM grants permission to reproduce this fact and speed development. In addition, neural changes probably play the major role in sheet if it is reproduced in its entirety without alteration. The text may be reproduced in another publication if it is used in its entirety measurement of muscle cross sectional area acute strength gains. Previous investigations without alteration and the following statement is added: Reprinted has revealed short-term improvements in of neural and hypertrophic contributions to with permission of the American College of Sports Medicine. Copyright ©2016 American College of Sports Medicine. Visit strength at moderate velocities. Thus, the muscle strength gains have had trained and ACSM online at www.acsm.org. literature supports an interaction between untrained subjects perform eight weeks of .