Speed Starts with Strength: The Foundation of Fast Athletes - Cedar Park Athlete Training

One of the most common things we hear from parents and athletes is: "We need to work on speed."

And we get it. Whether it’s getting off the line faster, beating a defender to the ball, or exploding off the blocks in the pool—speed wins. But here’s the truth most people don’t realize:

Speed doesn’t start with sprint drills. Speed starts with strength.

At Barbell Coalition, we train athletes from Cedar Park, Leander, and surrounding areas to become faster by first building and training the engine that powers speed—their strength.

Strength Is the Foundation

Speed is all about how fast your athlete can produce force and get it into the ground. The stronger the athlete, the more force they can apply—and that’s what creates acceleration.

We’re not just talking about being “gym strong.” We’re talking about functional strength that transfers directly to the field, court, or pool:

• Stronger hips and glutes = faster stride and more drive

• Stronger hamstrings = better top-end speed and reduced injury risk

• Stronger core and trunk = more efficient force transfer with every step

  
  

Why Sprint Drills Alone Don’t Work

Sprint technique and agility work do have a place. But if your athlete doesn’t have the strength to produce force or control their own body, they’re just rehearsing bad patterns.

It’s like putting racing tires on a car with no engine. Strength is the engine. Sprint drills are the fine-tuning.

The Way We Train Speed Through Strength

Here’s how we structure our strength training to directly support speed development:

✅ Trap Bar Deadlifts – build explosive hip and leg power

✅ Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squats – improve single-leg strength and balance

✅ Sled Pushes and Pulls – teach athletes to apply force horizontally, just like in a sprint

✅ Jump Variations – reinforce rate of force development (how fast they can apply strength)

✅ Hamstring Work (RDLs, Nordic Curls) – build the brakes and reduce risk of pulls

This type of strength work builds the kind of athlete who doesn’t just look strong—they move strong. And that’s what creates speed.

Our Training Builds Top Speed for Cedar Park & Leander Athletes

Parents! If your athlete wants to get faster, we won’t waste their time with gimmicks. We build strength first—because that’s where speed actually comes from.

Want to learn more about how we help athletes in Cedar Park & Leander run faster, get stronger, and stay injury-free?

Click here to book your free consultation and tour of the gym