Chasing Numbers


 A Fast 40 Means Nothing If It Doesn’t Show Up on Film

Every year, no matter the NFL combine, or even lacrosse showcases, athletes chase one number: the 40-yard dash.


And yes the 40 matters, sorta. It’s a standardized measurement of acceleration. It can create exposure. It can open recruiting doors, or even get you on the big stage in the NFL.  


But here’s the truth most people won’t say:

A fast 40-yard dash means nothing if it doesn’t translate to game speed.  If you run a 4.4 in shorts but can’t separate from a defender…If you test well but look average on film…. If your agility numbers are slow and your change of direction lacks control…You’re not a complete player.  And coaches see that immediately.


The 40 Is Controlled. The Game Is Chaos.

The 40-yard dash is predictable.  You know when you’re starting.  You know the direction.  You know the distance.  There’s no reaction.  No defender.  No fatigue.  No decision-making.  Sports like football, soccer and lacrosse are the opposite. Game speed requires acceleration under pressure.  It requires deceleration before making a cut.  It requires reacting to movement.  It requires re-accelerating instantly.  The 40 measures straight-line acceleration.  Field sports measures movement intelligence.  And those are not the same thing.


Speed Must Translate

At The Speed System, we care about one thing:

Does it show up on film?  If your 10-yard split improves but you still can’t explode out of a break, that’s a problem.  If your max velocity improves but you lose balance in traffic, that’s a problem.  If your linear speed is elite but your lateral speed is average, you’re incomplete.True speed must transfer across three areas:

  1. Linear acceleration
  2. Change of direction
  3. Reactive decision-making

Miss one, and your game speed suffers.


The Showcase Culture Problem


Events like the Under Armour Top 100, and other showcases across various sports, provide incredible exposure. The competition is high level. The platform matters.  But athletes sometimes get distracted by testing numbers instead of performance.  Running a blazing 40 at a showcase does not automatically make you dominant.  If your shuttle is slow…If your 3-cone shows poor control…If your deceleration mechanics break down.  College coaches aren’t just seeing speed. They’re seeing limitations.  Agility tests reveal how efficiently you brake, plant, and redirect force. They show whether you can control your body under stress.  If your agility numbers lag behind your 40 time, it tells a story:


You might be fast.
But you’re not complete.


Field sports aren’t Played in Straight Lines

Rarely does an athlete run 40 yards untouched in a straight line.  Instead, you:


- Accelerate for 5–15 yards.
- Decelerate under control.
- Cut.
- React.
- Re-accelerate.

Over and over again.

If your training only improves straight-line speed, you’ve solved only part of the equation.


Game speed is the ability to:

• Produce maximum force
• Minimize ground contact time
• Maintain posture under pressure
• Absorb and redirect force efficiently

That’s what separates testing speed from elite game speed.


The Injury Factor

When athletes chase 40 times without building movement capacity, they create imbalances.  They improve acceleration but lack braking strength.  They get powerful forward but unstable laterally.  They sprint fast but cut slow.  Poor deceleration and change-of-direction mechanics also increase injury risk, especially ACL injuries.  If you can’t control force, that force travels somewhere.  Usually, it travels to the knee.  A good 40 won’t protect you.  Movement control will.


What a Complete Player Looks Like

A complete player doesn’t just test well.  A complete player: 


- Explode out of breaks.
- Separate in tight spaces.
- Close ground defensively.
- Change direction without losing speed.
- Stay balanced through contact.
- React without hesitation.

Their speed feels different.  It’s functional.  It’s controlled.  It’s repeatable.  That’s game speed.


How We Train for Transfer

At The Speed System, we don’t train for numbers alone.  Yes, we develop acceleration mechanics.  Yes, we improve 10-yard splits.  Yes, we chase speed.


But we also build:

• Deceleration strength
• Lateral power
• Multi-directional force production
• Reactive agility
• Neuromuscular efficiency
• Postural control


We train athletes to apply force in every direction, not just forward. Because if your 40 improves but your film doesn’t, what did we really accomplish?


Film Is the Final Test

You can debate hand times.  You can argue laser accuracy.  You can inflate numbers.  But film never lies.  Either you separate or you don’t.  Either you close space or you don’t.  Either you break tackles or you don’t.  Coaches recruit football players, not track athletes in pads.  And the players who dominate at the next level are rarely just straight-line fast.  They’re efficient movers with elite control.  A 4.4 that doesn’t show up on film is just a number.  Game speed changes careers, and complete player creates a better opportunity at the next level.  .

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Protecting the Female Athlete: How Poor Deceleration Mechanics Lead to Hip Labrum Tears

Image
  Why girls and young women are at higher risk, and how smarter movement training can prevent it. The Overlooked Hip Problem in Female Sports If your daughter plays soccer, lacrosse, basketball, softball, or flag football, you’ve probably heard about ACL tears or knee injuries.  But one area that often gets ignored,  until it’s too late,  is the hip . Hip labrum tears are becoming more common in female athletes, especially in lacrosse, soccer, and flag football.  Many experience deep groin pain, pinching in the front of the hip, or a constant feeling of tightness. These aren’t just “flexibility” issues; they can be early warning signs of labral stress. The hip labrum is a ring of cartilage that stabilizes the hip joint and helps absorb impact. When it’s repeatedly overloaded through poor movement mechanics, especially during sprinting, braking, or cutting,  it can tear. And once damaged, the labrum rarely heals on its own. Deceleration: The Missing Skill i...
Read more

How Many Days Per Week Should an Athlete Train?

Image
A Clear, Age-Specific Guide for Strength & Speed Training One of the biggest mistakes in youth and high-school training is  guessing  how often an athlete should train. Some athletes train too little and never improve. Others train too much and stall, get hurt, or burn out. The right answer isn’t vague, it’s  age-specific, load-specific, and realistic  when you factor in school and after-school sports. Below is a  clear, precise breakdown  of exactly  how many days per week  athletes should train for  strength and speed , based on age and sport participation. Ages 10–13: Build the Foundation (Not the Schedule)  Exact Weekly Training Recommendation: 2–3 performance training days per week (4 days only in very specific cases, explained below) At this age, athletes are still developing: Coordination Motor control Basic strength Sprint mechanics More days do  not  equal faster results here. Quality, consistency, and recovery mat...
Read more