Players Obsess Over Max Speed — But It Could Be Doing You More Harm Than Good.

Every player loves to brag about their top speed. GPS trackers, social media clips, and even coaches highlight “max speed” like it’s the holy grail. But what if obsessing over this one metric is actually putting you at risk?

The Problem With Chasing Max Speed

• Hitting peak speeds every week might feel like progress, but your nervous system and hamstrings don’t see it that way.

• Research shows that while consistent exposure to ≥95% of max sprint speed builds resilience, sudden spikes — especially chasing personal bests — can overload the neuromuscular system and increase strain risk.

• In fact, studies on elite players have found that those who logged sudden jumps in sprint distance per minute were far more likely to suffer hamstring injuries.

Consistency is the Real Key
Instead of hunting for that one-off “highest speed ever,” focus on keeping your sprint volume consistent over time.

• A steady diet of high-speed running keeps your body prepared.

• Random peaks (like smashing 36km/h out of nowhere after a quiet week) shock your system and often lead to injuries.

The Solution — Smarter Speed Training

• Speed should developed progressively.

• High-speed exposure is carefully dosed.

• Players should focus on tactical/positional speed.

• When speed work is programmed focus on relaxation and striding rather than trying to find Max efforts.

Below is some guidance on how to build your tolerance up to max speed doses with bonus SPECIAL STRENGTH + PLYOMETRICS.

Click here for your SPEED Programme.

Or Get the FULL access here.

Thanks, Rob. ASCC