FAST vs SLOW ATHLETE What separates faster athletes from slower...
Fred Duncan@Fred__Duncan
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Aug 03, 2025
~1 min read
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FAST vs SLOW ATHLETE
What separates faster athletes from slower ones? It’s how much force they can apply and how quickly they can apply it.
This force-time curve is an illustration of what makes a fast athlete fast. The blue curve (fast athlete) shows a high peak of relative
What separates faster athletes from slower ones? It’s how much force they can apply and how quickly they can apply it.
This force-time curve is an illustration of what makes a fast athlete fast. The blue curve (fast athlete) shows a high peak of relative
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force with a short ground contact time, they don’t just produce more force, they do it faster. M
The red curve (slower athlete) spreads force over a longer contact window, lower peak force and less explosive outputs.
This is why general “strength” isn’t the full answer.
The red curve (slower athlete) spreads force over a longer contact window, lower peak force and less explosive outputs.
This is why general “strength” isn’t the full answer.
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You can get stronger in the weight room but still lack the ability to apply that force quickly and precisely during sprinting, jumping, or change of direction.
That’s where power training, plyometrics, sprint work, and coordination come into play and it’s exactly how I build
That’s where power training, plyometrics, sprint work, and coordination come into play and it’s exactly how I build
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my programs.
All of my current programs (The Art & Science of Sport Preparation, Speed Demon Series, Sprint From Scratch) are designed to help shift your curve…to help you apply more force, in less time, with better mechanics.
That means targeted sprint training,
All of my current programs (The Art & Science of Sport Preparation, Speed Demon Series, Sprint From Scratch) are designed to help shift your curve…to help you apply more force, in less time, with better mechanics.
That means targeted sprint training,
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contrast methods, high-velocity strength work, progressive plyometrics, and more.
And I’m almost done with my newest and most comprehensive speed program to date.
Over 70+ pages breaking down mechanics, resisted sprinting, max velocity training, strength for speed, and
And I’m almost done with my newest and most comprehensive speed program to date.
Over 70+ pages breaking down mechanics, resisted sprinting, max velocity training, strength for speed, and
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how to build explosive outputs that actually transfer. Plus, an 8-week program to put it all together.
In the meantime, you can still grab any of my current programs to start improving this force-time profile.
In the meantime, you can still grab any of my current programs to start improving this force-time profile.