Why Getting Stronger Doesn’t Always Make You Faster

“Get stronger, and you’ll get faster.”

Advice athletes hear constantly—and it sounds right. More strength should equal more speed… right?

Not exactly.

Most strength training programs are great at building muscle and raw force—but they fail to help athletes move faster. And if your training doesn’t convert strength into explosive power, you’ll never see those gains on the field.

❌ The Strength-Speed Disconnect

Here’s the hard truth:

Strength alone doesn’t make you fast.
 It’s how you train to apply that strength quickly and in the right direction that separates fast athletes from strong-but-slow ones.

If your workouts don’t develop rate of force production—the ability to generate force quickly—you’re just building gym numbers, not game-day performance.

💥 Why Most Strength Programs Fall Short

• Focus too much on load, not intent

• Ignore velocity-based training

• Lack sport-specific movement transfer

• Don’t follow the force-velocity curve
  
  

The result?
 Athletes who are strong in the gym… but slow where it matters most.

✅ What Actually Works

Elite athletes don’t just lift heavy. They train to move fast—intentionally.

To develop speed that carries over to competition, your training must:

• Build a strength foundation

• Integrate explosive movements (e.g. Olympic lifts, jumps)

• Include sprinting and acceleration work

• Prioritize intent and direction of force
  
  

This is how strength turns into power—and power into speed.

🤔 Ask Yourself: Are You Just Lifting, or Truly Training for Performance?

It’s not about more weight. It’s about how quickly and efficiently you can use the strength you build.