Contributions of Strength to Speed in High School and Collegiate Football Players

Speed development among football players has direct performance payoff. Force (strength), rate of force development (power), and running mechanics are suspected to be related to speed. Many strength and conditioning coaches promote strength as the foundation of speed, others consider power the primary training need. In reality, mixed methods is generally the appropriate approach but research can help identify how much focus in training should be given to different components of speed.

For the past 4 years, David Ballou and I have been tracking strength, power, and speed among high school and college football players. Through technologies like the 1080 Sprint and Elite Form, data accumulation occurs on a broad scale in rapid fashion. One of our main questions has been how much strength is needed for maximum speed or is there a point at which further strength gains do not contribute to continued speed improvements? Strength to body weight ratio recommendations of 2.0 or even 2.5 are often suggested in our field as benchmarks for strength among athletes. With sufficient data, we can evaluate the relationship between maximum strength and speed.

Regression analysis of 4 years of data provides us with a clearer picture of this relationship, using parallel back squat 1RM as a measure of strength. When strength to body weight ratio is below 1.7, strength is included in the regression model (accounting for 24% of the variance in speed). Above 1.7x, it is not included. Power, as measured in a speed squat, split jump, and banded jump squats, is included in the regression model regardless of strength to body weight ratio. Power accounts for 28% of the variance in speed below 1.7x and 39% above 1.7x. It appears that the contribution of strength to speed is relatively low but does account for some of the variance in speed until the athlete can squat 1.7x their body weight. Above that, it appears to have no value as it relates to speed. Note: Strength and power have a unique relationship but I will cover that in a different post at a later date but here's a preview...building strength does not necessarily improve power while power-focused training seems to do both.

Age and body weight of the athlete did not have a significant impact on the regression model. Thus, for high school and collegiate football players, a dual focus on strength and power until the athlete achieves 1.7x body weight in the squat is appropriate. Above that, a more substantial focus on power improvement will have a greater impact on speed development.