Can You Actually Improve Your Speed?
Speed is not reserved for a lucky few. Like many things in sport, improvement comes from understanding what to do and then consistently doing it.
One of the most common questions I get asked is:
"Can speed really be improved, or are you just born fast?"
The short answer is yes – speed can absolutely be improved.
While genetics do play a role, speed isn't simply something you're born with and stuck with forever. Like strength, fitness, or technical skills, speed is a quality that can be developed through the right training, coaching, and consistent effort.
The problem is that many players never receive any education around speed development in the first place.
The Biggest Mistake: Assuming Speed Can't Be Trained
Many athletes spend years practising their sport without ever specifically working on speed.
A footballer might spend hours passing, shooting, and playing matches.
A rugby player might spend countless sessions working on skills, fitness, and game plans.
A GAA player might train multiple times each week focusing on tactics and conditioning.
Yet very few spend dedicated time improving how they accelerate, sprint, decelerate, or move efficiently.
Because of this, many players reach a point where they simply assume:
"This is as fast as I am."
In reality, they've never been shown how to improve.
Education Comes First
Before speed can improve, athletes need to understand what actually contributes to speed.
Many players don't know:
How to accelerate effectively
What good sprint mechanics look like
Which exercises can improve speed
How often speed should be trained
How speed fits around sport training and matches
Without this knowledge, it's easy to waste time doing lots of work that doesn't actually improve speed.
This is one of the biggest reasons coaching can be valuable.
Often, a single session can provide athletes with a completely different understanding of what they should be focusing on.
But education alone isn't enough.
Information Doesn't Create Improvement
This is where many athletes get stuck.
They attend a session.
They learn something new.
They leave motivated.
But then nothing changes.
Why?
Because improvement doesn't come from receiving information.
Improvement comes from applying it consistently.
Imagine a player learning a new passing technique in football.
Would they expect to master it after hearing about it once?
Of course not.
They would need to practise it repeatedly.
Speed is exactly the same.
Learning what to do is important.
Actually doing it is what creates results.
"How Many Sessions Will It Take?"
This is another question I'm asked regularly.
The honest answer is:
It depends what you do after the session.
Two athletes can attend exactly the same coaching session.
One athlete takes the feedback on board, follows the plan, practises regularly, and stays consistent.
The other does very little afterwards.
Six months later, the difference between those athletes can be enormous.
The session provides the direction. What happens afterwards determines the result.
The athlete's actions determine the outcome.
Consistency Is What Sets Players Apart
The players who make the biggest improvements are rarely the ones looking for a quick fix.
They're the ones who build speed training into their routine.
They understand that progress comes from repeatedly doing the right things over time.
This doesn't mean spending hours every day on speed work.
In fact, many athletes can make significant improvements by consistently including small amounts of quality speed training each week.
The key word is consistency.
Not occasionally.
Not when motivation is high.
Not only during pre-season.
Consistently.
Week after week.
Month after month.
The Players Who Improve Usually Have a Plan
One of the biggest challenges athletes face is uncertainty.
They want to improve their speed but aren't sure:
What drills to do
How often to train
What exercises are appropriate
Whether they're doing things correctly
As a result, they either do nothing or jump randomly from one exercise to another.
The players who make progress usually have a clear plan.
They know what they're working on.
They understand why they're doing it.
And they follow that plan consistently.
This is one of the reasons I created SPEED HQ®.
Many athletes don't need more motivation – they need more direction.
Having access to structured training sessions, coaching guidance, video demonstrations, and clear progressions helps remove the guesswork and makes it easier to stay consistent over time.
Because consistency is where improvement happens.
Speed Can Become Your Advantage
The reality is that most players never dedicate time to improving their speed.
That's exactly why it can become such a powerful advantage.
If two players have similar technical ability, similar fitness levels, and similar game understanding, speed often becomes the difference.
Getting to the ball first.
Creating separation.
Closing down an opponent.
Winning key moments.
These are the situations where speed can have a huge impact on performance.
And unlike what many players believe, speed isn't fixed.
It can be improved.
Final Thoughts
Yes, speed can be improved.
But improvement doesn't happen by accident.
It requires:
Education
A clear plan
Consistent effort
Patience over time
The athletes who improve aren't necessarily the most talented.
They're often the ones willing to learn, apply what they've learned, and continue showing up week after week.
If you're willing to do that, speed can become one of the most valuable tools in your performance toolkit.
The first step is understanding what to do.
The next step is consistently putting it into practice.
Whether that's through in-person coaching, structured training plans, or using tools such as SPEED HQ®, the athletes who continue improving are usually the ones who commit to the process and make speed training part of their routine.
Because speed isn't just something you're born with.
It's something you can build, develop, and improve.
