Training Athleticism -- Speed, Explosiveness, Agility

Training Q&A [Moderated]
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Is there any point to training speed, explosiveness, agility – fast-twitch stuff like that? I’ve attempted to “train” them over the years (ie, do them repetitively and regularly), and I can maybe get marginal gains – maybe – but never anything substantial, and it ultimately leaves my legs all beat-up after a while and wanting to quit and go back to just lifting and messing around with tennis.

I’m in my mid 40s, not fast-twitch, maybe medium-twitch, if that’s a thing. I’ve trained various things for decades, mainly lifting, but done all the other stuff too: agility drills, sprinting, long distance running, tennis, Crossfit-lite type stuff, etc. Played multiple sports in high school. Played recreational competitive tennis for a few years. Been doing physical / athletic stuff on the side for most of my life.

I mean, if I can run say a 4.9 40yd, a 12.5 100m, can touch a basketball rim but can’t really dunk even a tennis ball, have probably a 26" vertical give or take, can run maybe a 4.8 second 5-10-5 NFL Shuttle, can clear about a 39" obstacle with a standing jump on a good day…am I really going to make any improvements in speed, explosiveness, and agility as I age? Could I train myself (somehow, some way) to the point where I could run a 4.7 40, an 11.9 100m, dunk a small basketball that I could palm, increase my vertical to 30+“? Or would it most likely end with me going from a 4.95 to a 4.90 40yd, going from a 26” to a 27" vertical, going from a 12.5 to a 12.3 100m? Small, arguably significant but certainly not substantial gains, and lots of pain to get there. To me, the latter wouldn’t be worth it, but the former might, if I could somehow manage to do it with a tolerable amount of pain.

I believe I heard Austin was a competitive swimmer. Would be interested in his opinion, as well as Jordan’s.

I’m kinda looking for somebody with authority to put this to bed for me, so I can quit wondering if I can get more athletic as I age. I know I can get stronger, have more capacity in the weight room. But as far as this fast-twitch stuff, deep down, I don’t really believe that it can be improved substantially for a middle-aged adult that’s at a good level already for what he’s been given genetically, has been a “physical culturist” for decades, and doesn’t show any real markers of being a classic fast-twitch athlete.

If the answer is in the affirmative, a follow-up question I might have is: how do I integrate that training with lifting, and not beat myself up so much? I have a pretty good feel for how to improve in the weight room, slowly over time, but I don’t have a good sense of programming for athleticism.

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Hey Brian,

Thanks for the post. I definitely think you can improve high velocity strength (e.g. power) and the ability to apply it specifically at any age, including yours. I do not know how much it is likely to improve and at what rate, as these things vary significantly between individuals just like other training adaptations.

I don’t really believe that it can be improved substantially for a middle-aged adult that’s at a good level already for what he’s been given genetically, has been a “physical culturist” for decades,

I would disagree with this if you have not trained these qualities directly for a long period of time.

I’m not sure I can provide you with a program without knowing more about you, specifically your current programming, what you mean by “beat myself up so much”, preferences, resources, etc.

In any case, the general S/C template or Titan I templates would likely be my recommendation.

-Jordan

2 Likes
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Hi Jordan.

Explosive things like sprinting and jumping, done repetitively and regularly like one would do when attempting to “train” them, end up causing enduring pain in various joints, tendons, and muscles in my legs, which end up taking months to ultimately resolve, and only when I stop the offending activities.

That’s the thing: for this individual (me), I just don’t think I can improve at fast-twitch actions/activities to any substantial degree. At least not enough to warrant continuing to try, given how it always seems to end up beating me up and leave me looking for a way out.

I just think sprinting and jumping are completely different actions compared to lifting medium to heavy weights. The body is moving so incredibly fast, and various structures are having to contract and relax at incredible speeds, all while being subjected to very-high short-duration loads. I just don’t think this is conducive to “training”, and I don’t think certain people are cut out for it. I think people that aren’t fast-twitch are asking for eventual trouble when trying to “train” top-speed sprinting and explosive jumping.

Is there any literature on middle-aged fairly-highly-trained people becoming demonstrably faster (increased instantaneous max velocity), jumping demonstrably higher/farther in a single explosive jumping action, etc? I just don’t believe it’s possible to any substantial degree for said middle-aged fairly-highly-trained person. For somebody that’s run 3,000 sprints over the course of their life with max and near-max intent, from the time they were a little kid up to the present day, what could possibly take place during sprints 3,001 to 3,500 to increase that adult’s instantaneous max velocity? For somebody that has jumped 5,000 times with max and near-max intent, what could possibly take place during jumps 5,001 to 5,500 to increase that adult’s jumping explosiveness?

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I do not think sprinting, jumping, etc. are uniquely pain-producing if programmed accordingly. I do think that they can be risky if overdone.

I also think it’s unlikely you are unable to improve your athletic performance to a substantial degree. I do not think that sprinting and jumping are untrainable. If you disagree, that’s fine- you can do what you like.

I think people that aren’t fast-twitch are asking for eventual trouble when trying to “train” top-speed sprinting and explosive jumping.

The majority of people, athletes included, are not predominantly fast twitch or slow twitch. They’re pretty even. I also would strongly disagree with this statement.

Is there any literature on middle-aged fairly-highly-trained people becoming demonstrably faster (increased instantaneous max velocity), jumping demonstrably higher/farther in a single explosive jumping action, etc?

Yes. Age is also not a big factor in how individuals respond to training, though less conditioned people, those with more body fat, and those with less muscle mass tend to underperform.

what could possibly take place during sprints 3,001 to 3,500 to increase that adult’s instantaneous max velocity? For somebody that has jumped 5,000 times with max and near-max intent, what could possibly take place during jumps 5,001 to 5,500 to increase that adult’s jumping explosiveness?

If you’ve never trained appropriately for improving high velocity force production, there’s an additional lever to pull outside of practicing the movement.