Speed kills when it has space

Speed Kills *When it has distance and “space” to exert itself.

Sports are chaotic environments. With this, how often is max velocity (top speed) demonstrated? How often between cuts, avoiding tackles, coming off screens and guarding a player do you have the opportunity to reach top speed?

“The amount of time spent for most team sports in maximal velocity running is relatively small compared to the time spent in the acceleration and change of direction phases of running” - Triphasic Training

When acceleration due to stopping and going is needed, torque (acceleration) is usually more important than horsepower (top speed). In an example of a car, “torque is what gets the car moving from a stop, helps accelerate onto a freeway and allows for more work.” Horsepower is the sustained effort that gets you to speed and keeps you moving. Torque gets somewhere quickly (0-60mph in a car) and horsepower improves top speed (max velocity).

Qualities needed for sports vary based on many circumstances, and each quality has its own benefits. When we say “that athlete is fast” are we talking about top speed (breakaway touchdown) or do we mean acceleration (a factor of force) and a demonstration of strength? There is a difference between speed and acceleration and they lay on opposite ends of the force velocity curve.