Every successful speed development program involves a careful combination of speed and conditioning. However, most programs confuse these two fundamental training elements by combining them together, yet still expecting to see results. In this article I’ll explain the difference between these elements so that you know exactly what speed is and what conditioning is, so you can get better results out of your training.

Conditioning
For the purposes of this article, there are three types of conditioning. They serve different functions and should be used based on the specific training goals of that day’s workout, time of season and sport.

Extensive Tempo

This type of training generally consists of runs of 100-600 meters at 65-79% intensity. The purpose of this type of workout is to develop general aerobic conditioning and serve as recovery work from more intense speed and speed endurance training. These workouts should not be difficult. On a scale of 1-10, they should not fall higher than a 5 or 6 in difficulty. Also, this type of training is not done on a day that you are training speed, unless the volume is low and it is used as part of a dynamic warmup or cooldown. Heart rate should fall in the 120-150 range. So, before athletes begin each interval, they must rest long enough to allow the heart rate to fall back into this range. If not, they will begin to accumulate lactic acid in the legs. Once this happens, the intensity of the workout has changed the presumed goals of that days workout. Generally, extensive tempo is better served for speed and power sports such as football, track and field sprinters, tennis, baseball, etc. Sports that require larger aerobic demands will likely want to go do continuous tempo, aka mileage, on their recovery days.

Intensive Tempo

This type of training is also called lactic acid training and it will help athletes who must compete in a state of fatigue. It is particularly useful for sports such as soccer, field hockey, rugby, middle distance runners, etc.

This type of work generally consists of runs of 200-800 meters at 80-89% intensity. Because this type of work helps athletes buffer and manage lactic acid buildup, it serves as a great transition between specific speed and conditioning type training. Due to the increased intensity of this type of training, athletes must rest longer in order to properly recover. With intensive tempo training, it is important to know exactly what times athletes are expected to run with each interval. Once they can no longer hit their times, you must decide to either shut the workout down or increase the rest. These workouts can be difficult and are often considered the hardest workouts in any program or sport.

Speed Training
For the purposes of this article, speed training will be divided into three categories: speed work, speed endurance and special endurance.

As I said earlier, many people confuse and combine speed and conditioning. So in order to get the best results, your speed training must meet the following definitions.

Speed work
Speed work is defined as 2-8 seconds of full intensity sprinting with full recovery. By full recovery I mean at least two minutes between each repetition, but generally about one minute of rest for every 10 yards (or meters) run.

Speed Endurance
Speed endurance is defined runs of 8 – 20 seconds at 95 – 100% intensity. Here full recovery is required and should more or less follow the recovery parameters defined under speed work. With these types of runs, consider the demands of the sport.

Special Endurance
These runs are generally 21 seconds up to 2 minutes in length, run at 90 – 100% intensity. Remember that intensity isn’t necessarily full speed, but the percentage of the pace that would be required to run the prescribed distance for that interval. Special Endurance type runs would be primarily used in sports like track and field for events of 400 meters and longer.

Now that you understand the difference between speed and conditioning, it should be considerably easier to devise training protocols that properly address the requirements of your sport.