Speed Versus Quickness – Know the Difference

By Aaron Thigpen, Gamespeed Sports  Oct 2018

Speed and Quickness are two related but different skills sets. As such each requires different forms of training. 

Speed can be thought of as moving the body rapidly in “one direction”,covering distance and is generally not stimulus driven. Accelerating, maximal sprints or runs are demonstrations of speed.

Quickness can be thought of as an atheltes instant “reaction” and corresponding change in body movement to a stimulus. A shift in posture, hand movement, multi directional step, dodge or cut are demonstrations of quickness. 

The training for each is commonly confused. Heres a little help on separating the most common exercises used  in the pursuit of both.

SPEED                                                  QUICKNESS

Accelerations/Sprints                            Ladder Drills

Hill Runs                                                  Skipping

Sled Pushes/Pulls                                  Cone Drills (multi-directional)

Parachute Runs                                      Agility Pattern Drills (shuttles etc)

Jumping & Bounding                           Jumping Rope

To be successful you have to develop both, but knowing what your training specifically and how to is the “first step” (pardon the pun) to gettting better.