Repeat Sprint Ability

Flaws of Speed Reserve & "Feed The Cats"

Speed Reserve Is Half the Equation

Why Repeat Sprint Ability Isn’t Built by Repeating Sprints

Coaches love simple models.

“Feed the Cats.”
“Speed Reserve.”
“Train how you play.”

They’re clean. They’re memorable. They sound right.

But team sport physiology isn’t simple.

And repeated sprint ability (RSA) — one of the most important qualities in football, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, etc. — is not built by repeating sprints alone.

It’s built by developing two interacting systems:

RSA = Alactic Output + Aerobic Recovery Ability

Most discussions stop at the first half.

That’s where the problem begins.

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The Seductive Logic of Speed Reserve

The speed reserve argument looks like this:

If an athlete increases max velocity from 10.9 m/s to 11.8 m/s, then 9.0 m/s becomes a lower percentage of max. Therefore, sub-maximal running becomes “easier.”

On paper, that math works.

In physiology, it’s incomplete.

Because the model assumes something that doesn’t exist in team sport:

Equal fatigue decay.

Games are not single efforts performed fresh.

They are:

• Acceleration

• Deceleration

• Contact

• Cognitive processing

• Incomplete recovery

• Repeated high-speed exposure

Speed reserve improves the ceiling.

It does not automatically improve sustainability.

And RSA is about sustainability.

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The Repeat Sprint Trap

There’s another common assumption:

“If you want to improve repeat sprint ability, you should repeat sprints. SAID Principle”

Logical.

Also flawed.

True repeat sprint sessions (max effort, short rest) rapidly shift glycolytic. By the third or fourth sprint:

• PCr is not fully restored

• Oxidative metabolism rises

• Lactate accumulates

• Mechanics degrade

The session becomes metabolically chaotic.

It’s too intense to build aerobic capacity.
It’s too fatigued to build pure speed.
Volume collapses early.

It’s the equivalent of trying to build a 500 lb squat by only doing 95% singles every week.

You’ll test strength.

You won’t build it. Expression Vs. Development.

Repeat sprint training expresses RSA.

It does not optimally develop it.

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What Actually Governs RSA

Repeated sprint ability depends on two interacting variables:

1. How fast you can sprint (Alactic output)

2. How quickly you can restore the energy to sprint again (aerobic recovery ability)

PCr resynthesis is aerobic-dependent.
Metabolite clearance is aerobic-dependent.
Heart rate recovery is aerobic-dependent.

If the aerobic system is underdeveloped:

• Sprint decrement increases

• Mechanics deteriorate

• Injury risk rises

• Late-game performance drops

You don’t lose because you aren’t fast enough.

You lose because you can’t repeat it.

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Feed the Cat… or Raise a Hunter?

The “Feed the Cats” idea gets one thing right:

Over-fatiguing athletes destroys speed.

Agreed.

But if all you ever do is feed the cat steak and let it nap in the sun, you don’t raise a predator.

You raise a house cat.

Fast for one pounce.
Wind­ed by the third chase.
Back on the porch by halftime.

Hunting all game isn’t about one explosive leap.

It’s about:

• Explode

• Reset

• Re-accelerate

• Recover

• Repeat

That recovery between hunts?

That’s the aerobic system.

Speed exposure alone doesn’t build it.

You don’t need lactic punishment sessions.

But pretending recovery capacity develops automatically from max velocity work is wishful thinking.

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The Converging Model

Instead of oscillating between pure speed days and random conditioning, the goal is convergence.

We build both halves of RSA simultaneously — without compromising either.

Early Phase:

• High CNS days → Alactic speed

• Low CNS days → Extensive tempo (aerobic foundation)

As we enter Special Preparation, structure becomes more football realistic.

But the physiology remains intact.

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Early Off-Season: Vertical Integration

We believe in a high–low vertical integration model, popularized by Charlie Francis.

Everything is in the program at all times — just at varying intensities.

Speed is never removed.
Aerobic work is never removed.
Strength work is never removed.

We adjust dosage.

In the early off-season, we are farthest from competition. That gives us the most freedom to run a clean, true high–low structure.

Earliest Phase:

• 2 High CNS speed days

• 1 Extensive tempo day

Speed is emphasized, but aerobic development begins immediately.

This phase protects velocity while laying the oxidative foundation.

As the block progresses, we shift volume:

Progressed Early Phase:

• 2 Extensive tempo days

• 3 High CNS Speed days

Now we are accumulating meaningful aerobic volume while still preserving neural exposure.

Why?

Because you cannot layer density later without first building capacity.

This vertical integration model ensures:

• Speed ceiling rises

• Aerobic floor rises

• Work capacity accumulates

• Tissue tolerance improves

We do not wait until special prep to introduce aerobic development.

We build it from day one.

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Special Preparation: Where Structure Evolves

As we move closer to camp, the clean high–low model blends into football reality.

Tactical demands increase. Practice duration expands.

But physiology remains intact.

The goal is still:

Increase alactic output.
Increase aerobic recovery ability.
Gradually integrate density.

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Special Preparation Weekly Structure

Monday – Primer

~1,000-1,500 yards extensive tempo at 60–70%.
Controlled breathing.
Light technical integration.

Purpose:
Restore. Maintain aerobic base. Prepare for Tuesday.

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Tuesday – Max Velocity + High-Speed Distance

Our highest intensity session.

• 300–400+ yards of high-speed distance

• Acceleration + fly sprint exposures

• Full recovery

• Sprint–float–sprint mechanics

We integrate:

• 7-on-7 in open field

• Routes on air

• High-speed modulation within tactical work

This builds:

• Neural ceiling

• Tissue resilience

• Game-relevant high-speed exposure

You cannot avoid high speed in training and expect to tolerate it in competition.

Tuesday raises the ceiling.

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Wednesday – Practice Prep

This is our volume and resilience builder.

Targets:

• 3,000+ yards above 3 mph

• 400+ player loads

• ~2 hours on feet

High-speed sprinting is limited to COD work.

We integrate:

• 7-on-7 in the red zone

• Routes on air in condensed space

• Small-area high-intensity competition

The goal:

Build player load reserves.
Build total time-on-feet tolerance.
Replicate practice density.

Progression:

• Early → Extensive tempo support

• Mid → Controlled intensive tempo

• Late (final 2 weeks) → Limited RSA clusters

We earn density.

We don’t start with it.

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Thursday – Positional Extensive Tempo

Extensive tempo, but positional-specific.

Athletes must:

• Identify alignment

• Process assignment

• Execute technique

Under controlled aerobic intensity.

This day maintains aerobic development while reinforcing skill and psychological stress similar to games.

It keeps athletes engaged without neural overload.

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Friday – Acceleration Focus

Short distances.
High intent.
Full recovery.

We sharpen horizontal force and first-step power.

We leave the week primed, not drained.

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Why This Works

Notice what we didn’t do:

• No weekly lactic punishment

• No early-phase RSA overload

• No abandonment of aerobic development

Instead:

1. Build aerobic base

2. Build speed ceiling

3. Build volume tolerance

4. Layer density late

By the time RSA clusters are introduced near camp:

• Decrement is smaller

• HR recovery is faster

• Mechanics hold

• Volume tolerance exists

We don’t shock the system.

We prepare it.

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What the Speed Reserve Graphic Misses

Speed reserve shows capability shift.

It does not show sustainability shift.

It assumes:

• Equal fatigue decay

• Fresh-state performance

• Linear transfer

Games don’t operate in fresh-state conditions.

They operate under accumulated stress.

Speed reserve improves first-rep performance.

Aerobic development improves rep 5, rep 20, rep 40, rep 80+.

Football games are won over 3 hours of play.

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The Real Equation

True RSA development is not:

Max Speed ↑

It is:

Max Speed ↑
Recovery Kinetics ↑
Sprint Decrement ↓

That requires:

• Alactic exposure

• Aerobic volume

• Strategic progression

• Intelligent weekly structure

Not metabolic chaos.

Not pampered house cats.

Hunters.

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The Bottom Line

You don’t build repeat sprint ability by blindly repeating sprints.

You build it by:

• aising the ceiling (speed)

• Raising the floor (aerobic capacity)

• Expanding volume tolerance

• Compressing density at the right time

Feed the cat.

But make sure it learns to hunt all game.