How to use velocity based training

Returning to The Athletic Development Show — this time as a guest rather than the host — for a full walkthrough of how to actually use velocity-based training, from first principles through to device selection and how Metric fits in.

Episode notes:

• 00:00 — Introduction and a deep dive on VBT
• 03:29 — What is velocity-based training?
• 06:55 — The benefits of VBT
• 08:01 — Why VBT works even better with reps in reserve (RIR)
• 16:26 — Autoregulation, fatigue, velocity loss, and proximity to failure
• 18:53 — Mean and peak velocity
• 29:23 — The easiest thing for coaches and athletes — contextual velocity
• 32:34 — Intent to move
• 37:50 — VBT speed zones, and why they’re overused
• 41:03 — Existing VBT devices
• 48:40 — Using Metric for velocity-based training
• 51:01 — How Metric is different to existing VBT devices

If you only have ten minutes, jump to 16:26 — the autoregulation and velocity-loss section is the most practically useful stretch of the episode — or 37:50 for the case against treating published speed zones as gospel.

The written companions to this episode: the velocity zones guide, the intent guide, and last rep velocity and RPE.