At BOLD/T, our philosophy is rooted in the science of performance. The name itself reflects the formula for velocity, a key factor in throwing harder, hitting further, and sprinting faster.
Velocity = Displacement ÷ Time
Velocity measures how fast something moves, and in what direction. To increase velocity, you have three options:
- Cover more distance in less time.
- Cover the same distance in less time.
- Cover more distance in the same amount of time.
Simple enough, right? Let’s break this down with real sport examples.
Velocity in Action
- Base running: If I sprint 60 feet in 2 seconds while you cover only 30 feet in the same time, I win. Why? My velocity is higher.
- Soccer: If we both start 20 feet away from the ball and I arrive first, I created more velocity by traveling the same distance in less time.
- Pitching: Imagine two pitchers. We both move our arm from layback to follow-through in exactly the same amount of time. But if your shoulder allows more motion than mine, your arm covers more distance. That means you throw harder, not because you moved faster, but because you moved further in the same amount of time.
This principle applies beyond pitching: stride length in sprinting, bat path in hitting, and nearly every movement in sport.
How This Applies to Training
So, should you only train with high-speed work? Not exactly.
The key is understanding how you produce velocity, which depends on your body structure and movement profile.
- If you naturally have more range of motion (like an external rotation bias in the shoulder), you might benefit from covering greater distances in the same or less time. But if you lift too heavy and lose that shoulder motion, you could actually limit velocity potential.
- If you naturally have less joint motion, your strength comes from using a very brief window to apply force. You’ll need to emphasize quick impulses in training learning to produce very high force, very quickly, in a small time frame.
In both cases, the training approach must be individualized. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution if the goal is to maximize velocity safely and effectively.
The BOLD/T Approach
That’s why every athlete at BOLD/T begins with a Health & Performance Evaluation. It tells us how your body is built to create velocity, and from there we design training to help you:
- Throw harder
- Run faster
- Swing with more power
- Stay healthy and durable along the way
If you’re ready to learn how we can help you unlock your peak velocity, [click here to talk to a coach].