Bar Speed > Max Charts: How VBT Drives Progress
#53 - Strength & Speed Coaching - Pursuing Your Best ⚡️
There’s nothing wrong with percentage-based training.
But it’s slow to adjust.
It’s built on assumptions.
And when you’re working with high school athletes, it often misses the mark.
That’s why this new four-part series is all about Velocity Based Training (VBT)—how we use it in Strength & Speed class, why it’s better than rigid percentages, how we pair it with our APRE system and how it gives us a smarter, athlete-driven system for teaching intent, regulating effort, and getting results that transfer.
Let’s get into it.
What Is VBT?
Velocity-Based Training uses bar speed (typically measured in meters per second) to guide training decisions.
It’s not just about lifting the most weight—it’s about how fast you move the weight. Because when it comes down to it—it’s not about how strong you are in sports—it’s about how fast can you access your strength.
We use VBT in our program to:
Reinforce explosive intent
Auto-regulate daily loads
Identify fatigue or readiness
Provide instant feedback and motivation
This creates a training system where intensity is earned, not assumed.
Why Not Just Use Percentages?
Here’s the problem with traditional percent-based training:
It assumes maxes are current and accurate
It ignores how athletes feel or move that day
It locks you into a rigid plan that may not match reality
VBT fixes that.
If bar speed is high? We push.
If bar speed is low? We adjust.
No guesswork. No wasted reps.
How We Use VBT in Class
You don’t need a force plate and five PhDs.
We use simple encoders from Vitruve—you can do a ton with basic bar speed ranges and smart coaching.
Here’s our approach:
1. Focus on Total and Lower Body Lifts
We track velocity on key compound lifts like squat variations, deadlift variations, and olympic variations. These are the movements where intent and output matter most—and where bar speed reveals effort. Upper body movements are fine, but just not as much value there.
2. Assign Training Zones by Goal
Instead of “75% for 5,” we might target 0.5–0.7 m/s for strength, or 0.8+ for power. The bar speed becomes the goal—not the load.
3. Teach Athletes to Self-Regulate
If the bar moves too slow, they back off. If it’s too fast, they can go heavier. This builds ownership and decision-making.
Eventually, the best training is the training that can be auto-regulated.
Sometimes we will even add VBT to unconventional lifts to add intent to the movement.
Bonus: How We Pair APRE + VBT
We’ve started using VBT alongside our APRE money sets. If you want to see how we implement APRE check out this series. APRE doesn’t have to use VBT encoders, but it can become even more accurate with the speed readings.
If the athlete hits the minimum reps but the last rep velocity is below a set cutoff (like 0.25 m/s), we treat it as a red flag—not a green light.
This gives us performance-based cutoffs that help us avoid poor reps and reinforce quality movement.
It’s one of the cleanest ways we’ve found to blend feel + feedback.
I learned these methods from Mark Hoover, Mike Bewley, and Nick Crouse.
If you want to learn more check out their Big Time Strength Podcast episodes.
New: Free Download — VBT Quick FAQ
Want help getting started with VBT in your setting?
I put together a VBT Quick FAQ that answers the most common questions coaches ask, including:
Is VBT only for elite athletes?
How many devices do I need?
What are good target zones for bar speed?
How do I teach VBT to high school athletes?
It’s free for all subscribers.
Want Help Building a Program That Sticks?
I offer consulting for PE teachers and Strength & Speed coaches looking to:
Build year-round training systems that fit your school schedule
Improve coaching systems for large groups, mixed levels, and multi-sport demands
Create engagement-driven training environments that kids love
If you're ready to build a structure that works where you are, I’d love to help.
Just reply or reach out directly and let’s get to work.
Final Thoughts
VBT isn’t just for advanced lifters or elite facilities.
When used well, it gives coaches and athletes a smarter lens—one that adjusts in real time, reinforces the right effort, and helps build explosive athletes from the ground up.
No guesswork.
No grinding.
Just feedback that works.
Next up: Building a Practical VBT Framework: Zones, Targets, and Flow
Until then—keep pursuing excellence.
— Preston ⚡️