What Strength Coaches Get Wrong: Fixing the Most Common Program Mistakes
#9 - Strength & Speed Coaching – Pursuing Your Best ⚡️
Hey everyone, Preston here—welcome back to Pursuit PE.
If you’ve been following along, we just wrapped up the Workout Delivery & Progress Tracking series, covering training cards, motivation strategies, digital tracking, and key performance indicators (KPIs). Now, we’re shifting gears.
Today, we’re kicking off a new series: Common Strength & Speed Program Mistakes—why they happen, how they hold athletes back, and most importantly, how to fix them.
The Most Common Strength & Speed Coaching Mistakes
If you’ve coached long enough, you’ve probably realized that what we don’t know is often what holds our programs back. It’s easy to fall into well-intended but flawed training methods.
These are the biggest mistakes I see in high school Strength & Speed programs:
1. Prioritizing Strength Over Speed
The Problem: Many programs are built around lifting, while speed work is treated as an afterthought (or not included at all).
Why It’s an Issue: If we’re not developing force application, acceleration mechanics, movement efficiency (e.g. - change of direction, cuts, brakes, etc.), and max velocity sprinting, we’re missing a key piece of the puzzle.
The Fix:
Sprint Year-Round – Just like we wouldn’t stop lifting in-season, sprinting should be a staple in every phase of training.
Sprint First – If you’re lifting and sprinting in the same session, prioritize speed work before heavy lifts. Fatigue kills mechanics.
Track It – Use fly 10s, Pro Agility, L-Drill, 10-yard dashes, or 40-yard times to show progress. If you don’t measure it, it doesn’t improve.
2. Poor Exercise Selection & Progressions
The Problem: Too many programs focus on lifts that don’t carry over well to sport.
Why It’s an Issue: Just because an athlete gets stronger in the weight room doesn’t mean they’ll move better on the field.
The Fix:
Prioritize Unilateral Strength – Athletes sprint, jump, and cut off one leg. Train single-leg strength with split squats, lunges, step-ups, single-leg squats, and single-leg RDLs instead of over-relying on bilateral squats and deadlifts.
Emphasize Rate of Force Development (RFD) – Strength is only useful if it can be applied quickly. Include jumps, Olympic lift variations, and med ball throws to build explosiveness.
Use Progressive Overload Correctly – Add weight when mechanics are solid, but don’t chase numbers at the expense of movement quality.
3. Neglecting Movement Quality & Mobility
The Problem: Many programs focus entirely on strength gains without addressing joint mobility, movement efficiency, or durability.
Why It’s an Issue: Strength without mobility leads to stiff, inefficient athletes who struggle with movement demands.
The Fix:
Assess with Coach’s Eye – Simple mobility flows/tests (ankle dorsiflexion, hip flexibility, T-spine rotation) can identify movement limitations before they become problems.
Include Pre-Training Mobility – A well-structured warm-up with dynamic flexibility, activation drills, and movement prep can go a long way.
Strength Through Full ROM – Deep squats, overhead presses, and full-range pulling movements maintain mobility while building strength.
4. Training Like a Bodybuilder Instead of an Athlete
The Problem: Too many programs use high-volume bodybuilding-style workouts instead of athlete-specific programming.
Why It’s an Issue: Athletes need strength, power, and speed, not just muscle size.
The Fix:
Move Away from Traditional Splits – Full-body or upper/lower splits work best for athletic development.
Reduce Junk Volume – Every exercise should have a clear purpose. If it’s not improving speed, strength, or movement quality, why do it?
Prioritize Explosive Work – Sprints, jumps, and loaded power exercises should take center stage.
5. Ignoring Game Day & In-Season Training
The Problem: Many coaches shut down strength training when the season starts or avoid lifting on game days.
Why It’s an Issue: This leads to strength loss, increased injury risk, and athletes having to “rebuild” every offseason.
The Fix:
Train In-Season – Athletes should lift 2-3 times per week, even during competition.
Game Day Training – A short, low-volume strength session can improve game-day performance if done right.
Maintain Strength Levels – Adjust volume, but don’t abandon lifting entirely.
How to Fix These Issues in Your Program
If any of these mistakes sound familiar, the good news is they’re all fixable. The first step is recognizing the gap—then making small adjustments that lead to big long-term improvements.
Here’s where to start:
Audit Your Program – Take an honest look at your exercise selection, training structure, and emphasis on speed vs. strength.
Implement One Fix at a Time – Pick one area (speed training, mobility work, in-season programming) and refine it before tackling everything at once.
Track What Matters – If you’re not already using speed and power KPIs, now’s the time to start. Check out how we track our data. 📈
What’s Next in the Series?
This was the big-picture look at the most common coaching mistakes—but in the next few newsletters, we’ll dive even deeper:
Newsletter #10 – Programming Pitfalls: What’s Missing from Your Training Plan?
Newsletter #11 – Fixing Speed Training: Why Most Schools Get It Wrong
Newsletter #12 – Sport-Specific Training: What Actually Works vs. What’s a Waste of Time
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made (or seen) in Strength & Speed training? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to feature some of your responses in a future newsletter.
If you found this valuable, forward it to a colleague who might find it helpful. Let’s keep building better programs and better athletes.
Until next time—keep pursuing excellence!
– Preston
Pursuit PE ⚡️