Every single athlete is looking for the X factor.

The thing that separates the elite from the average.

The thing that you see in all of those athletes that move fluidly on the field of play.

The quality that makes it look like they’re moving effortlessly and everyone else is moving in slow motion.

It makes them look like they have extra time on the ball.

They have more space than everyone else.

They look relaxed, calculated and unbothered by the chaos going on around them.

How do they move so effortlessly?

How do they look like they have an age to make the right decision?

Why can no one get near them out there?

The answer isn’t incredibly simple.

They have elite level gamespeed.

Now, what is gamespeed?

It is defined as “the athleticism & ability to optimally make decisions & execute sport specific tasks that positively influence either side of the game.”

So, these athletes can both think fast and move fast.

Being able to think fast is great, but if the body can’t keep up with the mind, that’s often when players make a decision to call it a day.

Being able to move fast is great, but without the ability to make the correct decision out there, it will make you ultimately useless for your team.

We have to have the goal of doing both.

And both skills can be worked on.

But what is it that those faster athletes have that us mere mortals don’t possess?

What is it that gives them that X factor and allows them to burn their opponents time and time again?

This answer is a little more simple.

It’s speed.

And I can break it down into 5 key qualities.

The elite of the elite have them all.

The rest of us aspire to build them

1. Forceful Hip Extension

In order to cover more distance per stride, you’ve got to be able to apply high forces into the floor in a short amount of time.

The muscles that primarily help us to do so are those of the hip.

Our glute max (sprinting muscle) and our hamstrings work together to help us to attack the ground behind us, projecting our body forward in space.

It is no secret that elite level sprinters all possess the same physical quality of forceful hip extension.

And those athletes that move so well on the field and can get out ahead of their opponent easily typically possess the same.

They can generate high forces and retract their leg powerfully into the floor, to help them to generate forward momentum.

This one is easy to work on.

We simply get into the gym and execute lifts focused on hip extension, attempting to improve our ability to generate force.

We may as a result build a little junk in our trunk.

Then from there we attempt to bridge the gap between the gym and the pitch by working on higher speed actions that get progressively more similar to sprinting.

We attempt to not solely improve our ability to generate force, but our ability to generate it rapidly.

We work on our rate of force development.

Particularly around the hips.

That is how we attempt to bridge the gap and move from being average towards being above average in our ability to cover distance rapidly.

And in order to cover distance quickly, you’ve got to attack the floor.

Improving hip extension allows us to do just that.

2. Stiffness / Bounce

I speak about this one often but it’s still not completely understood.

When my athletes tell me that they feel stiff, I say “good”.

If they tell me that they feel sore, then that’s a completely different conversation.

Athletes that are reactive are typically fast.

It’s almost impossible not to be.

They possess effortless bounce.

They “pop” off the floor.

And they don’t look like they find it difficult to do so.

Some of this is down to elite level timing and co-ordination.

But some of it is also down to strong and stiff tendons.

Tendons are dumb.

We can’t actively contract them.

They’re non-contractile tissue.

But a healthy and strong tendon, when placed under stretch, will recoil.

And that recoil gives us free energy.

That is why those longer, stiffer athletes look so effortless moving at high speed.

And those shorter, squatter, more muscular athletes look like their straining, using high effort to move as fast as they can.

If you want to move faster, it pays to work on your stiffness.

Timing and co-ordination are one thing that will certainly help.

But equally your strategy can’t make up for the fact that you don’t have the physical capacity to be stiff and reactive off of the floor.

Work on the software for sure.

But don’t ignore the hardware either.

Strong muscles require strong tendons too.

So your strength training should focus on developing both.

3. Switching Ability

The 3rd piece of the puzzle does exactly what it says on the tin.

There’s no point being able to cover a lot of distance per stride and be reactive off the floor, if your strides are long, slow and laboured.

This is team-sport, not the 400m final.

In order to cover shorter distances rapidly, you need to be able to switch your limbs aggressively.

Those faster elite players do so amazingly.

It looks like they’ve just been wound up and let go.

Their limbs cut through the air like a knife through butter.

They attack the floor like a piston on an engine.

Once one leg leaves the floor, the other one is already attacking down at high speed.

This is what makes it look like they’re moving faster than everyone else out on that pitch.

This is what makes it look like Mbappe is going to run out of the stadium.

This is what makes it look like Cheslin Kolbe could beat every other player on the pitch in a race even if he gave them a 50m head start.

This is what makes it look like Gavin White should be lining up in LA in 2 years time rather than lining up in Croker in July.

Do not underestimate the importance of switching with good timing and switching aggressively.

It’s what allows you to knit the other previously outlined components together.

4. Intent

I’ve already used the word “aggressively” multiple times.

Those that move faster than the rest have a real, insatiable desire to do so.

They want to burn their opponents.

They want to win that next ball.

They want to embarrass their opposite marker.

This competitiveness has served them well through the years and they’re not about to forget about it now.

Those that move fastest on the field have to actually want to do so.

They have to want to be the fastest player on the pitch.

They have to be the most competitive one out there.

That way, they don’t believe in lost causes.

They attempt to get the upper hand in every encounter.

They have a never say die attitude.

They always understand that in order to win every race, they need to give every race everything that they’ve got.

There’s no next ball.

There’s only the moment that you’re currently in.

Have intent to attack the floor.

Intent to get out in front.

Intent to leave your opponent for dead.

And then that will put you in a position to do so.

No point holding back now.

This is what your week’s preparation is for.

It is rare that someone has ever hit high speed without trying to do so.

Trying is necessary.

So, give it all you’ve got.

Every damn time.

5. Confidence

Confidence? 

Arrogance?

Call it what you will.

The fastest player on the team often knows that they’re the fastest player on the team.

And they’re often reluctant to relinquish that title.

They’ll offer anyone out.

They’ll take every opportunity to showcase their speed.

They’ll relish those moments in the game where they get to take on their opponent one on one.

They’ll demand the ball.

They’ll demand the attention.

Because they know what’s going to happen.

They know that they have the X factor.

And they know that their opponent can’t handle them.

It’s something that’s built through years of victories and years of effort.

And it’s not something that goes away easily.

They’ll believe they’re the fastest, long after they are.

The elite of the elite have confidence in their abilities.

And why not?

They’ve been proved right till now.

And they’ll continue to be proven right as long as they continue to have that confidence.

Physical prowess without confidence will always stay hidden.

Physical prowess with confidence is almost unstoppable.

So, if you’ve been working on your gamespeed ability in the dark.

Don’t be afraid to bring it into the light.

Otherwise it was all for nothing.

Athleticism without confidence is a waste of talent.