The Anatomy of Speed

by Bill Parisi

Overview

While speed is often viewed as the defining characteristic of elite athletic performance, there remains plenty of misinformation and confusion about what speed truly is and how it can be developed. Speed is far more than seconds on a stopwatch—it is the result of multiple anatomical systems working together in highly coordinated unison, from the cross-body co-contractions of deep myofascial tissues to the pulsing contract-and-release cycle of the nervous system.

The Anatomy of Speed is a resource like no other. Bill Parisi, the internationally recognized expert and founder of Parisi Speed School, delves deep into the physiological mechanisms of speed through in-depth interviews with top experts and researchers in the field. The text provides scientifically proven exercises and drills for developing speed that will help performance coaches and athletes more effectively maximize development of this precious attribute. Using detailed photo sequences, enhanced with anatomical overlays, you will understand the different manifestations of speed, the biomotor systems that drive them, and scientifically proven drills and exercises for developing these abilities:

• Acceleration
• Maximum velocity
• Deceleration
• Change of direction
• Agility
• Maneuverability
• Speed-specific strength

The Anatomy of Speed converts the science into practical application, allowing you to select the most effective drills and exercises, and tailor a training program unique to your athlete’s needs. The exercises—which are each designated as basic, moderate, or advanced—are organized by complexity and speed-related categories. Exercises aimed at improving range of motion and priming the nervous system set the stage for optimal results. Speed-specific strength exercises use equipment like free weights, medicine balls, and sleds to target important speed and change-of-direction qualities. A practical programming chapter helps you assemble it all into individualized training based on sport, position, body type, skill level, movement preference, and training history.

Speed comes in many forms. It is a physical skill that can be developed and improved with targeted training and a solid understanding of mechanics. The Anatomy of Speed offers equal parts science, art, and practical application to do just that.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492599005
Publisher:	Human Kinetics Publishers
Publication date:	09/21/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	296
Sales rank:	745,391
File size:	105 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Bill Parisi is the founder and CEO of the Parisi Speed School and developer of the Parisi Training System. He is a 1990 graduate of Iona College, located in New Rochelle, New York, where he was selected as a two-time Division I track-and-field All-American (in 1988 and 1989). Bill also qualified for and competed in the 1988 U.S. Olympic track-and-field trials in the javelin throw. He currently still holds the Iona College school record for the javelin throw and in 2003 was inducted into the school’s hall of fame. In 1989, he traveled to Finland to train, learn from, and compete with some of the best athletes in the world. This international athletic training experience prompted Bill to start his own training business based on the strategies he learned.

In 1991, he earned the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) credential. In 1992, while $50,000 in debt, he founded the Parisi Speed School and, using a $500 van, traveled from school to school in New Jersey to deliver free speed clinics. In 1993, Bill opened his first speed-training location, a 2,500-square-foot facility in Wyckoff, New Jersey. In 2000, he opened his flagship speed school in Fair Lawn, New Jersey: a 32,000-square-foot facility specializing in youth speed training. This facility was recognized by Men’s Health in 2009 as one of the top 10 gyms in the country. In 2015, Active Times named Parisi Speed School the number one training facility in America. Since then, the Parisi Speed Training System has certified over 2,500 speed coaches throughout the world. In addition, Parisi Speed School has over 90 licensed speed-training locations and a growing affiliate program of individually licensed coaches worldwide. The Parisi Training System has been used to train more than one million young athletes between the ages of 7 and 18, producing first-round draft picks in every professional sport—including more than 145 NFL draft picks—and a host of Olympic medalists and UFC fighters.

In addition to being a recognized expert in youth speed training, Parisi founded the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (PFSCCA) in 2010, which is now partnered with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). As executive director of the PFSCCA, he hosts annual summits for the strength and conditioning coaches of all 32 NFL teams, where he invites top experts in the field to present the latest evidence-based research on speed, power, and injury resilience. In 2019, Parisi also established the Fascia Training Academy, which provides cutting-edge educational resources for understanding how to better train the body’s elastic connective tissue system.

Bill has coauthored and been a contributing author to numerous books, including Success Patterns, Don’t “Should” on Your Kids, Fascia Training, Fascia in Sport and Movement, and Fascial Fitness. Bill has served as a consultant or featured lecturer for several sports-related organizations, including the NFL, USA Football, Nike, and Reebok, as well as numerous sports industry associations such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM); American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM); American Council on Exercise (ACE); and the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). He has also contributed content for USA Football’s online coaches’ library. In addition to speaking, writing, and consulting, Parisi has been featured on Fox Sports, ESPN, The Today Show, CNBC, ESPN the Magazine, Sporting News, New York Times, USA Today, CBI magazine, and Running magazine.

Bill lives in Wyckoff, New Jersey, with his wife and two sons.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. The Many Forms of Speed
Chapter 2. Systems of Speed
Chapter 3. Pre–Warm-Up for Injury Prevention
Chapter 4. Session-Based Active Dynamic Warm-Up
Chapter 5. Speed-Specific Strength
Chapter 6. Acceleration
Chapter 7. Maximum Velocity
Chapter 8. Deceleration
Chapter 9. Multidirectional Speed
Chapter 10. Agility
Chapter 11. System-Specific Recovery
Chapter 12. Programming Menus

Editorial Reviews

“What is the largest difference between great players in high school, college, and the pro level? I would argue that it is speed. When muscles contract, they create force and stiffness. Thus, speed only comes with optimal sequencing of rapid muscle pulsing into activation for force development and rapid relaxation for muscle length changes. Bill Parisi has coached speed in many sports and at all levels of athletic development. His success speaks for itself. In The Anatomy of Speed he has integrated science and his coaching skills into a consumable text with an approach that will work for anyone wanting more speed.”
—Stuart McGill, Professor Emeritus and Author of Back Mechanic and Low Back Disorders

“The Anatomy of Speed contains proven speed training concepts that I have successfully used throughout my 40-year career as a Division I college and NFL strength and conditioning coach. Bill Parisi combines the evidence-based principles behind them, with the latest science on speed training, and serves it up in an engaging, practical way that coaches and athletes of all types can easily understand and use. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to improve speed, agility, and quickness.”
—Mike Woicik, Six-Time Super Bowl Champion and Former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots

"Everyone knows that speed is essential to high-level athletic performance, but few coaches can actually break it down to its constituent parts and outline how to optimize each of them. Bill Parisi is one of those coaches. In this comprehensive resource, he combines his extensive experience with invaluable input from other industry leaders to present a comprehensive who, what, when, where, and how of elite speed development. It's a must-read for coaches and athletes alike."
—Eric Cressey, Director of Player Health and Performance for the New York Yankees and Owner of Cressey Sports Performance

“The information in this book has been a staple in my training program throughout my high school career and beyond. The Parisi Speed School coaches I worked with understand the physical demands of the highest caliber athletes and know how to implement the proper training programs to allow athletes to maximize their abilities.”
—Tobin Heath, USA Women’s Soccer Gold Medalist

“Seemingly anyone with a growth mindset looking to take his or her performance to the next level knows it comes down to consistency, resiliency, and SPEED. The Anatomy of Speed provides a proven framework of periodized training that leads to elite results. If you are looking for an edge, read this book.”
—Mark Glicini, Four-Year Varsity Starter for Yale Lacrosse, Three-Time Ivy League Champion, NCAA All-American, Professional Lacrosse Player for Chaos Lacrosse Club in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), and Member of the San Diego Seals in the National Lacrosse League (NLL)

“Speed has always been a highly prized commodity for any athlete. Yet for years speed training seemed to take a secondary role to strength training in athletic performance programs. Speed training is finally assuming its rightful role as a key part of performance programs, and no one has done more to drive this change than Bill Parisi—a name closely linked to the concept of speed. Bill's systems and methodologies have made innumerable athletes faster—not just on the track but also, crucially, on the fields and courts of multiple sports. In this book he lays out the secrets of improving speed that he has gleaned from years of practice.”
—Ian Jeffreys, PhD, FNSCA, ASCC, CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D, Proprietor and Performance Director of All-Pro Performance

“The Anatomy of Speed is one of the most comprehensive resources for speed development out there. Coach Parisi’s ability to break down the science of speed, as well as the tactical and technical aspects of speed development, is second to none. I have been fortunate to know Coach Parisi for many years and have always admired his ability to take complex topics and make them easy to understand. The Anatomy of Speed is a must-have resource for anyone who is serious about becoming faster or teaching athletes to become faster.”
—Todd Wright, Assistant Coach and Vice President of Player Performance for the Los Angeles Clippers

“Anyone who has ever said that you can’t develop speed has never met Coach Bill Parisi. In The Anatomy of Speed you’ll find a blueprint that reveals your path to fastness.”
—Nick Winkelman, PhD, Head of Athletic Performance and Science for the Irish Rugby Football Union and Author of The Language of Coaching

"As a pioneer of sports performance and speed, Bill Parisi is always building his knowledge to share with others as an authentic coach, charismatic speaker, and educated author. Now he goes into the why's behind speed, specifically the role of anatomy and the fascial system in enabling optimal and efficient movement. I continue to learn from Bill, as both an experienced coach and a passionate writer, and his wisdom regarding how to build the ultimate expression of human movement: speed."
—Phil Wagner, MD, CEO of Sparta Science

From the Publisher