Your Treadmill Is Lying About Your Speed
Most people who exercise in gyms never truly train for speed. They hop on treadmills, glance at the digital display, and assume the number shown reflects their actual running pace. This is a common misconception.
A treadmill does not measure your real speed in the way you might think. Instead, it calculates the time you spend on the belt, the distance the belt moves under your feet, and an estimate of calories burned. The kilometers per hour or miles per hour reading is directly tied to the machine's belt speed setting, not your genuine athletic velocity.
The Outdoor Reality Check
True speed can only be experienced and measured outdoors. Outside, you can accelerate to your maximum capability, then naturally decelerate without pressing buttons or hopping off a moving platform. This environment provides a far better test for muscles like the hamstrings.
Your body slows down gradually over distance when running outside, unlike the abrupt stop required on a treadmill. This makes outdoor sprinting superior for assessing real performance and building functional strength.
Understanding Speed: From Casual Joggers to Elite Athletes
For the average casual runner, a comfortable pace typically falls between 9.5 and 13 kilometers per hour. This is distinctly different from sprinting speed.
The average human sprint speed ranges from 19 to 24 kilometers per hour. These figures come from short, explosive bursts. The typical finishing time for a 100-meter sprint hovers between 15 and 17 seconds.
To put that in perspective, consider Usain Bolt's legendary performance. During his world-record 9.58-second 100-meter sprint in 2009, Bolt reached a breathtaking top speed of 44.72 kilometers per hour.
The Professional Sports Benchmark
Speed levels in professional sports operate on an entirely different scale. Josh Snowden, Head of Sports Science at Lincoln City FC, provides clear benchmarks.
"At the top level, if you are anything above 36 kilometers per hour, then you are rapid. Very fast. Around the 30 kilometer per hour mark is where the entry level begins," explains Snowden. His experience includes work with Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League.
For non-athletes focused on general fitness, even hitting 20 kilometers per hour is considered quite fast. This makes sense because running and speed work are just components of their broader training regimen.
How to Measure and Improve Your Sprinting
Most GPS tracking systems used in professional sports classify any run above 25.2 kilometers per hour as a sprint. That number serves as an excellent target for fitness enthusiasts wanting to log genuine sprint efforts.
If you can reach that threshold, aiming for 28 to 29 kilometers per hour becomes a worthy goal for being considered genuinely fast. For those wearing fitness watches, monitoring heart-rate zones during sprints is highly recommended. Sprinting typically pushes you into zones 4 or 5.
Long-distance runners maintain different paces. A good range for them is 7 to 9 kilometers per hour, with experienced racers sometimes reaching 10 to 11 kilometers per hour.
The Treadmill Limitation for Speed Training
While long-distance runners can use treadmills to gauge their steady pace, sprinters face a hardware limitation. Most treadmills max out at a belt speed equivalent to 20 kilometers per hour.
Some gyms, concerned about member safety, even lock their treadmills at 15 kilometers per hour. This makes outdoor training essential for anyone serious about measuring and improving top speed.
Effective Speed Training Techniques
The best method to train for speed involves structured interval work. Try repeating cycles of 10-second all-out sprints followed by 20 seconds of rest or light activity.
Incorporating explosive power movements like jumps and plyometrics also boosts speed capacity. Speed remains a major fitness metric, even though it's not the only indicator of health.
"There's going to be a crossover effect with speed training because it is the most intense action your body can do," states Snowden. "The fast-twitch fibers you activate with the Central Nervous System at 100 percent means you learn to react quicker to stimuli."
This enhanced reaction speed translates to real-world benefits. You become better at suddenly dodging obstacles, improve performance in various sports, and gain the ability to learn new exercises that boost overall fitness.
Clarifying Your Training Goals
It's crucial to know whether you're training for speed or endurance. You can use similar exercises for both, but the objectives are fundamentally different.
Speed training relies on short, powerful bursts using anaerobic energy systems. Endurance training focuses on longer distances and time periods at lower intensity levels, utilizing aerobic energy.
An important rule: never train to exhaustion during speed work. Stop at a point where you feel refreshed and stronger afterward. As running coaches emphasize, quality matters—runs should not be sloppy.
Balancing Speed with Other Fitness Goals
Many gym-goers worry that speed training might hinder muscle growth. Snowden addresses this concern directly.
"Some muscle fibers can only be activated by high-velocity movements. Nothing and no exercise can replace sprinting when it comes to this," he asserts.
For individuals focused on building size and lifting weights five times weekly, Snowden recommends adding just one sprinting session, with two sessions being the ideal maximum. These sessions should be fairly short with ample rest periods between efforts.
The Ultimate Fitness Motivation
Knowing your current speed and actively testing its limits is a pursuit every fitness enthusiast should experience. The rewards are significant, providing a clear, measurable goal to chase.
Striving to approach these speed numbers—adjusted for your age and fitness level—can become a powerful source of motivation. It turns abstract fitness into a tangible, personal challenge with visible progress.
