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2890: Speed Training for Athletes | How to Sprint Faster Without Getting Hurt w/ Brian Kula
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Best strength exercises for speed — trap bar deadlift, box squat and overcoming isometrics
At 31:16 · chapter starts 30:08
When asked for the best strength training exercises for speed, Kula doesn't hedge: trap bar deadlift, box squat performed with velocity emphasis, and overcoming isometric split squats. [1] — Brian Kula "Trap bar deadlift, box squat with velocity focus, and overcoming isometric split squats are Kula's top three strength exercises for speed —…" 29:08 The trap bar deadlift earns top billing because it engages seven muscle groups simultaneously and mimics the pushing mechanics of sprinting, making it a rare exercise that is both safe and directly transferable. The box squat allows Kula to isolate the concentric and eccentric phases and to train them both heavy and fast — a critical distinction because most gym training neglects the velocity component. Overcoming isometrics — pressing maximally against an immovable object — activate fast-twitch motor units without producing soreness, allowing Kula to use them at the start of every session as a potentiation tool and tendon health measure. He notes that a split isometric lunge will often eliminate patella knee pain. Before reaching these recommendations, Kula recounts working with Saquon Barkley, who was a classic reach-and-pull runner that overcame his mechanical flaws through sheer physical dominance — but whom Kula still felt compelled to address mechanically. [2] — Brian Kula "I feel like every athlete needs everything. It's just how much dosage. It's like if we all made chili, at some point we'd all have kind of …" 28:16 This leads into a discussion of programming individualization that Kula captures in a chili analogy: every athlete needs the same fundamental ingredients, just in different proportions based on their specific strengths and weaknesses.
Brian Kula incorporates overcoming isometrics into every single training session — both for fast-twitch activation and for tendon and ligament health.
Isometrics deliver fast strength gains, build tendon and ligament health, and produce minimal soreness — yet they've virtually disappeared from modern training. The reason? You can't make an impressive Instagram video pushing against a wall for 10 seconds.
The functional training wave of the late '90s and 2000s removed the most important tool for athletic performance: heavy concentric strength work. Removing back squats and deadlifts in favor of balance board exercises stripped athletes of the foundational strength that bulletproofs them against injury.
AJ Brown at 227 lbs moves like a skill position player half his size. Solomon Thomas at 285 lbs moves on all fours like a cat. These moments of watching elite athletes move are what still drives Kula after 30 years — the physical freakishness is real, and it's humbling even for the coach.
Brian Kula has worked with Christian McCaffrey since he was 13 years old, identifying him as a future NFL player as early as 8th grade based on his movement quality and mentality.
Kula watched McCaffrey dunk a basketball in 8th grade at 5'10" and knew immediately he was different. What separated McCaffrey wasn't just genetics — it was an obsession with being the best that started at 13 and never let up. A decade of working together and the results speak for themselves.
