Speed, Strength & Performance Training Articles | Atlas High Performance Blog

MAXIMAL AEROBIC SPEED: A GUIDE TO IMPROVING ENDURANCE AND PERFORMANCE

21/3/2026

MAXIMAL AEROBIC SPEED: A GUIDE TO IMPROVING ENDURANCE AND PERFORMANCE

For athletes involved in endurance sports - or any sport that requires sustained high-intensity effort - understanding your Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) can be a game-changer. While it's a concept often utilised by elite coaches and sports scientists, MAS is increasingly gaining attention among athletes at all levels. Knowing your MAS can help you tailor your training, improve endurance, and enhance your overall athletic performance.

In this article, we’ll dive into the science behind MAS, how it impacts performance in endurance sports, and why every athlete should be aware of their MAS.

What Is Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS)?

Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) is defined as the lowest running speed at which an athlete reaches their VO₂ max - the maximum rate at which the body can take in and use oxygen during exercise. Essentially, MAS is the speed you can sustain using your aerobic energy system, meaning the system that uses oxygen to fuel exercise. At this speed, your body can supply enough oxygen to the working muscles to maintain activity without producing excessive fatigue. If you push beyond your MAS, you start using your anaerobic energy system, which doesn't rely on oxygen but causes a buildup of lactic acid. Lactic acid accumulation can lead to muscle fatigue and a decrease in performance.

Maximal Aerobic Speed Workouts: 3 Proven Sessions to Boost Endurance and Speed

21/3/2026

⏱️ Need to find your MAS baseline first?
> You cannot run these intervals effectively if you are guessing your target times. Before you start programming these sessions, use our Free Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) Calculator to get your exact baseline score and target interval speeds.

3 Common Workouts Based on Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) Scores

Here are three effective MAS-based workouts tailored to improve your aerobic capacity, speed, and endurance:

1. Short Intervals for Speed and Endurance

15 Seconds On, 15 Seconds Off @ 120% MAS

Objective: Develop aerobic capacity and improve high-speed endurance.
Work: Run for 15 seconds at 120% of your MAS.
Rest: Walk or jog for 15 seconds.
Reps: 8-12 repetitions per set.
Sets: 2-3 sets with a 4-minute rest between sets.
Example: If your MAS is 4 m/s, run 60 meters (4 x 15) in 15 seconds.

TOP 5 EXERCISES TO INCREASE YOUR SPEED

21/3/2026

TOP 5 EXERCISES TO INCREASE YOUR SPEED

If you want to stand out on the pitch, raw effort isn't enough - you need explosive speed. At Atlas High Performance, our programmes are designed to make athletes faster, sharper, and undeniably confident when changing direction. We’ve reverse-engineered the proven sprint training methods of world-class coaches like Les Spellman, Tony Holler, and Speedworks to build the best athletic development program. Stop wasting time with generic fitness drills - here are the 5 best exercises for speed to help any athlete accelerate faster and leave the competition behind.

Unlock Your Speed: 1-to-1 Performance Assessments at Atlas HPC

21/3/2026

Unlock Your Speed:1-to-1 Performance Assessments at Atlas HPC

Are you working hard to run faster, move quicker, and boost your athletic performance but not sure where to start? Whether you're searching for the best speed exercises, workouts to improve sprint speed, or wondering how to increase speed for sports, it all begins with one thing: a clear understanding of your current performance.

At Atlas High Performance Centre, we offer Performance Assessments for Personal Training that break down exactly what you need to improve speed, acceleration, and overall fitness.

Ready to find out exactly where you're losing speed on the pitch?

👉 Click here to book your €149 Performance Assessment now

Best Exercises to Improve Sprint Speed

21/3/2026

Best Exercises to Improve Sprint Speed

Sprinting is the ultimate competitive advantage, whether you’re a GAA forward, a rugby winger, or a track athlete. If you want to increase your sprint speed, raw effort isn't enough. The key is to develop explosive power, efficient mechanics, and massive force production.

Many local athletes search for how to get faster, but the reality is that the best approach requires a combination of specific sprint drills, strength training, and plyometrics. Below, the coaches at Atlas High Performance break down the best exercises for speed so you can start training smarter right here in Limerick.

Understanding the Force-Velocity Curve | Atlas High Performance

15/3/2026

Understanding the Force-Velocity Curve | Atlas HPC Limerick

In athletic development, the ability to produce high levels of power is the primary differentiator between average and elite performance. To optimise power output, coaches and sports scientists rely on a foundational biomechanical concept: the Force-Velocity Curve.

Understanding this inverse relationship allows us to move away from generalised programming and implement targeted, objective training interventions based on an athlete's specific physiological deficit.

The Atlas High Performance Blueprint: Elite Performance Guide for Women’s Football

13/10/2025

The Atlas High Performance Blueprint: Elite Performance Guide for Women’s Football

You’re dedicated. You put in the hours on the pitch, you perfect your touch, and you study the game. But you know there’s another level. You see the players on TV—the ones who seem to glide past defenders, win every header, and possess that explosive first step—and you ask yourself: what's the difference?

The gap between a good player and a truly elite one isn’t just about skill. It's about building a world-class physical engine to power that skill. At Atlas High Performance, we believe that understanding your unique physical profile is the first and most critical step on the journey to the top. It's not about guesswork; it's about data.

This is your guide to understanding the physical qualities that define the best in the game, and how we measure them to build your personal blueprint for success.

How to Plan Your Training Week for Match Day Performance: Smart Scheduling Tips for Athletes

7/8/2025

How to Plan Your Training Week for Match Day Performance: Smart Scheduling Tips for Athletes

Planning a training week can feel overwhelming, especially when schedules change, competitions pile up, and you’re not sure where to fit your key sessions. In this article, we break down how we at Atlas HPC approach training week design for athletes — whether you’re in-season, juggling matches, or working towards a major competition.

By understanding competition priorities, training effects, and how to balance load and recovery, you can train smarter, avoid burnout, and be primed to perform when it counts.

Game Week Nutrition Plan: Expert Strategies to Maximise Match Day Performance

6/8/2025

🥗 Game Week Nutrition Plan: Expert Strategies to Maximise Match Day Performance

🎯 Why Game Week Nutrition Matters
In the final 48 to 72 hours before a match, performance isn’t built through training anymore — it's built through fueling, recovery, and preparation.

Think of nutrition during match week as your final prep to showcase everything you’ve trained for. If you don’t fuel it, you can’t express it.

What you eat now will decide whether you’re ready to run, recover, and make great decisions on the pitch — or whether you fade under pressure.

This guide breaks down how to eat, hydrate, and prepare in the final 2–3 days before a big game.

Game Day Nutrition Strategy for Athletes: Winning Tips for Peak Performance

6/8/2025

🥇 Game Day Nutrition Strategy for Athletes: Winning Tips for Peak Performance

🎯 Why Game Day Nutrition Matters

Game day nutrition isn’t just about what you eat an hour before the match. It’s the icing on the cake of a well-planned week of fuelling. If you’ve followed a solid plan in the 2–3 days leading up to the match, your game day nutrition is about topping up, staying sharp, and avoiding gut issues — not scrambling to make up for poor habits.

This guide helps you understand what to eat and drink before arrival, during warm-up, and at half-time, to perform and recover at your best.

Performance Assessments at Atlas High Performance Centre – February 24th

13/2/2025

Performance Assessments at Atlas High Performance Centre

Is your child looking to run faster, move better, and gain a competitive edge in their sport? Speed is a game-changer in football, rugby, GAA, and other field sports, and improving sprint mechanics can make all the difference. At Atlas High Performance Centre, we’re offering speed and performance assessments for young athletes (ages 11-16) throughout the year! This is a unique opportunity to measure and improve sprint speed, agility, and movement mechanics with expert coaching.

The Benefits of Sprint Training for Children: Building Speed and Confidence

25/9/2024

The Benefits of Sprint Training for Children: Building Speed and Confidence

â€‹When it comes to youth sports and physical development, many parents and coaches focus on skills training and general fitness. But one often overlooked yet highly beneficial area is sprint training. Sprinting isn't just about running fast; it's about building strength, coordination, and most importantly, confidence. Whether your child is involved in football, basketball, soccer, or simply wants to stay active, sprint training offers both physical and mental benefits that last a lifetime.

In this article, weâ€™ll explore the numerous advantages of sprint training for children, including how it improves athletic performance and builds confidence - both on and off the field. And, if you're a parent of a young athlete reading this, you can sign up for your FREE speed school trial below.

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ENERGY SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT - PART 2

9/6/2020

ENERGY SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT - PART 2

After discussing energy systems as a whole and briefly introducing the phosphagen system - read about it again here if you missed it - we move onto part 2. This, in my own opinion is where things get confusing. Our main priority here will be to introduce the glycolytic system. This series of reactions happens WITHOUT the presence of oxygen. Here's where we introduce the famed lactate for the first time properly and talk about it - it is your friend not your enemy. If you can get a handle on this section, the rest of it is easy. This article is a bit biochemistry heavy so if you're not a fan of it, I suggest you look away now!

ENERGY SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT - PART 1

8/5/2020

ENERGY SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT
PART 1

To be fit - "of a suitable quality, standard, or type to meet the required purpose" . So, before we can think about getting fitter, we must first define the required purpose effectively.

As a strength and conditioning coach & sport scientist, I'm well aware that people perceive my main role within a sports team or with a client is to improve 'fitness'. While this is true, the term fitness itself means so much more. Very rarely do people specify which part of fitness they want to improve or how they are going to do it. Getting stronger, faster, leaner, more powerful could also classify as getting fitter. For the most part though, and it's going to make up the majority of this article, we'll be talking about the commonly thought about 'fit'. Being able to run further, being able to run faster for longer, being able to do something for longer before being tired, also known as 'work capacity'. What is it, how do we define it properly but most importantly, how can we train it properly.

THE CORI CYCLE

1/5/2020

THE CORI CYCLE

For years, during high intensity activity lactate or lactic acid in the blood is blamed for that burning sensation and not being able to maintain those intensities. While there's mild truth to it, lactate is not the enemy. It's a by-product of energy production during glycolysis under anaerobic conditions. Our bodies actually use this formed lactate as energy during this glycolysis cycle. Pyruvate is converted into lactate. This lactate is transported in the blood towards the liver where it is converted again to pyruvate for use in gluconeogenesis - the production of new glucose molecules from non-carbohydrate sources. At this point, glycolysis can start again.

YOUR GUIDE TO PLYOMETRICS

22/4/2020

YOUR GUIDE TO PLYOMETRICS

For the majority of athletes, plyometric exercises are the missing link between the strength work they do in the gym and the technical/tactical work they do on the pitch. What good is having a high relative strength, if it's not transferable to performances in your chosen sport? Being able to get from A to B faster than your opposition, jumping higher than your opposition, changing direction faster than the opposition and being athletically superior in every department than your opposition puts you well on your way to being successful.

Disclaimer, as a coach I know how much of an influence luck, technical skill and all those other things have on sporting success. Having a physical advantage does not guarantee you success in any sport.

Due to their influence on the brain and motor control, plyometric exercises are great for general gym goers to! It's not just athletes that can benefit from them.

The goal of this article, is to shed some light on the theory behind them, what they are, what they can do for you and why. I'll also try and produce some practical and actionable insights for you to integrate into your own training to get that edge.

ISOMETRICS FOR PERFORMANCE

2/4/2020

ISOMETRICS FOR PERFORMANCE

It's fitting that I should start talking about these now given our current situation. It's not some new phenomenon like you might think, it's just rarely spoken about because it's poorly understood. Some of my own clients would have experienced using some form of isometrics but more so from a 'potentiation' perspective and getting them ready for higher velocity work. However, they are ever so convenient for most of us who no longer have access to heavier weights and are keen to maintain, or even build strength without setting foot in the gym again.

Disclaimer: Without certain pieces of equipment we will never be able to optimise these, but with a little imagination we can get pretty close.