BOOK REVIEW: The Anatomy of Speed

Title: The Anatomy of Speed

Author: Bill Parisi

Publisher: Human Kinetics, ISBN: 9781492598992

Details: Paperback, 296pp

RRP: AUD$75.95 OR $58.95 when you use the code AFN2020 at the checkout to SAVE an additional 10% off already discounted rates HERE.

Reviewed by Tony Boutagy, PhD, AEP, AES

Bill Parsi is widely regarded as a world authority on speed training and in his new book, The Anatomy of Speed, he does not disappoint. Parsi has not just written a book purely about speed development, but rather he has explained his time-proven approach to speed in a number of contexts: acceleration and deceleration; maximum velocity; multidirectional speed; and agility. Because of this diversity in approaches and application of speed development, The Anatomy of Speed deserves wide readership across different sports which require task-specific speed.

Parsi opens the book with a discussion on how speed can manifest in different ways, depending on the situation, the sport, and the position of the athlete. The physiological systems that generate speed are also covered. This includes not just a revisiting of ‘energy systems’, but also the muscle-fascia force-generating matrix. Understanding this complex and fascinating aspect of anatomy provides the foundation to Parsi’s approach to warming up, generally and specifically, for performance and injury prevention, and also his approach to speed-specific strength training.

The bulk of the book outlines Parsi’s methodical approach to understanding and developing acceleration, maximum speed and then deceleration. The book explains the theory underpinning each construct and provides practical drills to assist in each area of focus. I particularly enjoyed the chapters that addressed multidirectional speed and agility: almost all sports requiring speed generation (outside of track and field) require speed to be applied in different directions, made all the more challenging when this also involves quickly navigating around other moving players. The book covers numerous specific drills and strength exercises to develop these qualities and, all importantly, how to put it all together into specific workouts with categories that target basic, moderate and advanced trainees.

This book has been written by one of the greatest minds in speed training and is highly recommended for any coach or athlete who wishes to develop and improve sports-specific speed.

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