The Science of Speed
Practical Applications for Track and Field & Team Sport Coaches and Athletes
By Dr. Amber Murphy & Dr. Ralph Mann
Thirty-plus years of original research on elite athletes, translated into a practical guide coaches and athletes can use immediately. Written by Dr. Amber Murphy and the late Dr. Ralph Mann, this book covers sprint mechanics, injury prevention, and talent identification across track and field, team sports, and winter sports.
What's inside
Sprint Mechanics
A deep dive into the biomechanical variables that govern acceleration, top-end velocity, and sprint fatigue — with comparative data for elite and developmental athletes.
Injury Prevention
Evidence-informed strategies for identifying mechanical risk factors before they become injuries, with protocols applicable to track, team sports, and winter sports.
Distance Running
How targeted mechanics work improves race times for distance athletes, including rucking and hill running applications.
Team & Winter Sports
Speed and power development principles applied across football, basketball, soccer, bobsled, skeleton, and other multi-sport disciplines.
Talent Identification
Frameworks for identifying speed potential early and designing athlete-specific development pathways grounded in biomechanical data.
Practical Frameworks
Structured session design tools coaches can apply immediately on the track — no jargon, no guesswork, just actionable science.
What coaches and athletes are saying
Powerful book to have
Gets right to the point with all aspects of speed training. This is a great resource that I've been missing after 20+ years of coaching Track & Field.
— Neil
A must-read for anyone where speed is a factor
Dr. Murphy explains mechanics in layman's terms. She teaches you the ability to explain speed to your athletes in easy, understandable terms. You and your athletes will be behind if you do not have this book.
— Steve Thomas
Another asset for my toolkit
Highly recommend for all athletic coaches, regardless of sport. The material is easy to follow — both basic and advanced. The Sprint Fatigue sub-section alone is worth the price, with performance data comparing elite and developmental athletes.
— W.E. Price
An easy-to-read look into how sprinters move
An easy-to-read analysis of biomechanical concepts of sprinting. Some previous work has been pretty heavy reading — I found this book very digestible. Worth reading if you want to understand what makes sprinters fast.
— David Maris
Get your copy today
Available in paperback, hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook