The Complete Guide to Velocity Based Training in Rehab

Approximate Read Time: 12 minutes

“Velocity based training doesn’t just measure speed—it reveals readiness, intent, and capacity.”

What You will learn

Velocity Based Training (VBT) uses movement speed to tailor and regulate load.
It’s an essential tool for both rehab and high performance when precision matters.
The force-velocity curve guides targeted adaptations: strength, speed, or power.
Profiling athletes using movement velocity helps personalize training plans.
VBT ensures tissue safety, progression, and load integrity in return-to-play

What If You Could See Readiness in Real Time?

In rehab and performance, timing is everything. Knowing when to push, when to pull back, and how to load with purpose is critical—especially after injury. Velocity-Based Training (VBT) bridges the gap between intention and execution by offering real-time feedback on how an athlete is moving. Whether you’re in a high-performance setting or guiding an athlete through post-op strength work, VBT tells you what your eyes can’t always see.

This guide unpacks how VBT works, how to profile athletes (think Kangaroo vs. Gorilla), and how to apply velocity thresholds across the rehab-to-performance continuum.

The Force-Velocity Curve: Your Map for Athletic Qualities

The force-velocity curve explains the inverse relationship between load and movement speed:

High force = Low velocity (e.g., heavy squats)
Low force = High velocity (e.g., sprinting, jumping)

Training different points along this curve targets distinct adaptations:

Velocity Zone	Speed Range	Focus
Absolute Strength	< 0.5 m/s	Maximal force, neural drive
Acceleration Strength	0.5–0.75 m/s	Force under time constraint
Strength-Speed	0.75–1.0 m/s	Power expression under load
Speed-Strength	1.0–1.3 m/s	Explosive force with light load
Starting Strength	> 1.3 m/s	Overcoming inertia, reactivity

“The curve tells us more than output—it tells us how we got there.”

Using the force-velocity curve as a rehab tool allows us to systematically restore athletic qualities that were lost post-injury.

Beyond %1RM: Why VBT Is Better for Rehab

Traditional loading strategies rely on percentages of a 1-rep max. But an athlete’s true 1RM can fluctuate by 10–20% depending on fatigue, nutrition, and mental readiness. VBT introduces real-time autoregulation by measuring actual movement speed.

Benefits include:

Objective monitoring of intent and effort
Autoregulated progression that respects tissue healing
Daily insight into how athletes are adapting or regressing

Tools like Output and Gymaware can provide velocity data for a wide variety of movements—barbell, cable, kettlebell, or even medicine ball.

“In rehab, speed is more than a metric—it’s a safety check.”

Using VBT Across the Rehab Continuum

Step 1: Start with Strength

After injury, force capacity is always diminished. Athletes need time under load to reestablish foundational strength. Begin with slow, heavy efforts that fall under the Absolute Strength zone (< 0.5 m/s). Think trap bar deadlifts, slow tempo squats, and heavy sled pushes.

Step 2: Progress to Acceleration and Power

Once base strength is restored, shift toward Acceleration Strength (0.5–0.75 m/s) and Strength-Speed (0.75–1.0 m/s). This includes:

Dynamic effort lifts
Banded or chain-loaded squats
Controlled med ball throws

Step 3: Peak with Speed-Strength and Reactivity

Finally, prepare for sport demands with high-velocity work:

Jump squats or speed squats (1.0–1.3 m/s)
Drop jumps, A-skips, or sled sprint drills (>1.3 m/s)

“The goal isn’t just to return—it’s to return at game speed.”

Athlete Profiling: Kangaroos vs. Gorillas

Different athletes express force and speed differently. VBT allows us to classify athletes:

Kangaroos: High-velocity movers, elastic, but often lack force
Gorillas: Strong, force-dominant, but struggle with speed or reactivity

Programming Implications

Kangaroos benefit from eccentric tempo work, heavy lifts, and tissue adaptation
Gorillas need ballistic training, plyometrics, and speed-focused lifts

Use VBT to find each athlete’s bias, then design loading that challenges—not suppresses—their physiology.

“Train the gaps—but protect the gifts.”

Bands vs. Chains: Load Tools for VBT

Chains:

Resistance increases as lift ascends
Targets force production at end range
Helps with maximal strength

Bands:

Resistance increases with speed and range
Requires acceleration throughout the lift
Enhances rate of force development and peak power

Both are essential VBT tools—but they serve different phases and adaptations

Integrating VBT with Locomotion Progressions

VBT doesn’t just belong in the weight room. It pairs seamlessly with return-to-run and plyometric progressions:

Use Absolute Strength training to prepare tissues for loading and stiffness.
As athletes reintroduce bounding, jumping, and acceleration drills, shift weight room efforts to Strength-Speed and Speed-Strength zones.

This coherence ensures all stressors—weight room, field, and therapy—are working toward the same goal.

“Force is the foundation. Velocity brings it to life.”

Final Thoughts: VBT Is More Than a Number

Velocity-Based Training offers real-time feedback, daily autoregulation, and an athlete-specific path through rehab. It makes rehab smarter—not just safer.

When you can see how fast an athlete moves a load, you know:

How hard they’re working
How much they’re recovering
Whether they’re ready to go harder—or need to dial it back

For rehab professionals, VBT is no longer optional. It’s the standard.

Recommended Podcast

References

Giuliano, T., & Terrell, T. Force and Power: Maximizing Performance with Velocity-Based Training, Complete Sport Performance, 2023