Many people confuse velocity and speed, but these are two totally different things. It is possible to have one without the other, but the ideal would be to have both.
Quickness is about reacting quickly, changing direction, and moving a short distance.
Speed, on the other hand, revolves more around strength and power, and is just about covering a lot of ground quickly in a straight line.
Both speed and speed require acceleration. And to accelerate quickly requires strong muscles. Both have to do with exploding, shooting out of your starting position to hit your target.
However, the similarities end there. When you think of speed, think of a 100 meter sprinter. The only goal is to get from point A to point B in the shortest possible time, and everyone knows that the shortest distance between point A and point B is a straight line. So speed is all about moving quickly in a straight line. It’s linear, in other words. Two things are most important for speed: 1) the ability to explode and propel yourself forward, which comes from strong muscles, and 2) proper form and technique, which ensure your movements are efficient and you’re not wasting energy.
Speed, on the other hand, is not about moving quickly in a straight line. It’s about being able to move quickly in any direction. In other words, it is multidirectional instead of linear. Speed also implies agility and reaction time. You want your body to respond quickly to what it sees on the field or court.
When you think quick, think NFL defensive back. The wide receiver knows exactly where he wants to go, but the DB doesn’t. He just has to react to what the wide receiver is doing. So reaction time and agility are keys to quickness.
To get faster in terms of speed, you can focus on the two things mentioned above: 1) muscle strength and 2) proper form. Hitting the weight room regularly and practicing proper form in practice can help you build speed.
To get faster in terms of quickness, going to the weight room a lot won’t necessarily help. Instead of concentrating on large muscles, speed requires strength in small muscles and tendons. Speed drills and total body exercises are the best ways to improve speed, as they improve your reaction time and condition your body to respond in a certain way.
In short, speed and quickness are two totally different things, and different methods are required to improve in each area. The good news is that it is possible to improve both your speed and quickness. You just need to approach each one differently and make sure you’re addressing the areas that will make you most successful.
