Speed Training and Functional Training

Speed & Functional Training – Training Aids for Explosiveness and Strength

Boost your speed, agility, and full-body strength—whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or professional athlete.

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History of Speed & Functional Training

History of Speed & Functional Training

The roots of functional training can be traced back to classical physical education and military fitness training, where the body was trained as a whole to improve mobility, strength and stability.

Speed training emerged in the 1970s and 1980s as targeted performance training for sports such as track and field, soccer and basketball. Athletes focused on sprints, plyometrics and reaction drills to boost speed, explosiveness and coordination.

Today, modern training methods combine functional and speed training to enhance strength, mobility, power and everyday fitness – for both professional athletes and ambitious recreational athletes.

What is speed and functional training?

Speed training is targeted training to improve speed, explosiveness, and reaction time. Through sprint drills, plyometrics, agility drills, and resistance exercises, athletes learn to move faster, more powerfully, and more efficiently.

Functional training trains the body as a whole rather than isolating individual muscles. Exercises such as kettlebell swings, lunges, rotational movements, and balance drills improve stability, coordination, mobility, and strength for everyday activities.

Combined, speed and functional training enhance performance, help prevent injuries, and promote overall fitness—making them ideal for athletes of all levels, from beginners to professionals.

What is speed and functional training?
Why Do Speed & Functional Training?

Why Do Speed & Functional Training?

Speed and functional training efficiently improve performance, mobility, and strength. With targeted exercises such as sprints, plyometrics, agility drills, kettlebell swings, and rotational movements, you train your body as a whole—not just individual muscles.

Key benefits:

  • Increase speed and explosiveness—ideal for sports, competitions, or everyday situations
  • Improve strength and stability—the body is trained as a unit
  • Enhance mobility and coordination—help prevent injuries and promote functional fitness
  • Full-body training for all levels—from beginners to professional athletes

Speed & functional training combines efficiency, versatility, and enjoyment, helping you achieve your fitness goals faster and more sustainably.

Speed Training – Targeted Speed Improvement

Speed training focuses on power, explosiveness, and sprint performance. With targeted exercises such as sprints, plyometrics, acceleration drills, and reaction drills, you can optimize your speed. Our products help athletes move more efficiently and quickly.

Typical products for speed training:

  • BlazePod reaction and power pads
  • Resistance bands for sprint and drive exercises
  • Agility ladders and hurdles for coordination and footwork
Speed Training – Targeted Speed Improvement
Functional Training – Full-Body Strength and Mobility

Functional Training – Full-Body Strength and Mobility

Functional training works the body as a whole rather than isolating individual muscles. Exercises such as kettlebell swings, lunges, cable pulls, and balance drills improve stability, coordination, mobility, and strength for everyday activities.

Typical products for functional training:

  • Kettlebells and medicine balls
  • TRX suspension trainers and cable systems
  • Balance pads, slam balls, and rotation machines

Who Is Speed & Functional Training Suitable For?

Speed and functional training are ideal for anyone looking to improve their fitness, mobility, and performance.

Especially suitable for:

  • Recreational athletes: Improving strength, speed, and coordination in everyday life or during leisure-time training
  • Competitive and professional athletes: Improving explosiveness, reaction time, and sport-specific performance
  • Fitness enthusiasts: Full-body training for stability, mobility, and functional strength
  • Rehabilitation & prevention: Promoting joint and core stability and preventing injuries

Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or professional, targeted training aids such as agility ladders, resistance bands, TRX systems, or Blazepod pads make it easy to tailor your training to your individual fitness level and personal goals.

Who is Speed & Functional Training suitable for?

Our Most Popular Speed Training & Functional Training

Discover high-quality accessories for speed and functional training to improve explosiveness, power, and agility. Whether you’re training at home, in the gym, or as a professional athlete, Shark Fitness offers the right training aids for every level.

FAQ

❓ What is speed and functional training?

Speed & functional training combines exercises for speed, explosiveness, and full-body strength. Sprints, plyometrics, agility drills, kettlebells, and TRX systems are used to train the body functionally—ideal for athletes of all levels.

❓ What are the benefits of speed training?

Speed training improves speed, reaction time, and explosive power. It enhances performance in sports such as soccer, track and field, or basketball while also contributing to better coordination and agility.

❓ What are the benefits of functional training?

Functional training works the body as a whole rather than isolating individual muscles. It builds stability, core strength and mobility, improves body control and helps prevent injuries.

❓ Who is Speed & Functional Training suitable for?

Speed & functional training is suitable for beginners, recreational athletes, professionals, and rehabilitation patients. It can be tailored to individual fitness levels and goals—from building strength to improving performance.

❓ What training aids are needed for speed and functional training?

Typical training aids include:

  • Agility ladders and hurdles
  • Resistance bands and mini bands
  • TRX suspension trainer
  • Blazepod reaction pods
  • Kettlebells, medicine balls and slam balls
❓ Can speed and functional training help prevent injuries?

Yes. Functional training improves core and joint stability, mobility, and coordination, reducing the risk of overuse injuries and other injuries in sports and everyday life.

❓ How often should you do speed and functional training?

For optimal results, 2–4 training sessions per week are recommended, depending on your goals and fitness level. Even shorter, high-intensity sessions of 20–30 minutes can significantly improve explosive strength and overall fitness.

Shark Fitness – Your Fitness Experts

Shark Fitness – Your Fitness Experts

Why buy speed and functional training accessories from Shark Fitness?

Wide selection of high-quality training aids for speed and functional training. Durable, functional products for every workout – from agility ladders and resistance bands to TRX systems and Blazepod reaction pads to improve speed, stability and full-body strength.

Expert advice and a fast Swiss delivery network.

Over 30 years of experience in the fitness and strength training sector.

Whether you train at home, in the gym or as part of performance-focused training, Shark Fitness has the right training aids to help you effectively improve your speed, explosiveness, agility and strength.

Have you seen a product online and are still undecided?

Stop by, give us a call, or send us an email—our fitness experts will be happy to help. Together, we’ll review your needs and let you know whether the training aid you’re looking for is on display at one of our stores. There may even be an alternative that’s an even better fit for your training style. After a personal consultation at the Shark Fitness Shop in Wil (SG) or Wettingen (AG), you’ll have all the information you need to choose the best speed and functional training aids for your workout.