Velocity-Based Training (VBT): Let Speed Determine Intensity, Making Every Rep Count

First, a Common Scene from Coaching My Athletes

One evening, I was coaching an amateur road cyclist, A-Zhe, through lower-body strength training at a gym in Taipei. The program called for squats at 100 kg, 5 sets of 5 reps. In the first set, he squatted fast and clean—the bar-speed tracker showed about 0.7 meters per second per rep. By the fourth set, with the same weight and same rep count, bar speed had dropped below 0.4 meters per second. His face was flushed, and his lower back was quietly starting to round.

If we’d followed the traditional program, he’d have gritted his teeth through a fifth set. But I called it off.

A-Zhe looked confused: “Coach, I can still do it.” I said, “Sure, you can ‘do it,’ but the quality of every rep right now no longer matches the training goal you set. Today you wanted to train explosive power, not grind yourself to failure.”

This is the core problem that Velocity-Based Training (VBT) aims to solve: The same weight means something completely different to your body on different days, under different fatigue states. And bar speed is that dashboard—honest to the point of being almost brutal.

In this article, I’ll use the same tone I use with my athletes to explain the principles of VBT, the science behind the velocity loss method, ready-to-use program templates, and the most common mistakes I see in Taiwan’s training scene—all in one go. Whether you just want to train with weights more intelligently, or like A-Zhe, you want to use strength training to boost your cycling performance, this will be useful.

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Why “Fixed Weight, Fixed Reps” Is Really Just an Approximation

A traditional strength program looks like this: first, test your one-rep max (1RM), then program based on a percentage—for example, “80% 1RM for 3 sets of 8 reps.” This logic has been around for years and it does work, but it hides an assumption that rarely gets discussed—

It assumes your 1RM today is exactly the same as the day you tested it last month.

In reality? We all know it isn’t. Sleep, stress, whether you rode a long distance the day before, what you ate out, or even getting chewed out by your boss at work—all of it makes your true “maximum capacity” today fluctuate. Both research and field experience indicate that a person’s daily maximum strength can swing roughly 10% to 20% relative to their baseline.

That means: you think you’re lifting 80%, but on a bad day, that weight is actually 88% or 90% of your true capacity; on a good day, it might only be 72%. Your “intensity” is floating all along—you just can’t see it.

VBT’s core insight is simple:

The speed at which you move a weight honestly reflects how hard you’re working relative to that weight at that moment.

The closer the weight is to your limit today, the slower you move it; conversely, lighter weights move faster. This relationship is highly stable and predictable for the same person and the same movement. So by measuring bar speed, you can reverse-engineer “how intense this weight really is for me today,” without having to test 1RM every time.

The “Load-Velocity Curve” Between Speed and Load

Here’s a foundational concept in VBT: the load-velocity profile. For each person and each movement, the heavier the weight, the slower the average concentric (pushing up / squatting up) velocity, and the two show a highly linear negative correlation.

Plot the bar speeds for different weights, and you get your own personal curve. Once you have it, you can use “today’s measured speed” to estimate “what percentage of 1RM this corresponds to,” or even predict where your true 1RM falls today—all without risking injury by testing a true max.

The table below is a conceptual reference range (not an exact standard—individual variation is huge, so be sure to build your own personal curve):

Average Concentric Velocity (m/s)	Approximate Intensity Zone	Training Implication
~1.0 and above	Light load (~30–50% 1RM)	Speed / explosive power focus
~0.7–1.0	Moderate load (~50–70% 1RM)	Strength-speed, hypertrophy leaning explosive
~0.5–0.7	Moderate-heavy load (~70–85% 1RM)	General strength / hypertrophy main zone
~0.3–0.5	Heavy load (~85–95% 1RM)	Maximal strength
~0.3 and below	Near-maximal (~95–100% 1RM)	Limit strength, higher risk

Please note: The speed numbers in the table vary greatly depending on the movement (squat, bench press, deadlift, and row are all different), the measurement tool, and individual differences. Your job isn’t to memorize this table, but to understand the principle that “speed comes in layers,” then spend a few weeks building your own data.

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The Velocity Loss Method: The Real Star of This Article

If the load-velocity curve helps you decide “how heavy to go today,” then the velocity loss method helps you decide “how many reps to do today, and when to stop.” This is the most practical and easiest application of VBT in real-world training.

What Is Velocity Loss?

The concept is very intuitive. In a set, the first rep (or the fastest of the early reps) is usually your fastest rep of that set. As fatigue accumulates, each rep gets slower and slower. When a rep’s speed drops by a certain percentage compared to the fastest rep of that set, you stop the set.

Example: A-Zhe’s first squat rep is 0.60 m/s. If we set a 20% velocity loss as the stop threshold, then when a rep drops to 0.60 × 0.8 = 0.48 m/s, the set ends—regardless of whether he wants to keep going or how many reps the program originally called for.

This means the rep count for each set is fluid. On a good day, you might hit 8 reps before triggering the threshold; on a bad day with accumulated fatigue, you might hit it at 4. You’re no longer held hostage by rigid rep numbers—instead, your body’s true state that day determines the training volume.

Why Is Velocity Loss So Important? Because It Directly Corresponds to Fatigue and Metabolic Stress

The velocity loss percentage is actually an excellent proxy for “how close to failure you’re pushing yourself in this set.”

• Small velocity loss (e.g., 10–20%): You’re far from failure, and every rep maintains high quality and high speed. Your nervous system learns “push hard, fast, and efficiently,” while metabolic and muscle damage accumulation stays relatively low, and recovery is quick.
• Large velocity loss (e.g., 40% or more): You drag the set very close to failure, accumulating significant metabolic stress and time under tension. But those slow, form-breaking reps at the end bring more fatigue and longer recovery demands.

Here’s a crucial and somewhat counterintuitive research finding that every self-trained athlete should remember.

What the Research Says: Doing Less Isn’t Necessarily Training Less

Several studies on velocity loss (primarily using squats) have compared the effects of different velocity loss thresholds. Here’s a summary of the key findings:

A series of squat training studies compared 20% vs. 40% velocity loss and found that after 8 weeks of training, the 20% velocity loss group saw gains in maximal strength (1RM) comparable to the 40% group—but crucially, the 20% group performed roughly 40% fewer total reps. In other words, they achieved nearly identical strength gains with significantly less training volume and fatigue. Even better, in explosive movements like vertical jumps, the 20% group actually improved more, because every rep was performed with high quality “fast” intent, without being diluted by slow, sloppy reps at the end of sets. (References: Frontiers network meta-analysis, Youth soccer players 10% vs 30% squat study)

Regarding muscle hypertrophy (cross-sectional area), higher velocity loss thresholds (closer to failure) typically show a slight advantage, but in most studies this difference did not reach statistical significance. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine also noted that when total training volume is matched, different velocity loss thresholds yield fairly similar results for strength and hypertrophy; however, for developing power and maximal strength, lower velocity loss thresholds (approximately 10–20%) show better adaptive potential. (Reference: Sports Medicine systematic review)

I’ve condensed these findings into a phrase I often use with my clients:

“You don’t get stronger by training until you can’t get up off the floor—you get stronger by accumulating enough ‘high-quality efforts.’ The velocity loss method helps you hit the brakes before quality falls apart.”

Recommended Velocity Loss Thresholds by Training Goal

The dosage reference table below is a general starting point based on my synthesis of current research directions and practical experience (not an ironclad rule; individual variation is significant):

Training Goal	Recommended Velocity Loss Threshold	Approximate Per-Set Feel	Recovery Demand
Power/Speed (e.g., cycling sprints, out-of-saddle efforts)	~10–15%	Every rep is crisp, far from failure	Low, can be high frequency
Maximal Strength	~15–25%	Somewhat challenging but form holds	Moderate
Strength + Hypertrophy (main zone for most people)	~20–30%	Reps noticeably slow down in the latter part	Moderate to high
Hypertrophy-Oriented	~30–40%	Dragged out to near failure	High, needs adequate rest and nutrition
General Health/Beginners	~20% or stop based on feel at “2–3 reps left in the tank”	Conservative, safety first	Low to moderate

If you don’t have a bar velocity tracker and don’t want that level of precision, the most practical alternative is that last column: leave 2–3 reps in reserve per set (i.e., RIR 2–3, reps in reserve), and stop when a rep becomes noticeably slower, harder, or form starts to break down. This is essentially the “DIY version” of the velocity loss method, and it’s more than sufficient for the vast majority of people who want to be healthy or enhance athletic performance.

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Practical Application: A Step-by-Step VBT Implementation Guide from Scratch

Enough theory—here’s something you can follow directly. This is my standard process for introducing VBT to clients.

Step 1: Choose One Primary Movement to Monitor

You don’t need VBT on every exercise—that’s too tedious and unnecessary. Just pick 1–2 compound movements most important to your goals. For cyclists looking to strengthen their pedal stroke, I typically choose the squat (for pedaling force) and deadlift or split squat. Pure strength enthusiasts often choose the squat and bench press.

Step 2: Build Your Personal Load–Velocity Profile (Takes About 1–2 Sessions)

Method: Start with a light weight, perform 2–3 reps at each load, record the fastest concentric mean velocity, then progressively increase the weight (e.g., add 10–20 kg each time) until you reach a heavy load you can handle with stable technique. Plot “weight vs. velocity” and connect the dots—that’s your personal profile. From then on, you can use velocity to estimate intensity.

Step 3: During Training, Use the First Rep’s Velocity to Gauge “Today’s Condition”

After warming up, do one rep at your target weight and check the velocity. If it’s faster than usual, you’re feeling good today and can push slightly harder; if it’s noticeably slower, you’re fatigued or having an off day, so you should reduce volume or lower expectations—this is called autoregulation, and it’s one of the most compelling aspects of VBT.

Step 4: Use the Velocity Loss Threshold to End Each Set

Set your threshold (e.g., 20%), and within a set, stop once velocity drops to that trigger value.

A Sample Lower-Body VBT Weekly Program for Reference

Below is a winter base phase lower-body program I designed for an amateur cyclist who rides 3 times per week and wants to build strength (for reference only; adjust to the individual):

Exercise	Target Load (Based on Personal Profile)	Target Velocity Range	Velocity Loss Threshold	Sets
Squat	Corresponding to ~75–80% 1RM	Starting ~0.5–0.6 m/s	20%	4 sets
Romanian Deadlift	Corresponding to ~70% 1RM	Starting ~0.5 m/s	25%	3 sets
Split Squat (per side)	Moderate load	Keep crisp	RIR 2 feel	3 sets
Power: Box Jumps or Weighted Jumps	Light load/bodyweight	As fast as possible	Stop as soon as velocity drops	4 sets

Rest Between Sets: For strength- and power-oriented work, rest adequately—at least 2–3 minutes between squat and deadlift sets—so the first rep of the next set can return to high velocity. If you don’t rest enough, your velocity loss threshold readings will be contaminated by “incomplete recovery from the previous set,” making the data unreliable.

Which Velocity Should You Measure? “Mean Velocity” or “Peak Velocity”?

This is the technical detail people get most confused about when implementing VBT. Let me clarify simply:

• Concentric mean velocity: The average velocity over the entire range of motion, from the bottom to the top of the rep. This is the most commonly used and most stable metric for the velocity loss method, especially suited for exercises like squats and bench presses where force is applied throughout the full range.
• Peak velocity: The fastest instantaneous velocity during a rep. Better suited for power-oriented movements.
• Mean propulsive velocity: Only averages the “acceleration phase,” theoretically more precise, but most people don’t need to get that granular.

My advice for most readers: Just use concentric mean velocity. Picking one metric, sticking with it, and being consistent matters more than agonizing over which one to use. Comparisons are only meaningful when using the same metric over time—if you use mean velocity today and peak velocity tomorrow, your data will be a mess.

Practical Tips for the Taiwanese Environment

When measuring VBT, there are a few situations specific to Taiwan worth noting:

• Consistency with budget-friendly devices: Use the same device, the same attachment position, and the same measurement method for comparisons over time. Don’t clip it on the bar one day and on a belt the next.
• Equipment differences at community gyms: Barbell plates, bar friction, and floor elasticity can differ between buildings and branches. When switching venues, you may need to recalibrate your velocity baseline.
• Hot and humid summers: Taiwan’s summers are muggy. Training in a non-air-conditioned space increases thermoregulatory strain and accelerates fatigue, so velocity at the same load may be lower. In this case, rely even more on velocity data to remind yourself to cut volume—don’t push through stubbornly.

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Six Most Common Mistakes in Taiwan and How to Fix Them

These are the problems I see over and over again in the gym and when coaching athletes.

Mistake 1: Treating VBT as “You Must Buy an Expensive Device”

Many people shy away from VBT the moment they hear about it, assuming they need to buy a linear encoder costing tens of thousands of dollars. That’s not the case. There are affordable accelerometer devices on the market now, and even phone apps that estimate bar speed using the camera—more than enough for non-elite athletes. And as mentioned earlier, a “DIY” velocity loss method based on feeling your RIR and stopping when the movement slows down costs nothing and still captures about 80% of VBT’s benefits. Don’t let the equipment become an excuse not to start.

Mistake 2: Believing “Only Training to Failure Counts”

This is the most deeply ingrained myth in Taiwan’s fitness culture. Many people feel that if they didn’t reach “the last rep where you can’t push it up and a friend has to help you rack it,” they didn’t train hard enough. But the research is clear: with similar total volume, training to failure doesn’t give you significantly more strength or muscle—but it does give you significantly more fatigue, longer recovery, and higher injury risk. This is especially damaging for cyclists—if you wreck your legs, how are you supposed to ride the next day?

Fix: Remove “failure” from your default goal. Use velocity loss or RIR as your stopping criterion instead.

Mistake 3: Cutting Rest Periods Short

Taiwanese gyms are crowded during peak hours, and many people worry about hogging equipment or being inefficient, so they only rest 30–60 seconds between sets. But if you’re training for strength/power, insufficient rest means the first rep of your next set is already slow, the whole set quality collapses, and your velocity loss threshold becomes meaningless.

Fix: For strength and power training, rest as long as needed. Better to do one fewer set than to do every set without full recovery.

Mistake 4: Checking Bar Speed Without Warming Up

A slow first rep doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in bad shape—it might just mean you’re not warmed up. Cold muscles and an unactivated nervous system naturally produce slower bar speed.

Fix: Complete a proper progressive warm-up (including several ramp-up sets with increasing weight) before using target-weight bar speed to assess your daily condition. Taiwan’s temperature swings are large between morning and evening, especially in un-air-conditioned community gyms or outdoor training—extend your warm-up even more.

Mistake 5: Applying Someone Else’s Speed Standards to Yourself

You see someone online say “0.5 m/s on the squat equals 85% 1RM” and just use it directly. But that number is highly individual—your bar length, range of motion, measurement point, and body structure are all different.

Fix: Trust only your own curve. Spend 1–2 sessions establishing your personal baseline; only then does every subsequent reading mean anything.

Mistake 6: Staring at Bar Speed While Ignoring Sleep, Nutrition, and Overall Fatigue

VBT is an excellent dashboard, but when the dashboard tells you “there’s an engine problem,” you need to fix the engine, not keep staring at the gauge. Several consecutive days of low bar speed usually reflect insufficient sleep, insufficient food, too much stress, or overall training volume that’s blown past your capacity.

Fix: Look at VBT data together with your sleep, diet, and riding volume. In Taiwan, people eat out a lot and often don’t get enough protein. If your recovery from lifting is poor and bar speed won’t come back up, first check whether you’re getting roughly 1.6–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day—a common general recommendation (individual needs vary; consult a dietitian).

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VBT’s Special Value for Cyclists

Since many readers of this site are cyclists, this section is for you. Road and mountain bike performance depends not only on the aerobic engine but also on strength and power (out-of-saddle efforts, starts, sprints, steep climbs). And the biggest risk of adding strength training is making your legs too tired and interfering with your riding schedule.

This is exactly where VBT shines:

• A low velocity loss threshold (10–20%) lets you build strength and power with minimal fatigue cost, so you can still ride well the next day.
• Daily auto-regulation lets you see immediately from bar speed when “you rode 100 km yesterday and your legs feel heavy today,” and automatically cut the load—avoiding overtraining from forcing it.
• Power training stays at high speed quality, directly matching the movement characteristics of your out-of-saddle efforts and sprints in competition.

Here’s an analogy for people familiar with cycling: when you ride, you use a power meter (watts) and heart rate (bpm) to pace your effort in real time. Bar speed in the weight room is the same concept—it lets you “decide intensity from data” in the gym instead of guessing by feel. Power tells you how many watts you’re producing at that moment; bar speed tells you how much effort you used on that rep and how close you are to your limit. Both are tools that turn “subjective feeling” into “objective numbers,” turning training from guesswork into a manageable, adjustable process.

When I coached A-Zhe for that season, I used exactly this logic to raise his maximum squat strength without interfering with his cycling training at all. By the end of the season, his climbing time-trial performance had improved noticeably. The key wasn’t how heavy he lifted—it was that every rep was done at the right quality, and he never trained himself into the ground.

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Case Study in Depth: What A-Zhe’s Eight-Week Data Looked Like

Many people still feel confused after hearing the theory, so I pulled out A-Zhe’s squat data from that winter base period to show you, step by step, “how velocity loss works in the real world.” Below is a summary of his first squat set each training week (weight fixed at approximately 78% 1RM, threshold set at 20% velocity loss):

Week	First Rep Speed (m/s)	Reps Until Threshold	Daily Condition Notes
Week 1	0.58	6 reps	Just starting; technique still being adjusted
Week 2	0.56	5 reps	Rode 80 km the day before; legs heavy
Week 3	0.61	7 reps	Slept well, deloaded; great condition
Week 4	0.54	4 reps	High work stress; insufficient sleep
Week 5	0.62	7 reps	Speed back up at same weight; strength gain signal
Week 6	0.60	6 reps	Stable
Week 7	0.65	8 reps	Same weight clearly faster; time to add load
Week 8	0.63	7 reps	After adding load, speed settled mid-range; adapting well

See the key points?

First, the number of reps per set was fluid. In Week 4, he was stressed and sleep-deprived, and hit the threshold at only 4 reps with the same weight—if a traditional program had forced him to grind out 6 reps, those extra 2 would have been ugly reps with broken form and sky-high fatigue, dragging down his riding. VBT automatically hit the brakes for him.

Second, faster first-rep speed at the same weight is an immediate signal of strength gain. From 0.58 in Week 1 to 0.65 in Week 7, he was moving the same weight faster and faster, meaning the weight had “gotten lighter” for him—that’s progress. I didn’t have to wait until the end of the block to test his 1RM; just looking at the bar speed trend during training told me whether the program was working and whether to add load. This kind of real-time feedback is something traditional percentage-based programs can’t give you.

Third, bar speed honestly reflects recovery status. The low speeds in Weeks 2 and 4 both corresponded to clear life stressors (long ride, sleep deprivation). This let me intervene and cut volume before he was on the verge of overtraining, rather than finding out after he was already injured or burned out.

This is why I often tell my athletes: Bar speed isn’t just a number—it’s a letter your body writes to you each day. If you’re willing to read it, it will tell you when to push, when to back off, and when to rest.

Advanced Application: Integrating VBT into Season-Long Periodization

If you’re serious about long-term progress, VBT isn’t just a “set-ending tool for individual workouts”—it can be woven throughout your entire training cycle. Here’s a yearly framework concept using a cyclist as an example (directional reference only):

Phase	Primary Goal	Suggested Velocity Loss Threshold	Velocity Focus
Base Phase (Winter)	Build foundational strength, hypertrophy	25–35%	Accumulate volume, tolerate greater velocity loss
Strength Phase	Convert to maximal strength	15–25%	Increase load, maintain velocity quality
Pre-Season	Power, power conversion	10–15%	Maximize bar speed on every rep, low fatigue
In-Season	Maintain, avoid interfering with cycling	10–15%, low volume	Low volume, high quality—preserve freshness, not volume

The philosophy of this framework is: the closer you get to race day, the lower the velocity loss threshold, the more emphasis on explosive quality of every rep, and the less tolerance for strength training fatigue contaminating your riding. Conversely, in winter when races are far off, you can tolerate greater velocity loss to accumulate muscle and strength foundations. VBT allows you to precisely control the “fatigue cost” variable at every stage—a level of nuance traditional programming struggles to achieve.

It’s worth adding: individual variation is enormous. Some people naturally have more fast-twitch muscle fibers and are sensitive to velocity loss (velocity drops quickly), while others are more endurance-oriented and velocity drops slowly. The same threshold applied to different people can result in very different actual rep counts. This is precisely VBT’s value—it’s individualized, always using your own performance on that day as the baseline, rather than rigidly applying a fixed percentage to everyone. So be sure to invest time in building your own data; others’ numbers are only references, not templates to copy.

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Actionable Advice for Readers of Different Levels

If You’re a Complete Beginner (Strength Training Experience < 6 Months)

Don’t rush into velocity tracking devices. Your best investment right now is movement quality. Have a qualified coach teach you the fundamentals of squats and deadlifts, and train using the principle of “leave 2–3 reps in reserve per set, stop as soon as form breaks down.” This already embodies the VBT philosophy. Treat VBT equipment as an advanced tool for later.

If You’re an Experienced Self-Trained Athlete (1+ Years)

You can start implementing it. Begin with an affordable device or phone app to establish your personal curve for main lifts, set a 20% velocity loss as a general starting point, and after 4–6 weeks of training, review your volume, recovery, and progress before fine-tuning. You’ll quickly come to love the grounded feeling of “no guessing—the monitor tells me exactly how much to do today.”

If You’re an Endurance Athlete Looking to Boost Performance (Runner, Cyclist, Triathlete)

Focus on low velocity loss thresholds + power, minimizing the fatigue cost of strength work to protect your primary endurance training. Treat strength training as a “bonus” rather than “another workout that drains you.” VBT’s auto-regulation is especially valuable for preventing “strength and endurance training from fighting each other.”

General Reminders for Everyone

• Data is a servant, not a master. Velocity is a tool; form and safety always come first.
• Anyone with old injuries, joint discomfort, cardiovascular conditions (such as hypertension, heart disease), or metabolic diseases (such as diabetes) must consult a physician and physical therapist for individualized assessment before starting or adjusting a weight training program. The Valsalva maneuver during heavy lifting causes a temporary spike in blood pressure; those with relevant medical histories especially need professional guidance—do not attempt heavy loads on your own.
• Taiwan has convenient healthcare access, with sports medicine clinics and rehabilitation departments relatively accessible under the NHI. If you experience persistent pain during training, don’t push through it—seek medical attention early.

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FAQ

Q: Can I still do VBT without a bar velocity tracker?

Yes. Using the RIR method—“leave 2–3 reps in reserve per set, stop when you feel noticeably slower”—is the most practical alternative and captures most of VBT’s spirit. When you want more precision and are willing to invest, consider an affordable accelerometer or phone app.

Q: What should my velocity loss threshold be?

There’s no single right answer; it depends on your goal. Use a low threshold (10–25%) for power/strength, a higher threshold (30–40%) for hypertrophy, and 20% or RIR 2–3 as a safe starting point for general populations and beginners. Follow it for a few weeks, then adjust based on recovery and progress.

Q: Should I use VBT for every workout?

No. Just monitor your 1–2 most important main lifts; use normal rep counts or perceived effort for accessory work to avoid making training so cumbersome you quit.

Q: What if my velocity keeps stagnating?

First check non-training factors: sleep, protein intake, overall training volume (including cycling volume), and stress. Several consecutive days of low velocity are usually a warning sign of inadequate recovery—time to deload and rest, not push harder.

Q: Can VBT help me lose fat?

VBT is a method for regulating strength training intensity and volume, not a fat-loss tool. Fat loss primarily depends on overall calorie balance and diet. However, VBT can help you maintain strength more intelligently during a cut, avoiding overtraining from accumulated fatigue under a calorie deficit.

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Conclusion: Make Every Rep Count

Back to A-Zhe’s opening line: “Coach, I can still do more.”

What VBT teaches us is precisely the difference between “can do” and “should do.” Your body is different every day, and the bar velocity—that honest gauge—lets you stop guessing, stop relying on willpower to grind through, and stop using yesterday’s self as today’s standard.

The core philosophy of the velocity loss method is actually gentle and smart: stop before movement quality breaks down, accumulate enough high-quality effort, and let progress happen with minimal fatigue cost. For those who want to train for the long haul without wrecking their bodies—whether you’re purely into strength training or want to ride faster—this is a worthwhile investment.

You don’t need to chase the perfect device from day one. Start with the simplest step today: at your next workout, when a rep is noticeably slower and your form starts to break down, have the courage to stop. You’re not being lazy—you’re training on the cutting edge.

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This article is educational content and cannot replace individualized diagnosis and treatment advice from a physician, physical therapist, or nutritionist.

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References

• Frontiers in Physiology — Network meta-analysis of traditional vs. velocity-based training on power and maximal strength: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.926972/full
• Sports Medicine (Springer) — Acute and chronic effects of velocity loss thresholds in resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01754-4
• Study on 10% vs 30% squat velocity loss training in youth soccer players (PMC): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10892717/

Related Reading

• MTB Strength Training: Power-Focused Weight Training Programs
• Tempo Run Intensity Zones: Training Benefits of 90% vs 95% vs 100% Lactate Threshold Velocity
• MTB XC Interval Training: Scientific Methods to Improve VO2max and Power Threshold
• Individual Variation and Responders: The Lie of Averages—Why “Effective Programs” May Not Work for You