Fitness buffs often think of conditioning in terms of improving strength, or wind, or flexibility. Speed and quickness are considered inherent. Or, in some cases, not.

        Though genetics indeed plays a role in a person's inclination and potential, today speed is considered something folks of all ages can develop.

        At Tekulve Acceleration Training in Anderson Township, high school and professional athletes pay $305 to $350 for a 20-workout “performance enhancement” program, says owner Rocky Tekulve, a certified athletic trainer.

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        The one-hour sessions, three times a week, have been successful for in-shape athletes and those rehabilitating from lower-extremity injuries, he said.

        Most of his business comes from high school athletes, primarily football and girls' soccer competitors, he said. But football pros like Tim Krumrie, Anthony Munoz and Doug Pelfrey have gone through the program, as well as baseball's Chris Sabo.

        In addition to better performance, many clients apparently increase durability.

        A research study featured in the current issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine shows that athletes are 20 percent less likely to sustain sports-related injuries when they have gone through the program, Mr. Tekulve said. And they are 40 percent less likely to sustain season-ending injuries.

        The Anderson Township facility, which has been operating for more than eight years, is one of three sites in Ohio and one of 60 worldwide employing the Frappier Acceleration system (www.accelerationproducts.com; 701-241-9018). Developed in 1986 by John Frappier, an exercise physiologist in Fargo, N.D., its high-intensity training program has been used by more than 13,000 athletes in North America, including pro hockey's Brett Hull, baseball's Darin Erstad and football's Chris Carter, who has begun his own speed-training program in Florida.

        At the Washington Institute of Sports Medicine in Kirkland, Wash., (425-820 2110), outside of Seattle, “We've worked with kids from 8 years old up to professional athletes,” says executive director and physiologist David Parker. “In six weeks, we can put 4 inches on a high-school athlete's vertical jump and lower his 40-yard dash time by two-tenths of a second.”

        Trainers add the power of human observation: listening for the rhythm of each foot on the treadmill (indicating an imbalance between sides), watching for knees that don't come up very high with each stride (weak hip flexors), noticing whether an athlete leans forward when doing kick backs (tight hip flexors).

        Speed training doesn't always require high-tech equipment, though. Byron Dondoyano, a trainer at Washington Athletic Club in Seattle, teaches group and individual speed training. He bases his program on six components, he says, and “One is not more important than the others.”

        • Warm-up and flexibility, with speed in mind. In the “kill a bug” drill, athletes flex and extend the foot quickly, tapping the ground as they walk. “It teaches athletes to run on their toes,” Dondoyano says.

        • Technique. “One of the most important tools is arm swings — you can't run fast without your arms. People are constantly moving their elbows, when they should move through the shoulder.”

        • Force and distance. “The object is to increase the force the foot makes on the ground and decrease the time the foot makes contact on the ground.” Forward hopping jumps help with this.

        • Overspeed. “To learn how it feels to run faster than you're used to.” With two people linked with a bungee cord, the front one jogs while the back one sprints, about 20 percent faster than usual. “That's probably the kids' favorite.” Then they remove the bungee cord and sprint back.

        • Stride length. Cones on the track start out 2 feet apart, and increase to 4, 5 and 6 feet. Athletes try to match their strides to those distances as they run.

        • Acceleration. “Increasing speed with every step.” Beginning from a seated position on the ground, on a sound signal they get up and accelerate as fast as they can.
       

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