VBT at Austin Barbell: Speed, Intent, and Smarter Programming for Olympic Lifters

If you’ve been around the barbell training long enough—especially here in Texas where the heat and grind are real—you know that success in Olympic lifting isn’t just about brute strength. It’s about speed, timing, rhythm and intent. And at Austin Barbell, we’ve found that Velocity-Based Training (VBT) gives us the sharpest tool to assess and develop all of that.

We use VBT to test athletes, add intent to training sessions, and most importantly, auto-regulate training—especially for our masters athletes. But to use VBT effectively, you need to understand one key concept: the force–velocity profile, and how it reveals an athlete’s performance ceiling—and blind spots.

What Is a Force–Velocity Profile?

Force Velocity Curve

In simple terms, the force–velocity (F–V) profile describes the relationship between how much force an athlete can produce and how fast they can apply it.

  • On one end of the spectrum, you've got maximum force—heavy squats, slow grinds, dead stop pulls.

  • On the other end, you've got maximum velocity—light bar speed drills, jump squats, and technique-focused snatches.

The goal in Olympic lifting? Be strong and fast—what we call explosive strength, or power. That sweet spot exists in the middle of the F–V curve.

We use OVR Performance VBT (linear positional transducer) we test athletes across a range of loads and velocities to create a profile. From there, we can identify if someone is force-dominant (strong but slow), velocity-dominant (fast but not forceful), or fairly balanced.

Knowing where a lifter or a population of lifters falls on that curve helps us train the quality they’re missing—whether it's raw strength, bar speed, or acceleration under load.

The Five Speed–Strength Qualities We Train

We break velocity training into five distinct speed-strength qualities, each with a specific velocity range and purpose:

Speed–Strength QualityTraining FocusVelocity Range (m/s)Common Exercises

Absolute StrengthMaximal force, low velocity< 0.5Back squat, clean pulls >90%

Accelerative StrengthLifting heavy with some speed0.5 – 0.75Front squats, snatch pulls, heavy jerks

Strength-SpeedForce with speed (Olympic lifts)0.75 – 1.0Full cleans, snatches at 75–85%

Speed-StrengthVelocity focus with moderate load1.0 – 1.5Hang cleans, block snatches, push press

Maximum VelocityBar speed, technical precision> 1.5Tall snatches, drop snatches, light work

This framework—grounded in both NASM programming models and OVR Performance research—gives us an adaptable system for everyone from youth lifters to 60+ masters.

How We Apply the F–V Profile at Austin Barbell

Here’s how we use it in the real world:

  1. Initial Testing – We’ll have a lifter perform snatches and squats across 40–90% 1RM while tracking bar velocity. The slope of their F–V curve tells us if they need more speed or strength work.

  2. Intent-Based Programming – Instead of saying “3x3 at 80%,” we’ll say “3x3 in the strength-speed zone—stay above 0.9 m/s.” That intent creates better movement quality and teaches the athlete to move with urgency.

  3. Masters Modulation – For masters athletes, especially those balancing work, stress, and joint limitations, we use bar speed to autoregulate in real time. If their bar speed drops 15% on warm-ups, we reduce volume or switch to positional work. If they’re flying, we greenlight a heavier session—even if the calendar didn’t say so.

Final Thoughts: Precision Wins in Weightlifting

At Austin Barbell, VBT isn’t a tech gimmick—it’s a coaching tool. It gives us better diagnostics, sharper programming, and more engaged athletes. Whether we’re training a 45-year-old masters athlete or a 17-year-old junior with eyes on nationals, speed is the throughline.

If you’re not testing velocity, you’re missing half the equation. Force without speed won’t win medals. And speed without load won’t break training plateaus.

References

  • National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). (2022). NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training (7th ed.).

  • OVR Performance Systems. (2023). Velocity Profiling and Load Prescription for Strength Athletes.

  • GymAware. (2023). Velocity-Based Training Guidelines and Force-Velocity Profiling in Olympic Lifting.

Robert RonanComment