Sam Portland - Speed Coach

02/11/2026

💥 Discover how 'transfer logic' can help you focus on power and rate of force development instead of just strength. Level up your training!

30/10/2026

YOU WOULDN'T SPRINT WITHOUT A BASE.

A coaching business needs foundations too: a clear offer, consistent enquiries, simple follow-up and reliable delivery. Adding clients before these exist can create more chaos, not more freedom.

GPP is a principle you already use when developing athletes. Apply the same thinking to building your coaching career.

Clear offer → Enquiries → Follow-up → Delivery

Want a clearer structure for applying these principles to your coaching business?

Comment BLUEPRINT and I'll send you my S&C Business Blueprint.

NO THEORY. JUST APPLICATION.

29/10/2026

Your speed programme doesn’t need more exercises.

It needs more purpose.

I’ve seen coaches build speed sessions that look more like a restaurant menu.

15 different drills.
6 different plyometric variations.
Fancy acceleration exercises.
Something new every week.

And then wonder why their athletes aren’t getting faster.

Complexity isn’t progression.

One of the biggest mistakes in speed development is confusing exercise variety with actual adaptation.

For athletes learning to sprint, you can achieve an enormous amount with a handful of well-selected tools:

→ Sprint drills to develop coordination and rhythm.
→ Tempo running to build running capacity.
→ Heavy sleds to develop acceleration-specific force application.
→ Sprinting to actually develop speed.

These aren’t four compulsory steps. They’re tools you select according to what the athlete needs.

The important question isn’t:

What other exercises can I add?

It’s:

What’s actually limiting this athlete’s speed, and what is the simplest way to improve it?

In my latest YouTube video, I break down how to simplify your speed programme, select the right exercises and know when it’s time to progress.

Comment TUBE and I’ll send you the full video.

28/10/2026

Is the weakest test actually the thing limiting performance?

A low score is useful information. It isn't a diagnosis.

Alex squatted 130kg for five reps but ran 3.53s over 20m. More strength work might improve his squat. But would it address the acceleration problem?

We need to identify the performance gap, find the most plausible limitation, choose the adaptation, intervene and review the sprint—not simply chase the lowest number.

Comment LIMITATION and I'll send you the Performance Limitation Diagnostic.

27/10/2026

Tempo Running for GAA Players: Build Running Capacity Without Replacing Speed Work

Tempo Running for GAA Players: Build Running Capacity Without Replacing Speed Work Tempo running is submaximal running used to develop aerobic qualities, work capacity and recovery in field sport athletes. For a GAA player that means controlled running at an effort they can repeat with good technique, set against generous recovery, rather than flat out sprinting or a lung busting session designed to leave everyone on the floor....

Tempo Running for GAA Players: Build Running Capacity Without Replacing Speed Work Tempo running is submaximal running used to develop aerobic qualities, work capacity and recovery in field sport a…

26/10/2026

Rocky’s biggest lesson has nothing to do with boxing.

People train to the Rocky music, but the message is deeper: it’s about what you do after you’re knocked down.

• It’s not how hard you get hit
• It’s how hard you can get hit and still rise
• Expectations can make people drop the ball fast
• Recovery mindset builds real strength over time

Agree or disagree: resilience is the real championship skill?

25/10/2026

More training isn’t always better.

A common mistake in youth sport: once kids “age up,” programs simply double the work.

• That’s not progression. It’s escalation.
• If you remove refinement and intensity control, you risk long-term derailment.
• What’s great for juniors can fall apart for seniors.
• Programs can “repair” for years, but the damage is often already done.

Have you ever watched a team fall into the trap of doing more, not smarter?

23/10/2026

THE STORM RUINED MY SPEED SESSIONS.

If you’re in the UK, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Storm Austin.

Wind. Rain. And a week of speed sessions going straight out the window.

I’ve had to cancel or completely change almost every session.

Track sessions became gym-based speed and strength work.

Sprint sessions became variations of what I’d originally planned.

But here’s the interesting part.

The weather changed the session.

It didn’t necessarily change what the athlete needed.

And there’s a huge coaching lesson in that.

When you can’t sprint, it’s easy to start replacing exercises.

Can’t use the track? Do some squats.

Can’t accelerate? Throw in some plyometrics.

But hang on…

WHAT WERE WE ACTUALLY TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

Because that’s what should determine the next decision.

This week, I’ve had to work backwards.

→ What’s the athlete’s limitation?

→ What adaptation are we trying to create?

→ What can we achieve with the facilities available?

→ What’s the simplest intervention that moves us towards the outcome?

Sometimes you find an alternative.

Sometimes you change the emphasis.

And sometimes you accept that you can’t replicate the original stimulus.

THAT’S COACHING.

Not blindly following a programme.

Not collecting exercises.

Understanding the purpose well enough to make decisions when circumstances change.

Because the best programme in the world is useless if you don’t know how to adapt it.

And that’s exactly what I’m teaching on Monday.

THE SPEED DECISION SYSTEM™

26 October | 4 PM UK

I’m opening up one of my private coaching sessions, normally reserved for Inner Circle members and 1:1 clients.

For this session, I’m offering complimentary guest access.

FREE LIVE ACCESS. NO FREE REPLAY.

Recordings are reserved for private members or paid replay access.

Want to see how I make programming decisions?

COMMENT “PRIVATE” and I’ll send you the registration details.

NO THEORY. JUST BETTER DECISIONS.

23/10/2026

Let’s delete the tech and train the basics.

Back-to-basics athlete training: resilience, physical empathy, and improving performance with simple tools.

• Stop chasing noise. Build the foundation.
• Physical empathy is a coach skill, not a vibe.
• You can train smarter with a stopwatch and tape measure.
• Resilience is trained, not wished for.

Agree or disagree: basic training beats tech training?

23/10/2026

Why Most Sprint Drills Don’t Make You Faster

Learn why sprint drills alone don't improve speed and how to integrate them effectively into your training programme....

Learn why sprint drills alone don’t improve speed and how to integrate them effectively into your training programme.