Define Absolute Speed.

• A. The maximum velocity achieved during a sprint without regard to consistency
• B. The ability to hold a maximum velocity in a cyclical motion
• C. The average velocity over the entire sprint
• D. The peak velocity at any single instant

Answer: (B)

Absolute speed is about how long you can sustain the highest velocity through a repeating, cyclical movement. It isn’t about a single moment of fastest speed or the overall pace you maintain across the entire sprint, but about the ability to keep a maximum velocity across repeated cycles of motion. That’s why describing it as the ability to hold a maximum velocity in a cyclical motion is the most accurate. In practice, improving absolute speed involves training for endurance at high speeds, efficiency, and technique so you can maintain near-top velocity throughout the activity, rather than just peaking briefly. A fleeting peak or the average pace doesn’t capture this sustained capability.