From Acceleration to Overspeed: How Iago Hermida Uses T-APEX in Sprint Training

For sprint coach Iago Hermida, bringing T-APEX into his training setup was not an immediate decision.

Before purchasing the system, he spent around two to three months speaking with other coaches in Europe, learning how they were using it and whether it would fit his own approach to sprint training.

He was not simply looking for another resistance device. He wanted a tool that could support different training needs, from acceleration work to overspeed, while giving him useful information to guide programming.

For Iago, it came down to a simple question: How can technology improve sprint programming without overcomplicating it?

Build Acceleration With Resisted Sprinting

Resisted sprinting is a regular part of Iago’s training, typically used once or twice per week. But not every resisted sprint has the same purpose.

For acceleration and horizontal force development, he may use heavier resistance, around 50–75% velocity loss. For higher-speed work, the resistance is much lighter, closer to 5–15% velocity loss.

The important part is that the load is not based on feel alone. Iago uses the athlete’s target velocity to decide how much resistance to apply and adjusts the setup according to the actual output.

“The key is not simply to add resistance, but to control the output precisely.”

Read the Sprint Profile, Then Decide What to Train

Training decisions are not based on one sprint time alone. Iago looks at acceleration, maximum velocity and performance across different distances to understand which part of the sprint profile needs more attention.

The same principle continues during the session. If an athlete’s speed drops by more than around 5–7%, the set ends. If the target is being reached too comfortably, the load can increase. If the athlete cannot reach the target, the resistance comes down.

This keeps the focus on training quality rather than simply adding fatigue.

“We are not looking for fatigue. We are looking for specific adaptations.”

Split times also help Iago judge whether the work is transferring to performance. If the expected change is not there, the next training block can be adjusted.

Make Overspeed Part of the Training Plan

As major competitions approach, Iago also brings overspeed training into the program. He may include an overspeed session around once per week, usually with approximately five to six repetitions.

Professional overspeed training has traditionally been expensive and difficult to access. With T-APEX, the same system used for resisted sprinting can also provide controlled assistance, making it easier to include overspeed work within a normal sprint program.

In one of Iago’s sessions, the goal was to expose the athlete to speeds around 3% above their normal maximum velocity. The assistance was adjusted throughout the run rather than kept at one fixed setting.

His Freelap data showed more speed, fewer ground contacts and greater stride length, while stride frequency remained almost unchanged. That raises an important coaching question:

How much assistance is too much assistance?

For Iago, more assistance is not automatically better. If the athlete’s sprint mechanics begin to change or technical quality drops, the setup is adjusted.

One System, Different Training Needs

Iago does not use T-APEX in the same way every session. He uses sprint data to understand what an athlete needs, adjusts resisted sprinting according to the training goal, and introduces overspeed when the program calls for higher-speed exposure.

There is no fixed template. The training stimulus changes with the athlete, the data and the stage of the season.

That is where T-APEX fits into his coaching process: not simply as resistance equipment, but as a tool that connects assessment, training and progression.

Bring the same flexibility into your sprint program—from resisted acceleration work to overspeed training.