What is the 'Force Number' and how does it predict speed?

The 'Force Number' is an algorithm Ryan Flaherty developed, based on an athlete's trap bar deadlift maximum and body weight. It directly correlates to an athlete's max velocity and top speed. By improving an athlete's trap bar deadlift max without increasing body weight, he observes a direct improvement in their speed, such as a 40-yard dash time.

What does a typical hex bar deadlift workout look like for improving speed?

Ryan recommends starting with a hypertrophy phase of 3-4 sets of 8 reps at 65% of your max for 1-2 weeks, progressively increasing weight and decreasing reps in subsequent weeks. Each working set should be concentric-only (stand up, drop the bar), paired with a plyometric exercise (e.g., squat jumps) after a short rest, followed by a 2-5 minute recovery between supersets.

What are the most common muscle weaknesses that lead to injuries in athletes?

Ryan identifies ankle flexion and the glute medius as the top two culprits. The vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) is another common weakness, often displaying asymmetry with the rest of the quad. Additionally, limited internal rotation of the femur significantly increases the risk of ACL injuries.

How can I improve my ankle flexibility and internal rotation of the femur to prevent injuries?

For ankle flexibility (dorsiflexion and plantarflexion), Ryan highly recommends a tool called the Prolex, which helps stretch and strengthen the calves through a full range of motion. For internal rotation of the femur, he suggests a specific stretch against a wall, which will be demonstrated via video.

What exercises or machines should recreational athletes avoid due to high injury risk?

Ryan strongly advises against using the knee extension machine, calling it the 'worst' for joint health. He also cautions against Olympic lifting (e.g., overhead squats) unless one receives proper, certified instruction over a significant period (around two years), as improper technique carries a very high risk of injury.

How did Ryan Flaherty apply his speed training principles to marathon runners?

Ryan helped marathoner Meb Keflezighi prepare for the Boston Marathon by focusing solely on hex bar deadlift training (concentric only) once a week. This improved Meb's mass-specific force, increasing his stride length by 2-3 inches per stride, ultimately saving him about a mile over the marathon distance without adding unwanted muscle mass.

What is Ryan Flaherty's general philosophy on athletic training?

Ryan believes that training should be kept as simple as possible, focusing on fundamental exercises that yield the most 'bang for your buck' to improve multiple aspects of performance efficiently. He emphasizes constantly pushing the limits of human potential and seeking better, safer methods, rather than accepting traditional or complicated approaches.

How can diet and training be adjusted for athletes needing to gain or lose weight?

For weight loss, Ryan focuses on nutrition to lower insulin and glucose markers, eliminating sugar. For muscle gain, he incorporates more eccentric loading (tempo, time under tension) into training. He notes that the body aims for homeostasis, adapting to intense training by either burning fat or building muscle as needed.

What book does Ryan Flaherty recommend for developing successful daily habits?

Ryan highly recommends 'The Slight Edge' by Jeff Olson. The book's premise is that small, tiny daily habits, when performed consistently over time, lead to exponential life improvement, much like compounding interest. He encourages athletes to focus on these disciplined daily habits to separate themselves as 'great ones.'

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Ryan Flaherty Interview | The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast)

Tim Ferriss

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Ryan Flaherty on making speed teachable, injury prevention, and simple, effective training.

Key Insights

Speed is a teachable skill that can be developed through proper technique and strength-to-weight ratio.

Mass-specific force (strength relative to body mass) is a primary driver of speed.

The trap bar deadlift is a highly correlated exercise for predicting and improving speed.

Injury prevention relies on addressing imbalances in ankle flexion, glute medius, VMO, and femur rotation.

Simple, high-ROI exercises like the Bulgarian split squat and box squat are key for general athleticism.

Focusing on simple, consistent daily habits (the 'slight edge') leads to exponential improvement over time.

SPEED IS A LEARNABLE SKILL

Contrary to popular belief, Ryan Flaherty asserts that speed is not solely an innate talent but a learnable skill. He shares a personal anecdote of being a slow child who became fast through dedicated learning and practice of running mechanics. This observation forms the basis of his philosophy: by teaching proper running form, we can unlock an athlete's potential, just as teaching swimming is fundamental for water sports. He emphasizes that most ground-based sports inherently rely on running, yet fundamental running mechanics are often neglected.

THE SCIENCE OF SPEED: MASS-SPECIFIC FORCE AND THE FORCE NUMBER

Flaherty's research, including studies with Olympic sprinters on force plate treadmills, revealed that mass-specific force (how much force one can generate relative to body mass) is paramount for speed. He developed the 'Force Number' algorithm, which directly correlates trap bar deadlift performance (weight lifted relative to body weight) with sprinting speed. This finding allows for the prediction and improvement of an athlete's speed by focusing on enhancing their strength-to-weight ratio without necessarily adding lean muscle mass.

INJURY PREVENTION: IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING KEY WEAKNESSES

A significant portion of Flaherty's work focuses on injury prevention. He identifies several critical areas of weakness that commonly lead to injuries, including poor ankle flexion, underdeveloped gluteus medius (glute med), weakened vastus medialis oblique (VMO), and limited internal rotation of the femur. Addressing these imbalances through targeted exercises and mobility work is crucial for improving joint stability and reducing the probability of non-contact injuries, particularly in the lower extremities.

EFFECTIVE TRAINING: SIMPLE EXERCISES AND NEURAL DRIVE

Flaherty advocates for high-ROI (Return on Investment) exercises that stress the nervous system and recruit motor units efficiently. The trap bar deadlift, performed with a concentric-only focus (dropping the weight to avoid eccentric loading and muscle tearing), is central to his methodology for improving strength-to-weight ratio. He also champions exercises like Bulgarian split squats and box squats, emphasizing proper sequencing and controlled movements over exercises like the knee extension machine, which he considers detrimental.

APPLYING PRINCIPLES TO MARATHON RUNNING AND GENERAL POPULATIONS

Flaherty's principles extend beyond sprinters to endurance athletes, demonstrated by his work with marathoner Meb Keflezighi. By improving mass-specific force through simple, once-a-week trap bar deadlifts (without eccentric loading), he increased Meb's stride length, leading to a significant advantage over the marathon distance. He stresses that these principles of efficiency and simplicity apply equally to elite athletes and everyday individuals seeking to improve their health and performance.

THE POWER OF SMALL HABITS AND SIMPLICITY

Central to Flaherty's philosophy is the 'slight edge' concept – the cumulative effect of small, consistent daily habits. He believes that simplifying training and life by focusing on high-impact actions, rather than overcomplicating them, leads to exponential growth. This approach applies whether optimizing an elite athlete's performance or guiding a sedentary individual, emphasizing that consistency and attention to fundamental details are the true drivers of long-term success and reduced injury risk.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Ryan Flaherty's Speed & Injury Prevention Principles

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Teach children how to run properly early on for foundational athletic skill.

Prioritize improving strength-to-weight ratio without adding lean muscle mass for increased speed using hex bar deadlifts.

Focus on efficient stride length by making 'larger wheels' with foot movement, landing the midfoot directly under the pelvis.

Include concentric-only hex bar deadlifts, dropping the bar to avoid eccentric tearing and build neural strength.

Perform hypertrophy cycles (3-4 sets of 6-8 reps at 65-75% max) followed by strength cycles (3-4 sets of 2-5 reps at 85-95% max) for trap bar deadlifts.

Integrate plyometrics as supersets with deadlifts, focusing on maximal effort (not conditioning) and resting between jumps to maximize amortization phase improvement.

Incorporate unilateral (single-leg) exercises with specific tempos (e.g., 5-second eccentric, 1-second concentric) to address imbalances.

Perform stability exercises like single-leg step-downs (3 seconds down, 3 seconds up) to strengthen stabilizing muscles like VMO and glute medius.

Actively work on improving ankle flexion and internal rotation of the femur using targeted stretches and tools like the Prolex.

Keep training simple and focus on high-impact exercises that yield the most results (most 'bang for your buck').

Practice daily habits consistently for exponential long-term improvement (the 'Slight Edge' philosophy).

Avoid This

Assume speed is purely innate; it is a learned and trainable skill.

Overemphasize stride rate over mass-specific force, as rate and length are often byproducts of force production.

Neglect rest intervals during plyometrics, as this can turn them into conditioning drills rather than power training.

Perform knee extension machine exercises, as they are considered highly detrimental for knee health.

Engage in Olympic lifting without proper, certified coaching and a slow, deliberate learning period due to high injury risk.

Run on treadmills if possible, as they can promote bad running mechanics.

Over-stride when running, which is a major cause of injury in static runners; avoid reaching out in front with your foot.

Common Questions

Ryan Flaherty states that speed is a teachable skill, not just innate. The key is to improve your mass-specific force (strength-to-weight ratio) without increasing lean muscle mass. This can be achieved through specific concentric-only resistance training like hex bar deadlifts, which also improves stride length and frequency. Learning proper running mechanics from childhood is also crucial.

Topics

Injury Prevention Neuroscience & the Brain Human Performance Strength To Weight Ratio Speed Training Running Mechanics Fitness & Exercise Hex Bar Deadlift Glute Activation Athletic Assessment

Mentioned in this video

People

Peter Attia

Introduced Ryan Flaherty to Tim Ferriss and is a mutual friend. Peter Attia's profile in Tools of Titans includes exercises from Ryan Flaherty.

Marcus Mariota

NFL quarterback trained by Ryan Flaherty, who needed to gain weight for the NFL draft. Ryan adjusted his training to include more eccentric loading.

Charles Poliquin

Mentioned by Tim Ferriss as a previous podcast guest whose episodes were nerdy and related to the current discussion. Ryan Flaherty also respects his work.

Robert Griffin III

NFL quarterback whose short NFL longevity was predicted by Ryan Flaherty due to imbalances from his linear track & field background not preparing him for multi-plane forces in football.

Serena Williams

Professional tennis player and a client of Ryan Flaherty, mentioned as benefiting from his strength-to-weight ratio training.

Jameis Winston

NFL quarterback trained by Ryan Flaherty, who needed to lose weight for the NFL draft. Ryan focused on concentric-only training, increased cardio, and diet modifications for him.

John Wooden

Famous basketball coach whose anecdote about teaching players to properly lace shoes illustrates the importance of consistent small details for success.

Russell Wilson

NFL quarterback and a client of Ryan Flaherty, mentioned for making remarkable recoveries from injuries due to Ryan's methodology.

Charlie Francis

Author of a book on speed, and Ben Johnson's coach. Ryan considers him a massive influence despite the doping controversy, highlighting his genius.

Tony Campbell

Three-time Olympian hurdler and track and field coach, cited by Ryan as a huge influence.

Louis Simmons

Founder of Westside Barbell, known for innovative training methods like using chains and bands. Ryan learned about box squatting from him to improve deep squats.

Usain Bolt

Olympic sprinter, used as an example of efficient running mechanics, taking fewer steps to cover 100 meters than other top sprinters.

Dominic D'Agostino

Mentioned by Tim Ferriss as a previous podcast guest whose episodes were nerdy and related to the current discussion.

Meb Keflezighi

Boston Marathon winner. Ryan Flaherty applied his speed principles to Meb, improving his stride length by increasing his mass-specific force through hex bar deadlifts, resulting in a mile advantage.

Ben Johnson

Sprinter coached by Charlie Francis who was involved in a doping scandal. Mentioned to highlight the context of doping in sports during that era.

Dan Pfaff

Brilliant mind in track and field and training, runs Altis in Phoenix, which is one of the largest track and field centers globally. Ryan highly respects him.

Buddy Morris

Strength coach of the Arizona Cardinals and a good friend of Ryan Flaherty, described as a phenomenal coach who evolved from a Westside Barbell background.

C.S. Lewis

Author whose concept of the 'Inner Circle' is used by Ryan to advise athletes to focus on being great at what they do, as greatness is recognized by other great people.

Books

Born to Run

A book mentioned by Tim Ferriss in the context of stride rate and running communities, though not directly discussed by Ryan.

The Alchemist

A book Ryan Flaherty loves and has gifted, focusing on understanding one's destiny.

The Slight Edge

A book Ryan frequently gifts to athletes, which emphasizes the cumulative impact of small, consistent daily habits leading to exponential life improvement.

Bible

Mentioned by Ryan as a significant book he has gifted.

Organizations

USA Weightlifting

Certification mentioned by Ryan for coaches teaching Olympic lifting to ensure proper technique and safety.

Altis

One of the largest track and field centers in the world, run by Dan Pfaff in Phoenix.

University of Oregon

Its football team was involved in a story about three players hospitalized for rhabdomyolysis due to overtraining and a coach focused on mental breakdown rather than performance.

Software & Apps

Trap Bar Deadlift

A circular bar with handles on the side of the body, identified by Ryan Flaherty as the exercise most directly correlated to his 'Force Number' algorithm for predicting and improving speed.

Companies

ESPN

Sports channel that reported the story about the University of Oregon football players hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis.

Concepts

CrossFit

A fitness regimen that Ryan Flaherty recently started doing. He cautions against immediate participation in Olympic lifts within CrossFit without proper training due to injury risk.