The Charlie Francis High/Low Speed System: How His Blueprint Drives NFL Combine & Modern Football Training
If you've ever wondered why top NFL combine trainers swear by certain weekly training structures, or why elite speed coaches obsess over "CNS management," you're looking at the lasting legacy of Charlie Francis. The Canadian sprint coach who guided Ben Johnson to world records didn't just revolutionize track and field: his High/Low training system became the blueprint that modern football speed development still follows today.
At Boardwalk Beasts, we've seen firsthand how Francis's principles transform young athletes. But understanding the "why" behind the system makes all the difference between following a program and truly maximizing speed potential.
The Francis Weekly Template: 3 High, 3 Low, 1 Rest
Francis built his legendary system around a simple but revolutionary concept: your central nervous system (CNS) is either firing at maximum capacity or it's recovering. There's no productive middle ground when it comes to speed development.
His classic weekly structure looked like this:
Monday : HIGH (Acceleration + Lifting)
- Short explosive acceleration work
- Max strength lifting
- Explosive medicine ball throws
- Therapy session
- Extensive mobility work
Tuesday : LOW (Tempo + Recovery)
- Tempo runs on grass (sub-75% intensity)
- General fitness circuits
- Core strengthening
- Extended mobility sessions
- Longer therapy treatments
Wednesday : HIGH (Max Velocity/Top Speed)
- Flying sprint work
- Long acceleration builds to maximum velocity
- Light plyometric training
- Strength maintenance lifting
- Recovery therapy
Thursday : LOW (Tempo + Regeneration)
- Extensive tempo work
- Grass strides
- Circuit training
- Pool or bike recovery sessions
- Comprehensive stretching
Friday : HIGH (Speed Endurance/Starts)
- Speed endurance reps at 95-98% intensity
- Block start practice
- Explosive lifting or medicine ball work
- Therapy sessions
Saturday : LOW (Tempo/Active Recovery)
- Very easy tempo runs
- Light circuit work
- Active recovery and system flush
- Optional skill work
Sunday : REST
- Complete rest day
- Optional massage or sauna
- Mental preparation for the upcoming week
The genius lies in the alternation. High days demand everything from your nervous system: maximum recruitment, explosive power, precise coordination. Low days allow that system to rebuild while maintaining fitness and working on technical elements that don't tax the CNS.
Why High/Low Works: The Science Behind Speed
Francis understood something that many coaches miss: speed isn't just about running fast: it's about training your nervous system to fire at maximum efficiency while giving it the recovery time to adapt and grow stronger.
High-intensity work (above 95% effort) ensures:
- Complete muscular recruitment
- Maximum CNS activation
- Proper movement patterns at race speeds
- Neural adaptations that transfer to competition
Low-intensity work (below 75% effort) provides:
- Active recovery for the nervous system
- Aerobic base development
- Technical refinement without fatigue
- Injury prevention through movement quality
The critical insight? That middle zone: 75-95% intensity: creates fatigue without the benefits of true speed work or proper recovery. Francis called it "no man's land" and systematically eliminated it from his programs.
Francis's Acceleration Development System
Acceleration was the cornerstone of Francis's approach, and for good reason. Most football plays are decided in the first 10-20 yards, making acceleration development crucial for any football athlete.
His progression followed four distinct phases:
Phase 1: Foundational Concepts
- Short, explosive accelerations (10-20 yards)
- Focus on 45-degree forward lean
- Controlled step frequency
- Smooth power application without rushing
Phase 2: Distance Extension
- Gradual increase in acceleration distance
- Emphasis on ground contact quality
- Teaching relaxation under increasing speed
- Building consistency in technique
Phase 3: Max Velocity Integration
- Seamless transition from acceleration to top speed
- Understanding of relaxation-tension-relaxation cycles
- Smooth mechanical transitions
- Speed endurance development
Phase 4: Competition Modeling
- Sport-specific distance breakdowns
- Acceleration consistency under pressure
- Technical precision in competitive settings
- Mental rehearsal and race strategy
The key coaching cues that made Francis's system work:
- "Step over, not behind" (knee drive vs. backside mechanics)
- "Accelerate through the track, not on top of it" (ground contact emphasis)
- "No wasted motion" (efficiency over effort)
- CNS freshness always trumps training volume
Charlie Francis vs. Clyde Hart: Speed vs. Endurance Models
Understanding the difference between Francis's speed model and Clyde Hart's endurance-based approach helps explain why certain training methods work for different athletes and events.
Charlie Francis (Speed Model):
- Designed for 100m/200m sprinters and power athletes
- Philosophy: "Run fast to get fast"
- Low volume, maximum intensity
- CNS protection is paramount
- Maximum velocity drives all other speeds
- Perfect for NFL combine athletes and football players
Clyde Hart (Endurance Model):
- Built for 400m runners and speed-endurance athletes
- Philosophy: "Train harder to finish fast"
- Higher volume, moderate intensity focus
- Lactate tolerance and rhythm development
- Extensive 300-500m repetition work
- Better suited for athletes with exceptional aerobic engines
For football athletes, Francis's model wins every time. Football demands explosive power, quick acceleration, and the ability to repeat high-intensity efforts with adequate recovery: exactly what the High/Low system develops.
Why NFL Combine Trainers Still Use Francis's Blueprint
Walk into any elite NFL combine facility today, and you'll see Francis's fingerprints everywhere. The reasons are simple and powerful:
1. The 40-Yard Dash is Pure Acceleration
The combine's marquee event is almost entirely start, acceleration, and early maximum velocity: Francis's specialty areas. His system directly targets the energy systems and movement patterns that determine 40-yard dash performance.
2. High/Low Suits Football Athletes Perfectly
Football players must manage CNS fatigue from multiple sources: weight training, skill work, contact practice, and conditioning. The High/Low system allows them to train speed maximally while managing total stress load.
3. Universal Biomechanical Principles
Francis's technical cues remain the gold standard:
- Maintain tall posture at maximum speed
- Relax face, hands, and shoulders during sprinting
- Avoid overstriding
- Step over the knee on acceleration
4. "Speed is a Skill" Philosophy
The NFL world adopted Francis's core belief that speed can be taught, improved, and refined through proper coaching: not just selected for through genetics.
5. Modern Programs Copy His Structure Exactly
Today's top combine facilities typically run:
- Monday: Acceleration work
- Tuesday: Tempo/recovery
- Wednesday: Maximum velocity
- Friday: Speed endurance
That's Charlie Francis, updated for modern football athletes.
The Coach Schuman Connection
At Boardwalk Beasts, we've integrated Francis's principles into our comprehensive athlete development system. The High/Low methodology guides our weekly planning, ensuring our young athletes develop true speed while avoiding the burnout that comes from traditional high-volume approaches.
Our athletes learn that speed development is systematic, measurable, and achievable through proper training progression. By emphasizing CNS management and technical precision over grinding through fatigue, we're building athletes who not only test better but perform better when it matters most: in games.
The Francis system teaches patience in a sport that often demands immediate results. Real speed development takes time, consistency, and respect for the recovery process. But when applied correctly, the results speak for themselves in faster 40-times, improved agility scores, and most importantly, enhanced on-field performance.
The Lasting Legacy
Nearly four decades after Charlie Francis first introduced the High/Low concept, it remains the foundation of elite speed development. From youth football programs to NFL combine preparation, from track and field to soccer academies, his principles have proven their worth across sports and skill levels.
The beauty of the Francis system lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. By respecting the nervous system's need for both maximum stimulation and complete recovery, athletes can train harder when it counts and recover more completely when they rest.
For football players at any level, understanding and applying these principles can be the difference between marginal improvement and breakthrough performance. Speed might be king in football, but smart speed training: Francis's kind of training: is what builds champions.
Ready to see how the Charlie Francis High/Low system can transform your training? Visit our camps and training programs to learn more about science-based speed development that delivers real results.
About Author
