Sprint Speed (40 Yard) Calculator

Work out sprint speed (40 yard) instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Sprint Speed (40 Yard) Calculator

Forty yards is 36.576 m, so a 4.80 second dash averages 7.62 m/s or 27.4 km/h. Splitting out the first ten yards separates acceleration from top-end speed: at 1.65 s the opening ten averages 5.54 m/s while the remaining thirty averages 8.71 m/s, showing how much of the run is spent still accelerating.

Formulas

Average speed

v = 36.576 m / time

Flying speed

v = 27.432 m / (total time - 10 yard split)

Worked example

With the default values below, Sprint Speed (40 Yard) Calculator returns Average Speed Over 40 Yards of 7.620. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

40 yard dash timeminimum 0.1 s: 4.8 s
10 yard splitminimum 0.1 s: 1.65 s

Results

Average Speed Over 40 Yards: 7.620 m/s
Same Speed In km/h: 27.43
Speed Over The Final 30 Yards: 8.709 m/s
Speed Over The First 10 Yards: 5.542 m/s

Step by step

1Values used
2Average speed
3Flying speed
4Average Speed Over 40 Yards= 7.620 m/s
5Same Speed In km/h= 27.43
6Speed Over The Final 30 Yards= 8.709 m/s
7Speed Over The First 10 Yards= 5.542 m/s

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.
This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 10 yard split so valued by coaches?

Because most sports need acceleration over short distances far more than top speed, and the split isolates that quality.

What is a fast 40?

Around 4.4-4.5 s is elite for a professional footballer, 4.8-5.0 s is a good club athlete, and above 5.5 s suggests limited sprint training.