Tip of the Month -- August 2006

Speed Development

“SPEED=THE MOMENT OF TRUTH” – Vern Gambetta

"Speed is often mistakenly believed to be independent from strength, but in fact it is the result of explosive force" - Steven Plisk, Velocity Sports Performance

Defined: The ability of the athlete to go from point A to point B in the shortest time.

Running Speed = Stride Length x Stride Frequency

Stages: (1) REACTION- movement of ball or man  (2) START- ability to get body moving from a particular stance  (3) PRIMARY ACCELERATION- 0-30M, up to max speed  (4) SECONDARY ACCELERATION- 30-60M, up to 100% speed (5) MAXIM-

UM SPEED- 60-75M, maintain 100% speed  (6) DECELERATION- slowing down rest of way

NOTE: When testing an athlete in the 40 yard dash you are actually testing his/her ability to start and accelerate. They will not achieve maximum speed!!!

Key Points: STRENGTH- arm drive back, knee drive forward, push off force. You have to have strength before you can develop power.

POWER- .1 sec. ground contact (speed strength). If you can increase your stride length by 2 in. by increasing your force/power output, you can potentially take of .1 second off of your 40 yard dash time.

NEUROMUSCULAR- overspeed overload

TECHNIQUE- stance, start, body lean, free form, ect.

FLEXIBILITY- smooth efficient movement- if you do not have flexibility it becomes a factor.             

Components of Running Speed

Stride Frequency- the number of strides taken in a given amount of time

· Improving stride frequency involves the ability to decrease the time between strides while maintaining or increasing stride length.

Stride Length- the distance covered in one stride during running

· It is developed by increasing the speed strength in the lower body

Stride Analysis

The running stride may be broken down into 2 phases:

·The support phase- Starts at touchdown and ends with the take off of the same foot.

·The flight phase- The period when the feet are not in contact with the ground

1. The first sub-phase is when the foot of the driving leg leaves the ground and the center of gravity rises to its highest point.

2. The second sub-phase is the descent of the center of gravity from the highest point to the ground contact.

3. Leg turnover is one complete cycle of a leg’s movement (i.e. from contact of the right foot to contact of the right foot again) while running.   

Start:

Body weight evenly distributed

Explosive push off with both legs

Rear leg produces greater initial force

Front leg has greater influence on starting velocity; must exert force longer and produce optimal impulse

Front leg completes extension as rear leg completes forward swing

Extended leg and trunk form straight line

Swing leg forms right angles between thigh/trunk and thigh/lower leg

Arm swing has an important function

Forward leg swing required backward arm countermovement

Opp. Arm swings forward/up; elbow flexes at 90 degrees first swing towards forehead

Acceleration:

Every athlete has optimal stride length

After first two strides off the line, foot touches down in front of center of gravity

Forward body lean decreases with increasing stride rate and length; normal sprinting position achieved by 20M

Head in relaxed position

Focus eyes straight ahead during first strides

Maximal Speed:

·Flight phase

Push off leg folds tightly toward hip in relaxed heeling motion

Flexed leg functions as pendulum; thrust forward and up at maximum speed , assisting push off leg power

Smallest knee angle occurs when thigh is vertical

When thigh reaches maximum possible knee lift, low leg swing forward in relaxed movement

Thigh begins to move down, sweeping lower leg backward/down in pawing action

Cocked foot lightly meets ground directly under center of gravity

·Early/forward support phase

Body weight balanced such that only ball of foot touches the ground

·Late/rear support phase

Propulsion velocity depends on push off impulse and direction

Triple extension is key

Trunk vertically erect

·Leg drive facilitated by explosive arm action

Shoulders kept steady; elbows bent 90 degrees, kept close to body, hands loosely cupped

Violently punching motion; hands swing forward/up above shoulder height, down/backward through pocket and past hips

·Relaxed carriage of head prevents facial/neck muscles tightening

Natural alignment with trunk and shoulders