Recent literature supports the importance of horizontal ground reaction force (GRF) production for sprint acceleration performance. Modeling and clinical studies have shown that the hip extensors are very likely contributors to sprint acceleration performance. We experimentally tested the role of the hip extensors in horizontal GRF production during short, maximal, treadmill sprint accelerations. Torque capabilities of the knee and hip extensors and flexors were assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer in 14 males familiar with sprint running. Then, during 6-s sprints on an instrumented motorized treadmill, horizontal and vertical GRF were synchronized with electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and gluteus maximus averaged over the first half of support, entire support, entire swing and end-of-swing phases. No significant correlations were found between isokinetic or EMG variables and horizontal GRF. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a significant relationship (P = 0.024) between horizontal GRF and the combination of biceps femoris EMG activity during the end of the swing and the knee flexors eccentric peak torque. In conclusion, subjects who produced the greatest amount of horizontal force were both able to highly activate their hamstring muscles just before ground contact and present high eccentric hamstring peak torque capability.

This study sought to lend experimental support to the theoretical influence of force-velocity (F-v) mechanical profile on jumping performance independently from the effect of maximal power output (P max ). 48 high-level athletes (soccer players, sprinters, rugby players) performed maximal squat jumps with additional loads from 0 to 100% of body mass. During each jump, mean force, velocity and power output were obtained using a simple computation method based on flight time, and then used to determine individual linear F-v relationships and P max values. Actual and optimal F-v profiles were computed for each subject to quantify mechanical F-v imbalance. A multiple regression analysis showed, with a high-adjustment quality (r²=0.931, P<0.001, SEE=0.015 m), significant contributions of P max , F-v imbalance and lower limb extension range (h PO ) to explain interindividual differences in jumping performance (P<0.001) with positive regression coefficients for P max and h PO and a negative one for F-v imbalance. This experimentally supports that ballistic performance depends, in addition to P max , on the F-v profile of lower limbs. This adds support to the actual existence of an individual optimal F-v profile that maximizes jumping performance, a F-v imbalance being associated to a lower performance. These results have potential strong applications in the field of strength and conditioning.

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The present study characterized accurately the changes of energy cost and substrate use during an extreme run, showing a plateau after 8 h of exercise. It is also concluded that the participants who maintained the highest %VV˙O2max were also those having most deteriorated their Cr over the 24TR, supporting the notion of a trade-off between running speed (relative to VV˙O2max) and Cr.

In sports science, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has many unknown effects on neuromuscular, psychomotor and cognitive aspects. Particularly, its impact on power performances remains poorly investigated. Eighteen healthy young males, all trained in a jumping sport (parkour) performed three experimental sessions: anodal tDCS applied either on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC, cathode in supraorbital area) or on the primary motor cortex (M1, cathode on contralateral shoulder), and a placebo condition (SHAM), each applied for 20 min at 2 mA. Pre and post, maximal vertical and horizontal jumps were performed, associated to leg neuromuscular assessment through electromyography and peripheral nerve stimulations. Actual and imagined pointing tasks were also performed to evaluate fine motor skills, and a full battery of cognitive and psychomotor tests was administered. M1 tDCS improved jump performance accompanied by an increase in supraspinal and spinal excitabilities. dlPFC stimulation only impacted the pointing tasks. No effect on cognitive tests was found for any of the tDCS conditions. To conclude, the type of performance (maximal versus accurate) affected depended upon the tDCS montage. Finally, athletes responded well to tDCS for motor performance while results to cognitive tests seemed unaffected, at least when implemented with the present rationale.