Interaction Between Leg Muscle Performance and Sprint Acceleration Kinematics

Abstract

This study investigated relationships between 10 m sprint acceleration, step kinematics (step length and frequency, contact and flight time), and leg muscle performance (power, stiffness, strength). Twenty-eight field sport athletes completed 10 m sprints that were timed and filmed. Velocity and step kinematics were measured for the 0–5, 5–10, and 0–10 m intervals to assess acceleration. Leg power was measured via countermovement jumps (CMJ), a five-bound test (5BT), and the reactive strength index (RSI) defined by 40 cm drop jumps. Leg stiffness was measured by bilateral and unilateral hopping. A three-repetition maximum squat determined strength. Pearson’s correlations and stepwise regression (p ≤ 0.05) determined velocity, step kinematics, and leg muscle performance relationships. CMJ height correlated with and predicted velocity in all intervals (r = 0.40–0.54). The 5BT (5–10 and 0–10 m intervals) and RSI (5–10 m interval) also related to velocity (r = 0.37–0.47). Leg stiffness did not correlate with acceleration kinematics. Greater leg strength related to and predicted lower 0–5 m flight times (r = −0.46 to −0.51), and a longer 0–10 m step length (r = 0.38). Although results supported research emphasizing the value of leg power and strength for acceleration, the correlations and predictive relationships (r2 = 0.14–0.29) tended to be low, which highlights the complex interaction between sprint technique and leg muscle performance. Nonetheless, given the established relationships between speed, leg power and strength, strength and conditioning coaches should ensure these qualities are expressed during acceleration in field sport athletes.

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“…Investigation of the association between lower body power (squat jump height) and selected variables which affect the performanceof players in soccer was the first objective of this study. A previous study showed significant correlation between 10-metre sprint, 30-metre sprintand COD speed (T-test) (Little & Williams, 2003).This study showed a statistically significant association between lower body power, 10-metre sprint and 30-metre sprint, which supports the result of previous studies that found lower body power related to sprinting speed (Cronin & Hansen, 2005); (Peterson, Alvar, & Rhea, 2006); (Nimphius, Mcguigan, & Newton, 2010); (Lockie, Murphy, Knight, & Janse de Jonge, 2011); (Lockie, Jalilvand, Callaghan, Jeffriess, & Murphy, 2015). In this study the power of the associationswere large, the reason may be due to sample size being small and the predictive relationship were high.…”

“…Lower body power of an athlete has shown relationship with performance in shorts sprints (Shalfawi, Sabbah, Kailani, Tonnessen, & Enoksen, 2011); (Lockie, Jalilvand, Callaghan, Jeffriess, & Murphy, 2015).…”

Sled-Pull Load–Velocity Profiling and Implications for Sprint Training Prescription in Young Male Athletes

“…The majority of sprint training research has examined the utility of resistance training and plyometrics as methods to enhance sprinting capability [1,2,3] rather than sprint-specific training. Sprint-specific training can be defined as training that is specific to the movement patterns and direction of sprinting and it is likely to be more successful than non-specific training in improving speed [4].…”

Effect of Leg Length With 100m Sprint Running Speed on The Men’s Soccer Team at SMA 1 Mataram

“…The different correlations in each respondent that result in different end times do look significant from the results obtained, this shows that the strength in stride length produced by a person in running has a relative strength that increasing stride length is proven to contribute to the 100m sprint stride. [19] International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972…”