Phases of Sprinting

As we continue our dive into all things sprinting, this part will look at the different phases of sprinting and what does/should happen during those instances.

As we breakdown the phases of sprinting, we'll do so in 2 ways.

1) Acceleration Speed vs Top End Speed

2) Phases of the Sprinting Cycle

Each of these will present similarities, differences, and carryover that will clear up some ideas and discussion about training for enhancing speed.

Acceleration vs Top-End Speed

When talking about sport performance, acceleration speed is king.  Most team sports live in the 0-15-yard range, and it's rare for many athletes to reach top-end speed.  For this reason, focusing most speed training on acceleration speed is a smart idea.

That being said, this doesn't mean top-end speed is un-necessary. In sports like football, soccer, rubgy, lacrosse, many of the big, game-breaking plays are a result of an athletes great top-end speed.  So while it may occur less often than acceleration, when top-end speed is needed it's often for a big play.  

Also, when we talk about top-end speed, we must realize these are not track and field athletes.  What I mean by that is track and field take roughly 50-60m to reach top-end speed, and they do this on purpose.  

Team sports athletes have been shown to reach top-end speed as quickly as 20-yards.  Now if you look at many team sports, there will be more instances than you think when athletes will have to run 20-yards in a straight line.  So while it occurs less frequently than acceleration, it does occur quite a bit and athletes adapt strategies to reach top-end speed more quickly.

All in all, the interplay of mechanics, timing, rhythm, high velocity muscular contractions and simultaneous muscular relaxation, elasticity, coordination, eccentric-isometric-concentric actions, etc make sprinting incredibly unique.  

I often say if there was only one exercise to do for the rest of time - it would be sprinting.  

When breaking down acceleration and top-end speed, there are different technical, mechanical, and coaching that make each unique.  Knowing this will allow a coach to better communicate, cue, and evaluate each phase.  

Acceleration - Characteristics

Ninety percent of sprints in soccer and 68% of sprints in rugby are 20m of shorter.  Also in many sports, acceleration speed is preceded by movement.  For example, a player is walking, jogging, shuffling - and all of a sudden they must shift gears and accelerate.

What does this mean?

Strictly performing acceleration drills from a standing start isn't accurate to what many sports actually experience.  It's a different skill set to accelerate from a stand still, than it is from a moving start - so performing both is a must.

Let's look at some basic acceleration characteristics...

• Ground Contact Times = ~.18-.20sec
• Forward Body Lean = ~45-Degrees
• Low Heel Recovery
• Foot Lands Behind COM
• Big Split in Hands

Acceleration - What To Look For

The biggest thing to look for during acceleration is the athlete is getting a full push.  We want a committed push, not a rushed, shortened turnover.
We tell our athletes all the time - don't be the roadrunner - spinning your wheels but not going anywhere.

Each stride should be purposeful with the intent to put as much force into the ground as possible. As a coach you should look for...

• Straight Line Heel to Head
• Triple Extension - Ankle, Knee, Hip
• Positive Shin Angles
• Swing Leg Stepping Over Opposite Ankle - Calf 

Acceleration - What To Say

As the coaching world continues to grow and expand, it's becoming more and more evident that what we say, and how we say it matters!  It's not just X's and O's, it's about communication and stimulating motor learning, and a lot of this is done by the words we use.

It's clear that external cueing is king and it's much more effective than internal cueing in improving performance and motor functioning.  Porter el at (2015) showed that external cueing led to a decrease of .12sec in a 20m sprint.

Remember what we say and how we say it directly influences movement behavior.  Here are some ideas on external cueing during acceleration.

• PUSH, PUSH, PUSH
• Push the Ground Behind You
• Drive Out Like A Jet Plane Driving Down The Runway 
• Explode Off The Ground Like A Rocket

Top-End Characteristics

Top-end differs from acceleration in a few key ways, mainly body positioning and ground contact times.  In fact, ground contact times are half of what is seen during acceleration phases.

This means less time on the ground to produce force and more need for elastic components and impulses.  To maximize these things posture and mechanics are key, and as a coach here are some important characteristics of top-end speed...

• Ground Contact Times = ~.07-.10sec
• Upright Body Position
• High Heel Recovery
• Ground Reaction Forces = 5xBW

Top-End - What To Look For

The actions of top-end sprinting occur so quickly it is advisable to record and break it down frame by frame.  Things happen just to fast for the un-trained eye, that video will give you a much better understanding of what's really happening.

When looking at sprinting, these things are a must...

• Stacked Head, Spine, Hips
• Neutral or Dorsiflexed Ankle
• At Ground Contact
• Vertical Shin
• 100% of Height
• Figure 4 Position - Swing Knee Even or In Front of Grounded Knee

Top-End - What To Say

As we touched upon earlier, the ground contact times during sprinting are under a tenth of a second.  This is not enough time to actually consciously think about something or elicit change while on the ground.

This means our coaching needs to move away from words and cues that try create images of force production, and instead focus on being like a spring or pogo.  Words like the following create the correct image and motor response needed for the demands of top-end sprinting.

• Relax
• Bounce
• Push Yourself Tall
• Be Like A Whip
• Snap Off The Ground

Phases of the Sprinting Cycle

To better understand what is happening during sprinting, it is important to understand the different phases of the sprint cycle.  Now many people may classify the phases differently or assign them different names, but the important part is to understand, that during these times, certain actions needs to be occurring.  If they are not, speed and efficiency will be limited.

1) Ground Preparation

Each phase is vitally important, but ground prep might be the most important as it dictates success during the other phases.  

During ground prep, the leg is actively driving into the ground.  THIS IS A MUST.  An athlete cannot produce force once their foot is on the ground, there is simply not enough time.  They must actively be extending and driving while the foot is still in the air.  

The ankle/foot should ideally have some dorsiflexion and it cannot be plantarflexed.  Dorsiflexion allows for greater stored elastic energy and shorter ground contact times.  

2) Ground Contact

Ground contact occurs as the foot touches the ground.  During this time, we see huge amounts of isometric strength in the whole leg as the goal is to become stiff and resist deformation.  

Remember, at ground contact, the body experiences forces as much at 5xBW.  The goal is to not collapse under these forces and instead act like a spring.  

During acceleration, we want to see ground contact take place behind the COM and have a positive shin angle.  During top-end sprinting, we want to see ground contact as close to under the COM as possible and have an upright shin.  
At ground contact, the athlete should be 100% of their height, and their hips shouldn't overly sink or sag towards to grounded leg.  As the athletes leaves the ground, they should maintain this height and actually look as though they are floating across the ground.  Low, sinking runners are a sign of poor elastic abilities and the ability to create rigidness, and instead try to muscle through running which leads to loud steps and longer ground contact times.

3) Toe-Off

I actually classify the 2nd half of ground contact as toe-off.  This is a different phase because during the 2nd half of the whole ground contact phase, the athlete needs to be actively preparing for flight.  

The athlete should NOT be trying to push or continue to drive the foot behind the body.  Instead they should already be dorsiflexing their ankle/foot to elicit the crossed extensor reflex and getting their leg preparing for the flight phase. 

"Sprinters do not actually reach full extension because they are already actively

recovering the leg before the foot is actually off the ground"

- Ralph Mann

 

4) Flight

 
Flight phase occurs as the leg leaves the ground and gets back into position for ground preparation.  During this phase we want as little backside mechanics as possible.  The goal is to have the knee take the shortest path as possible to get back to the front side of the body.  

As the opposite leg drives into the ground and reaches ground contact, we want to see the flight leg knee be even or in front of the grounded leg.  I call this the figure 4 position.  

If this position does not occur, we know the athlete is spending too much time on backside mechanics and losing valuable time. 

  

Stay tuned for Part 4 of our sprinting series.

Go Get 'Em!

Understanding Muscle Physiology

The job of a strength and conditioning coach is to improve on-field performance which means improving movement skill.

Producing movement is a result of the unique ability of muscle to contract and shorten/lengthen its tissues and cause skeletal movement. Movements come from the ability of the body to generate tension and force. It is dependent on muscles, tendons, and the nervous system. The nervous system communicates to the muscles how and when they should contract. The muscular system contracts to generate tension and transmits this tension (along with the help of tendons) to the skeletal system to create movement.

The amount, speed, and frequency of force and consequently movement depend on the certain factors outlined below.

Motor Unit Recruitment

The recruitment of motor units is the basis for producing force. Motor unit recruitment relates to the number of motor neurons innervated during a muscle contraction. The ability to recruit more motor units equates to higher forces generated. Athletic movements occur as a result of skeletal muscles acting upon the skeletal system and using them as levers. These muscular contractions occur as response to signals sent from the nervous system.

Size Principle

The recruitment size and area of a motor neuron is directly related to the size of its axon; the larger the axon, the greater the amount of stimulation required. This principle is fundamental to the understanding of power because the size of the soma is indirect in proportion to the size of the motor unit or the number of the muscle fibers innervated by the alpha motor neuron.

Smaller motor units innervate less muscle fiber and produce smaller amounts of force which causes them to be recruited first.  Larger motor units on the other hand produce greater amounts of force.  As each muscle possesses a wide variety of motor units ranging in size, motor units are recruited in ascending order of size in what is referred to as “Henneman’s size principle”. The amount of load and how fast the weights or implement is lifted play a major role in determining the number of motor units and muscle fibers get stimulated. This is why heavy weights and/or power movements are essential to athletic output and used primarily in training.

Rate Coding

Rate coding is the term used to describe the frequency of signaling from the central nervous system to the motor unit. Basically it is how quick that signal is received from the nervous system until it results in a muscle contraction. Obviously increasing signal frequency can result in greater power production because of an increase in the firing rate of motor units. It has been shown that increased rate coding leads to higher rates of force development.

Rate coding is a quality that will improve over time with repetitions and neuromuscular adaptations. But if the signal frequency reaches too high of speed that the muscle fibers cannot completely relax between the bouts of signals, rate coding will be undermined and contraction efficiency and power will be reduced.

Synchronization

Synchronization is how well the nervous system manages to fire the muscle fibers in concert with one another, with more synchronized firing patterns leading to higher levels of force generated. The more motor units that can simultaneously activate can lead to performance gains. Motor unit synchronization may not directly enhance maximal force output, but it may be most related to performance in rate of force development and movements that require coactivation of multiple muscles at the same time.

Stretch-Shortening Cycle

The stretch-shortening cycle takes advantage of the elastic properties of the muscle-tendon units. Tendons don’t actually contract but act as a bridge between muscle and bone to aid and add extra force to contractions. Tendons are especially useful during stretch-shortening actions and their high elastic properties. Essentially tendons act similar to springs - they stretch and store energy during eccentric contractions and snap back during the concentric portion.

Power and speed can increase through this stretch-shortening cycle and can easily be seen in the difference between a depth jump and a static vertical jump. The depth jump takes advantage of the SSC while the static vertical jump doesn’t utilize these key elastic components.

This process works due to specific mechanoreceptors, such as muscle spindle fibers, responding to the muscle being stretched and send signals to the central nervous system. This communication causes a signaling of the muscle fibers to contract to prevent potential overstretching. This involuntary contraction allows for higher power and faster speeds of movement.

Sarcomeres in Series

The amount of force output within a muscle group is dependent on the number of
sarcomeres arranged in series (more sarcomeres running in series allows for each sarcomere to contract over a smaller range of motion to produce a given change in overall muscle length.  Multiple studies have also shown that faster athletes consistently exhibit longer muscle fascicles than their slower peers. This is why we train, dynamic resistance training has been shown to increase fascicle length, and conversely speed.

Motor Units in Muscle Groups

Every muscle in the body is different in terms of the number of motor units and muscle fibers it innervates due to its action, role, and need. Smaller, finer muscle groups and areas will contain less muscle fiber per motor unit due to its need for small, precise movements. These can be seen in your eyes and fingers. Larger muscle groups that need to be able to produce large amounts of strength and power will contain 1,000 or more muscle fibers per motor unit.

All or None Principle

When a motor unit is recruited all of the muscle fibers it innervates will contract. There is no half-way or partial contraction. If a signal is sent to stimulate that motor unit, every single fiber it innervates will contract; this is the all or none principle.

Force-Velocity Curve

The classic force-velocity curve demonstrates that as the velocity of movement increases the force produced is decreased. Basically it states something that we all know, as the weight gets heavier; we can’t move it as fast. One thing that is important about the force-velocity curve is that we train on all spectrum's of the curve, to get a maximum training benefit. Effectively we want the line to move up and the right. By doing so are able to produce more force at higher speeds, which effectively increases power and speed, and this is the goal for almost every sport.

Training only one end of the spectrum will help improve that specific quality, but may not affect the whole spectrum. Basically working on strength will give a bigger ceiling for speed development, and working on speed will benefit strength and RFD. One without the other will not produce maximal outcomes, and this curve can be a reminder of the interplay between physical qualities. The force-velocity curve is also a good guideline for coaches to structure their training. It leads into periodization, sport specificity, player position specificity, and loading schemes. Is your training and progressions attacking the whole curve, or are you just living in one area? There should be dedicated time to improving all of these qualities, to what degree will depend on the sport, athlete, and your coaching philosophy.

“The Goal Is To Move The Curve Up And To The Right”

Understanding the basics of muscle physiology allows for better programming and better outcomes for athletes.  Improving sports performance comes down to understanding physiology and how the nervous system operate under the demands of sports.

Go Get 'Em!

Top 10 Fruits

We love to say that fruit is nature's candy.  It's true, most fruit are naturally sweet with natural sugars, but unlike candy they kick you in the butt with lot of fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals.  Here's a quick reminder on some of those big words.

Phytonutrients - Natural nutrients in plant sources.  Phyto is Greek for plant, and these nutrients can help with many different health issues and help prevent diseases.  Some of the major phytonutrients for humans include - flavonoids, glucosinolates, resveratrol, caretonoids, ellagic acid, and phytoestrogens.  Overall the more phytonutrients a food has the better it is for us.

Antioxidants - Antioxidants help protect and repair damage done by free radicals.  Free radicals can cause damage to our body if they are not kept in check over time.  Antioxidants assist in reducing the natural damage done by free radicals.

It's tough to make a better nutritional choice than grab a handful of fruit.  Plus summer is prime season for most fruits, meaning they are extra fresh and less expensive.  ESPECIALLY at your local farmer's market, that's the hotspot for fresh and cheap fruits - little secret for you.  Ok let's take a look at some top choices of tuity fruity's

1. Berries - Aka Berrylicious

Blueberries - Now is the perfect time to take advantage of blueberries as summer is blueberry season!  Blueberries pack an incredible punch of antioxidants, in fact they have one of the highest antioxidants contents of any food you can eat.  It's no question blueberries are awesome for brain, heart, and cardiovascular health.  Blueberries may also enhance memory and fight the onset of Alzheimer's.

   Tummy Time - Skip out on the store and see if there is an orchard near where you live.  It's a whole hell of a lot cheaper to pick them yourself, and it's a lot more fun.  Plus you can freeze blueberries and they won't lose any of their nutritional value.

Strawberries - Strawberries are the most consumed berry, and it's easy to see why.  First off, they are delicious; and second, they provide massive amounts of vitamin C (immune system booster), antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory's.  Plus strawberries provide good amounts of fiber and can help control blood sugar, so even though they are super sweet, they don't wreck havoc on your blood sugar.

(photo: www.health.com)

   Tummy Time - Eat plain, or throw in a shake.  Strawberry shake...mmmmmmm!

Blackberries - Blackberries are a overlooked for their antioxidant levels when compared to other berries.  Blackberries can aid in preventing inflammation, can help prevent infection, and protect against cancers.  Blackberries, when eating regularly, can help strengthen your blood vessels which is key in sport performance and recovery from exercise.

   Tummy Time - Throw blackberries into a fruit salad

Raspberries - These little red, plump suckers aren't one of my favorites, but my mom loves them.  For those trying to maintain or lose weight, raspberries might become a good friend.  Recently they have been linked to reducing body fat through it's unique blend of phytonutrients.  Let's not also forget about the vitamin C, manganese, and fiber.

   Tummy Time - Toss some raspberries and some other berries in a bowl with greek yogurt and you got yourself an awesome little snack!

Cranberries - These tart guys may not be the most tasty, but they are great for cleansing your blood, urinary tract infections, and are packed with phytonutrients.  Cranberries are an awesome anti-inflammatory, assist heart health, and can help prevent cancer.

   Tummy Time - The tartness of cranberries can be a great addition to salads, shakes, and pies.

2. Pineapple

It's also a great time to get your pineapple fix, and we're getting into the back end of their main season.  This super sweet fruit will give you well over your daily's amount of vitamin C as well as a ton of manganese.  It's also a great post-workout food as it's help muscle repair and inflammation.

   Tummy Time - Plain ole Jane

3. Grapes - Aka Non-alcoholic wine

Grapes are my favorite fruit, nothing beats a fresh, firm purple grape!  I'm in luck because grapes are incredible for antioxidants, anti-inflammatory's, and may increase longevity.  We don't stop there either because grapes are a super fruit!  They also fight cancer, are good for the brain, and help control blood sugar.  How?  It's unique combination of phytonutrients and antioxidants make grapes incredible for anybody.

   Tummy Time - Sorry to be boring but nothing beats grapes just plain, but also in with greek yogurt is a close second.

4. Cherries

The cherry is a must for any athlete's kitchen.  Cherries are a potent anti-inflammatory and aid in muscular recovery as well as anything you could do.  Cherries are a natural pain killer and they are high in melatonin, meaning they can aid in sleep.

   Tummy Time - Cherry season is among the shortest of all produce, and right now they're in.  So grab your cherries for the cheaper prices while you can.

5. Grapefruit - Aka Food with the most hassle to eat

This awesome breakfast fruit will kick start your day with tons of vitamin C, antioxidants, and may help on a weight-loss diet.  Grapefruit ranks among the highest fruits in terms of antioxidant levels and is especially high in lypocene, which is shown to fight cancer.

   Tummy Time - Half a grapefruit for breakfast and start your day off right

6. Avocado - Aka - Most confused food - Am I a fruit, vegetable, or alien

(photo: wikipedia.org)

Avocado's are quickly becoming a staple in all health conscious people's kitchen, and for good reason.  Avocado's are high in fiber, carotenoids, healthy fats, and are a great anti-inflammatory.  Start adding in avocado's to your diet and receive the benefits to your heart, skin, and waistline.

   Tummy Time - Nothing beats fresh, homemade guacamole!  But adding in chunks of avocado to chicken salad is a close second.




7. Kiwi

These little buggers provide a big kick of Vitamin C, fiber, and are packed with antioxidants.  Kiwi are a great summer time snack and the more you eat of these the more benefits you will see in cardiovascular health, colon health, and control of your blood sugar.

   Tummy Time - Peel the skin with a knife and enjoy some delicious slices of kiwi!

8. Oranges - Aka Orange you glad your not a banana

Oranges are well known for their Vitamin C content and the immune system boost they provide.  But they are also a great source of phytonutrients and antioxidants.  Oranges have been linked with helping lower cholesterol, prevent ulcers, and support cardiovascular health.  Plus because oranges have a high water content, they are very refreshing, especially on hot summer days.

   Tummy Time - Peel and enjoy some oranges slices anytime you want.


9. Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe pack a serious punch of Vitamins A and C.  One serving of cantaloupe provides over your daily recommended value of both of these Vitamins.  Cantaloupe is one of the most nutrient dense fruits and provides a good number of antioxidants and is a great anti-inflammatory.

   Tummy Time - Throw some slices in greek yogurt and you're good to go.


10. Papaya

If you think oranges supply a lot of Vitamin C, then you haven't heard of papaya.  These bad boys supply over 300% of the daily value in just one serving!  Papaya is a fantastic post workout choice as is helps aid muscle recovery and decreases inflammation from exercise. Papaya also aids in prostate health, digestive health, heart health, and can help remedy arthritis.

   Tummy Time - Throw some papaya slices into homemade salsa to get that sweet and spicy combination that rivals the great combination of Hall and Oates.

(photo: www.harvext.com

No-No's

Fruit Juice - Most fruit juice's contain very small amounts of actual fruit, and high amounts of added sugar.  Stay away from regular fruit juice's!  If you can't live without fruit juice here are 3 options

   1. POM - POM is a pomegranate drink that is 100% juice.  Pomegranates are a nutritional power house, and POM is one of the few fruits drinks you should have.

   2. Naked Juice - Naked juice are drinks that are 100% vegetable and juice.  These are cool because on the side of the bottle it tells you exactly how many of each fruit and veggie are in it.  No sugar is added because there is no need, fruit and veggies have enough natural sugar and sweetness to them.

   3. Homemade - Have a juicer?  Then make your own fruit juices.  Don't have a juicer?  Then use a blender with some water and blend up some soft fruits together.  Delicious!

Dried Fruit - While dried fruit is a better option than other crappy snacks, just like fruit juice, most dried fruits are heavily saturated in added sugars when they don't need to be.  Help clean this up and buy unsweetened dried fruits to ensure you're just getting the fruit and no added sugar.


All right you fruit cakes, now you got the know who on this summer's fruits.  There isn't a better time to enjoy a bowl fresh, mouth watering fruits.

What's your favorite fruit?  Did we include on the list or did we miss it?  Leave us some feedback below!  And until next time Go Get 'Em!

The Other 23

One of the most important aspects of athletic development we emphasize is something we call - The Other 23.

You train for approximately 1-hour a day and then for the other 23 hours of the day what do you do?  Think about that for a second.  That's 23 hours of away from training and 1 hour training - In the grand scheme of things, what do you think is more important?

No doubt training is of utmost importance, but if you aren’t taking care of the hours spent away from training you are definitely short changing your results.


You can't out train or out work a poor lifestyle

The truth is, you get better between training sessions, not during them. Training elicits a stress on your body and you become better by adapting to those stresses. Training provides the stimulus for awesome results, BUT to fully maximize those results you need to take care of the other 23-hours you are not at BBA.

What does this mean?

• Nutrition - Eating tons of lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits at every meal
• Rest - Getting AT LEAST 8-hours of sleep per night - Plus consider a 20-40 minute nap
• Taking 10-minutes everyday to spend on your body 
• Stretching, Mobility, Self Massage (foam rolling) 
• Hot-Cold Showers, Cold Baths, Epsom Salt Baths 
• Being Active (Not watching TV/playing video games all day)

• Drinking plenty of water - 1/2 your BW in ounces
• Breathing Drills/Meditation - Tap into your parasympathetic nervous system and down regulate

It’s during The Other 23 that you will truly see the biggest results.  These hours are the difference between the good and great.  It's the difference between the serious and non-serious.  It's also the most underutilized aspect of most athletes lives.

If athletes, or really anybody for that matter, would just take control of 80% of this Other 23, they would see tremendous improvements in all areas of their performance and health.

Remember

You can't out train or out work a poor lifestyle


Go Get 'Em!