Principles of Speed & Principles of Speed & Agility DevelopmentAgility Development

Certificate IV FitnessCertificate IV Fitness

Strength & Conditioning 2010Strength & Conditioning 2010

Speed & AgilitySpeed & Agility SpeedSpeed – the ability to achieve high – the ability to achieve high

velocityvelocity

AgilityAgility - the ability to explosively brake, - the ability to explosively brake, change direction, and accelerate again; change direction, and accelerate again; involves greater involvement of involves greater involvement of deceleration and the ability to reactively deceleration and the ability to reactively couple it w/ acceleration; requires rapid, couple it w/ acceleration; requires rapid, efficient eccentric/concentric switchingefficient eccentric/concentric switching

Speed is the result of applying explosive Speed is the result of applying explosive force to a specific movement or technique. force to a specific movement or technique.

The ability to change direction and speed The ability to change direction and speed is more important than simply achieving is more important than simply achieving or maintaining high velocityor maintaining high velocity

What is sprinting?What is sprinting?

Short-duration, high-intensity activities at Short-duration, high-intensity activities at distances of no more than distances of no more than 200 meters for swimming200 meters for swimming 800 meters for running800 meters for running 1 kilometer for bicycling 1 kilometer for bicycling 1500 meters for speed skating1500 meters for speed skating

Relies heavily on energy produced from ATP-PC Relies heavily on energy produced from ATP-PC system and anaerobic glycolysissystem and anaerobic glycolysis

Flexibility and speedFlexibility and speed

Lack of flexibility at specific Lack of flexibility at specific joints may limit sprinting joints may limit sprinting performance while increased performance while increased flexibility may improve flexibility may improve performance.performance.

Improving sprint Improving sprint running performancerunning performance

During start and acceleration:During start and acceleration: Resistance trainingResistance training

During high velocity phase:During high velocity phase: Increase length of the stride Increase length of the stride Shorten ground contact timeShorten ground contact time

Improving sprint Improving sprint running performance running performance

(cont.)(cont.) Improve technique byImprove technique by

Using high knee liftUsing high knee lift Using long running strideUsing long running stride Placing feet beneath center of gravityPlacing feet beneath center of gravity

Methods for improving sprint running:Methods for improving sprint running: Sprint-resisted trainingSprint-resisted training Sprint-assisted trainingSprint-assisted training

Sprint-resisted and sprint-Sprint-resisted and sprint-assisted trainingassisted trainingMethod

Sprint-Resisted Training

1. Weighted-vest running

2. Sand running

3. Resisted-towing (parachute or rubber cord, etc.)

Sport Requirements

Most appropriate for sports that require vertical movements as opposed to horizontal movements

Best applied to sports that demand rapid bouts of acceleration and multi-directional movements

May be useful for rehabilitation of lower-limb injuries

Appropriate for sports that involve change of direction and forceful acceleration

Factors Affected

Improved force production

Improved strength

Improved stabilization

Improved acceleration

Increased force throughout acceleration

continued

Sprint-resisted and sprint-Sprint-resisted and sprint-assisted trainingassisted trainingMethod

Sprint-Resisted Training

1. Weighted-vest running

2. Sand running

3. Resisted-towing (parachute or rubber cord, etc.)

Prescription

Add 3-8% of body weight with vest

Can be used during any phase of training

Used in conjunction with resistance and technique training

Precautions

Athletes should have resistance training experience and advanced vertical power capabilities

Should be contrasted to normal running conditions

Athletes should have proper technique and experience in resistance training

continued

Sprint-resisted and sprint-Sprint-resisted and sprint-assisted trainingassisted trainingMethod

Sprint-Assisted Training

1. Assisted-towing (motorized towing device, rubber cord, or rocket rope, etc.)

2. Downhill running

3. High-speed treadmill running

Sport Requirements

Factors Affected

Useful for activities that require the maintenance of maximal velocity for over 40 meters

Most appropriate for events that involve downhill running

Used for high-velocity injuries

Most useful for linear activities

May be useful for rehabilitating hamstring injuries

Reduced ground contact timeMay increase stride lengthPossibly improved running technique and efficiencyImproved stretch-shortening cycle

Improved running velocityImproved running form

Improved running technique at high velocitiesIncreased hamstrings conditioning

continued

Sprint-resisted and sprint-Sprint-resisted and sprint-assisted trainingassisted trainingMethod

Sprint-Assisted Training

2. Downhill running

3. High-speed treadmill running

Prescription Precautions

1. Assisted-towing (motorized towing device, rubber cord, or rocket rope, etc.)

Running at 101-103% of maximal unassisted velocityOften used in season

Declines not to exceed a 3% grade

Used in conjunction with resistance training

Athletes must have expert technique, high-speed running experience, and a resistance training background

Athletes should have expert technique and resistance training experienceShould be used only short term to reduce potential of decreasing rear leg thrust

Required substantial eccentric strengthAthletes must be experienced with high-velocity running and resistance trainingShould only be used short term

Speed Development Techniques Speed Development Techniques (cont.)(cont.)

Resisted SprintingResisted Sprinting – uses resistance to – uses resistance to improve speed strength and stride length; improve speed strength and stride length; the applied overload is applied without the applied overload is applied without arresting the athlete’s running mechanicsarresting the athlete’s running mechanics

A 10% or greater change in external A 10% or greater change in external resistance has a detrimental effect on resistance has a detrimental effect on movement kinetics, kinematics and movement kinetics, kinematics and techniquetechnique

In order to prevent the In order to prevent the athlete from athlete from attempting to “muscle attempting to “muscle through” the through” the drill (which can result in drill (which can result in technique technique changes), the strength changes), the strength professional professional should emphasize explosive should emphasize explosive arm and arm and knee punching action and knee punching action and explosive leg explosive leg drive off the grounddrive off the ground

Running SpeedRunning Speed Sprinting is a series of ballistic strides in which the body is Sprinting is a series of ballistic strides in which the body is

repeatedly launched forward as a projectilerepeatedly launched forward as a projectile Running SpeedRunning Speed – the interaction between – the interaction between Stride FrequencyStride Frequency & &

Stride LengthStride Length As running speed approaches max, frequency changes more than As running speed approaches max, frequency changes more than

lengthlength Stride Length – related to limb length and body height; also Stride Length – related to limb length and body height; also

related to impulse (FT) generated at ground strikerelated to impulse (FT) generated at ground strike Stride Frequency – has the greatest influence on max velocity and Stride Frequency – has the greatest influence on max velocity and

is more trainable vs. stride lengthis more trainable vs. stride length As stride frequency increases, ground contact time decreases; As stride frequency increases, ground contact time decreases;

highly dependent on the ability to produce explosive ground highly dependent on the ability to produce explosive ground reaction forcereaction force

If stride length is accentuated, running mechanics may be If stride length is accentuated, running mechanics may be negatively affected as optimal position at ground contact may not negatively affected as optimal position at ground contact may not be attainedbe attained

Explosive contralateral arm action serves to counteract angular Explosive contralateral arm action serves to counteract angular momentum produced by leg movement, and is driven by momentum produced by leg movement, and is driven by neuromuscular innervation patternsneuromuscular innervation patterns

Novice vs. Elite SprinterNovice vs. Elite Sprinter

Novice Sprinter Elite Sprinter

Stride Length (SL)

Achieved max SL at about 27 yds

Achieve greater SL and have the

ability to continue increasing SL up

to ~50 yds

Stride Frequency (SF)

Achieve max SF at ~ 11-16 yds

Achieve greater SF & continue

increasing SL up to ~ 27 yds

AgilityAgility

Agility places greater emphasis on Agility places greater emphasis on deceleration and coupled acceleration deceleration and coupled acceleration as compared to linear sprintingas compared to linear sprinting

Closed or Programmed AgilityClosed or Programmed Agility – – optimization of motor stereotype or optimization of motor stereotype or technique; test is pre-programmed technique; test is pre-programmed and known to the athleteand known to the athlete

i.e. T-test, Hexagon Test, Edgren i.e. T-test, Hexagon Test, Edgren Side Step TestSide Step Test

Open or Non-programmed AgilityOpen or Non-programmed Agility – – reaction and adaptation of a trained reaction and adaptation of a trained motor pattern to new or unforeseen motor pattern to new or unforeseen situations; “Read & React” drillssituations; “Read & React” drills

Short Suicide (Cones At 0, 5, 10 Yards)

Start/Finish

Mark off 10 yards, with cones at 0, 5, and 10 yards

X Drill (10 Yard Box)

1) Sprint, Sprint, Sprint, Sprint