What is going on in high level sprinting? The reality is that simple physics and basic math illustrates that those that are running faster are improving by increasing the total work during the stance phase. The take off angle and stride length changes are marginal since it’s about more work being put down in order to overcome an increase of forces. What happens beyond 12.5 meters per second I am not aware of, but you need to get to running at world record speeds first. Instead of looking at what could be doing theoretically, we should first worry about what people are doing now in the real world. The research is clearly showing that propulsion occurs at specific joint angles that prove that the foot and hip are working to increase power by decreasing contact duration. By increasing power over a shorter period of contact time, frequency increases while stride length may not improve much. Trajectory angles will stay the same, power will increase, ground contact time will decrease, vertical hip displacement will stay nearly the same, negative distance of the hip decent will decrease, positive work will increase, and sprinters will become sport cars. The biomechanics line art illustration of Flo-Jo is a great example of how sometimes a picture doesn’t need many words.
Carl Valle
Latest posts by Carl Valle (see all)
- Thank you EliteTrack! - September 7, 2013
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- How fast can Usain Bolt run the 40 yard dash? - September 4, 2013
- Matt Harvey- Superman to Clark Kent - September 4, 2013
- Rotten to the Core? - August 31, 2013