Do you have an abstract for the study? I’m not familiar with it. Are you saying that they found plyometrics to be 6x more effective than strength work at improving speed?
[quote]From my own calculations, the plyometric programs that have a net horizontalness (more horizontal based exercises than vertical) have produced the greatest improvements.
In most North American coaching circles the emphasis is on vertical plyos.[/quote]
Hopefully I’m not contravening any copyright laws by posting the abstract below – in essence this serves as a great advertisement for the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
Influence of high-resistance and high-velocity training on sprint performance.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 27(8):1203-1209, August 1995.
DELECLUSE, CHRISTOPHE; COPPENOLLE, HERMAN VAN; WILLEMS, EUSTACHE; LEEMPUTTE, MARK VAN; DIELS, RUDI; GORIS, MARINA
Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of high-resistance (HR) and high-velocity (HV) training on the different phases of 100-m sprint performance. Two training groups (HR and HV) were compared with two control groups (RUN and PAS). The HR (N = 22) and HV group (N = 21) trained 3 d.wk-1 for 9 wk: two strength training sessions (HR or HV) and one running session. There was a run control group (RUN, N = 12) that also participated in the running sessions (1 d.wk-1) and a passive control group (PAS, N = 11). Running speed over a 100-m sprint was recorded every 2 m. By means of a principal component analysis on all speed variables, three phases were distinguished: initial acceleration (0-10 m), building-up running speed to a maximum (10-36 m), and maintaining maximum speed in the second part of the run (36-100 m). HV training resulted in improved initial acceleration (P < 0.05 compared with RUN, PAS, and HR), a higher maximum speed (P < 0.05 compared with PAS), and a decreased speed endurance (P < 0.05 compared to RUN and PAS). The HV group improved significantly in total 100 m time (P < 0.05 compared with the RUN and PAS groups). The HR program resulted in an improved initial acceleration phase (P < 0.05 compared with PAS).
(C)1995The American College of Sports Medicine
High-resistance plus sprint training might have been better than just sprint training!
Plyometrics was more effective than high-resistance during the initial acceleration phase (0-10m). High-resistance and sprint training protocols were better at sustaining maximum speed. Not posted in the abstract is the 100-m pre and post training program times:
High resistance 12.45 to 12.42s, High velocity (plyometrics) 12.51 to 12.30s, Sprint training 12.29 to 12.37s. Bear in mind that any training on this population would have produced greater effects than with highly trained sprint athletes.
With regards to any of these training modalities in isolation or in combination, I'll use the analogy that the greatest cook and make good bread with any quality of ingredients but given the highest quality ingredients, the greatest cook can make an even greater bread.
Happy Easter.