[jl87]

jl87 on June 17, 2009 at 9:05 am #15879

I have just purchased the SPARQ bands that attached to each ankle. I plan on using them to help make my hips stronger and hopefully lengthen my stride, as I have extremely fast turnover but a short stride because of a combination of flexibility (which i am also working on by stretching) and poor extension.

What are some good exercises I can do with the bands besides leaning against a wall and running in place and doing high knees one at a time in place?

[Jay Turner]

Jay Turner on June 17, 2009 at 11:18 am #84926

I have just purchased the SPARQ bands that attached to each ankle. I plan on using them to help make my hips stronger and hopefully lengthen my stride, as I have extremely fast turnover but a short stride because of a combination of flexibility (which i am also working on by stretching) and poor extension.

What are some good exercises I can do with the bands besides leaning against a wall and running in place and doing high knees one at a time in place?

I’ve never heard of these so my first question to you and others on the panel is does that product really work?

[Mike Young]

Mike Young on June 17, 2009 at 12:02 pm #84933

Those probably won’t have a significant impact on stride length. They strengthen the muscles primarily responsible for the first part of the swing phase and not the part that has the biggest impact on stride length (second half of swing phase and ground contact).

ELITETRACK Founder

[jl87]

jl87 on June 17, 2009 at 3:22 pm #84953

https://www.sparqtraining.com/img/trainers/matt_james/drills/MJ_wall_A_skips_image.jpg

[jl87]

jl87 on June 17, 2009 at 3:25 pm #84954

Those probably won’t have a significant impact on stride length. They strengthen the muscles primarily responsible for the first part of the swing phase and not the part that has the biggest impact on stride length (second half of swing phase and ground contact).

then what things can i do to lengthen my stride?

[Mike Young]

Mike Young on June 17, 2009 at 3:40 pm #84957

Sprint fast, lift heavy, and do plyos.

ELITETRACK Founder

[dan1990]

dan1990 on June 17, 2009 at 9:09 pm #84959

for hip flexor strength try some core exercises like hanging leg raises v-ups..weight room squat..also what will help may help you is bulgarian split squat and lunges with the stance spread out and go as deep as possible great for hip mobility and glute hamstring strength..in the bulgarian split squat when you get good at them maybe use a box to elevate the front foot to incease ROM..the lunges and bularian split squat really helped me in the past when i got good at them going deep in squat was not a problem..

[Josh Hurlebaus]

Josh Hurlebaus on June 18, 2009 at 1:09 am #84962

While we are talking about stride length as a function of power I can’t help but think that isn’t how he thinks of it, but rather as how far his legs reach or stretch during sprinting and I think thats where his confusion lies.

Hell I’ve heard high school coaches who think that longer legs = greater stride length than short legs and they account for fast short people by saying that they just have much faster turnover.

[rj24]

rj24 on June 18, 2009 at 3:11 am #84967

Hell I’ve heard high school coaches who think that longer legs = greater stride length than short legs and they account for fast short people by saying that they just have much faster turnover.

Actually, to a certain extent, it does work that way. Longer levers are better at generating speed. For a quick example, the best pitchers in baseball can throw around 100 mph, while a good deal of jai alai players can get the ball moving upwards of 150 mph. The difference is in the length of the lever arm.

Of course, the human body is much heavier than a ball, but the same principles apply. Longer limbs are better (to a point), but only if the individual has the strength to use them.

[Josh Hurlebaus]

Josh Hurlebaus on June 18, 2009 at 5:02 am #84969

True but it is a common mistake to correlate stride length with only limb length or flexibility when power has the most to do with it. i was commenting on those coaches ignoring the power output aspect

[nagslctor]

nagslctor on July 14, 2009 at 3:05 am #86333

Long legs can also directly affect “contact length” (the distance covered by the centre of gravity whilst foot is in contact with the ground although Weyand et al 2000 suggest that this makes little difference to top speed. Although perhaps for an extreme outlier like Bolt this difference is not insignificant.