![]() Such power enabled the Jamaican Olympic champion to cover the 100 meters in 40.92 steps and run 9.58 seconds in 2009. ![]() Using data from a race Usain Bolt ran in Monaco in 2011, SMU researcher Andrew Udofa, Ph.D., determined that Bolt could apply 1,080 pounds of force into the ground with his right leg and 955 pounds with his left. The more force applied to the ground, the greater the distance covered with each step. Why our interest in vertical jumping? One of the essential characteristics of elite sprinters is they can apply high levels of force into the ground. Brown University female sprinters showing solid technique in the clean. ![]() Much of their training during the off-season was focused on weightlifting movements, especially the clean (video 2) and fast, full squats. As for absolute numbers, we had three female sprinters jump at least 31 inches (no step), and three male sprinters jump at least 37 inches (no step). For example, since last February, five of our 14 female sprinters improved their vertical jump by an average of 6.34 inches, which is significant since their average starting result was already exceptional at 22.4 inches. In addition to individual assessments, these tests collectively tell us how well our program is working. However, because it can take a complete training session to perform our entire battery of tests, we often will just administer a single test as a “spot check.” You’ll see that on the seven testing dates of Ury’s report: twice we tested only the vertical jump (arms with no step). Brown University vertical jump profile report.Įach test gives us valuable feedback about what our athletes need to focus on to perform their best. ![]() Note that her vertical jump (no step) improved from 22.7 inches to 31 inches during this period. It starts with her first test in February (COVID-19 prevented previous tests) and ends with her most recent test in November. However, between competitions, performance testing can provide valuable feedback about the effectiveness of an athlete’s physical preparation.Īt Brown, our performance tests for sprinters include five types of vertical jumps, two horizontal jumps (standing broad jump and standing triple jump), two medicine ball throws (underhand and behind-the-back), and two sprints (10-meter fly and 30-meter acceleration).įigure 2 shows the vertical jump profile of Brooke Ury, a sophomore hurdler and sprinter at Brown. The bottom line in track and field is what athletes can do in competition, not in the gym. Video 1: Brown University hurdler Brooke Ury measuring bar speed while squatting with a velocity-based testing device.īefore getting into the research supporting Napier’s training methods, let’s look at how to judge the effectiveness of a strength program for athletes with performance testing. If it takes longer than one second to rise from the bottom position, and the athlete decelerates through the sticking point, Napier says there is less transfer to explosive strength. Napier determined that for the back squat to transfer to the competition lifts (snatch and clean and jerk), the optimal speed during the ascent should be one second or less (video 1). Jim Napier determined that for the back squat to transfer to the competition lifts (snatch and clean and jerk), the optimal speed during the ascent should be 1 second or less. Napier summarized his findings in his three books, The Sport of Weightlifting Series. (Photos by Bruce Klemens)īesides competing at an elite level, Napier did extensive research on the relationship between barbell velocity and weightlifting performance, including studying the training of hundreds of athletes. Napier has done considerable research on velocity-based training for explosive strength. In 1979, Jim Napier snatched this American record of 341 pounds and is shown performing a split-style clean at the 1977 World Championships. He broke four American records, including a 314-pound snatch at 165 pounds body weight and a 341-pound snatch at 181 pounds body weight (figure 1). This approach to squatting is championed by Jim Napier, a two-time national weightlifting champion who competed in the 19 World Weightlifting Championships. “I don’t care how much you can squat-I want to know how much you can squat in one second!” But it may not be a wise approach to help athletes sprint faster or jump higher, at least when it comes to squats. Patton, Jr., said this 78 years ago, in his paper “Instructions to the Third United States Army,” and it’s a motto many strength coaches endorse.
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