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2 Hops, 2 Steps, 1 Jump #BattleOfTheBounds

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Here are some great examples of doing 2 Hops, 2 Steps, 1 Jump in the Jumps Decathlon.

Samir Layne 19.10m

Instagram Photo

Omar Ope Craddock 18.15m

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Royce E. Dates Jr.  16.80m

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Kenta Bell 16.40m

Instagram Photo

Samyr Laine

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post 2 Hops, 2 Steps, 1 Jump #BattleOfTheBounds appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.


Sub 10 seconds 100m Times by Age

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I want to thank Scott Olberding for posting this graph on Twitter.

I had so many emails this week about Justin Gatlin’s recent PR in Doha, plus the fact that all the top sprinters (i..e Jamaicans) were “ducking” or avoiding Gatlin in fear of losing against him.

This chart below shows the outliers.  Gatlin is the red dot (9.74 before the age of 35), with Kim Collins on the top left, and Usain Bolt on the far left with his 9.58.

The sad part is, drugs or clean, we will never know the true story of any of the athletes in the dots above.

But as outlined in Roger Pielke’s Blog,  the top 3 sprinters who improve after Age 30 (Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, and Asafa Powell) all have history of drug related positives.  Maurice Green and Carl Lewis looks terrible in the graph below!

Only time will tell with the retirement of Usain Bolt and the changing of the guard with a crop of new young sprinters.  Let’s hope the TV ratings don’t go down because of it.

Best sprint times for 100m 10 top sprinters, by age

Image Credits: http://leastthing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/gatlins-geriatric-sprinting.html

Sub 10 seconds by Age

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Sub 10 seconds 100m Times by Age appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Usain Bolt 200m Secret: Dropping the Shoulder?

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In a recent interview with ESPN, Usain Bolt said just prior to his 200m in Ostrava:

… his goal remained to break his own 200 world record of 19.19, set in 2009.

“The 200’s my favourite event. I really focus on trying to run faster over 200. My aim is always gonna be the 200 meters. That’s one of the biggest goals of my life.”

“My start is always crap as everybody knows, I still have to work on that. The 200 meters, it’s just work on little things on the corner and coming out of the corner and dropping my shoulders. I’m just trying to get everything together, leading up to the world championship. As long as everything comes together there shouldn’t be a problem.”

Usain Bolt 200 meters 2013 WC

Photo credits: AP Photo/Misha Japaridze

What did he mean by “dropping his shoulders”?

When I first started racing the 200m, I was told to dip the shoulder to gradually lean into the curve.  This was usually one or two strides just before entering the curve,

But years later, I realized that the only adjustment you need to do is tilt your head with the chin pointing down a tiny bit.  Thus the hips and shoulders will follow.  Your body will naturally lean into the curve.

So when I say “It’s all in the head”, it’s really true!

Out of the starting blocks, the first few steps are a straight line until the curve begins..

Going INTO the curve, as in a 300m or 400m outdoor, or 200 meter indoor, start the “lean” (i.e. the head tilt) a few meters back or about 1 or 2 strides before the curve starts.

In the picture above, take a look at American-born-Italian Andrew Howe on the right.

Note his body is leaning, with hips and shoulders in excellent running position.

His head is nearly straight, but he is leaning.  If you straighten him up (using Photoshop), what will you see?  His head will be tilted with the chin slightly down.

If you don’t believe me, check out Usain Bolt’s head tilt in the first image (above).  Or Adam Gemili’s head tilt for that matter.

Dropping the Shoulders

The term dropping the shoulders is really the end result (or effect) on how to properly run the curve in the 200m.  How you do it is another matter.

Of course, the final tip is don’t raise or straighten the head until you reach the straightaway.

Then you are only half way there. You still have 100m to go.  Or 300m to go in a 400m.

As Liam Neeson would say, “Good Luck!”

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Usain Bolt 200m Secret: Dropping the Shoulder? appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Was it a Foul? Julius Yego Javelin Kenya National Record

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Congrats to Julius Yego of Kenya with his 86.88m Javelin National Record yesterday at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2015.  (Yes, I know what you are thinking.  Kenya is a powerhouse in the Javelin?)

But was it a foul?

We all remember the controversy when Greg Rutherford set the British Long Jump record at an “obscure” meet.  This meet was a Golden Spike meet.

Julius Yego 86.88m Javelin Throw Kenyan NR foul

The Javelin Rules

As stated in the rulebook:

It shall be a foul if the competitor, after starting the throw, touches with any part of his/her body the lines demarking, or the ground outside the runway or improperly releases the javelin in making an attempt.

Note the official is clearly watching this, and he puts up the white flag after it is thrown.

Here is the video on YouTube:

What do you think? Is this a foul?

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Was it a Foul? Julius Yego Javelin Kenya National Record appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

First Shoe Drops [SHIN SPLINTS 2015]

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The overnight news was stunning. In an early morning raid at a fancy hotel in Zurich, Swiss police arrested a gaggle of FIFA officials. Americans who are used to our traditional “perp walks” had to be disappointed: no firearms, no handcuffs, and no meat wagons. The subjects were detained in a civilized manner and hustled off to the local constabulary in non-descript sedans. They were allowed to bring their luggage.

FIFA-Press-Conference

The criminal charges against these alleged miscreants, however, were not based on Swiss law. The 47 count indictment was unsealed in a Federal Court in Brooklyn and was a consequence of transgressions against US laws. In a press conference later in the day, no less than the rookie Attorney General of the United States, Loretta Lynch, and the FBI Director, James Comey, accused nine soccer officials and five executives of sports marketing firms of making and taking bribes totaling more than $150M as kickbacks for media and marketing rights to soccer tournaments over 24 years.

Over and over, the feds repeated that this was only the beginning of the case; that there was more to come; that they were not through. Watching the proceedings, I could almost hear Karen Carpenter warbling the strains of We’ve Only Just Begun.

FIFA is a vast criminal enterprise. Its governance is led by greedy, power-hungry thugs who operate with impunity. They take kickbacks and bribes, scalp tickets, and sell their votes to the highest bidder. There are no angels; they are all devils. Those who are not “on the take” are shielding those who are in order to keep their perks. First Class air travel, fancy restaurants, tony hotel suites, seating in “tribunes” at important matches, limousines; these are the trappings of these modern-day grandees. And, they control the best sport ever invented.

How ironic that the first serious challenge to their feudal hegemony has come from America. An American prosecutor has charged fourteen North and South Americans with fraud, money laundering, racketeering and bribery as a consequence of nefarious acts that took place in this hemisphere. Not in Europe, or the Middle East, or in Asia, or in Africa. The criminality was “New World” based.

My first thought as I watched these events unfold during the day is that you can kiss goodbye any chance that a World Cup will be awarded to the United States for many decades to come. These bastards have a long memory. They will never forget who broke up their party. Just as the IOC henchmen will never forget how Senator John McCain embarrassed them over the Salt Lake Olympic debacle, these guys will never forgive Loretta Lynch. We’re toast! To quote Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson in their hit Uptown Funk!, “Don’t believe me? Just Watch!”

My other thought has to do with the election for FIFA President scheduled for Friday. The unctuous Sepp Blatter, the incumbent, is running for a fifth, four year term. He is opposed by Prince Ali al Hussein of Jordan. I’m sorry, but I’m hearing music, again. This time a lyric from Aladdin: “Prince Ali-fabulous he-Ali Ababwa”.

You would get even money from Vegas that Blatter’s name will be on the next set of indictments coming from Brooklyn. I would not expect him to plan a US vacation any time soon. So, this leaves Sunil Gulati, the US representative on FIFA’s Executive Committee, in a ticklish spot. Does he vote for Blatter, as he did the last election, and draw the enmity of the Europeans who bitterly oppose his re-election. Gulati would have a hard time justifying this decision with those who want to clean up the cesspool.

Or, does Gulati bite the bullet, back Ali, and run the risk of incurring Blatter’s wrath in the event he survives this onslaught. Gulati has his post because Blatter considers him loyal, and he surely will be purged if he takes this more courageous path. I don’t see any “Profiles in Courage” on the horizon. Maybe a family illness will call him back to the states before the election.

These indictments originated from prior proceedings against the former General Secretary of the North American Federation [CONCACAF], Chuck Blazer. Blazer, a corpulent slob with near genius intelligence, is currently hospitalized with a serious illness. He was confronted several years ago by the FBI with evidence he had extorted and not paid taxes on tens of millions of CONCACAF monies. He agreed to wear a wire and cooperated with the government. It was recently revealed that he secretly pled guilty in 2013 to several serious charges and his sentencing has been delayed while the current investigation plays out.

In an interesting quirk, Gulati and Blazer have been good friends going back to 1980. Gulati currently sits in the FIFA chair that was then occupied by Blazer before his misadventures. When Gulati was forced from his post as Deputy Commissioner of Major League Soccer in 1999, Blazer gave him an office at CONCACAF’s headquarters in the Trump Tower. Even though they have been friends for decades and shared offices for nearly ten years, Gulati feigns ignorance of Blazer’s criminal activity.

In the movie, Blazer will be played by Peter Ustinov, Gulati by Ben Kingsley, and the plot will be incredible. I haven’t figured out the music in the soundtrack, yet.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Doug Logan

Doug Logan

Adjunct Professor of Sports Management at New York University

Doug Logan is an Adjunct Professor of Sports Management, at New York University. He was the CEO for USATF from 2008 until September 2010 and the CEO, President and Commissioner for Major League Soccer from 1995 to 1999.

The post First Shoe Drops [SHIN SPLINTS 2015] appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Courageous Act [SHIN SPLINTS 2015]

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In less than 24 hours I have to eat my words. I was wrong.

Yesterday, in a post titled “First Shoe Drops”, I expressed skepticism that the US vote for FIFA President would be cast against the incumbent, Sepp Blatter. I wrongly assumed that Sunil Gulati, President of the US Federation [USSF] would avoid making a courageous statement with our vote. Well, I blew it!

Sunil Gulati

In the last hour media sources have reported that Gulati has announced that he will cast our vote for Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, the challenger. With this act Gulati has put us in sync with the “good guys”. It sends a clear message that we will not continue to back the regime that has facilitated, fostered and protected corruption in the governance of this great sport. We are standing tall, regardless of the consequences.

At this hour I have no idea what the results of the election will be. It could be that Blatter’s support in the emerging nations of Asia and Africa, together with the steadfast backing of Putin and Russia cannot be defeated. It makes no difference. That there may be retribution is probable. Again, it does not matter. What does matter is that we are taking a moral stand against the corruption that threatens the game.

I have had my differences with Mr. Gulati over the years. Not in this instance. I apologize for my faulty presumption. I commend him for his leadership and courage. I am proud of him.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Doug Logan

Doug Logan

Adjunct Professor of Sports Management at New York University

Doug Logan is an Adjunct Professor of Sports Management, at New York University. He was the CEO for USATF from 2008 until September 2010 and the CEO, President and Commissioner for Major League Soccer from 1995 to 1999.

The post Courageous Act [SHIN SPLINTS 2015] appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Add 2 Inches to your High Jump with the Intercept Point

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This article was written by Todd Acheson, a two-time NCAA DIV II All-American in the High Jump.  If you have any questions about this article, you can email him at tacheson@gmail.com

I firmly believe that this article will add two or more inches to your high jump next season. The calculations are very straight forward and easy to use.

I could go on and on about how well these methods worked for myself and countless others I’ve heard from. If I only would have had this while I was in school, I could have been a more successful jumper.

My objective is to give you some valuable information regarding High Jump approach techniques that I believe will benefit you or your athletes.

Mutaz Essa Barshim High Jump overlay

Assumptions

As a high jumper, it is assumed you will be using the flop method of jumping.

The curve portion of the approach that the jumper runs is CIRCULAR.

The high jump standards are fixed points of reference. Once measurements are obtained, these two objects should never be moved during the course of competition or during practice.

The concepts presented here can be considered a common sense approach to high jumping. Like most challenges in sports, you may not be able to teach your body to do what your mind wants it to do, overnight. Practice is the only way to develop these principals. It may take months or years for an athlete to really feel comfortable with their approach. In order for you to see success with this program, you must practice with determination and diligence.

Approach Characteristics

Everything you do up to the point of take-off is very important. Why? Because it is the main factor that will determine how successful your bar clearance will be. 90% of the jump is in the approach! The high jump is difficult to perform, due to the fact that a high jumper must run a curve. This curve makes the high jump much more complex, when compared to the long jump and triple jump approaches. You need to be consistent when you run your curve. It is of my firm belief that you must run the proper approach, so that your body will be in the correct position at the point of take-off. If you can put yourself in the correct position at take-off consistently, you’ll have more attempts, and a better probability of making higher heights. Once you get comfortable with a consistent approach, you can practice and concentrate on other aspects of your jump, such as a knee drive, hip rotation, arch, penultimate step, etc.

What is the correct position at take-off? As a high jumper, you must run your curve with inward lean, that is, your body must be leaning toward the center of the circle you are running. And, MOST IMPORTANTLY, you must maintain that lean as you plant your take-off foot and attempt to make bar clearance. If you don’t do this, you might as well run straight at the bar without a circular approach. The whole idea behind a circular approach is to have inward lean at the point of take-off.

With that in mind, the main purpose of this web site is to help you develop consistency in your approach from start to take-off. Remember, in regards to the physical components of jumping, 90% of your jump lies in your approach!! Read the contents of this web site very carefully, so that you understand the concepts involved.

Your high jump approach can be viewed as similar to a long or triple jump approach. In the long or triple jump, you have a start point and an end point (take-off point). If done correctly, your last step will be on the board, and a successful jump will be obtained. Let’s carry this concept over to the high jump, and take a close look at the four(4) basic components of the approach.

  1. Take-off point
    Most jumpers will find themselves at a point about 1-2 feet from the standard along the crossbar. This distance is called XSTD. From that point on the crossbar, you will be somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 feet perpendicular measured out, depending upon your speed and jumping ability. This distance is called YSTD. Typically, the higher you jump, the further away from the crossbar (YSTD) you will find yourself when you plant your take-off foot.
  2. Take-off angle
    Next, you will choose your take-off angle. Jumpers will sometimes say that their take-off leg feels like it collapses when they plant and try to jump. One cause of this “collapse” is a take-off angle that is close to degrees, or possibly even parallel. It should NEVER be parallel!!! This is very important!! A good starting point is to be somewhere between 15 and 30 degrees. This is a variable that you will play with until you find one that works well.
  3. Number of Steps on the Curve
    Now you need to decide how many steps you will take on the curve portion of your approach. It is recommended that you use five (5) steps as your starting point. Do not change this, unless advised by your coach. Biomechanists have found that five steps is ideally what a jumper should be using.
  4. Stride Length
    Your stride length makes you unique from every other jumper. This is the main variable that determines your approach. Your stride length on a curve determines how much distance you can cover in 5 steps. You will need to obtain a measurement of your stride length, while running a curve. To accomplish this, you will need someone to assist you. Using a tape measure, mark a circle with radius of about 25 ft. (for high school athletes and above). Then run this circle with the same tempo and rhythm you would normally use for your actual high jump approach. Remember to maintain inward lean while you do this. Have an assistant watch where each step lands on the circle’s perimeter. You will then measure the distance between these steps. Add the distances together and divide by the number of measurements you make. The result is your average stride length. You only need to take about 5-7 steps on a portion of this circle to obtain the measurements.

With these four (4) variable defined, you can now use some applied math to find a very, very good approximation of the intercept point where an athlete should be starting their approach curve. This is the key to achieving consistency!!!!

The Intercept Point

What is the intercept point?

This is the point on the track, unique to each jumper, where the approach curve starts. The location of this point is dependent upon the 4 components of your approach. Changing any of those 4 components, will change the location of your intercept point.

This point is actually located by measuring “X” from the standard closest to your takeoff point, and then measuring “Y” outward and perpendicular from “X”.

Most jumpers do this anyway to find their start point, only now, you will find the point at which your curve begins. Once you locate this point, you will be well on your way to higher heights. You find your intercept point based on the variables you defined in the previous section.

It’s not enough to have a starting point marked on the track. The starting point is only secondary to the intercept point. As long as you hit your intercept point with each approach, your jumping will become more consistent. More consistency means a better probability at clearing higher heights.

After all, that’s what it’s all about, HIGHER HEIGHTS!

(Click on the images below to enlarge)

High Jump Intercept Point 1

High Jump Intercept Point 2

 

High Jump Intercept Point 3

High Jump Intercept Point 4

 

Calculate your Intercept Point

You need to find 5 variables:

Enter STRIDE length: __ (Inches)
Enter number of STEPS on the curve: __ steps
Enter XSTD (distance along the standard to takeoff): __ (Inches)
Enter YSTD (distance of takeoff foot from standard): __ (Inches)
Enter your takeoff ANGLE: __ (Degrees)

Download the Calculator

Here is the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for off-line formula calculations:  Intercept Point (Windows users: right-click mouse and choose “Save as”.  Mac users: hold CMD key while clicking)

Example Application

Let’s say that we want to find Johnny Jumper’s Intercept Point. First we want to find his stride length. Johnny’s coach draws a circle with some chalk and a tape measure on the ground. Johnny then runs the circle a few times while his coach marks his steps and measures the distance between them. From those 5 or 6 measurements, the coach finds the average stride length of Johnny, which is 6′-4″(76″).

Next, the coach finds his takeoff point, relative to the closest high jump standard. This is done by taking two separate measurements. The first is taken from the base of the post on the standard to the point directly perpendicular from the takeoff point, and the second is taken from that point to the takeoff point. The first measurement is 12″ and the second is 36″.

Next, Johnny’s coach knows that the takeoff angle to start working with will be somewhere between 15 and 40 degrees, depending on the athlete. He decides to start with 30 degrees and make adjustments from there.

Finally, Johnny’s coach knows that Johnny will need to take 5 steps on the curve.
With these five variables, we can plug them into the software and find out where Johnny’s Intercept Point is.

RESULTS

We find the Intercept Point by measuring X distance from the standard closest to the takeoff point. From that point we measure Y distance to find the actual Intercept Point. In this example, we find that Johnny’s Intercept Point has the following measurements:
X = 14′-2″ and Y = 29′-3″ with an actual radius of 30′-3.5″

After finding the Intercept Point, Johnny now ‘hits’ this point with his non-jumping foot each time he runs his approach.

Testimonials

Mar 1st 2010 – Peter Hlavin*, Top 5 World Ranking (2009) – Masters Track & Field (M50-54)

“For ‘Fosbury Flop’ style high jumpers, developing a personalized and repeatable curve is of utmost importance. The Acheson curve calculator takes a lot of the guesswork out of developing a solid approach. Not only has the curve calculator generated immediate results for me, but also for the high school and youth kids that I coach.”

Feb 28th 2010 – Kathy Bergen, W70-74 World Record Holder

“My high jump approach was always an adventure. In the short time that I have been using Todd Acheson’s curve calculator, my approach and speed are much more consistent. At my first meet in 2010 I jumped higher than I have in four years … and set a world age group record.”

*Thanks to Peter Hlavin to spotting some inconsistencies between the calculations calculated on this page vs. the Excel document that you can download and use offline.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Add 2 Inches to your High Jump with the Intercept Point appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Sprinting: 10 Research Articles for Effective Sprint Training [Part 8]

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Paul Hoffman has read and researched several research papers on sprinting and performance articles, so you don’t have to.  If any of these articles interest you, feel free to research the case studies and methodology and come up with your own conclusions.

 

top10_sprint_reviews_350

1. The Impact of High-Intensity Interval Training Versus Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Vascular Function: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Joyce S. Ramos.

This review suggests that 4 × 4 HIIT, three times per week for at least 12 weeks, is a powerful form of exercise to enhance vascular function.

2. Upright Sprinting from the WAC.

Excellent review of the topic of upright sprinting.

3. Control of propulsion and body lift during the first two stances of sprint running: A simulation study. University of Brussels.

Concludes that ankle power acceleration contributes the most towards propulsion.

4. Effects of sodium phosphate and caffeine loading on repeated-sprint ability.Christopher Buck. Journal of Sports Sciences.

Demonstrates improvement when these supplements are combined.

5. Selected Determinants of Acceleration in the 100m Sprint. Krzysztof Makala, Marek Fostiak, Kacper Kowalski . Journal of Human Kinetics.

Very interesting scientific study of this topic.

6. The Gluteus Medius Activation in Female Indoor Track Runners is Asymmetrical and May be Related to Injury Risk Stephanie E. Nevison. Sport and Exercise Medicine.

Another very good scientific article.

7. Nose Breathing by Lisa Engles

Great article on the benefits of nasal breathing during sprint performance.

8. Deep Squats and Knee Health: A Scientific Review. Tony Ciccone, Kyle Davis, Dr. Jimmy Bagley, Dr. Andy Galpin. Center for Sport Performance, California State University, Fullerton.

A very good, comprehensive article.

9. Creatine Supplementation and Lower Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. Charlotte Lanhers. Sports Medicine.

Creatine supplementation is effective in lower limb strength performance for exercise with a duration of less than 3 min, independent of population characteristic, training protocols, and supplementary doses and duration.

10. RETRAINING RUNNING GAIT TO PREVENT LOWER EXTREMITY OVERUSE INJURIES: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE. Daniel P. Sullivan. Journal of Undergraduate Kinesiology Research.

Biofeedback, specifically visual feedback, proved to be a powerful method of successfully teaching a runner to alter his or her gait pattern. The authors of a case study even showed long-term retention of the new gait pattern in the participants of their study. They conclude that gait retraining appears to be a sound method for the prevention of running injuries.

Past Articles:

>> Click here for Part 1

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>> Click here for Part 6

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Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Paul Hoffman

Paul Hoffman

Paul Hoffman is a psychotherapist, musician, and sprinting enthusiast in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He writes a blog entitled My Two Cents: Thoughts of a Small Town Therapist.

The post Sprinting: 10 Research Articles for Effective Sprint Training [Part 8] appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.


Coaching Strategies For Barrier Heights During Plyometrics

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This article is guest posted by Robert Marchetti of Rider University and organizer of the LinkedIn Track and Field Coaches Group with over 6000+ coaches.

Robert also wrote Solving the Problem of a Short Step Phase Triple Jump.

Coaching Strategies For Barrier Heights During Plyometrics

multiple box jumps plyometics

This article appeared in the printed edition of FALL 2011 issue of TRACK COACH.

A succinct recommendation against using higher boxes or hurdles in depth jumping where “true” jumping might not be occuring.

Common practice in athletics training is the use of plyometric depth jumping. Athletes perform series of consecutive single or double-legged hopping over hurdles, or onto boxes, to develop strength levels.

While some general fitness gains as well as some gains in mental focus and psychological tenacity are achieved through this type of exercise, the main benefits of depth-jumping seem to be power output, and impulse. Plyometrics train eccentric stability, the stretch reflex mechanism, and the development of elastic properties. In order to accomplish these objectives, the individual must jump aggressively between each box or hurdle. But, what hurdle or box height is the optimum?

Coaching Strategies For Barrier Heights During Plyometrics 1

For a jump to occur, athletes launches themselves vertically, such that their center of gravity rises after take-off. This is a true jump. The higher the center of gravity is displaced vertically after a takeoff, the better the jump, the more useful the jump.

Plyometric boxes come in all shapes and sizes. They range from a foot high to more than 48 inches. Hurdles can be set up to 42 inches high. However, the simple fact that five or ten 42” barriers in a row were cleared does not guarantee any quality plyometric training was accomplished.

Here’s why. During depth jumping, athletes must jump far and high enough to get over each hurdle, or land on each box. Yet, without jumping very high they can flex their knees up into their chest in a mid-air tuck position, and clear a hurdle or get on top of a box that is over 42” high. One can observe a similar phenomenon during a110m high hurdles race where the hurdler’s vertical lift component is very low, yet he is able to clear barriers that are 42” high. Hurdlers manipulate their legs about their center of gravity in order to do this, but they haven’t jumped high at all. As a matter of fact, they haven’t really jumped.

Take an athlete performing double-leg hop training over ten 42’ boxes. Assume his center of gravity during a standing position is approximately 40’ above the floor. In order for him to genuinely jump between each box, he must raise his center of gravity 43” to land on top of the box without “cheating” – in other words, cheating by barely jumping up, with minimum force, and then once in the air, immediately flexing his knee and hip joint in a tuck position in order to reach both feet over the edge of each box. In that case he hardly raises his center of mass by jumping.

For coaches, a telltale sign of this shortcoming can be observed when an athlete lands on the box top in a squat position, and then stands up after landing on the box. In contrast, had they actually jumped high enough, the athlete would rise vertically over the box, and would drop DOWNWARD on top of the box, nearly landing in a fully standing position. If the coach watches the athlete attempt to hop through boxes that are 42” or 48” high, and his body as a unit doesn’t rise much on each hop, then he is not really generating vertical force, and the box is too high.

Coaching Strategies For Barrier Heights During Plyometrics 2

How many athletes can reproduce a vertical jump of 43 to 48 inches high, ten times in a row, five times in a row, or even three times in a row?  How many can do this after dropping down from a box that is 42” high and rebounding up again to reach another 42” barrier? Yet taking an inventory of high school and university athletic facilities, one will discover the presence of boxes which are in excess of 42” high. It is also common to see young athletes straining to get through hurdle hops where the hurdles are set extremely high. They end up anticipating the clearance, instead of concentrating on the takeoff, when the takeoff force is what produces physical gains.

If the barriers are set too high, athletes will typically land off-balance, or twist and contort their bodies into all sorts of awkward mid-air leans, or into tuck positions, in order to avoid clipping the top of the hurdles or missing the top of the boxes. Many times they fail to do either, and they end up falling. By tucking or jack-knifing the body at the hip, they’re also training the hip flexors more than the hip extensor muscles, which is the opposite of what depth-jumping should address.

What exactly is the benefit of asking an athlete to go to these extremes just to say they cleared the highest boxes, or the highest hurdle? Training should be about developing strength, not demonstrating it at great risk. In addition, plyometric training done with barriers that are too high for the athlete’s capacity, causes them to neglect jump force application, in exchange for survival movements — i.e. getting over the barriers without crashing. Even if successful clearances occur, the fact remains, that a weak athlete can manage to get over high boxes or hurdles without jumping very hard. All he does is lift his knees quickly enough to get atop barriers.

Taking these aspects into consideration, it would seem the best course of action would be to use lower barrier heights. Boxes in the range of 12” for single-leg hops and 24” high for double-leg hops, as well as lower hurdles set at similar levels, will permit the developing athlete to focus on the jump phase of each repetition. Even the more advanced athlete might want to use lower barriers—approximately 24” to 30” to focus on the takeoff phases.

Coaches should encourage the trainee to use the hurdles or boxes as a reference point for where to jump, with the height of each box or hurdle not being the end goal in itself. This lightens anxiety associated with the risks of missing a high barrier.

Another cue a coach might use as an incentive for the athlete to generate force would be to tell them just after the apex of their flight, they drop DOWNWARD a little ways onto the next box—with the legs almost fully extended under them before they land.

When clearing hurdles, the vertical jump level should be sufficient to pass over the hurdle without dramatically flexing at the hips and knees. Tucking should be kept to a minimum.

When these fundamentals are encouraged, the athlete realizes he/she must jump harder – producing more force. When athletes are stronger, perhaps boxes or hurdles of higher heights could be used, where true jumping still occurs, and the benefits of plyometric strength training are still being achieved.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Coaching Strategies For Barrier Heights During Plyometrics appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Where are all the USA Marathoners?

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I was intrigued by the a list of the top 25 all-time fastest marathon times run by U.S. runners. (which includes times run in the Boston Marathon, not considered a record-legal course by the IAAF)

The list had 16 men under 2:10 and only 6 were performed after 2000!

When you look at the All time Marathon list, there are 2177 performances under 2 hours 10 minutes!

Is it really genetics?

Does it really matter what country you were born?

1976 Montreal Olympic Marathon

Image credits: IOC

Men’s All-time 100m list

Things aren’t much better for Canadians in the 100m sprint.

There are 702 performances in the Men’s 100m all time list under the 10.00 second Holy Grail (some were expunged due to positive drug tests, or admittance to illegal performance enhancing drugs)

Up until 2014, there were only 2 Canadian men under 10.00, and that is Donovan Bailey and Bruny Surin.  Thanks to Andre De Grasse’s 9.97 (+0.6) in April 2015, we now have 3 sub 10s.

Is it really genetics?

Does it really matter what country you were born?  Or where your parents were born?

American Football

HS Football stats

I think the above image speaks for itself.

I’m never going to deny anyone from doing a sport they love.  But if you plan on making a professional living from it, be it Track & Field or Professional Football, I highly advise you to stay in school and get a degree.

But if you really want to find work in today’s hottest IT Market, then do your Salesforce Certification and give me a call  :)

The point I am trying to make is, you will learn so many good life-skills through sports, including meeting great people.   I would not be here today if it were not for Track and Field.  But realistically, you will end up earning a living in another field.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Where are all the USA Marathoners? appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Gathering No Moss [SHIN SPLINTS Final Chapter… for now]

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The act of reinvention is a quirky thing. Some seem to do it better than others. Ronald Reagan was a sportscaster, who became an actor, who became a union president, who became a governor, who became President of the United States. Bill Bradley transitioned rather seamlessly from professional basketball player to US Senator. Magic Johnson came from the same milieu and has become a successful businessman.

Sometimes those changes make others uncomfortable. On July 25, 1965, Bob Dylan publicly changed his approach to music at the Newport Folk Festival. He had just released “Like a Rolling Stone” with a rock sound and he was booed by his fans at the festival for playing with electronic instruments instead of acoustic. The rest is history.

I have been blessed with unique opportunities through an eclectic career. I have gone from Artillery officer to construction superintendent; from sports arena General Manager to entertainment executive; from music promoter to Commissioner of a major sport; from CEO of an Olympic governing body to adjunct university professor. I have reinvented myself over and over. And, I am about to do it again.

The City Manager of Sarasota, Florida, Tom Barwin has offered me the job of Director of his Initiative on Chronic Homeless. And, I accepted. I begin right away. I have requested an indefinite leave of absence from the good folks at NYU, although I hope to resume teaching at some point in the future. I have reveled in my experiences in the West Village and will dearly miss my interactions with the students I have grown to love. Needless to say, I will miss weekly forays to my New York.

What makes me think I can do this? After all, I am not a social worker. I have never taken on the responsibility of a task like this. My careers have mostly focused on the pretty, joyful and fun things in life: sports, music, suites, tickets, catering, merchandising, sponsorships, banquets, parties. And, my customers and clients in my past professional endeavors have been people of means; those with enough money to afford the nicer things in life. Even in my teaching career I chose, as a venue, one of the wealthiest private institutions in the world, populated by students from upper class families.

Homelessness is a mean, ugly and complex problem. There are no simple solutions. As many as 90% of the chronically homeless have some form of mental illness or an addiction. Society has a hard time looking at them in the eye. The visual sight of homeless people on the street ruins the fantasy pictures that we want for our ambient surroundings. And, in lush tropical settings such as Sarasota, the contrast is jarring.

Some would say that I do not have the professional experience to make an immediate impact. I don’t have the street cred; I have never volunteered in this field; I don’t even have the lingo.

But, I do know I have boundless energy and curiosity. I know very few people who can outwork me. I do know I have taken on other projects that seemed to have no chance of success and found a way to achieve progress. I know I am undaunted by controversy. I have known success and failure and neither have consumed me. I know I can think critically, and motivate, and communicate, and lead. And, I can think of no worthier place to devote my passion and enthusiasm at this point in my life.

Some who know me have heard me muse about “the best speech ever given”. It was not the Gettysburg Address, or Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream”. It was not Kennedy’s Inaugural. It was The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew which spells out the principles of Christianity. It is from there, and from the Corporal Works of Mercy that I get my inspiration for this challenge [the fourth being to “shelter the homeless”]. It just feels like it’s time for me to “walk the walk”.

waving goodbye

I am going to put this blog, SHIN SPLINTS, “to sleep” for a while. Jimson Lee has been a mensch in allowing me to contribute to his site for the past two years. It just seems frivolous of me to continue a free-ranging sports/music/life-style blog under the circumstances. I will probably return to it again in the future.

That does not mean I will stop writing. Tom Barwin has given his blessing to my next journalistic venture. I plan to write a weekly essay chronicling my new experiences, challenges and observations. I will attempt to tell the stories of the streets and be an honest witness to the cruel realities. Initially I will be posting on LinkedIn, but will be looking for additional distribution platforms.

This seems like the toughest professional challenge I have ever accepted. When I accepted the task of cleaning up USA Track&Field, David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, sent me a one line text that read, “You only take on the easy ones”. Well, those others seem like duck soup compared to this. So why, at the “seasoned” age of 72, would I want to take this on?

I was born with every advantage in the world. I was a healthy, white, male American. My family afforded me great nutrition, a stable domestic environment, a wonderful education, exciting exposures and taught me great values. I am not responsible for any of this. Providence provided these blessings. It is time for me to pay it back.

During my life I have earned a little money; made a few friends; participated in a little bit of history. Now I want to do a little bit of good.

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Gathering No Moss [SHIN SPLINTS Final Chapter… for now] appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Jimmy Vicaut – First 7 Steps is the Secret to sub-10?

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The first cut is the deepest, and the first 7 steps are the secret.

In the 100 meter sprint, why are elite sub-10 sprinters taking 7 Strides for the first 10 meters?

In the Facebook video from Guy Ontanon, he showed 3 video clips of Jimmy Vicaut’s progression of his 100m time in relation to his 7th step:

Jimmy Vicaut

  • 2011, 10.14, 7th step 9.50m to 9.80m
  • 2012, 10.07, 7th step 9.70m to 9.80m
  • 2014, 9.95, 7th step 9.90m to 10.10m

Reprise des départs très prochainement à l’entraînement… Même si les progrès sont là, il reste encore beaucoup de travail.

Posted by Guy Ontanon Officiel on Friday, 5 December 2014

Is 7 strides to 10 meters the secret to sub 10?

Thanks to the USATF’s Andy Ferrara, I analyzed some high speed videos of Beijing’s 2008 Olympic 100 meter final.

When I take a look at the video (which I can’t post because it’s property of the USATF), and compare their splits, you will see Richard Thompson hitting 10 meters in exactly 7 steps.  Thompson’s split was 1.80 compared to Bolt’s 1.85, but Usain Bolt took a little over 6 steps.   (in Berlin 2009, Bolt was 1.89 for the first 10 meters)

Let’s take a look at the next 10m.  At 20m, Bolt is AHEAD by Thompson by 0.02 (2.87 to 2.89)

I don’t need to do the rest of the math as we all know the outcome.

Sure, Bolt is taking LONGER to reach a fixed number of strides (i.e. first 10 strides = 2.62 seconds compared to Thompson at 2.50 seconds!), but last time I checked, they gave gold medals for the fastest time over 100m, not 10 strides, or 41 strides for that matter.

Somehow, the sweet spot (or PB or WR) lies somewhere in between your stride rate and stride frequency.  Coupled that with tremendous power on the ground while you have ground contact.  There’s nothing you can do while in the air unless you have wings.

With the emergence of Bolt, we have a new group of people advocating the longer stride theory again.

We can go back as early as Bud Winter’s group with the longer strides theory, which can be clearly demonstrated by Tommie Smith.  Refer to his book, “So You Want to be a Sprinter?”  (Side note: Bud Winter actually advocated 3 rules, the other two were higher cadence or “leg speed”, and maintaining your top end speed or “speed endurance”… like this Blog :)

Tommie, Carl, Maurice and Dwain

Take a look at Carl Lewis or Mike Marsh videos from the 1980s and 1990’s and you can see the long stride theory made everyone rethink their mechanics.

Then Andre Cason showed how a fast cadence with shorter strides could do the trick.  When Maurice Green dominated the sprints, he (and John Smith) had us believing it was all in the cadence.  Even today, Walter Dix took 48 strides!

Dwain Chambers has his theories on how to beat Bolt.  From this older article:

Chambers, who says that “attention to detail” in coaching has been the key to Jamaica becoming the sprint capital of the world, is confident of beating Bolt in 2009.

“Usain can do the 100 meters in 41 strides,” Chambers said. “I would take 43 or 44.  But I have better stride frequency: 4.96 per second compared to 4.65.  To beat him I need to maintain my frequency and improve my stride. Beijing was his time to shine, but he’s only human.”

So now we are back where it all began with the longer stride theory.  To me, it’s a correct assumption, IF the longer stride is a result of greater leg and hip strength and power.

Plus running relaxed, of course!

If you want to sprint fast, then you might as well imitate the experts, at least to a certain degree.  Before you can reach a certain speed, you have the the pre-requisites of strength, explosive strength and Elastic/Reactive strength first!  You can look up Al Vermeil’s Hierarchy of Athletic Development and see what I mean.  For Elastic/Reactive strength, see Driving Resistance Band Training with a video from Remi Korchemny.

You can, however, easily bound for 7 steps to 10 steps, but that will take too much time.  You are trying to cover ground as fast as possible.

Bring Back the Wicket Drills?

I remember my interview with Lance Brauman, who talked about the importance of wicket drills.  There was even Vince Anderson who used the acceleration ladder, to the point where he uses his chart more often than a stopwatch.  What does that tell you about the importance of the first 7 steps?

Read Increasing Stride Length: Lance Brauman’s Wicket Drills from 2011, or Vince Anderson’s Sprint Acceleration and Maximum Velocity from 2009. (sorry, Vince does not give away his acceleration chart, but I am working on my own version as we speak.  Watch this space.)

It’s All About Shin Angles Again

When you leave the blocks, keep the heel low until the shin is about 45° to the ground.  Then drive the foot down landing on the ground just behind the body’s center of mass (COM).

In the next 7 strides, the angle of shin of the front leg will increase by 6 or 7° per stride so that by 10 meters (or 7 strides) the shin is vertical to the ground.

Your body shouldn’t be completely vertical at this point (i.e. not standing up, though most Masters and Youth athletes do this, and even myself on a bad day), but there is a still a noticeable forward lean.  Note the body angle increases from about 45° from leaving the blocks to about 30° degrees or less… so that’s about 2° per step moving forward.

At the 10 meter mark, you should be about 70-75% of your max velocity, and by 30 meters, you’ll be at 90% maxV or more.

When you train short to long, you do Acceleration Development in September or October.  These little things matter today.

So as far as speed work goes, we work on acceleration development all year long, and I usually look at the first 10 meters or 7 steps to analyze and dissect where I can improve.

Steve Fudge on James Dasaolu

But how about the first 2 steps?

With todays high-definition cameras and video analysis software, we can do things today that didn’t exist 20 years ago.

If you are following the 100m, you probably remember James Dasaolu’s recent 9.91 (+1.1) from 2013.

Team GB Coach Steve Fudge said in a recent interview with Simon Hart of the Telegraph:

“We saw at the Diamond League [Birmingham meet] that he had a little flinch in the blocks and his first two steps out of the blocks weren’t right,”

If James doesn’t get the first two steps out of the blocks right, his race is basically over because, as he transitions, he then doesn’t get into the right position and he gets worse and worse and worse.”

“It’s like the butterfly effect. You make one little mistake at the start and it will filter through the whole 100 meters.We basically worked on James’s first two steps to get them right. As soon as he took one step in his race, Paul [Bryce] and I knew that he was going to do what he did.”

“The reason is that after each meeting we sit down in a room together, look at the race and really focus in on what James can do better,”

james-dasaolu

When you start breaking 10.00 seconds for the 100 meters, every single detail has to be scrutinized.  Everything from training load, recovery, nutrition, mental confidence, soft tissue health, and of course, the first 2 steps en route to 45 steps (give or take a few steps)

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Jimmy Vicaut – First 7 Steps is the Secret to sub-10? appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Andre De Grasse 9.75, Trayvon Bromell 9.88… NCAA 100m Results

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I woke up this morning checking the NCAA 100m times.

I do have a vested interest in it as I am following my fellow Canadians, Andre De Grasse and Aaron Brown.  Who knows, with 2 world class sprinters, maybe we can get back to the glory days of 1996 of the 4x100m relay?

2015 NCAA Men's 100m Results

Was I dreaming?

5 men under 10.00 seconds?

Okay, I realize it was an illegal wind, but those guys actually run those times, both biomechanics and physics wise.  Their bodies now know how it feels to run those superior times.  Let’s hope the muscle memory can store it “somewhere” and pull it out when it matters next (i.e. Olympics? World Champs?)

So not to take anything away from these performances, I quickly used the famous Jonas Mureika wind calculator, and discovered the advantage of a +2.0 wind was 0.09-0.10 seconds in a 100m sprint.  And a +2.7 wind was 0.12-0.13 seconds.  (The calculator also adjusts altitude performances)

How does it stack up now?

Andre De Grasse 9.75w Trayvon Bromell 9.88w 100m NCAA Outdoors 2015 corrected

(updated chart, thanks Ian Graham for the heads up)

Here is that race on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb3O6r6n4x4

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Andre De Grasse 9.75, Trayvon Bromell 9.88… NCAA 100m Results appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Why We Should Allow Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDS) in Sport

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Up until the 1992 Olympics, the Olympic movement spent 96 years promoting Amateurism where you have unpaid athletes competing for the love of the sport rather than for the money.

The most famous case was American Decathlete Jim Thorpe being stripped of his two gold medals in 1912 for having accepted a small sum of money to play professional baseball prior to the Games.

People forget Avery Brundage, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1952 to 1972, actually competed in the same events as Jim Thorpe and came in 6th. Perhaps he was still bitter from his loss to the Native American?

Even in the post WWII era, we had Olympic gold medallists who were “in the military”.  Most athletes had to retire from Amateur sports to make a living.   Look at Bruce Jenner.  (Okay, bad example.)

Were they really “amateurs” back then?

Eventually, the IOC gave in, and we saw professional athletes in the 1992 Olympics, especially Basketball, Golf and Tennis.

Today, professional athletes are just part of the Sport.  It’s part of society.

However, just like alcohol in the USA, we look back at the Prohibition Era from 1920 to 1933 and laugh.  Did they really try to ban alcohol?  People still found ways to drink!

So one day, we will see drugs openly used in sports.

Why we should allow performance enhancing drugs in sport

lance_armstrong_afp_getty

 Photo credits: Getty Images

This article is from the Dec 2004 edition of the British Journal of Sports Medicine by J. Savulescu, B. Foddy, and M. Clayton.  The link to the PDF version is here.

Or download here: Why we should allow performance enhancing drugs in sport

I’m not saying we should open up the Olympics to drugs, but the article does make a few compelling arguments on why we should allow performance enhancing drugs in sport.

The number one issue we must address is the health and safety to the athletes!

The year 2015 will be the year of Justin Gatlin and the Nike Oregon project.  And maybe the year Bolt loses to Gatlin at a major Championships.  But in the year 2525, it will be a different matter.  Sadly, I won’t be around to see if my prediction was correct.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Why We Should Allow Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDS) in Sport appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Elbow Action in Sprinting – Myth vs Reality

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By Robert Marchetti, Rider University, Assistant Track Coach

One of the great coaching myths about sprinting is that the elbow joint should remain locked at 90 degrees, fixed throughout the movement. Carefully observing most great sprinters will reveal this is not the case. The elbow angle changes during the arm stroke (Tellez).

Andre-De-Grasse-USC

Photo courtesy of Percy Anderson

Viewed from the side, at the top of the up-stroke, the elbow joint on most of the world’s fastest sprinters bends to around 40 degrees (Pfaff). Some like Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson can be observed to close the angle even further. At the top of the upswing, the forearm and bicep/humerus are nearly touching with the hand close to the chest (Universal Sports).

On the down stroke, the elbow should open up to almost straight – 150 to 170 degrees. This down stroke will produce a movement where the wrist passes below the hip socket as it moves back.

Finally at the back end of the movement, where the arm goes behind the runner, the elbow joint closes again (Tellez). This back-side elbow angle is around 90 to 120 degrees and occurs just as the back-swing hits its conclusion. The arm then swings forward, and the elbow joint begins to close again in front of the body. The front and back strokes also finish simultaneously to impart forces (Pfaff).

Andre-De-Grasse-sprinting (Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee)

These movements are necessary and correlate to knee joint movement that also undergoes changes in angles too — Opening on the way down, and flexing on the way forward/up.

For example, one wouldn’t see an efficient sprinter’s knee rise forward with an open angle of the knee joint. On the contrary, the leg folds at the knee joint on the way up such that the ankle passes close under the pelvis, and steps over the knee of the support leg on the other side (Francis). The knee joint then opens up during front-side mechanics. Hence, the leg is lengthened out again before touchdown, where it is in a stronger alignment to push off the ground.

These changes occur during each arm and leg cycle respectively because short levers are quick, and long levers produce force. Elbows open on the down-stroke to create a long moment arm that aids in force production. The same actions happen for the leg on the opposite side. The arms and legs then close up at the elbow and knee joints on the way forward to quickly recover in time to set up for the next down stroke. This is a constant process during sprinting.

For coaching purposes, the forward movement of the arms and legs are often elastically reflexive in nature (Schexnayder). For as a result of the back stroke of the arm, the frontal deltoid is put on a stretch reflex, which rebounds the arm forward again. The same with the legs. As the hip, knee, and ankle triple extend at push off, the hip flexor muscles are put on stretch, followed by a shortening reflex in them which aids in bringing the leg forward — With the angle of the knee joint closing to increase angular speed (Tellez).

ANOMALIES

Jesse Owens is often cited as being unique for his upright posture when he ran. However, most great sprinters run upright. Perhaps what made him look very unorthodox is that his arms stayed locked at a 90-degree angle. As great as Jesse Owens was, had he allowed the arms to change angles more naturally he may have run even faster.

DISTANCE RUNNERS

Ranges of movement should fit the speed. Slower speeds do not necessitate as much force production per stride. There is a correlation between the forward speed one runs and the amount of changing angulation of the arm and leg joints required during a leg or arm cycle.

Distance runners move at speeds much slower than power activities such as the 100m & 200m, or long jump approaches. Distance runners, therefore, angulate joints more subtly, and usually run with arms at a relaxed 90-degree angle or slightly less. It would be wasted energy in a distance race to move one’s arms as a sprinter does. However, a distance runner may do well to move their arms as sprinter once they need to shift gears on their kick at the end of races.

110 HURDLERS

Because of the tight spacing between hurdles, male runners in the 110 High Hurdles have modified their sprinting to “shuffle” fast. Great hurdlers have a lower heel recovery per stride. They do not attain full knee lift per leg cycle, and as a consequence of these adaptations it results in the lower leg (shin) not moving through a position any higher than parallel to the ground (Elliott).

On account of these factors, the arms have to match the behaviors of legs to be “timed up”, so that the male hurdler’s arm strokes have a smaller range of motion as compared to regular sprinting – closer to a constant 90 degrees angle between hurdles.

Female hurdlers on the other hand typically have enough room between the hurdles to run with conventional sprint form (Elliott), and so their arms open and close while sprinting between hurdles to generating maximum forces allowably.

Sources

  • Elliott, Norbert, Hurdle Basics : A Grass Roots Approach [DVD]
  • Francis, Charles M, Training for Speed, Paperback, 1997
  • Pfaff, Dan, Lecture : Atletiekunie Congress, 2010
  • Schexnayder, Irving, Triple Jump – Technique and Teaching[DVD]
  • Tellez, Tom, Sprinting with Carl Lewis and Coach Tom Tellez, [VHS]
  • Universal Sports, Usain Bolt the Art of Sprinting [Video] * Available for viewing at YouTube

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Bob Marchetti

Bob Marchetti

Assistant Coach at Rider University

Bob Marchetti is the Assistant Coach at Rider track & field coaching staff. Previously, he was the head cross country/track & field coach last season at Belmont-Abbey College in Belmont, NC.

A graduate of nearby Steinert High School, Marchetti has also coached at Columbia University, Murray State and Mercer County College, as well as the Shore Athletic Club of New Jersey.

At Steinert Marchetti was a member of the 1987 Group III State Championship cross country team.

Marchetti competed at the University of New Mexico, where he earned his degree in University Studies, and won the 1993 WAC title with a high jump of 7'3".

The post Elbow Action in Sprinting – Myth vs Reality appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.


Optimal Step Width Out of the Blocks (plus Stride Length and Frequency)

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What is your step pattern after leaving the blocks?

Powerful and wide, or narrow and close to the center (imaginary line between lanes) as possible?

Along with a good reaction time, Coaches usually instruct athletes that a narrow step width and a high step frequency are required for a good start in the sprints.

I wrote last week on Jimmy Vicaut’s 7 Strides for the first 10 meters but I didn’t talk about his step pattern.  I have written enough articles on Stride Length and Stride Frequency (as well as Speed Endurance, of course) along with the famous Ground Contact debate. (too numerous to link)

Now let’s look at step width coming out of the blocks.

Changes in the step width, step length, and step frequency 2

Christophe Lemaitre (fast forward 1:15)

Christophe Lemaitre shows the classic way to start from the blocks, and that is, feet in a straight line.  For every inch you lose going wide, you are losing going forward (according to theory, but there is more… wait for it)

Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt (fast forward to 2:10)

Both Tyson and Usain come out of the blocks with a slightly wider step width than Lemaitre.

Maurice Greene and Asafa Powell

Note how Mo Green “drifts” to his left, and here is Asafa Powell’s early years.

Asafa Powell Collection (with others)

This video has a great montage of Asafa Powell in his later year.  You can see his left leg “going wide” which I attribute to his Jamaican toe drag, along with increased power and strength over his career.  Of course, this comes at a cost of an increased ground contact time.

Towards the end of this video, you can see Olusoji Fasuba with a straight line approach.  Perhaps we can get his coach Pierre-Jean Vazel to comment on this.

Research (from 2006)

This paper is titled Changes in the step width, step length, and step frequency of the world’s top sprinters during the 100 metres  from the IAAF New Studies in Athletics, 21:3; 35-39, 2006

Changes in the step width, step length, and step frequency

These results indicate that a wide step width may be best suited for developing driving force during the long foot contact periods in the acceleration phase.

On the other hand, a narrow step width may be best suited for developing driving force during the short foot contact periods characteristic of full stride sprinting.

However, the full mechanisms of the optimal step width changes need further clarification and research.

Suggestions for Coaching

The results obtained could suggest the following advice:

  1. sprinters should concentrate on reaching a higher step frequency in the start;
  2. at the same time they should strive for longer steps from the start;
  3. it could be advisable that step width be maximised during the first steps and then gradually decreased from about 0.4m (in the first steps) to about 0.17m (in full stride running).

THE BOTTOM LINE:  Step width and frequency depends on the strength and power of the athlete, along with the leg recovery… that is, being in the correct biomechanical position upon ground contact.  This brings back the argument for using the Jamaican toe drag, which I’ve also covered in past articles.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Optimal Step Width Out of the Blocks (plus Stride Length and Frequency) appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

What is the Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)? Part 1

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Anyone who regularly exercises, particularly runners, will often describe how their ITB (Ilio Tibial Band) is tight.

For this reason, they will spend time at length “rolling out”, often enduring considerable pain, to “loosen up” the outer part of the thigh. And while you roll out in agony, the pain gives reassurance if it is this painful then rolling out has to be doing me some good.

This is not the case. No matter how much rolling you do, it is highly unlikely that you are going to “loosen up” this area because the ITB is not a muscle. It is a tendon.

Anatomy of the itb-syndrome

Image Credits: www.medicinenet.com

The ITB’s role is to help stabilise the knee and act as an attachment for the tensor fascia latae (TFL), a muscle that runs from the top of the iliac crest (top of the hip bone) to the area around the greater trochanter becoming the ITB. The ITB then travels down the outside of the thigh and inserts onto the distal outer aspect of the knee.

Pain involving the band is often diagnosed as iliotibial band syndrome. Being a thick ligamentous band, it is unlikely that rolling it would provide a change in length or mechanics to the area. So why does it feel good to roll this area out?

1. The role of the ITB: Like any structure the ligament has pain receptors within in it to detect damage or overuse. As the primary role of the ligament is stability, lack of strength, activation and poor mechanics can cause overuse of the tissue.

Poor pelvic, hip and knee stability can all increase demand and stress on the ITB causing stimulation of the pain receptors within the band. This is particularly prevalent in people who are flat footed, over pronate or in women.

If during the stance phase of walking or running the leg shifts medially (towards the mid-line), then the ITB will be pulled creating tension within the band and potentially stimulating pain receptors and creating tension within the knee. This “pain” is why lateral compartment knee issues are often related to the hip, pelvis and ITB.

2. Adhesions in the quadriceps: The ITB sits superficially or over the top of the outer aspect of the quadriceps (vastus lateralis to be exact). For this reason, the pain experienced while foam rolling out can come from tension in the underlying quadriceps. Being on the outside of the thigh, this is an area often overlooked when stretching. Trigger points within the lateral part of the quadriceps will be released while rolling out ITB.

Pain along the ITB is commonly experienced through for the most part the ITB is not the cause of the actual pain. Pain is commonly caused by the deeper quadriceps muscle but also as a result of poor mechanics and movement. Instability present in other areas can cause stress of the ITB area. These instabilities can be present in the hip, pelvis or foot. Stay tuned for part two where we look at these in more detail.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Dr Nicholas Miller

Dr Nicholas Miller works as a chiropractor and wellness practitioner in Lane Cove. He focuses on looking at people from a physical, nutritional and emotional, aspect to recover from injuries and to enhance overall health and wellbeing. Believing that prevention is better than cure, Nicholas has strong focuses on getting people to move well, think well and eat well.

The post What is the Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)? Part 1 appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Comprehensive Recovery Training for Athletes [Part 3]

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This is Part 3 of a multi-part article.  Please read Comprehensive Recovery Training for Athletes [Part 1] first.  Then read Part 2 here.

In this article, I’m going to discuss several more key passive recovery topics. Many of these you will be familiar with, but hopefully I can provide you with some new information as well. I just want to note quickly and be the first to claim that I’m not an expert in nutrition! I follow masterminds like Lyle McDonald, Alan Aragon, Mike Roussell, and so many more who are far more enlightened than me on the matter, and I would advise you to do the same. I just wanted to share some practical and scientific insight in regards to nutrition that I thought was still unique and useful for you.

  • Sleep
  • Carbohydrates
  • Protein
  • Fats
  • Hydration
  • Pre and post-workout nutrition
  • Supplementation

England Personalised Hydration Recovery drinks

SLEEP

I found a pretty awesome study that assessed many of the hormonal and metabolic effects associated with sleep performance, and its role in the collective recovery process. I’ll share some of these here.

First off, there is increased sympathetic nervous system activity when there is sleep deprivation. We want this branch of the   nervous system to be active during high-intensity exercise to ensure we perform better. But if its turned on during the night, then you can be assured that we aren’t recovering properly, especially in the case of hormone balance, and that is what I’m going to discuss now.

A big area of concern with a lack of sleep is the steady increase in cortisol concentration that occurs. Normally, as the day progresses, and we reach the evening, cortisol should begin to decline and other anabolic hormones start to increase their levels in the body, and vice versa. However, in a sleep deprived state this is not the case. One subject was six times slower at lowering cortisol near bedtime than someone who had experienced adequate sleep in the days that preceded. [1]  This becomes a major problem for muscle and tissue repair since cortisol inhibits the amino acid Leucine from generating protein synthesis, decreases insulin sensitivity, and lowers testosterone levels to name a few. [2]

Both the thyroid and growth hormone axis were also dramatically affected by a loss of sleep. [1]  After a week of poor sleep, subjects experienced a decrease in TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) by up to 30%. As many of you well know, the thyroid is a huge metabolic and performance regulator in the human body. Just open up a basic anatomy and physiology book and you will see what I mean. Aside from helping us to maintain a healthy and lean body composition, the thyroid’s function is synergistic with the nervous system. Mean that a low thyroid will reduce neural activity and subsequent muscular output that is essential to performance. The thyroid can also help raise Growth Hormone levels, which also takes a hit when we miss out on sleep.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates serve a major role in the recovery process and are arguably the most important nutrient in being able to recover fully. I will discuss hydration later on, but without the appropriate intake of carbohydrates we won’t be as successful in re-hydrating after a grueling training session. Dr. Edmund Burke had a pretty awesome book on recovery, which discussed hydration science in full detail. The carbohydrates we consume not only help to replenish glycogen stores that help regulate performance and recovery, but they also increase the absorption of water through the intestinal wall with the help of sodium. [3]

Moreover, carbohydrates are hydrophilic or water-loving in nature. So for each gram of carbohydrate we ingest, it brings approximately three grams of water along with it. Not to mention that carbohydrates contain several of the key electrolytes that as excreted during training and need to be replenished in the hours afterward.

Last but not least, carbohydrates increase the release of Insulin which is a key player in protein synthesis. Insulin prevents protein degradation or breakdown from occurring in our muscle cells, and it also inhibits sex binding hormone globulin from binding to and lower free testosterone. I’ve also seen some stuff that shows it helps regulate the MTOR pathway is one of the primary muscle building pathways in the human body, according to many credible sources.

PROTEIN

I don’t think it’s any secret at this point that protein is essential to the recovery process. Next to water it is the most abundant source in the body. It helps build everything. I like the “gram per lb. of bodyweight” rule of thumb that many still advocate, or 30% of our total calorie intake per day. In his book “The Paleo Diet,” Dr. Loren Cordain discusses the “nitrogen governor” theory in our liver that regulates the consumption of protein. “The body has clear limits, determined by the liver’s inability to handle excess dietary nitrogen (released when the body breaks down protein). For most people, this limit is about 35 percent of your normal daily caloric intake. If you exceed this limit for a prolonged stretch of time, your body will protest with nausea, diarrhea, abrupt weight loss, and other symptoms of protein toxicity.” [4]

Now this is the first time I’ve heard of this function in the body, and I honestly do not know how accurate this information is. But I do know that it would help further support some other long held recommendations and what not.

First, protein is primarily responsible for causing us to feel full in the short term. That being said, and its low-calorie content per gram, it would be hard to overeat protein.

Secondly, protein digestion rates vary but seem to be pretty slow overall, so it wouldn’t make sense to derive a bulk of your diet from protein sources.

Lastly, I’ve never seen a dietary reference guide (RDA, etc.) advise people to eat more than up to 40% of their calories from protein. My point with all of this is that protein seems to get too much credit about the other macronutrients when it comes to recovery and other topics. You need it, make sure to get it, but be sure not to overlook other essential sources of nutrition and their roles too.

FATS

If you are a sprinter or team sports athlete, you will not be required to consume much fat in general, or pre and post-workout. The alactic and lactic energy systems which we relied on primarily in sport and fueled by carbohydrate and protein derived energy sources (glucose and creatine phosphate). That being said, fats play a critical role in recovery still. They help with neurological function by forming what is known as myelin sheath’s around specific neural structures. Fats help build hormones, raise hormone levels, and supply us with the calories to make us more anabolic and so much more.

HYDRATION

Hydration was briefly discussed earlier, and I’ll go into a bit more detail now. I’ve read figures that estimate our body is comprised of anywhere from 50-60% water. Moreover, a reduction in the water mass of just 2-3% could impair performance. [3] Lyle McDonald also referenced some solid research and evidence in one of his books that discussed the role water and hydration plays in tissue growth. Bottomline is that being able to create and maintain hydration is critical to the recovery process.

PRE-WORKOUT

First off, I think it’s important to note that the body has several energy reserves that it can call upon when the time is necessary to support activity. Blood glucose, muscle and liver glycogen stores, amino acid pools, and fat stores guarantee we do not run out of fuel right away. So is pre-workout necessary? I think it would depend on meal frequency and quantity, along with activity duration and type. The Cori Cycle in the liver converts amino acids to glucose through a specific process.

If we don’t ensure to get adequate carbs and decide to train at high intensities, then muscle loss becomes an issue. Thus, we need to ensure to get mainly carbs for this reason alone. There is also some evidence showing increased protein synthesis post-workout with a pre-workout meal consisting of both carbohydrates and protein. [5] So I suppose it could only help. Also, there is the whole notion of “Central Fatigue Theory” which is just down-regulation or eventual inhibition of our nervous system limiting performance as a result of intense training. None of what I read was conclusive, but the researchers did make mention that carbohydrates might potentially delay fatigue. Lastly, I also think a nervous system stimulant such as coffee works great for increased training production through higher adrenaline release and energy production. Anecdotally, we have some solid benefit from the addition of a stimulant.

POST-WORKOUT

The biggest reason for a post-workout concoction had to do with capitalizing off of increased insulin sensitivity. The quicker we get a post-workout drink or what have you, the greater the uptake of nutrients into our cells and the quicker we can recover.

However, there was a study that showed the window of rapid absorption was not dependent on Insulin, so I’m not sure. Again, getting food in quicker could only help. Then again many people aren’t hungry after intense training, so it’s not that simple. Logically, it would seem beneficial, and I’m aware that glycogen replenishment eventually slows down after the acute phase of recovery is officially over. But we still generally have 40 plus hours to get enough food and the right kind of food into our body to support recovery. I’ve had dozens of athletes bulk up heavily and preserve muscle with very little emphasis on post-workout nutrition, and I’m sure many others can attest to this. We aren’t going to shrink that fast, so I don’t think people should worry all that much. And according to one author, it took three hours before decreased protein synthesis and muscle loss became an issue. [6] That’s quite a big window if you ask me.

SUPPLEMENTATION

If you want the holy grail on supplement information, then it is in your best interest to check out Sol Orwell’s site at examine.com, read his articles, and check out his latest guide. His guide is backed by a wealth of the latest research on effective supplementation. Lyle also has a lot of great information as well www.bodyrecomposition.com.

Unfortunately, none of the research I have seen on BCAA’s, Arginine, Glutamine, and whatever else was overwhelmingly positive or effective. Your best bet is to make sure you are eating healthy and obtaining all of the right foods in the right quantities to meet your objectives and let the body do the rest.

SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES

#1-http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/502825
#2-http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/calorie-partitioning-part-2.html/
#3-Burke, E. Optimal Muscle Recovery. New York: Avery Publishing Group, 1999. Print.
#4-Cordain, L. The Paleo Diet. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2002. Print.
#5-Tipton, KD. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. AM J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 281: 197-206, 2001.
#6-Fink, H. Practical Applications in Sports Nutrition, 2011. Print.

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Travis Hansen

Travis Hansen

Coach & Founder at Reno Speed School

Travis Hansen was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Reno Bighorns of the NBADL for their 2010 season, and he is currently the Director of The Reno Speed School inside the South Reno Athletic Club. He is the author of The Speed Encyclopedia.

The post Comprehensive Recovery Training for Athletes [Part 3] appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Single Day Icosathlon World Record

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The icosathlon is simply a Double Decathlon, formerly known as the “Double Deca”.

It can be held on one day, or two days.

When you think about it, Track and Field has 19 events without relays.  So what’s the 20th event?  A Race walk?

It’s the 200m low hurdles (3rd event in Day 1).  I guess the founder of the double deca disliked race walkers.  (I’ll bet over half the readers share the same sentiment!)  Then again, race walking isn’t a “track” event… it’s usually lumped in the same criteria as non-stadia events like the 10K, Marathon and cross country.

Of course, the Double Deca ends with the 10,000 meters on the track.  I don’t know about you but I can’t imagine running a 1500m (day 2 event #8), then taking 3 Triple Jumps (event #9), followed by the 10K… 25 laps around the track!  3.75 laps is enough, thank you very much.

Here is the schedule, with a 1 hour “lunch break” after 5 events:

Double Deca Day 1

  1. 100 meters
  2. Long Jump
  3. 200 meter low hurdles
  4. Shot Put
  5. 5000 meters
  6. 800 meters
  7. High Jump
  8. 400 meters
  9. Hammer Throw
  10. 3000 meter Steeplechase

Double Deca Day 2

  1. 110 meter hurdles
  2. Discus Throw
  3. 200 meters
  4. Pole Vault
  5. 3000 meters
  6. 400 meter hurdles
  7. Javelin Throw
  8. 1500 meters
  9. Triple Jump
  10. 10,000 meters

Women’s events include the pole vault, steeplechase and hammer throw, something that was impossible 10 years ago.

The world record for the standard two-day icosathlon is held by Kip Janvrin with 14,185 points and Kelly Rodmell with 11091 for men’s and women’s respectively.

IAUM-logo

Single Day Icosathlon World Record

Frederic Xhonneux last Saturday (June 27, 2015) accomplished the Icosathlon in a single day! 20 events run from 8:00 to 23:30 scoring a total 12,363 points.  Some of these performances are respectable, let alone doing all 20 in a single day!

Here was a “day in the life” of Frederic Xhonneux (link here):

8:00 100m: 12.03
8:20 Long Jump: 6.49m
8:50 200m low hurdles: 25.99
9:10 Shot Put: 13.46m
9:40 5,000m: 19:05.00

Break
11:00 800m: 2:17.04
11:20 High Jump: 185 cm
12:20 400m: 53.99
12:40 Hammer: 38.25m
13:10 3000m steeple 11:43.26

Break
14:30 110m hurdles: 15.85
14:50 Discus: 40m61
15:20 200m: 24.63
15:40 Pole Vault: 4.20m
16:30 3000m: 10:50.79

Break
17:50 400m hurdles: 60.78
18:10 Javelin: 55.18m
18:40 1500m: 5:06.94
19:00 Triple jump: 13.84m
19:30 10,000m: 47:18.92

 

Copyright © 2015 by Speedendurance.com. All Rights Reserved. Speedendurance.com is on Facebook. Visit: Find SpeedEndurance.com on Facebook

Here are my recommendations for products & services I’ve reviewed & used personally that can improve your results. This is a short list since it only includes my top picks.

  • Freelap – Accurately time yourself to 100th of a second (i.e. 9.53)
  • SpeedCoach EMS – the only EMS for training, recovery and rehab
  • GymBoss – Run 400m? The best $19 timer for Circuit Training
  • Complete Speed Training – Complete 12 DVD set for training speed

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Single Day Icosathlon World Record appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

Does Reaction Time Matter? Kaylin Whitney Missed a Spot on Worlds

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Thanks to Ato Boldon for pointing this out to me.

At the 2015 USATF Championships, the top 3 go the Worlds (assuming standard is met) unlike Canada with a complicated matrix of rules.

But what if you came in 4th place, by a fraction of a second where your reaction time could have made all the difference between representing your country and staying home watching the meet on TV?

USATF 2015 W200m Results Top 4 with reaction time

I have great respect for all the competitors, but I could not help noticing how a better start, or more specifically, a better reaction time could have made all the difference in the world.  Or World Championships.

In the old days, the outer lanes in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay had the disadvantage being further from the gun.  Today, speakers are provided behind the blocks so it’s a fair start for everyone.

Yohan Blake’s 200m Missed WR

To refresh your memory, here is the race video on YouTube from 2011.

Everyone, including myself, talked about Yohan Blake’s poor reaction time.  If he had the same reaction time as his 100m performance in Daegu, he could have run 19.17 and broken the WR.

Of course, it’ easy for me to talk about this after the fact, but the point I am making is every little thing counts at this level.

The above chart also shows the incredible speed endurance of Michael Johnson and Yohan Blake.  Usain Bolt is considered “normal”.

Reaction Time (revisited)

The 100 meters can be broken down into 3 parts:

  1. reaction time
  2. acceleration to top speed
  3. speed endurance

If you take Usain Bolt’s 9.69 time from Beijing 2008 as a percentage of time, you get:

  1. Reaction time = 0.165 (1.7%),
  2. 0-60m without reaction time = 6.155 (63.5%),
  3. 60-100m including celebration = 3.37 (34.8%),

Races are won or lost by percentages of less than 1%.

So, how do you practice reaction time without doing too many starts using blocks?  And trashing your central nervous system (CNS)?

How to Practice Reaction Time

I’m not saying reaction time, or practicing reaction time is not important. How much, and when to do it are my two biggest concerns.

I’ve seen coaches practice endless reaction drills to their athlete prior to a race in the warm up area. One or two is fine, but 30 minutes of reaction time drills and starts is way to much.

The drill I’m going to describe is not as destructive on the legs as doing real blocks. It simply practices the reaction time, and possibly getting familiar with the rhythm of the starter’s command. Of course, you should never try to cheat and anticipate the gun. Always REACT to the gun. Do not LISTEN to the gun.

If I have the luxury, I take advantage of the prior heat IF you have access to the competition area, and do a “practice start”. Of course, the Olympic final is impossible. Some sprinters fuss about their block positions, but if you bring a tape measure, you are always guaranteed the right settings. And besides, they won’t start the race without you if your blocks aren’t ready.

If you’ve ever seen me race, you can see me do a practice start just for the reaction drill. I call this the “standing pike drill”.  I am bent over in a standing pike position, and I react to the the starter’s commands and the sound of the gun. Unlike a real start, no leg movements are used. That’s it. I flick my left hand and arm forward (my right foot is the rear block setting), and my right arm reacts with a swing in the opposite direction. All my energy is saved for the actual race.  No legs used :)

Author information

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

The post Does Reaction Time Matter? Kaylin Whitney Missed a Spot on Worlds appeared first on SpeedEndurance.com.

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