At his recent Speed Summit presentations in Lisle, Illinois, SMU’s Dr. Peter Weyand discussed the implications of the SMU lab group’s latest papers, “Foot speed, foot-strike and footwear: linking gait mechanics and running ground reaction forces” and “Are running speeds maximized with simple-spring stance mechanics?” In the second paper, Ken Clark, Laurence Ryan and, Weyand hypothesized that a passive, linear-spring model, long regarded as the means by which runners optimize force production and economy, would not apply to the mechanics that maximize the ground forces essential to high speed running.
Read MoreForce in Acceleration: The Debate Continues
The debate continues regarding the importance of vertical and horizontal forces during sprinting.
Read MoreCrossFit and the Freelap Mantra
Intensity is the trademark of Crossfit, but it is the intensity combined with “rabid empiricism and obsessiveness about the measurement of results.” CrossFit focuses on real world assessments of performance under intensity that can be “clocked, counted, or put on a scale.”
Read MoreHigh Speed Running and the Central Governor Theory
If there is a central governor relative to high speed running—and again this is just a theory—are the fastest athletes in the world those who are able to over-ride that governor? And in so doing, might they be choosing to put themselves on the edge of a catastrophic injury?
Read MoreSplit Jumps
Video 1. Video 2. Video 3. Video 4. Video 5.
Read MoreASR Training Distance Over Time
By Lisle Track Coach Ken Jakalski This video shows athletes starting at a certain point on the track based on their individual ASR speed regression calculation. Instead of running a set distance in particular time, they are trying to cover a specific distance within that time. There are many advantages and benefits to this kind […]
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