By Curtis Taylor, University of Oregon
I became a track coach because I didn’t want to do math. Now that I am a track coach, I spend a lot of time doing math. – Curtis Taylor
Definitions
Performance Metric | Symbol | Units | Comments |
Distance | D | m | Measured in meters. |
Time | T | s | Measured in seconds. |
Velocity | V | m/s | Distance divided by Time (D/T). |
Stride Frequency | SF | Hz | Number of foot contacts per second measured in Hertz. |
Stride Length | SL | m | Distance between consecutive foot contacts measured in meters. |
Relationship of Sprint Performance Metrics
A sprinters velocity is determined by stride length and stride frequency. A sprinter can increase velocity by increasing their stride length, increasing their stride frequency, or both. The relationship among these three performance metrics can be expressed by the equation:
Equation 1: V = SL * SF
This equation can be rewritten as:
Equation 2: SL = V / SF
and
Equation 3: SF = V / SL
The table below shows the relationship of these three performance metrics for a range of values.
5.30 | 5.20 | 5.10 | 5.00 | 4.90 | 4.80 | 4.70 | 4.60 | 4.50 | 4.40 | 4.30 | 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.00 | 3.90 | |
12.50 | 2.36 | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.50 | 2.55 | 2.60 | 2.66 | 2.72 | 2.78 | 2.84 | 2.91 | 2.98 | 3.05 | 3.13 | 3.21 |
12.00 | 2.26 | 2.31 | 2.35 | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.50 | 2.55 | 2.61 | 2.67 | 2.73 | 2.79 | 2.86 | 2.93 | 3.00 | 3.08 |
11.75 | 2.22 | 2.26 | 2.30 | 2.35 | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.50 | 2.55 | 2.61 | 2.67 | 2.73 | 2.80 | 2.87 | 2.94 | 3.01 |
11.50 | 2.17 | 2.21 | 2.25 | 2.30 | 2.35 | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.50 | 2.56 | 2.61 | 2.67 | 2.74 | 2.80 | 2.88 | 2.95 |
11.25 | 2.12 | 2.16 | 2.21 | 2.25 | 2.30 | 2.34 | 2.39 | 2.45 | 2.50 | 2.56 | 2.62 | 2.68 | 2.74 | 2.81 | 2.88 |
11.00 | 2.08 | 2.12 | 2.16 | 2.20 | 2.24 | 2.29 | 2.34 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.50 | 2.56 | 2.62 | 2.68 | 2.75 | 2.82 |
10.75 | 2.03 | 2.07 | 2.11 | 2.15 | 2.19 | 2.24 | 2.29 | 2.34 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.50 | 2.56 | 2.62 | 2.69 | 2.76 |
10.50 | 1.98 | 2.02 | 2.06 | 2.10 | 2.14 | 2.19 | 2.23 | 2.28 | 2.33 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.50 | 2.56 | 2.63 | 2.69 |
10.25 | 1.93 | 1.97 | 2.01 | 2.05 | 2.09 | 2.14 | 2.18 | 2.23 | 2.28 | 2.33 | 2.38 | 2.44 | 2.50 | 2.56 | 2.63 |
10.00 | 1.89 | 1.92 | 1.96 | 2.00 | 2.04 | 2.08 | 2.13 | 2.17 | 2.22 | 2.27 | 2.33 | 2.38 | 2.44 | 2.50 | 2.56 |
9.75 | 1.84 | 1.88 | 1.91 | 1.95 | 1.99 | 2.03 | 2.07 | 2.12 | 2.17 | 2.22 | 2.27 | 2.32 | 2.38 | 2.44 | 2.50 |
9.50 | 1.79 | 1.83 | 1.86 | 1.90 | 1.94 | 1.98 | 2.02 | 2.07 | 2.11 | 2.16 | 2.21 | 2.26 | 2.32 | 2.38 | 2.44 |
9.25 | 1.75 | 1.78 | 1.81 | 1.85 | 1.89 | 1.93 | 1.97 | 2.01 | 2.06 | 2.10 | 2.15 | 2.20 | 2.26 | 2.31 | 2.37 |
9.00 | 1.70 | 1.73 | 1.76 | 1.80 | 1.84 | 1.88 | 1.91 | 1.96 | 2.00 | 2.05 | 2.09 | 2.14 | 2.20 | 2.25 | 2.31 |
8.75 | 1.65 | 1.68 | 1.72 | 1.75 | 1.79 | 1.82 | 1.86 | 1.90 | 1.94 | 1.99 | 2.03 | 2.08 | 2.13 | 2.19 | 2.24 |
8.50 | 1.60 | 1.63 | 1.67 | 1.70 | 1.73 | 1.77 | 1.81 | 1.85 | 1.89 | 1.93 | 1.98 | 2.02 | 2.07 | 2.13 | 2.18 |
8.25 | 1.56 | 1.59 | 1.62 | 1.65 | 1.68 | 1.72 | 1.76 | 1.79 | 1.83 | 1.88 | 1.92 | 1.96 | 2.01 | 2.06 | 2.12 |
8.00 | 1.51 | 1.54 | 1.57 | 1.60 | 1.63 | 1.67 | 1.70 | 1.74 | 1.78 | 1.82 | 1.86 | 1.90 | 1.95 | 2.00 | 2.05 |
7.75 | 1.46 | 1.49 | 1.52 | 1.55 | 1.58 | 1.61 | 1.65 | 1.68 | 1.72 | 1.76 | 1.80 | 1.85 | 1.89 | 1.94 | 1.99 |
7.50 | 1.42 | 1.44 | 1.47 | 1.50 | 1.53 | 1.56 | 1.60 | 1.63 | 1.67 | 1.70 | 1.74 | 1.79 | 1.83 | 1.88 | 1.92 |
- Table 2 above shows the relationship among three sprint performance metrics: velocity, stride frequency, and stride length.
- Stride Frequency – The top row is stride frequency measured in foot contacts per second. The table includes stride frequencies from 3.90 to 5.30 foot contacts per second.
- Velocity – The left column is velocity measured in meters per second. The table includes velocities from 7.50 to 12.50 m/s.
- Stride Length – All other numbers in the table are stride length, measured in meters, for the corresponding velocity and stride frequency.
- The region in pink is an unnaturally high stride frequency.
- The region in yellow is an unnaturally low stride frequency.
- Example – An athlete with a stride frequency of 4.70 foot contacts per second and a velocity of 10.00 m/s will have a stride length of 2.13 meters.
How to Measure Trochanter Length
Steps to measure the trochanter length are the following:
- Athlete stands erect on the floor in bare feet.
- Palpate the hip by firmly pushing the tissue to locate the top of the greater trochanter.
- Measure from the floor to the top of the greater trochaner in centimeters.
- Measure both sides and average the two measurements.
- Record the length for each athlete.