The ultimate goal for any athlete or coach is improvement in performance. Beginning with the ancient Greeks, coaches and athletes have sought methods and techniques for improving speed and strength. Over the last decades, the application of scientific principles to improve athletic performance has received greater attention and has brought about some remarkable results. Increased knowledge of muscle type, muscle biochemistry, neuromuscular response, and the effects of various form of training on muscle have enable coaches to better prepare the modern athlete (Calicdan, 1991, Delecluse et.al, 1995, Giron, 2007, Le Beof, 2012 & Jeffreys 2013). Sports such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, track and field for example, have become more
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Whether it involves sprinting down the court on a fast break or chasing a loose ball, speed often contributes to overall athletic ability. The striker in soccer beating the defender to the ball and scoring the winning goal, the tennis player running down a crosscourt shot before playing a winner down the line, or the wide receiver outrunning the defense for a game-winning touchdown are all examples of the importance of speed in sport. Given this importance, it is no surprise that tests of running speed play a large role in evaluation programs for sport. Similarly, athletes with great speed are highly sought out in variety of …show more content…
Stride cadence refers to the number of strides taken per second, and stride length refers to the distance traveled by each stride. The product of these factors gives a mathematically accurate description of running speed. Traditional thinking has suggested that if one of these can be improved with the other remaining constant, running speed will increase.
Although speed can be improved, it is inaccurate to suggest that everyone has the capacity to become a sprint champion. A genetic ceiling exist for the top speed an athlete can reach, therefore limiting the ability of the vast majority of people to become an Olympic 100-meter champion. However, while this ceiling exists, it is likely that few people actually reach their
Whether it involves sprinting down the court on a fast break or chasing a loose ball, speed often contributes to overall athletic ability. The striker in soccer beating the defender to the ball and scoring the winning goal, the tennis player running down a crosscourt shot before playing a winner down the line, or the wide receiver outrunning the defense for a game-winning touchdown are all examples of the importance of speed in sport. Given this importance, it is no surprise that tests of running speed play a large role in evaluation programs for sport. Similarly, athletes with great speed are highly sought out in variety of …show more content…
Stride cadence refers to the number of strides taken per second, and stride length refers to the distance traveled by each stride. The product of these factors gives a mathematically accurate description of running speed. Traditional thinking has suggested that if one of these can be improved with the other remaining constant, running speed will increase.
Although speed can be improved, it is inaccurate to suggest that everyone has the capacity to become a sprint champion. A genetic ceiling exist for the top speed an athlete can reach, therefore limiting the ability of the vast majority of people to become an Olympic 100-meter champion. However, while this ceiling exists, it is likely that few people actually reach their