http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/sports/playmagazine/0603play-gift.html
Is an article about Lauryn Williams, the fastest woman in the world. For those of you going for a run cadence of ~180, or 3 strides per second, how does 4.9 strides per second grab you? She’s certainly one person for whom squats are recommended!
The article includes a video analysis of her racing, and shows one point where her foot strikes the ground in front of her body; it’s at the time in the race where the velocity is maintained via pulling with the hamstrings/glutes, rather than pushing with the quadriceps.
At least I thought it was interesting.
She’s certainly one person for whom squats are recommended!
…where her foot strikes the ground in front of her body; it’s at the time in the race where the velocity is maintained via pulling with the hamstrings/glutes, rather than pushing with the quadriceps.
Squats certainly won’t hurt.
More specific to her event would be the reverse hyper, which isolates the glutes at a more extensive ROM than squats.
http://www.nytimes.com/...e/0603play-gift.html
Is an article about Lauryn Williams, the fastest woman in the world. For those of you going for a run cadence of ~180, or 3 strides per second, how does 4.9 strides per second grab you? She’s certainly one person for whom squats are recommended!
The article includes a video analysis of her racing, and shows one point where her foot strikes the ground in front of her body; it’s at the time in the race where the velocity is maintained via pulling with the hamstrings/glutes, rather than pushing with the quadriceps.
At least I thought it was interesting.
Very nice analysis. Makes me feel pretty good about the running analysis we did where we, of course, ignored the start and talked simply about the maintenence phase.
In the 4th segment I think it interesting if you look at some of the other runners you will see they bring their lower leg further forward than Lauryn. I think the jury is still out as to whether it is optimum to bring that lower leg beyond the vertical. Everyone does it but the better ones do it less so than the less good ones. If some one did not do it at all would they be even better still?
Also, it is wrong to imply that the quads are ever used to maintain speed which I think you did. They are used in the portion of the race where the athlete is accelerating up to speed. Once up to speed, speed is “maintained” with strong and quick glutes and hamstrings, getting the foot off the ground quickly (which facilitates rapid turnover) and by as much endurance as possible, allowing as little slowing as possible towards the end.
Again, very nice analysis. Thanks for the link
Frank
She’s certainly one person for whom squats are recommended!
That, and hiring Learn to help guide her to biomechanical perfection. Maybe some Newtons as well - imagine the possibilities.
I think the “neuromuscular” component is often overlooked. The top sprinters just seem to be wired better than the rest of us. No amount of drills or squats can substitute. I always wanted to be a sprinter. Sigh.