What Equals a Fast Athlete, and What is "Fast"?

Thoughts from an article that I recently read…

The most commonly used bench mark and testing method for athletic speed is often the 40 yard sprint time. However, that test is not entirely specific when it comes to many athletic situations beyond actual short distance track athletes. In most situations, and with most sports, the athletes will not be called upon to perform an all-out, maximal sprint for 40 yards. Most often the athlete will need to change direction quickly, react quickly, and have a powerful and fast first step. Measuring this ability is not effectively predicted with just a 40 yard sprint time. Let’s look further into first step/reactivity and all-out speed. This discussion will be taken from a study in which 26 male rugby athletes were tested in various ways to ascertain strength and power attributes. These findings were then correlated with speed attributes.

This study used 4 different methods to assess strength and power, and used those data points to find the correlation to athletic speed. Basically, the study sought to find what attributes of an athlete equal a “fast” athlete.

The first was a series of speed tests. The tests included: First Step Speed/reactivity (5m sprint time), Acceleration (10m sprint time), and Max Speed (30m sprint time). These tests were assessed using a standard sprint timing light system.

The second test was that of maximal strength and was assessed using the 3RM back squat. The participant used a plate-loaded barbell, in the high-bar position, and performed a basic squat. Beforehand, the subject completed a basic warm up which included static stretching, and was then given as many attempts as needed to get to a maximal number; increasing in 5kg increments each time.

Thirdly, Power and Reactivity was tested utilizing 3 different jump methods. All of the jumps were performed on a Kinematic Measurement System (KMS/ Electronic contact mat). The first jump method was the Squat Jump. A bar of standard weight was placed on the test subjects back in the high-bar position while the athlete was standing on the contact mat. The subject was asked to jump as high as possible with the weight upon his back. The second jump method was the Counter Movement Jump. The subject stood on the contact mat with hands on the hips. The subject then jumped as high as possible without letting the hands leave the hips. The third jump method was the Drop Jump. The participant was asked to step off of a 40cm box onto the contact mat and explosively and quickly jump as high as possible upon landing on the mat.

The fourth and final assessment used a Biodex machine and measured the isokinetic leg strength of the participants. The procedure involved a warm up which again included static stretching. The subjects were then put through a series of assessments on the machine to determine isokinetic torque measurements of knee flexors and extensors.
Upon conclusion of the testing, the sample group was split into the 13 fastest (had fastest 5m sprint times) and 13 slowest (had slowest 5m sprint times). From this point, the numbers from the various tests were compiled and then correlated with each other to assess the causality of the faster and slower athletes.

Right off the bat it was obvious that the Biodex test had very low correlation to speed. This is largely due to the fact that the Biodex is measuring flexion and extension strength at the knee. Most of the running strength comes from the hip region.

The maximal strength test (3RM squat) did not correlate with the jump assessments or the speed assessments, however it did correlate well with the isokinetic measurements; namely, the hamstring/knee flexor strength findings (Biodex). This is not surprising because both of these tests are indicators of hamstring strength; they test the same attribute. Hence, they should correlate to a degree. But the fact that they correlate with each other serves no purpose for what we’re looking for here… It did not correlate with speed.

Ultimately it was found that the strongest correlates to sprint performance were the 3 jump tests. Therefore, they strongly correlated with all 3 of the sprint tests (5m, 10, 30m tests). It should be noted that these were the only tests that correlated with ALL the speed assessments. From start speed (5m sprint), to carrying speed (30m sprint), they had relevance.

What I found most interesting was that the 5m sprint/reactivity test was NOT a close correlate to 30m full speed times. This would indicate that start speed or “first step speed” is an athletic attribute in itself. It cannot be put in the same category as all out speed. To explain further, many people think that a quick person is one that can perform a 40 yard dash quickly. However, this is not an indicator of that athlete’s overall speed. While the athlete with absolute speed may cover 40 yards quicker, the quick stepping athlete can feasibly react to an event quicker, initiate counter-movement sooner, or out maneuver more effectively. This finding is, in my opinion, one of the most important of this study.

The author set out to show the importance of not only more specificity in speed testing, but to also show the significance of first step/reactivity speed in field and court sports (hence the use of field athletes like rugby players). The author was successful in proving that it is a standalone attribute with great significance. What’s the point? Studies of this sort can provide better insight to the field of athletic Strength and Conditioning. A fast field or court athlete does not have to be, nor should he be, trained and tested as a short distance sprinter; as is often the misconception.

(I want to clarify, however, I'm not postulating that squats or hamstring development are pointless for speed development. Remember that heavy back-squats develop the central nervervous system, and the study did find that jumps correlated well with reactivity (as they are in themselves a reactive movement). Squats can increase rate-force production by improving the efficiency of central nervous system firing. Squats can definitely increase jump strength. Though this study did not find a heavy correlation between squat strength and running speed, I do firmly believe that they serve a role in creating a faster athlete by helping the athlete build a strong central nervous system base. )

• Cronin, J. B., & Hansen, K. T. (2005). Strength and power predictor of sports speed. Informally published manuscript, New Zealand Institute of Sport and Recreation Research, Auckland, New Zealand.