Module 3.2: Program Design for SAQ

Question 1

Speed

Answer 1

the skills and abilities needed to achieve high movement velocities

– change in distance of an object per unit of time (distance/time)

Question 2

change of direction

Answer 2

the skills and abilities needed to explosively change movement direction, velocities or modes

Question 3

agility

Answer 3

the skills and abilities needed to change direction, velocity or mode in response to a stimulus

Question 4

How does training differ between speed and agility?

Answer 4

when training for speed, the athlete is focused on acceleration, where agility requires deceleration

Question 5

Main difference between change of direction and agility

Answer 5

agility requires the use of perceptual– cognitive ability in combination with change-of-direction ability

Question 6

Rate of force development (RPD)

Answer 6

the development of maximal force in minimal time

Question 7

Impulse

Answer 7

the product of the generated force and the time required for its production

Question 8

Force

Answer 8

Vector quantity- it has both magnitude (size) and direction

Question 9

Acceleration

Answer 9

the rate at which an object’s velocity changes over time

Question 10

Velocity

Answer 10

describes how fast an object is traveling and its direction

Question 11

Momentum

Answer 11

the relationship between the mass of an object and the velocity of movement

Question 12

The change in momentum resulting from a force is measured as

Answer 12

the product of force and time

Question 13

Force-time curve

Answer 13

• the basic objective of training is to move the force-time curve up and to the left, generating greater impulse and momentum during the limited time over which force is applied
• the more area under-the-curve in a shorter amount of time generally means a faster sprinter

Question 14

The rate of force development is typically used as an index of

Answer 14

explosive strength

Question 15

In sports, which is more desirable…
- the ability to produce force rapidly
- maximal force production

Answer 15

the ability to produce force rapidly

Question 16

Maximal force takes at least ______ to produce; most athletic movements take _____

Answer 16

300ms; less than 200ms

Question 17

Improvements in RFD are likely the result of

Answer 17

increases in muscle-tendon stiffness, enhanced muscle force production via changes in muscle fiber type or area (from type 1 to type IIa) and increases in neural drive during the early phase of the SSC (<100ms)

Question 18

Training to improve RFD

Answer 18

Resistance
Plyometric
Sprint
Olympic
Balance Training

Question 19

_____ requires the ability to accelerate and reach maximal velocity, whereas _____ performance requires the use of perceptual-cognitive ability in combination with the ability to decelerate and then reaccelerate in an intended direction.

Answer 19

speed; agility

Question 20

In order to execute movement techniques, athletes must skillfully apply force. Due to limited time to produce force during athletic activities, there are two variables that describe force relative to the time available to produce force:

Answer 20

rate of force development (RFD)

Impulse

Question 21

Increases in rate coding– the rate at which action potentials occur– are related to increases in

Answer 21

both muscular force production and the rate of force production (benefit for velocity based training for speed production)

Question 22

Increases in rate coding may be contributed to increases in…

Answer 22

the athlete’s RFD and impulse generation

Question 23

Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC) actions exploit, which two phenomena?

Answer 23

Intrinsic muscle-tendon behavior

force and length reflex feedback to the nervous system

Question 24

SSC impact on mechanical efficiency and impulse

Answer 24

acutely, SSC actions tend to increase mechanical efficiency and impulse via elastic energy recovery

Question 25

More successful sprinters tend to have longer stride lengths as a result of

Answer 25

properly directed forces into the ground while also demonstrating a more frequent stride rate

Question 26

Primary limiting factors influencing sprint performance

Answer 26

RFD and proper biomechanics

Question 27

Muscle fiber type I

Answer 27

~50% of fibers in an average muscle

Peak tension in 110ms (slow twitch)

Type I motor unit: smaller neuron, <300 fibers

Question 28

Muscle fiber type II

Answer 28

Peak tension in 50ms (fast twitch)

Type IIa (~25% of fibers in an average muscle)

Type IIx (~25% of fibers in an average muscle)

More highly developed SR

Poor aerobic endurance, fatigue quickly

Faster calcium release

Type II motor unit: larger neuron, >300 fibers

Question 29

Sprinting phases

Answer 29

the start, acceleration (drive and transition) and top speed

Question 30

Sprinting Technique: Start Position

Answer 30

• the athlete should attempt to distribute a balanced body weight through a set position (blocks, three or four point stance)
• front lower leg angle is ~90 degrees in elite sprinters
• rear lower leg angle is ~133 degrees in elite sprinters

Question 31

Goal of starting sprinting position

Answer 31

should be to generate high horizontal velocities through a maximal exertion against the blocks or ground

Question 32

Vertical velocity is greatest during

Answer 32

block clearance and the subsequent two steps due to the need for appropriate rise in the body’s center of gravity

Question 33

Initial starting velocity of elite sprinters can reach

Answer 33

5ms

Question 34

Sprinting technique: Drive phase

Answer 34

Drive the back knee forward, while pushing off hard through the front foot
–opposite hand to the back knee should drive forward in sync with the back knee

–notice the back arm is almost straight, there is an exaggerated angle at the elbow

Question 35

Sprinting technique: Acceleration Phase

Answer 35

During both the start clearance and initial steps of the acceleration, the recovery of the swing legs should be low to the ground to a point where the toes are barely off the ground

by 20m the body’s center of gravity has been raised to a point at which sprinting is nearly upright. The head is relaxed, neutral position and will rise at the same rate as the torso.

Question 36

Sprinting checklist: Head

Answer 36

• keep your head in line with your spine
• focus your sight directly down the track
• relax your neck and jaw muscles
• don’t clench your teeth

Question 37

Sprinting checklist: Shoulders

Answer 37

don’t shrug your shoulders. They should be kept low, not by your ears

Question 38

Sprinting checklist: Hands and Arms

Answer 38

• hand position for starting should really be decided based on the hip mobility of the athlete
• run with open palm (if you naturally run with a closed fist, stay relaxed and don’t clench)
• remember “elbows to the sky, thumb to the eye”
• sync arms with legs
• remain upright during maximum velocity. Flexing or extending at the hip will limit your ROM
• run with the hands moving from the hips (pockets of pants) to the chin, eliminating side-to-side motion
• maintain a 90-degree bend of the elbows and drive the elbows back
• keep the shoulders sqaure

Question 39

Sprinting checklist: Lower body

Answer 39

• the leg that the athlete feels most comfortable with and can produce the most power with should be the leg put in the front block
• run on the balls of your feet and push off with your toes
• keep stride long but comfortable. Over striding means less power and unnecessary stress on the hamstrings
• focus on rapid turnover of sprint cycles with knees parallel to the ground

Question 40

Sprinting technique: maximum velocity

Answer 40

The sprinter displays stacked joints with the shoulders appearing to sit directly above the hips, which sit above the foot during stance phase. The head continues to stay in a relaxed, neutral position with eyes focused directly ahead. The shoulders stay down and relaxed to allow the arms to move at the same rate as legs through the phases of stance and swing.