Acceleration capability in elite sprinters and ground impulse: Push more, brake less?
Jean-Benoît Morin1, Jean Slawinski2, Sylvain Dorel3
1Laboratory of Human Motricity, Education Sport and Health (EA6312), University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France.
Journal of Biomechanics
|July 27, 2015
Summary
Faster elite sprinters achieve higher acceleration by maximizing propulsive force (IMPH+) rather than minimizing braking force (IMPH-). This study analyzed net horizontal ground reaction force impulse during sprints.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
- Athletic Performance
Background:
- Net horizontal ground reaction force impulse (IMPH) is crucial for sprint acceleration.
- Previous studies limited analysis to a few steps and did not focus on elite sprinters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate between propulsive (IMPH+) and braking (IMPH-) forces in elite sprinters.
- To determine if faster sprinters achieve higher IMPH through greater IMPH+, lower IMPH-, or both.
Main Methods:
- Nine elite sprinters performed variable-distance sprints (10m to 40m).
- Ground reaction forces were measured using a force platform system.
- A "virtual" 40m acceleration was analyzed by adjusting starting block positions.
Main Results:
- IMPH and IMPH+ significantly correlated with 40m mean sprint speed (r=0.868 and 0.802).
- IMPH+ was confirmed as significantly more important for sprint acceleration than IMPH- or vertical impulse.
- These findings were prominent in the initial phase of the sprint.
Conclusions:
- Faster sprinters generate higher horizontal net impulse per unit body mass.
- Elite sprinters excel by maximizing propulsive force (IMPH+).
- Minimizing horizontal braking force (IMPH-) is not a primary factor for increased speed in elite sprinters.
More Related Videos
10:08Effects of a Novel Neuromuscular Training Intervention on Jump, Sprint, and Change of Direction in Adult Female Soccer Players
Published on: June 10, 2025
1.7K
06:52An Inertial Measurement Unit Based Method to Estimate Hip and Knee Joint Kinematics in Team Sport Athletes on the Field
Published on: May 26, 2020
8.8K
Related Concept Videos
01:16Instantaneous Acceleration
24.2K
Acceleration is in the direction of the change in velocity, but it is not always in the direction of motion. When an object slows down, its acceleration is opposite to the direction of its motion. Although commonly referred to as deceleration, this causes confusion in our analysis as deceleration is not a vector, and does not point to a specific direction with respect to a coordinate system. Therefore, the term deceleration is not used. For example, when a subway train slows down, it...
24.2K
01:30Average Acceleration
15.9K
The importance of understanding acceleration spans our day-to-day experiences, as well as the vast reaches of outer space and the tiny world of subatomic physics. In everyday conversation, to accelerate means to speed up. For instance, we are familiar with the acceleration of our car; the harder we apply our foot to the gas pedal, the faster we accelerate. The greater the acceleration, the greater the change in velocity over a given time. Acceleration is widely seen in experimental physics. In...
15.9K
00:49Impulse-Momentum Theorem
19.9K
The total change in the motion of an object is proportional to the total force vector acting on it and the time over which it acts. This product is called impulse, a vector quantity with the same direction as the total force acting on the object.
By writing Newton's second law of motion in terms of the momentum of an object and the external force acting on it, and simultaneously using the definition of the impulse vector, it can be shown that the total impulse on an object is equal to its...
By writing Newton's second law of motion in terms of the momentum of an object and the external force acting on it, and simultaneously using the definition of the impulse vector, it can be shown that the total impulse on an object is equal to its...
19.9K
01:17Force and Momentum
24.6K
Force and momentum are intimately related. Force acting over time can change momentum, and Newton's second law of motion can be stated in its most broadly applicable form in terms of momentum. Momentum can be applied to systems where the mass is changing, such as rockets, as well as to systems of constant mass. Also, momentum continues to be a key concept in the study of atomic and subatomic particles in quantum mechanics. One can consider systems with varying mass in some detail; however, the...
24.6K
01:12Measuring Acceleration Due to Gravity
1.4K
Consider a coffee mug hanging on a hook in a pantry. If the mug gets knocked, it oscillates back and forth like a pendulum until the oscillations die out.
A simple pendulum can be described as a point mass and a string. Meanwhile, a physical pendulum is any object whose oscillations are similar to a simple pendulum, but cannot be modeled as a point mass on a string because its mass is distributed over a larger area. The behavior of a physical pendulum can be modeled using the principles of...
A simple pendulum can be described as a point mass and a string. Meanwhile, a physical pendulum is any object whose oscillations are similar to a simple pendulum, but cannot be modeled as a point mass on a string because its mass is distributed over a larger area. The behavior of a physical pendulum can be modeled using the principles of...
1.4K
01:13Impulse
22.2K
According to Newton’s second law of motion, the rate of change of the momentum of an object is the net external force acting on it. The total change in momentum between two timepoints thus depends on both the external force acting on it and the time over which it acts. Describing this mathematically, the total change of an object’s motion is proportional to the force vector and the time over which it is applied. This product is called impulse.
Additionally, it can be shown that the...
Additionally, it can be shown that the...
22.2K