More speed with the use of sleds in training

1 min reading time

In team sports, even today coaches often interpret speed as the ultimate (speed) that the athlete can develop. In reality however it is about the athlete's ability to accelerate, or in answer to the question, "how fast can a standing athlete accelerate", in order to get from point A to point B.

We do not train to improve speed with methods used in athletics

It's very simple. We should simply observe the intermediate time of a 100-meter runner: he reaches his top speed only after about 60 meters. Up to that point it accelerates. And this skill should be practiced.
Coaches of team sports should place greater value on the ability to accelerate, since the straight path traveled by team sports athletes is generally shorter than the corresponding one traveled by track and field athletes.

Note: The majority of scientific research on speed comes from athletics, not team sports.
In these, athletes run between 30 and 70 meters. In addition they regularly stop their movement and reboot. For this reason, the methods used in athletics to train the athletes engaged in it have no real meaning in team sports.
Athletics coaches apply a variety of exercises, with which the athlete practices the start and how to take the first stride, that is, the detachment of his feet from the ground.
In team sports, however, the body's center of gravity is slightly in front of the feet. From this stance the athlete launches his body off the ground. For this reason in team sports, the issue is not so much the development of top speed as the athlete's ability to accelerate.

More speed by using sleds

Unfortunately, many studies question the positive effect that the use of traction sleds has on enhancing speed, the experts did not misinterpret the results for a long time.
They claim that sled training has no effect on the top speed an athlete can develop. But even if the specific estimate is considered correct, the same is not true regarding the influence on the ability to accelerate, because this is undeniable.

Many coaches implement exercises other than those prescribed for runners, to enhance the runner's technique.
The one that runs correctly, however, does not automatically mean that it is also fast.
The same trainers also perform strength exercises, to enhance their athletes' lower body strength.
However, they forget, in this way, the development of flexibility in the athlete and consume too much time with technique exercises.

In the year 2000 the magazine Applied Physiology published an article by Peter Weyland.
In the article “Mechanical Basis of Human Running Speed” it is stated that:
"Better running speed is achieved by increased ground-launch force, not stride frequency."

Why is the speed resistance sled so useful?

Exercises using a speed resistance sled they strengthen the muscles used in running.
For this reason the above exercises they are the link between technique training and strength training, such as sit-ups and weightlifting.
The athlete converts the developed force directly into movement. Countless athletes can perform sit-ups while simultaneously loaded with particularly heavy weight. But how many can run fast?
If you ask a coach, he will list a number of strength exercises that train the ability to stretch the hips. However in running, what matters is hip hyperextension. All power generation comes from it. Only when the foot is placed under the body's center of gravity and the athlete holds himself back with force does he produce fast forward motion.

While sitting trains the relevant muscles, the execution of the movement is not specific to running. For this reason sitting exercises are more suitable for improving jumping ability than running.

To develop running skill, exercises are required that mimic movement with enhanced force application. Instrumental exercises are not sufficient for this purpose. Athletes can develop more speed by using a sled, as they convert the strength they developed from the exercises on the gym equipment into speed.

The difference between specific and specific

Sports scientists distinguish power into special and concrete. However, the difference between the two terms is marginal.
With the term "special force" is meant movement with resistance, in which the joints perform the same movements as in the target sport.
In this category is also classified the continuous movement with the parallel pull of the resistance sled. This form of exercise is perhaps the most effective for speed development.
Through this form of exercise, it becomes clear, if an athlete cannot exert force on the ground.

With the term "specific power" resistance movement is meant, which mimics joint movements precisely. This includes sled training. I repeat: Forms of training used in athletics have little meaning in team sports.

Walking and sledding

In the past in general coaches recommended not to decrease running speed of the exerciser by more than 10 percent during sled training.
In addition the athletes were not to pull a weight greater than that which corresponds to 10% of their body weight with the sled.
The above recommendations were justified on the grounds that too large resistances greatly alter movement when running or throwing.

In practice, however, it appears that even weights that exceed the athlete's body weight, can be used as long as the movement remains the same.

Think of sledding as a form of leg press exercise. The athlete moves the joints as in sprinting with simultaneous hyperextension under resistance. As long as the athlete pushes the device with clean technique and correct body posture it is no problem to complete an extremely difficult exercise.

When running with the use of a sled, the weight must naturally be reduced. However, the rule of 10% is not followed.
Instead, the weight of the sled is determined according to the movement of the athlete. As long as he can get a perfect acceleration stance and his movement does not change with the parallel thrust of the weight in front of him, the goal is achieved.
If one followed the 10% rule, this type of training would not be possible with progressive resistance.
Undoubtedly, when choosing the weight, the coach should take into account the type of ground on which the exercise is performed.
In running on grass less weight is used due to the greater resistance compared to when the exercise is performed on a smooth surface. However, the construction of the sled is also included in the weight calculation: A flat sled produces more friction than a double, so when a flat sled is used a lower weight should naturally be chosen.

Conclusion

Although sled training may not affect the maximum speed a runner can develop, it does improve their ability to accelerate.
This is a skill required in most sports.
Maximum top speed is only achieved by very few athletes anyway.
So let's get rid of misunderstandings that have led to the underestimation of this training tool. The sled is a highly functional and central training device for all sports where fast acceleration is required.

Nikos Vlachos, MA Sports Science, Athletes Performance Specialist, Functional Trainer Specialist, Athletic Trainer, Sport Rehab & Therapy Trainer physiotherapist and rehabilitation consultant

Medical Fitness Center,

11 Michael Psellou, Kifisia-Thessaloniki,

 info@medical-fitness.gr

www.medical-fitness.gr 

Source: academies.gr
31/05/2015

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