- Title
- Is muscle power related to running speed with changes of direction?
- Creator
- Young, Warren; James, R.; Montgomery, Iain
- Date
- 2002
- Type
- Text; Journal article
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/60980
- Identifier
- vital:973
- Identifier
- ISSN:0022-4707
- Abstract
- Background. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between leg muscle power and sprinting speed with changes of direction. Methods. Experimental design: the study was designed to describe relationships between physical qualities and a component of sports performance: Setting: testing was conducted in an indoor sports hall and a biomechanics laboratory. Participants: 15 male participants were required to be free of injury and have recent experience competing in sports involving sprints with changes of direction. Measures: subjects were timed in 8 m sprints in a straight line and with various changes of direction. They were also tested for bilateral and unilateral leg extensor muscle concentric power output by an isokinetic squat and reactive strength by a drop jump. Results. The correlations between concentric power and straight sprinting speed were non-significant whereas the relationships between reactive strength and straight speed were statistically significant. Correlations between muscle power and speed while changing direction were generally low and non-significant for concentric leg power with some moderate and significant (p<0.05) coefficients found for reactive strength. The participants who turned faster to one side tended to have a reactive strength dominance in the leg responsible for the push-off action. Conclusions. The relationships between leg muscle power and change-of-direction speed were not consistent. Reactive strength as measured by the drop jump appears to have some importance for lateral change-of-direction speed, possibly because of similar push-off actions. It was concluded that reactive strength of the leg extensor muscles has some importance in change-of-direction performance but the other technical and perceptual factors than influence agility performance should also be considered.
- Publisher
- Edizioni Minerva Medica
- Relation
- Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness Vol. 42, no. 3 (Sep 2002), p. 282-288
- Rights
- Copyright Edizioni Minerva Medica
- Rights
- This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
- Subject
- 1106 Human Movement and Sports Science; Muscle power; Running
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