Speed Improvement Focus: GENERAL PREPARATION PHASE OF A COLLEGE 100 METER SPRINTER

Sprinting is an activity that depends on the coordination of both nerves and muscles, and on the ability of the central nervous system to eliminate as many braking and friction movements as possible. Mechanically, sprinting is not a complex skill.  Neurologically speaking, sprinting is complex sequence of firing by motor neurons to activate the muscles to move the human lever system in order to effectively apply force.  A sprinter’s performance is mainly determined by the force and speed with which muscles can contract and relax and, because of the cyclic motion, the correct timing of the change from contraction (force application) to relaxation.

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