Speed Analysis in Soccer Players

In previous posts, we discussed the importance of expressing strength rapidly for performance. Essentially, when two athletes are equal in size, stature and strength, the one who can express force faster for a given movement will generally be more successful on the playing field. This demonstrates the importance of specific analyses of movements (i.e., bar …

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Trap bar jumps for power development

The formula for power is: Power = Work/Time. The key element in this formula as it pertains to sport performance is the “time” component. How fast you are able to complete a given task is generally the determining factor in successful performance outcomes. Therefore, developing power in the weight room that transfers over to athletic …

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Resisted Sprint Training: Heavy vs. Light Loads

The topic of resisted sprint training for the purposes of enhancing sprint speed continues to be a hot topic in strength and conditioning circles. A widely accepted general rule has been to avoid resisted loads of greater than 10% body weight. Heavier loads may alter sprint mechanics and result in less dynamic correspondence to non-resisted …

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Aerobic Fitness in Intermittent Sports

Generally speaking, conditioning for sports performance should be specific to the demands of the sport in question. However, it’s important not to get too caught up in the “specificity” concept as things aren’t quite so simple in reality. Many individuals dismiss the importance of aerobic fitness for intermittent sports. The logic being that these activities …

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All else being equal, does the stronger athlete win?

If you were to assess a team of young athletes in a 5 and 20 meter sprint, countermovement vertical jump, and squat jump, you will likely determine that the strongest athletes performed best. This is precisely what Comfort et al. (2013) found when they tested a team of 17 year old soccer players in these …

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