Most Athletic Movements Are Too Fast to Express Maximal Force
May 27, 2022
IMAGE: UNSPLASH / Geoff Scott
How to Train Athletes
Recently on Instagram, @ericcressey posted about the diminishing returns point of max strength work for athletes and it got me thinking.ā£ There are few sport movements that take place over a long enough time to actually express maximal strengthā£.
- For example:ā£ ā£ It takes about 0.5 seconds to express maximal strengthā£ ā£
- Sprinting at max velocity, ground contact time is 0.09-0.11 secondsā£ ā£
- In the acceleration phase of sprinting: 0.17-0.2 secondsā£ ā£
- Change of direction: 0.4-0.7 secondsā£ ā£
Athletes Should Not Be Trained Like Powerlifters
So while strength definitely matters for joint stability, creating force, etc. it’s not productive for athletes to train like powerlifters.
Unfortunately, a lot of coaches learn from powerlifters and pass down bad information (ex: push through the heels, look up to go up, always squat to depth, etc.)ā£.
As you can see in the graph, a more productive quality for most athletes to chase is rate of force development.ā£ ā£ I’d rather be the soccer player who can cut the hardest in 0.2 seconds than the soccer player who can squat the most to depth.ā£ ā£
Want access to more educational information & resources from the Movement System? Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter below for updates, exclusive content, and new offers.
Stay connected with news and updates!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
