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Dwain Chambers, Ato Boldon and Box Jumping

Several years ago in the days before YouTube, there was a viral video of Ato Boldon doing a 60 inch or 1.50m box jump (approximately).  Obviously, people confused this with the vertical jump or vertical leap test, but it is a good indication of explosiveness.  And bravery.

I am a firm believer in plyometrics, and I will choose plyos over weight training any day.  Tom Tellez, Carl Lewis and Daley Thompson all share the same sentiments.  Of course, you should try to incorporate BOTH in your training routine.

I came across Dwain Chambers doing a 68 inch box jump (approximately), and this was jumping onto those flimsy plastic “Aerobic Step” steps.  Dwain is 5 feet 11 inches or 1.80 meters tall, and you can see in the video the relative height when he stands next to it.

The video was taken sideways from an amateur digital camera, but you get the idea.

As Charlie Francis would say, it’s better to jump 7 feet once, than to do 7 one-foot jumps.  In this case, it’s almost 6 feet!

Disclaimer: please consult your coach before attempting these jumps higher than 36” or 1 meter.

Dwain Chambers Box Jump on YouTube

 

Ato Boldon Box Jump on YouTube

Tom Tellez’ 5 Phases of the 100m Sprint

I mentioned the previous USATF SuperClinic in the article on Dwayne Miller, LaShawn Merrit’s coach.

Among the wealth of information provided at this clinic was a lecture and handout from Tom Tellez. 

Tom Tellez requires no introduction… you can read the article Sprinting: A Biomechanical Approach Part 1 (Part 2 is here) for a detailed look at his coaching concepts and philosophy.

His handout from the clinic (PDF) is pretty sketchy, as if it has been photocopied over and over, but the overall picture of the 5 phases of the 100m sprint remains clear.

In his handout, he charts the 5 phases and the “percent contribution” to the total race.

1. Reaction Time (1%)
2. Block Clearance (5%)
3. Speed of Efficient Acceleration (64%)
4. Maintenance of Maximum Velocity (18%)
5. Lessened Degree of Deceleration (12%)

Looking at this chart, it’s no wonder why sprint coaches elect to focus on speed and acceleration work.   But this doesn’t show the whole picture as one component can severely affect the next component.  For example, proper block clearance sets up for proper speed of efficient acceleration.

And so on.

Or, if you put too much energy and focus on the speed and acceleration phase, you will pay the price and substantially increase your deceleration phase (instead of lessened).

Below are my notes on how Tom Tellez describes the 5 Phases of the 100m Sprint

Reaction Time

Reaction time is measured by the time taken from the firing of the gun to the first muscular reaction performed by the sprinter. 

A bad reaction time will produce a very different 100 meter race pattern with the sprinter rushing through the next phases!

Here is the video on how I practice reaction time.

Block Clearance

2 things come to mind.

1) You need proper biomechanics in the starting position in order to generate the greatest power to overcome inertia.

2)  The greater the force applied in driving from the starting blocks by the sprinter, the greater the initial velocity produced.

The block clearance phase sets you up for the next phase.

Speed of Efficient Acceleration

In the 40 yard dash, the athlete accelerates to maximum velocity in as short a time as possible. This also applies for the 100 meters.

However, the longer it takes the sprinter to reach maximum velocity, the greater the potential for the sprinter to
reach higher maximum velocities (which is the goal for the 100 meters, right?).  Today we are seeing athletes such as Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay reaching top speeds well beyond the “traditional” 60 meters.

The word “optimal” comes to mind, where an effective acceleration phase can produce the highest maximum velocity.

Maintenance of Maximum Velocity

Optimizing is a popular word here.

An optimal combination of stride rate, stride length and ground contact time will produce the highest top end speed.  This topic has been discussed at lengths on this Blog.

As far as posture goes, the sprinter will be in a full upright position during this phase.

Lessened Degree of Deceleration

The sprinters’ ground contact time increases with fatigue.  We’ve seen that on the article Ground Contact Time, Stride Length and Fatigue in the 400m.

Staying relaxed, and “staying tall” with a high vertical displacement are common terms.  But a lot of coaches neglect the importance (and biomechanics) of the arms and hands.  Arm action is just as important as the legs.

In John Smith’s perfect world, he would eliminate the Negative Acceleration Phase or Deceleration.  More on that later.

Barefoot Running and the Vibram FiveFingers Sprint

I’m standing in front of the Arch of Constantine which is next to the Coliseum in the heart of Rome.

This historical monument was the finish line for the 1960 Rome Olympic marathon where Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the race barefoot.

Did I mention barefoot?

Running barefoot has its benefits, and today’s running shoe with all that padding and protection can sometimes do more hard than good.

Look at your sprint spikes – super light with ZERO padding.  At 12 meters per second maximum velocity, you would expect a lot of pounding and damage, but the opposite is true… you appear smooth as a gazelle.

Why can’t this theory apply to distance running?

Personally, I believe in some barefoot running, especially after the workout in the cool down, for proprioception benefits.  In addition, uphill barefoot running on sand dunes helps strengthens the calves and Achilles.  In an ideal world, you live next to beaches and sand dunes!

But back home, watch out for broken glass and dog feces!  In Vancouver, it’s mostly geese excrement on the infield. 

On the beach, I like to run barefoot on the hard part of the sand – the part where the water meets the sand.  No shoes required!  On a Sunday morning 20 minute run, simply run 10 minutes out and back! 

Vibram FiveFingers – More than Rockports

On the flip side, I am also a big fan of Vibram soles as I’ve been wearing Rockport shoes for the last 25 years.  If you’ve seen me in a suit and tie, chances are I am wearing Rockport dress shoes.

Enter the Vibram FiveFingers Sprint for Men and Women .

These shoes are where barefoot meets the running shoe.

At first they look like rock climbing shoes, but upon closer inspection, the toes are separated like a glove!

Blisters aside, the most common complaint from these “shoes” are sore calves and the occasional tender arches.

If you are sceptical about barefoot running, or if your running trails are filthy, try the Vibram FiveFingers.

I would first jog on the grass infield, then progress to a runner track, and finally try concrete or asphalt.  But if you have access to trails and parks, I would run on those surfaces anytime.

Personally, you will find the traditional heel-toe mechanics too harsh for your body, especially if you are a heavy runner, and thus a more natural landing path will be the balls of your feet… not the toes!  Ironically, that’s how a sprinter runs! 

In other words, without artificial support, your body will adjust to the most natural and efficient mechanism.

The other most common pet peeve with the Vibram FiveFingers is “half sizes” are hard to find.  It’s like the old joke… half of the men in America are wearing the wrong underwear size because they sell them in even multiples..30, 32, 34, 36, etc.  So what happens if you are a size 29, 31, 33, 35?

At the end of the day, your mileage may vary.  Seriously.

Vibram FiveFingers Available at Amazon and other fine stores

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