Thanks to Ato Boldon for pointing this out to me. At the 2015 USATF Championships, the top 3 go the Worlds (assuming standard is met) unlike Canada with a complicated matrix of rules. But what if you came in 4th place, by a fraction of a second where your reaction time could have made all the … [Read more...] about Does Reaction Time Matter? Kaylin Whitney Missed a Spot on Worlds
Archives for June 2015
Single Day Icosathlon World Record
The icosathlon is simply a Double Decathlon, formerly known as the “Double Deca”. It can be held on one day, or two days. When you think about it, Track and Field has 19 events without relays. So what’s the 20th event? A Race walk? It’s the 200m low hurdles (3rd event in Day 1). I guess the … [Read more...] about Single Day Icosathlon World Record
Comprehensive Recovery Training for Athletes [Part 3]
This is Part 3 of a multi-part article. Please read Comprehensive Recovery Training for Athletes [Part 1] first. Then read Part 2 here. In this article, I'm going to discuss several more key passive recovery topics. Many of these you will be familiar with, but hopefully I can provide you with … [Read more...] about Comprehensive Recovery Training for Athletes [Part 3]
What is the Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)? Part 1
Anyone who regularly exercises, particularly runners, will often describe how their ITB (Ilio Tibial Band) is tight. For this reason, they will spend time at length “rolling out”, often enduring considerable pain, to "loosen up" the outer part of the thigh. And while you roll out in agony, the … [Read more...] about What is the Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)? Part 1
Optimal Step Width Out of the Blocks (plus Stride Length and Frequency)
What is your step pattern after leaving the blocks? Powerful and wide, or narrow and close to the center (imaginary line between lanes) as possible? Along with a good reaction time, Coaches usually instruct athletes that a narrow step width and a high step frequency are required for a good … [Read more...] about Optimal Step Width Out of the Blocks (plus Stride Length and Frequency)
Elbow Action in Sprinting – Myth vs Reality
By Robert Marchetti, Rider University, Assistant Track Coach One of the great coaching myths about sprinting is that the elbow joint should remain locked at 90 degrees, fixed throughout the movement. Carefully observing most great sprinters will reveal this is not the case. The elbow angle … [Read more...] about Elbow Action in Sprinting – Myth vs Reality
Heel Strike and Non-Sprint Running Mechanics
By James Smith Any mindful observer of a sport will realize that the activity performed most; regardless of in practice or competition, for nearly any sport conducted on the track, field/pitch, or court, is running. Curious it then becomes to consider the lack of attention placed on the … [Read more...] about Heel Strike and Non-Sprint Running Mechanics
Why We Should Allow Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDS) in Sport
Up until the 1992 Olympics, the Olympic movement spent 96 years promoting Amateurism where you have unpaid athletes competing for the love of the sport rather than for the money. The most famous case was American Decathlete Jim Thorpe being stripped of his two gold medals in 1912 for having … [Read more...] about Why We Should Allow Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDS) in Sport
Andre De Grasse 9.75, Trayvon Bromell 9.88… NCAA 100m Results
I woke up this morning checking the NCAA 100m times. I do have a vested interest in it as I am following my fellow Canadians, Andre De Grasse and Aaron Brown. Who knows, with 2 world class sprinters, maybe we can get back to the glory days of 1996 of the 4x100m relay? Was I dreaming? 5 … [Read more...] about Andre De Grasse 9.75, Trayvon Bromell 9.88… NCAA 100m Results
Jimmy Vicaut – First 7 Steps is the Secret to sub-10?
The first cut is the deepest, and the first 7 steps are the secret. In the 100 meter sprint, why are elite sub-10 sprinters taking 7 Strides for the first 10 meters? In the Facebook video from Guy Ontanon, he showed 3 video clips of Jimmy Vicaut's progression of his 100m time in relation to … [Read more...] about Jimmy Vicaut – First 7 Steps is the Secret to sub-10?
