This past weekend I ran a camp at D-bat Wichita Falls which had the primary focus of improving sprint performance. Before I explain the process that we go through I want to throw a bunch of data at you. My goal is to not bore you to death as I explain this "case study" from the camp.
I had 23 participants ranging from the ages of 6 to 16. To start the camp I let everyone jog for 2 minutes and then we went outside and tested (PRE) 30 yard sprints. I then ran the camp with an emphasis on things like arm drive, knee drive, single leg power development, and start technique. Afterwards we took the individuals and retested (POST) 30 yard sprints. The average camp time for sprint training lasted 60 minutes.
Common sense would dictate that a tired athlete, no matter how much we improved their form, would run a slower POST test than a PRE. Luckily, or intentionally, common sense was wrong.
Of the 23 athletes, we had 4 not improve their 30 yard speed times - those who did not improve their time either tied the time or were within .1 seconds of the PRE.
This means that 19 individuals improved their time - average POST time being .239 (4.9% faster) with the least being .08 and the greatest being .45
The conclusion for this data greatly points us in one direction. In no way can we assume that the athletes were more recovered for the POST test than the PRE. Sixty minutes of work will not be a recovery based protocol. Its not that the athletes had one random burst of speed during the testing either, because the average speed of the 30 yard test was faster for the POST than PRE - in other words both POST times were faster than the PRE.
The only explanation is that, even with fatigue, the technique and power developed during the camp WORKED.
Our system incorporates things like teaching proper arm drive independent of the rest of the body. Then we teach the kids how to drive their legs and prepare their foot for striking. We then use specific plyometrics which encourage a greater neurological excitement and then we finish with technique starts which teach the athletes how to bring it all together.
This type of training isn't hard to do right. That being said it is easy to do wrong. If this camp is evidence of anything, it's that we have our own system that is done correctly. After all, who wouldn't want to be faster in only 60 minutes?
If you are interested in long term involvement in our program please let us know. We have announced our summer program which includes pre-formed groups (FIRST FOR US) which allows an individual to join a group without having to form/build their own! Please Call (940)3672113 or Email Endunamoox@Gmail.com for questions and inquiry!
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