title: Effects of sled towing on sprint starts.
abstract: Sled towing is a popular method of sprint training. Researchers have struggled to identify a loading scheme that is most appropriate to improve sprint performance in the acceleration phase. The purpose of this study was to determine if loads of 10% body weight (BWT) or 20% BWT produced significantly greater propulsive ground reaction force (GRF) impulse, peak propulsive GRF, or a greater propulsive rate of force development (RFD) than an unweighted sprint start. Seventeen healthy court and field athletes (10 men, 7 women; 20.9 ± 1.1 years) completed 5 starts of each condition (unweighted, 10% BWT, 20% BWT). Participants began each start in an upright staggered stance. Propulsive GRF impulse was greater in the 20% BWT condition than the unweighted condition in both limbs and greater in the 20% BWT condition than the 10% BWT condition in the front leg only, and vertical GRF impulse was greater in the 20% BWT than the unweighted condition. In summary, our results suggest that a 10% BWT load is not sufficient to increase propulsive GRF impulse. A loading scheme of 20% BWT is sufficient to increase propulsive GRF impulse. Coaches seeking to improve sprint starts may observe improvements using a load of 20% BWT during training while towing a sled.
authors: Department of Exercise and Sports Performance, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine.
authors: Casey A
authors: CA
authors: Cottle
authors: Lara A
authors: LA
authors: Carlson
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: Lawrence
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000379:methods*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult