top end speed

[Daniel_Martinez]

@Badgerman

I can agree with that aspect…but you still don’t address the fast twitch/slow twitch ratio…I’m sure there are certain genetic lines that are superior for sprints…

You forget that I believe most research suggests that only 30% of success is attributed to genetics. It is only one factor of many. I think the cultural differences argument holds more weight than the race argument.

“When you believe in things you don’t understand, you suffer.” -Stevie Wonder

[Goat]

@Badgerman

Yeah…there’s been SO many in the finals lately knocking at the door…gimme a break.

Then how would you possibly explain the race differences on the women’s side of things??? Are the race differences not true on the women’s side.

Anyway, that’s maybe on the far end of the spectrum when people are running sub 10 seconds. I think that there is a lot of time between 11seconds and 10 seconds. I think that a vast majority of sprinters would love to run between 10 flat and 10.3 seonds being either black or white.

[Goat]

@Badgerman

Hey…it’s not the end of the world…there are genetic differences…show me ONE white guy that has broken 10s in the 100m…it’s the people who don’t recognize the strengths and weaknesses of genetics that have the race problems. As of now white guys don’t have the genetics to break 10 sec…no matter who it is training them…how many white corners do you see in the NFL?? or D-1 for instance…or running backs???..think they’re just not training as hard???..I say BS…black athletes have better genetics for certain events…as do white athletes for others…no big deal…just reality

Oh, by the way as far a genetic differences go, what about the 2004 Olympics in the 110mH for men??? I think that some Asian guy won the whole damn thing and got pretty close to the world record. I somehow don’t seem to remember Asian’s being genetically superior in the aspect of sprint events in track and field. I could be wrong…

[Goat]

@Badgerman

I can agree with that aspect…but you still don’t address the fast twitch/slow twitch ratio…I’m sure there are certain genetic lines that are superior for sprints…just like horses, dogs,etc. A boxer and greyhound are sure both dogs…but I’ll take the greyhound for a race.

Just for your info Badgerman, looking back through an article in American Scientific they gave the percentages of fast/slow twitch of different groups of people. Sprinters were high but guess what, people confined in wheelchairs or was it spina bifida had the highest ratio of fast twitch to slow twitch fibres.

Anyways… This is getting too side tracked for the original topic. Let’s get back on track.

Pauly,

Talk to your sprint coarch and let him be aware of this website/forum and tell him to spend some (A LOT) of time here as it’s the BEST RESOURCE.

[Goat]

@xlr8

That’s an interesting statement, but in some of the other “very high power output events” such as Olympic Weightlifting, there seems to be a dominance of athletes of (eastern) European descent.

My take: the issue is less about genetics and more about cultural influences.

Great summarization.

[Badgerman]

@xlr8

That’s an interesting statement, but in some of the other “very high power output events” such as Olympic Weightlifting, there seems to be a dominance of athletes of (eastern) European descent.

My take: the issue is less about genetics and more about cultural influences.

West African Blacks probably have the wrong limb length ratios to be great OL…if they had the right ratios…combined with the fast twitch ratios they have…they would probably
dominate…but then they wouldn’t run as fast.

With globalization and the continued opening of societies there will be fewer and fewer reasons
to believe cultural influences are the major factor of athletic dominance.
All you have to do is watch the NBA and NFL…the percentage of Black players has risen dramatically over the years…especially at the skill positions. This genetic superiority
for raw speed combined with an expectation of black youths to succeed will continue to be a powerful force in sport.

[Badgerman]

We could certainly find white sprint prospects by measuring hip widths, VO2 uptake tests, needle biopsy for fast twitch ratio, limb lengths and final height, etc…THEN get them away from the crappy coaches that run their arses off and ruin any chance they had.

[vabo74]

yes
I wrote the same thing for RBs and WRs of the NFL (black athlets against ispanic athlets).

[Goat]

@Badgerman

We could certainly find white sprint prospects by measuring hip widths, VO2 uptake tests, needle biopsy for fast twitch ratio, limb lengths and final height, etc…THEN get them away from the crappy coaches that run their arses off and ruin any chance they had.

It was pointed out to me by a European sports scientist that the greatest reason why the East German’s dominated the sporting community back in the day wasn’t the drug issue but by the talent identification program which they had.

[Pauly]

@Pauly

So does anyone have an opinion on the importance of flexibility towards stride length, and if so, where should the flexibility most importantly be?

Also, I copied this from a thread on this site, and I added a question, which follows:

3. Elasticity
   a) Energy from a falling body is absorbed by a contracted muscle, forcibly lengthening it which in turn rebounds with great force
   (1) Recently Bosco found in a drop jump that muscle actually shortened a small amount as the whole system lengthened. This implies that connective tissue is the elastic part of the system. This means that max strength is even more important. The muscle is almost static so ATP is not required. Thus the energy cost in elastic force production is very low.
   (2) The elastic component augments the contractile component for force production
   b) When utilized, contributes to much longer stride lengths without compromising sound technique c) The ability to anticipate the need for force production is important in elastic force production

Here’s my question:
From b) in the above statement, which reads, “When utilized, contributes to much longer stride lengths…,” how do you utilize the elastic component? Is this something that you can work on to better exploit?

So does anyone care to comment?