However, they also added that “This is not to discount the importance of the start and acceleration phase, as coaches and athletes clearly must train all portions of a linear sprint.”Īnother view on this topic has been provided by Cameron Josse in the Simplifaster article ‘The Truth About Athlete Speed in the NFL’. The authors suggested that more maximum velocity training may be warranted for athletes preparing for the 40-yard dash or short sprints.When the group was divided into fast and slow athletes, it was found that both fast and slow athletes accelerated in a similar pattern relative to their maximum velocity – that is the sprint profile when expressed as a % of max velocity (not absolute speed in meters per second) was nearly identical.Maximum velocity was strongly correlated with 10 yard, 20 yard, and 40 yard performance.Here are a few highlights from the paper: Clark is not only a speed scientist but also sprinted on the gridiron at Swarthmore College as an All-Conference running back thus, he has the experience and the know-how in terms of the evaluating sprinting speed. Ken Clark, who studied under the tutelage of Professor Peter Weyand at the SMU Locomotor Performance Laboratory in Dallas, Texas, published a paper dissecting the NFL Combine 40-yard dash. Modern-day technology and multiple timing gates now allows us to examine the acceleration phase at 10 yards and 20 yards along with the maximal velocity attained during the 40-yard dash. Thus, there should be more emphasis on acceleration since this is what football players do at the start of every play. Many argue that football players rarely run a 40-yard dash during competition nor do they reach maximal velocity. However, despite all its majesty, the 40-yard dash has many critics. And you can find top performers by position and year here. So, if Bo’s 40 does not officially count, who does have the fastest 40-yard dash? Take 4.22 seconds and watch John Ross here. 5.12 sec) proving the quick thumb theory. Although there was a high correlation between the two timing methods (r >0.90) the average difference was 0.22 seconds faster for hand-timed vs. Bryan Mann and colleagues compared hand-timed versus electronic-timed 40-yard dashes in 81 Division-1 NCAA football players. We all know the quick-thumb of the coach on that button! In a research paper published in 2015, Dr. This statement alone will quickly get a response of “ya, but is it hand-timed?”. Now, if you want to start a heated discussion just walk into a room of coaches and tell them that you have a “4.4 guy”. In 1986, Bo Jackson was clocked at 4.12 seconds however, it is not recognized as the record because it was hand-timed with a stopwatch. The 40-yard dash has been a key measure in the NFL Combine since it started in 1985. Walk into any coach’s office, and you will hear “What’s his 40 time?”. Elsewhere across America, high school and college football coaches, with their stopwatches in hand, seek speed and developing faster athletes. And, the king of all events is the 40-yard dash. In late February of every year, the showcase of athleticism known as the NFL Combine is another event that captures our attention. We actually label the winner – the world’s fastest man! Indeed, the 100 meter dash at the Olympics captivates us. Humans are fascinated with speed – getting things done faster, microwaves, cars, productivity hacks, cheetahs, and yes, human beings getting from point A to point B on their own two feet.
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