REF-806 · Morin et al., 2011 · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Vol. · Paper · PubMed

Technical Ability of Force Application as a Determinant Factor of Sprint Performance

Blimited evidenceMeasured on recreational to trained athletesWritten before October 2026, being re-checked

The authors carried the idea of effectiveness of force application from pedalling mechanics over to sprinting. Twelve physically active men (including two sprinters) ran 8-s sprints on an instrumented treadmill and a 100-m sprint on a track.

From step-by-step vertical (FV), net horizontal (FH) and total (FTot) ground reaction forces they computed the ratio of forces (RF = FH/FTot) and an index of force application technique (DRF, the slope of the RF-speed relationship from the start to top speed). DRF correlated significantly with 100-m mean and top speed and with 4-s distance (r > 0.731; P < 0.01).

FH also correlated with field performance, but FTot and FV did not. How the total force is oriented mattered more than how much of it there was.

Participants

Twelve physically active male subjects, including two sprinters. Age and performance level are not given in the abstract.

Protocol

8-s sprints on a recently validated instrumented sprint treadmill: FV, FH and FTot at each step during acceleration.
RF = FH/FTot; DRF = slope of the RF-speed linear relationship from the start until top speed.
100-m sprint on an athletics track with radar: mean and top 100-m speeds and 4-s distance.
Correlations between mechanical variables and field sprint performance.

Key Results

DRF correlated significantly with 100-m performance (mean and top speeds, 4-s distance): r > 0.731, P < 0.01.
Net horizontal force (FH) correlated significantly with field sprint performance (P < 0.05).
Total force (FTot) and vertical force (FV) did not.
Authors' conclusion: the orientation of the total force applied to the ground during sprint acceleration is more important to performance than its amount.

Practical Application

"Why do I lose to people who are no stronger than me off the start?" — in twelve physically active men tested on an instrumented sprint treadmill and a 100-m track sprint, the ability to keep force pointed horizontally as speed rose correlated with 100-m speed (r > 0.731), while the total force a runner produced did not: in acceleration, where the force points matters more than how much there is.
For acceleration, coach body position and horizontal push, not just more force; total force did not separate faster from slower runners here.
This is the mechanical basis of the horizontal part of sprint force-velocity profiling (REF-553). Inference, not tested here: resisted accelerations (REF-765) may train horizontal force application; this study measured the determinant, not a training effect.
Top speed is a different problem: there, greater vertical support force separates fast from slow runners (REF-805).

Limitations

Twelve subjects, only two of them sprinters; correlations, not causation.
Force measured on a treadmill; the field performance was a separate track sprint.
Men only.
Written from the abstract and record metadata only (full text not read).
How this entry was checked and changed
Why this level

correlational, n=12