Acute effect of the resisted sled sprint running on sprint performance

Abstract

　This study investigated immediate effect of resisted sled sprint (RSS) running on sprint performance. Eleven male sprinters and three male decathletes (height, 1.75 ± 0.05 m; weight, 67.4 ± 5.9 kg; age, 21.1 ± 1.1 years; best record of 100 m sprint, 10.91 ± 0.24 sec) participated. After a warm-up which was left to the participants’ discretion, a 30-m sprint (three-point start) was performed. Fifteen minutes later, they performed another RSS. Subsequently, after 8–12 min of rest, they performed 30-m sprint for the second time. The loads were 20%, 50%, and 80% of body mass (BM). This experiment was performed for three consecutive days with different loads. The average sprint speed, step frequency, and step length in the 30-m sprints before and after RSS, and the sprint speed, step frequency, step length, support time, and flight time in the 0–2 step phase were analyzed and compared. Results showed a significant main effect of time factor on average sprint speed in the 30-m sprints before and after RSS. Average step length in 30-m sprints was significantly increased at 80%BM. Sprint speed and step length in the 0–2 step phase significantly increased at 80%BM. These findings indicate that RSS immediately improves sprint performance.