This is Dr. Mike Young's presentation on biomotor development for the speed-power athlete from the 2013 NSCA BC Provincial Clinic at the Richmond Olympic Oval.

1. BIOMOTOR DEVELOPMENT FOR
SPEED-POWER ATHLETES
MikeYoung, PhD
Whitecaps FC -Vancouver, BC
Athletic Lab - Cary, NC

2. While primarily a soccer fitness coach and
sport scientist now, in my previous life I
coached national & international competitors
in a variety of speed-power related activities

9. Power Output is the
common denominator

10. NEEDS ANALYSIS

11. FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS

12. BIOMOTOR ABILITIES

13. BUILDING ENGINES

14. YEARLY PLANNING

15. So, tell me what you
want to accomplish
with training....
What is most
important?
I want to understandhow to make people fast
& powerful!
All of it?

16. ACCELERATION
CHARACTERISTICS
• Velocity @10m: ~8.2 m/s
• Ground ContactTime: ~0.17 sec
• Height of foot @ 1st step: 12-30cm
• Stride Frequency: 3.6-4 Hz
• Stride Lengths: ~1.5m first step

17. MAXIMAL VELOCITY
CHARACTERISTICS
• Maximal Velocity: ~12.8 m/s
• Ground Contact Time: ~0.08 sec
• Stride Frequency: ~5 Hz
• Stride Velocity: ~300 deg / sec
• Stride Lengths: 2.25-2.7m

18. What do the
experts
have to say?

19. Loren Seagrave

20. Charlie Francis
To go faster, you
need more force

21. The main characteristic of elite
sprinting is....transporting
elastic energy from one leg to
the other in the flight phase and
directing the GROUND
REACTION FORCES in stance.
Frans Bosch

22. The key to human speed is
simple: applying large mass-
specific forces to the
ground quickly
Dr. Peter Weyand

23. The
Force is
Powerful!

24. FUNDAMENTAL
CONCEPTS

25. The goal is to
keep the goal
the goal

26. F=MA

27. THE MEAT
MACHINE
• Absorb shock and control vertical
collapse during support
• Balance and control of upper
extremity
• Forward and upward propulsion
• Control direction changes in center
of mass

28. The Nervous System....hard
wiring for
success

29. To Sprint Faster.... Sprint!

31. maximum-maximorum.com

32. NEWTON’S 4th LAW
Fat (or any excess body mass) don’t fly

33. Strength ≠ Speed

34. Biomotor
Abilities

35. Strength
BIOMOTOR ABILITIES

36. Strength
Speed
BIOMOTOR ABILITIES

37. Strength
SpeedFlexibility
BIOMOTOR ABILITIES

38. Strength
SpeedFlexibility
Endurance
BIOMOTOR ABILITIES

39. Strength
SpeedFlexibility
Endurance
BIOMOTOR ABILITIES
Coordination

40. Strength
SpeedFlexibility
Endurance
BIOMOTOR ABILITIES
Coordination

41. Could several
capacities fall
under a single
umbrella?

42. instead of thinking this...

43. Think this...
Maximum Strength Speed
Few
TimeConstraints
ConcentricDominant
ExtremeTimeConstraints
EccentricDominant
LessReflexive
MoreReflexive
OvercomingInertia
MaintainingInertia

44. Emphasizing
Individual
Capacities....

45. Emphasizing
Individual
Capacities....
Looking for
Commonalities
of Stimulus....

46. PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER

47. THE REAL REASON WETRAIN
Almost every physical quality relevant to speed & power falls
under the umbrella of (neuromuscular) coordination
By considering physical qualities as outcomes of inter &
intramuscular coordination we simplify the training method
and place stimuli on a continuum rather than in different
bubbles

48. Building a Bigger Engine

49. Building Low
end Power

50. Training for Low-End Power*
General Specific
Weight Train Hills
Sled Push Resisted Sprints
Short Jumps / Multi-Throws Acceleration Sprints
Quad / glute dominant, Horizontal vector, Concentric, Longer RFD
*sprint specific

51. GENERAL MEANS FOR
DEVELOPING LOW-END POWER

52. RESISTANCE TRAINING

53. “Do I really need to lift?”

54. “...there is sufficient evidence for
strength training programs to
continue to be an integral part of
athletic preparation.”
“Do I really need to lift?”

55. OLYMPIC LIFTS
from floor. power clean emphasis. 1-3 reps / set. 5-10 sets.

56. Exercise Absolute Power (Watts)Absolute Power (Watts)
100kg Male 75kg Female
Bench Press 300
Back Squat 1100
Deadlift 1100
Snatch 3000 1750
Snatch 2nd Pull 5500 2900
Clean 2950 1750
Clean 2nd Pull 5500 2650
Jerk 5400 2600
POWER DEVELOPMENT
*Total pull: Lift-off until maximal vertical velocity
**2nd pull: Transition until maximal vertical barbell velocity

57. Exercise Absolute Power (Watts)Absolute Power (Watts)
100kg Male 75kg Female
Bench Press 300
Back Squat 1100
Deadlift 1100
Snatch 3000 1750
Snatch 2nd Pull 5500 2900
Clean 2950 1750
Clean 2nd Pull 5500 2650
Jerk 5400 2600
POWER DEVELOPMENT
*Total pull: Lift-off until maximal vertical velocity
**2nd pull: Transition until maximal vertical barbell velocity
Even if use of Olympic lifts are
inappropriate due to lack of
equipment, low teachingexpertise, or athleteinexperience; the basicprincipals should still be
incorporated (externally
loaded, multi-joint, lower body
explosive movement)

58. SQUATS
all variants. full depth. 2-6 reps / set. 4-7 sets.

59. RESISTANCE TRAINING
UPPER BODY PULL, PUSH, CORE, AND UNILATERAL STRENGTH

60. SLED PUSH
Masquerading as Acceleration Development Since the 90s

61. SLED PUSH
Effective Strength & Conditioning Tool if Used Appropriately

62. SHORT JUMPS
SLJ, STJ, etc. overcoming inertia. 10-30 jumps / contacts.

63. MULTI-THROWS
OHB, BLF, etc. full effort. 10-30 throws.

64. Multi-throw Routines

65. SPECIFIC MEANS FOR
DEVELOPING LOW-END POWER

68. Sled Sprints

69. •Resisted sprints can improve speed*
•When load is appropriate kinematics are unaffected
•Optimal load produces ~10-20% speed decrement

70. •Length: 10-40m
•Load: Base on quality of movement & speed
•Rest: 30-60 sec / 10m
•Volume: 200-360m
•~10% Rule

71. <40m per rep ~1’ rest / 10m
<300m total volume

72. B U i l d i n g
a S t i f f e r
S p r i n g

73. Vertical force production is
the key component of top-end
speed and that in turn
influences the ability to
maintain a slight increase in
stride length and stride
frequency
Dan Pfaff

74. Vertical forces become predominant
in the maximal velocity phase. Much
of the horizontal momentum needs
have been established, so vertical
force generation becomes critical.
These vertical forces enhance
stride length and posture.
Boo Schexnayder

75. Muscle Activity

76. Training for Stiffness*
General Specific
Weight Train Downhill Running
Olympic Lifts Assisted Sprints
Stiffness Jumps Maximum Velocity Sprints
Hip extensor dominant, Vertical vector, Eccentric, Short RFD, Elastic / reflexive
*sprint specific

77. GENERAL MEANS FOR
DEVELOPING ELASTICITY

78. RESISTANCE TRAINING

79. Olympic Lifts
floor & hang. power clean & snatch. 1-2 reps / set. 5-10 sets.

80. ECCENTRIC OVERLOAD
110-120% MAXIMAL LOAD. NOT FOR NOVICES.

81. COMPLEXES
work downstream on F-V curve. rest between sets. low volumes

82. I like STRONG butts
and I can not lie....

85. TRAIN THE CHAIN (THE POSTERIOR CHAIN)

86. PLYOS

87. DEPTH DROPS
low drops. minimize amortization. low volumes.

88. DEPTH JUMPS
extreme heights unnecessary. low volumes.

89. VERTICAL EMPHASIS PLYOS
emphasize vertical displacement of the COM not the feet

90. STIFFNESS JUMPS
minimal amortization. short contact.

91. SPECIFIC MEANS FOR
DEVELOPING ELASTICITY

92. DOWNHILL RUNNING
minimal grade. overspeed. supra-maximal eccentric.

94. Maximum Velocity Sprinting
•Means:
•Flying Sprints
•Variable Speed Sprints
•Short Speed Endurance
•Length (in MaxV): 10-40m / rep
•Rest: 20-60 sec / 10m
•Volume: 200-300m

95. Yearly Planning

96. PLAN
AHEA

97. •Overload
•Rest & recovery
•Biomotor Balance
•Compatible & complimentary
Training is a Process

98. OverloadOVERLOAD

99. Rest & Recovery

100. UNDERSTAND THIS

101. RE-EXAMINING HARD / EASY
Traditional training methods have alternated hard and
easy days to facilitate recovery
New technology and better understandings of the
body and training stimulus permit better options

102. ALTERNATION OFTRAINING
MEANS
• By alternating high and low CNS an athlete can allow some
systems of the body to rest while others are recovering
• Alternatively, one could split activities by eccentric and
concentric dominance

103. High-Low CNS
• High CNS: higher intensity,
maximal efforts of higher load or
speed of movement
• Low CNS: lower intensity, aerobic,
higher work capacity
Ecc-Conc Demand
• Eccentric dominant: typically
higher velocity involving
decelerative forces
• Concentric dominant: typically
higher force, lower velocity
involving accelerative forces

104. BIOMOTOR BALANCE

105. M
obility?

106. STATIC FLEXIBILITY?

107. HURDLE MOBILITY

108. ENDURANCE FORTHE SPEED-
POWER ATHLETE

109. • Current understandings of energy systems indicate that there is an
aerobic stimulus from many activities previously deemed purely
anaerobic
• Aerobic training plays a support role to the speed-power athlete but
can quickly be overemphasized
• Intermittent activities rather than steady state are a preferred option
AEROBIC FITNESS

110. WORK CAPACITY is a
far more relevant form
of endurance for the
speed power athlete

111. WORK CAPACITY is a
far more relevant form
of endurance for the
speed power athlete
Body Weight Strength
General Endurance Circuits
Weight Circuits
Kettlebell Complexes
Med Ball Circuits

112. SPRINT DEVELOPMENT DRILLS

113. ORGANIZATION OF
TRAINING MEANS

115. Do you like
Sea Food?

116. Do you like seafood ice cream?

117. Things that are good separately may
not be good together!
Make sure training components are
compatible & complimentary

119. ORGANIZATION OF
TRAINING MEANS

120. Everyone has the “bricks”

121. How you arrange training modules is just
as important as what you arrange

122. Some things you should
never do

123. Some things you should
never do
dedicated steady state aerobic conditioning
too much anaerobic-glycolytic training
mixing stimulus...interference effect
neglecting the role of rest
unscripted, poorly planned static flexibility training

124. Know what capacities
need to be trained &
what trains them
Simplify by placing allphysical capacities on a
single continuum
Move from general to more
specific training means
Focus on quality ofmovement & effort
Keep the goal the goal
Attain biomotor balance

125. MIKE@ATHLETICLAB.COM
TWITTER.COM/MIKEYOUNG
FACEBOOK.COM/MIKEYOUNG
ATHLETICLAB.COM
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