Biomechanics of Resisted Training

The ability to improve sprint performance is a central training goal in numerous sports. With this in mind, coaches target increased force characteristics, and/or improved technical execution. Resistance training exercises such as squats are regularly employed to target improved force characteristics. However, the extent to which an increase in performance of these movement’s transfers to improved sprint performance may be limited. The principle of specificity dictates that training should correspond to the functioning of the neuromuscular system in the specific event an athlete is training for and may explain the limited transfer from traditional resistance training to improved sprint performance. Considering this, the addition of an external load to the action of sprinting (e.i. weighted sled) may offer a more specific form of resistance training for athletes. However, the kinematic characteristics, and therefore specificity, of resisted sled sprinting is currently unclear. To elucidate this, my project aims to examine the kinematic characteristics of resisted sprinting under different loading conditions and in different sporting populations.

Katja Osterwald

Katja has a BSc. in Rehabilitation/Prevention Therapy and Fitness (Sport Science) from Chemnitz, Germany. Katja has previously worked as a Senior Biomechanist and Research Assistant in a worldwide renowned Sports Medicine department, at the Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin (SSC). Through this position she has extensive experience of 3D motion capture using Vicon Nexus, force plates (AMTI and ForceDecks), isokinetic dynamometry (Cybex Norm) and she has been exposed to both Electromyography (Delsys Trigno) and inertial measurement units (IMU) (TurningSense and Shimmer, Xsens) as well as analyzing and reporting back results to elite athletes and patients. Supervisors: Dr Ciarán Ó Catháin and Dr David Kelly.