Speed definition and classification
Speed, better defined as motor speed, is a specific athletic ability that could be divided into two categories:
- Speed or haste of reaction, that is the ability to react to a stimulus in the shortest possible time; it is an athletic characteristic that is partly conditional but above all nervous; a typical example of an athletic gesture triggered by a quick reaction is the dodging of boxing
- Speed or haste of action of movements, or the ability to perform an athletic gesture characterized by both cyclic frequency and a single simple acyclic action, both in the presence of modest physical resistance; it depends directly on the nerve component BUT also significantly on energy cellular metabolisms. A typical example of an athletic gesture based on the speed of cyclic movements is the fast run of 100 meters, while a typical example of an athletic gesture based on the speed of acyclic movements is the fencing jab. The rapidity of the neuro-motor activation allows the recruitment of muscle fibers BUT the energy metabolisms favor the performance sustenance required by the brain to the motor system.
Speed of reaction and action (simple acyclic and cyclic frequency) are two forms of PURE speed. However, there are also other more complex forms of rapidity of movements in which STRENGTH and / or RESISTANCE play a fundamental role to say the least; it is the case of the quickness of force, also called come fast, which in turn differs in:
1) an athletic gesture that is repeated frequently, in this case we speak of fast force resistance
2) a continuous athletic gesture that needs MAXIMUM resistance at speed.
Details: phases of speed and factors that influence it
The speed of execution of a motor gesture is a performance characteristic that can be differentiated into 3-4 phases:
- REACTION phase to the stimulus (internal or external)
- ACCELERATION phase
- MAXIMUM SPEED phase
- DROP phase of the SPEED "- only in the resistance to the rapidity
Although it may be logical that the speed is influenced by some factors, few suspect that these are really many; there are factors determined by the skills, development and learning of the subject. These include age, sex, anthropometric characteristics, constitution, technique and socialization.
Other factors are of a sensory and psychic cognitive type: concentration, mental processing, motivation and willpower, experience and ability to anticipate, mental strength and learning ability.
There are also factors of a strictly NERVOUS nature: recruitment and frequency of motor impulses, alternation between excitation and inhibition of the nervous system, co-activation, nerve conduction speed, nervous pre-activation, reflex activation, neuromuscular activation pattern, neurobiochemistry.
Last but not least, the tendon-muscular factors: distribution and types of muscle fibers, muscle section, speed of contraction, muscle and tendon elasticity, stretch, muscle length and strength levers, energy transformation and muscle temperature.
Pure speed and energy metabolism
The energy metabolism that affects the speed the most is that anaerobic alactacid (which exploits the "adenosine tri phosphate [ATP] and creatine-phosphate [CP]), supported by the anaerobic lactacid (which exploits anaerobic glycolysis [glucose released from muscle glycogen or obtained by neoglucogenesis]; in this case, the factors limiting performance and therefore must be TRAINED are:
- Muscle capacity of ATP and creatine phosphate concentrations
- Muscle power, or the activity of enzymes that break down creatine-phosphate and the specialization of muscle fibers
- Less than the others (in pure speed!), The lactacid potential; or the efficacy of energy production through anaerobic glycolysis (more useful in fast strength, resistance to fast strength and maximal speed resistance).
Speed and supplements
As just mentioned, one of the determining factors for speed performance is the consistency of the energy reserves of ATP and creatine-phosphate. ATP is a minimum reserve, therefore not very effective; on the contrary, CP is a molecule that can potentially be increased in the muscle. It increases in concentration following 1) training stimulus 2) nutrition (creatine is contained in the meat). in which the subject demonstrates prepared to the absorption and metabolization of exogenous creatine, dietary supplementation could prove useful for improving performance; otherwise, the supplementation would have no weight ... if not that of any placebo with unnecessary kidney overload.
Speed training
Let's start by saying that speed is a characteristic that, in order to be brought to its maximum potential, should be trained from the young age of the subject; however, significant muscle adaptations can be observed in a sportsman from the first 8 weeks of training (Medbo, Bergers - 1990).
Through specific training, the muscles of the sprinter and the resistant sprinter undergoes some fundamental changes:
- Increased energy reserves of: ATP and CP (+ 20%), and glycogen (+ 50%)
- Increase of enzymes: ATPase (+ 30%), Myokinase (+ 20%) and Creatine phosphokinase (+ 36%).
The methodological principles of speed training are many; first of all, it is essential that the athlete is as fresh and rested as possible. Secondly, the volumes of specific work must be MUCH lower than those of strength and endurance because it would not make sense to prolong a stimulus excessively when the subject was no longer able to perform at 100%. It is also essential to ALWAYS apply the maximum "intensity of training" (with very large recoveries) for a maximum of two sessions per week; always take advantage of the specificity of the movement. It is advisable to remember to apply a maximum intensity ONLY following the achievement of technical completeness, otherwise, it would be advisable to reduce the speed of execution.
Speed and strength
There is a close correlation between speed and muscle strength; training with sprinter overloads is first of all oriented to the search for maximum strength in order to improve both nerve activation and recruitment-coordination of muscles and fibers. An example for leg training could be:
Squat 2-3 repetitions for 6-8 series with recoveries of 3 "and load equivalent to 1-1.5 times the weight of the athlete
½ Squat 3-4 repetitions for 6-8 series with recoveries of 3 "and load equivalent to 2-2.5 times the weight of the athlete
Other variants of the strength to be trained are: explosive-elastic strength and reactive-elastic strength; for the explosive elastic strength of the legs, a very popular exercise is the 1/2 squat with jump: 6 repetitions for 4-6 series with 3-4 "recovery and load that allows you to take your feet off the ground for 30-35cm. For the training of elastic reactive strength, on the other hand, always with regard to the lower limbs, there are many variations of the springing of the feet, skip, jumps and sprint running, both with overloads and free body.
