The effects of resisted sprint training on speed performance in women

PurposeThe main aim of the study was to examine the effects of resisted and standard sprint training on the kinematics of sprintrunning acceleration in women.MethodsThirty-six untrained but physically active female college students were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a running resisted training group (RTG, <i>n</i> = 12), a standard training group (STG, <i>n</i> = 12), and a control group (CON, <i>n</i> = 12). All participants in the experimental groups trained three times a week for four weeks, followed by a 1-week training break, after which they trained again for four weeks. Pre-training, post-training and detraining (three weeks after completing the training programs) measures of mean running velocity, stride length, stride frequency, knee angle at toe off and footstrike, ground contact time, and flight time were analyzed by a 20 m sprint test.ResultsThe RTG improved mean running velocity and increased stride length and knee angle at toe off. Simultaneously, the RTG featured decreased stride frequency and increased ground contact time. The STG demonstrated an increase in mean running velocity due to higher stride frequency and a decrease in ground contact time. All of the measured parameters did not significantly decrease after the three-week detraining period. The control group featured no changes.ConclusionsBoth resisted and standard sprint training improves speed in sprint-running acceleration in women by improving different sprint kinematic parameters.