Acceleration and Maximum Running Phases in 60-m Sprint and Vertical Jump Performance

Abstract

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the correlation between acceleration and maximum running phase in 60-m sprint and vertical jump performance. Furthermore, to investigate the factors that affect the acceleration phase, maximum running phase, and overall 60-m sprint performance. MATERIAL & METHOD: Participants were 25 young amateur athletes, aged 18 ± 1 years, with body mass 64.64 ± 13.39 kg and body height 1.71 ± 0.11 m. We examined the correlation between the acceleration phase (0–30 m) and maximum running phase (30–60 m) and 60-m sprint performance, measured with photocells (Optojump), and vertical jump performance (take-off velocity, jump height, maximal velocity, maximal power), measured with a force plate (Bertec). Pearson correlation was used to examine the correlation between the forementioned parameters (SPSS, v. 21). RESULTS: There was a correlation between jump height and 60-m sprint performance (r = −0.713, p < 0.001), maximum running phase (r = −0.512, p = 0.15), and a weak correlation with acceleration phase (r = −0.495, p = 0.19). There was a correlation between take-off velocity and 60-m sprint performance (r = −0.732, p < 0.001), maximum running phase (r = −0.553, p = 0.08), and a weak correlation with acceleration phase (r = −0.472, p = 0.27). There was a weak correlation between maximal velocity, acceleration phase (r = 0.439, p = 0.41), and 60-m sprint performance (r = 0.438, p = 0.42). There was a correlation between maximal power and 60-m sprint performance (r = −0.739, p < 0.001), acceleration phase (p = −0.635, p = 0.02), and a weak correlation with maximum running phase (r = −0.437, p = 0.042). There was a correlation between 60-m sprint performance and maximum running phase (r = 0.792, p < 0.001) and acceleration phase (r = 0.596, p = 0.03). Finally, there was a correlation between body height and 60-m sprint performance (r = −0.738, p = 0.02) and maximum running phase (r = −0.666, p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, 60-m sprint performance was highly correlated with body height, maximum running phase and all the vertical jump parameters (explosive power), except for maximal power, which had a high correlation with the acceleration phase (sprint acceleration).