Acceleration Biomechanics in Elite Sprinters: An Individualised Approach to Optimising Performance
Project description
How can we better tailor the training of Olympic and Paralympic sprinters based on performance-determining factors, in order to enhance performance and minimise the risk of injury?
Sprinting performance is not only of central importance in athletics, but also represents a key performance factor in many team and ball sports. Although the underlying physical principles are the same for all athletes, even sprinters at the very highest level employ different movement strategies to achieve high speeds. Top-level performance therefore does not result from a universal technical model, but from individual solutions arising from the interplay of biomechanical, physiological and neuromuscular factors.
This PhD project investigates which kinematic, biomechanical and physiological factors determine sprint performance and how these factors interact with one another. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the characteristics of successful sprint performances and to derive practical recommendations for diagnostics, training management and performance development.
The project is based on studies involving some of Germany’s fastest sprinters from Olympic and Paralympic elite sport. The focus is particularly on spatiotemporal, kinematic and force-related parameters associated with sprint performance. Furthermore, the project investigates why athletes, despite having comparable performance levels, sometimes exhibit significantly different movement and performance profiles, and how training measures can be precisely tailored to individual requirements. Another key focus is on integrating modern technologies and continuous data collection into the training process, in order to provide performance-relevant information in the most practical way possible.
The findings are intended to contribute to the further development of evidence-based and individualised training and diagnostic practices in sprinting. These findings can help coaches, athletes and sports scientists to identify performance-determining factors more precisely, select training measures in a more targeted manner and promote long-term performance development in a sustainable way.
