Do faster, stronger, and more powerful athletes perform better in resisted sprints?

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the relationships between different strength, power, and speed abilities and resisted sprint performance across a wide range of sled loads (10, 30, and 50% body mass [BM]). Seventy-nine young physically active male sport science students (age:22.863.4years,BM:74.269.1kg,andheight:175.468.5cm)performed2testingsessions.Session1consistedofa20m sprint without any additional load and with 10, 30, and 50% BM.Session2consistedofcountermovementjumpandfullsquat(SQ) tests. The CMJ was performed with out any additional load and with loads of 30 and 50% BM, and the SQ was performed with loads corresponding to 30, 50, 70, and 90%BM. Resistedsprint times were moderate tolarge correlated with unloaded sprint times (r 5 0.79 to 0.89), unloaded and loaded jump height (r 520.62 to 20.71), and SQ performance (r 520.56 to 20.71). Negative relationships were observed between velocity loss induced by each sled load and jump and SQ performance. The magnitude of these relationships increased with increasing sled loads. In conclusion, differences in speed, strength, and power abilities may explain, at least partially, the individual response of each athlete during sprinting towing a sled, especially with heavier sled loads. Thus, faster, stronger, and more powerful athletes require heavier sled loads (relative to %BM) to experience similar exercise intensities.