The Relationship Between Strength, Power, and Sprint Acceleration in Division I Men's Soccer ...

180 Pages·2016·2.49 MB·English

East Tennessee State University
Digital Commons @ East
Tennessee State University
Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works
8-2016
The Relationship Between Strength, Power, and
Sprint Acceleration in Division I Men’s Soccer
Players
Christopher Bellon
East Tennessee State University
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Part of theExercise Physiology Commons, and theKinesiology Commons
Recommended Citation
Bellon, Christopher, "The Relationship Between Strength, Power, and Sprint Acceleration in Division I Men’s Soccer Players" (2016).
Electronic Theses and Dissertations.Paper 3087. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3087
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The Relationship Between Strength, Power, and Sprint Acceleration in Division I Men’s Soccer
Players

_____________________

A dissertation

presented to

the faculty of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science

East Tennessee State University

In partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Sport Physiology and Performance

_____________________

by

Christopher R. Bellon

August 2016

_____________________

Brad H. DeWeese, EdD, Chair

Kimitake Sato, PhD

Kenneth P. Clark, PhD

Michael H. Stone, PhD

Keywords: Short-to-Long Approach, Speed, Rate of Force Development
ABSTRACT

The Relationship Between Strength, Power, and Sprint Acceleration in Division I Men’s Soccer
Players

by

Christopher R. Bellon

The purposes of this dissertation were three-fold. The first was to identify the approximate
distances characterizing early-, mid-, and late-acceleration in a population of Division I men’s
collegiate soccer players. The secondary purpose was to investigate the relationships between
various strength-power variables and key sprint characteristics during early-, mid-, and late-
acceleration in a population of Division I men’s soccer players. The final purpose of this
dissertation was to compare the spatiotemporal characteristics of “strong” versus “weak” and
“more powerful” versus “less powerful” Division I men’s soccer players during early-, mid-, and
late- acceleration. The following are the major findings of this dissertation. The early-, mid-, and
late-acceleration zones within this sport population coincide with distances of approximately 0-
2.5, 2.5-6, and 6-12m, respectively. Peak power (PP) and rate of force development (RFD) at
90ms appear to be strongly related to shorter ground contact times in each of these zones, while
PP and RFD at 200 and 250ms showed strong relationships with step frequency during mid-
acceleration. Not surprisingly, athletes who were characterized as “strong” or demonstrated
“higher power outputs” appeared to achieve greater sprint velocity by expressing higher step
frequency, particularly during mid-acceleration, as well as abbreviated ground contact times
across each sub-section of acceleration. These results support the importance of developing high
levels of maximal strength, PP, and RFD to enhance sprint acceleration. Additionally, these
findings may also be used to strategically integrate speed development and resistance training
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practices into the annual training plan. The amalgamation of these training variables may allow
practitioners to better manage fatigue and elicit desired performance adaptations at the
appropriate times of the training year.

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Copyright 2016 Christopher R. Bellon

All Rights Reserved

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DEDICATION

This dissertation is dedicated to my parents, Jeannie and Steven Bellon, for their
unconditional love and support through all of life’s challenges. Thank you for every 6AM
skating session, every weeknight spent in an ice rink, and every weekend that you sacrificed to
allow me to play the game I loved. Each lesson was another stepping stone preparing me for life
after hockey, and the driving force in finishing this chapter of my life. I love you both and look
forward to the endless possibilities the future may hold.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Dr. Michael Stone – for your mentorship, commitment to excellence, and the daily
conversations we have had over the last 3 years. “Always remember. Never forget…”
Coach Meg Stone – for being my strength and conditioning “Momma Bear”, your
mentorship, and your relentless pursuit to make our program at ETSU the definition of
“excellent”.
Dr. Brad DeWeese – for teaching me the value of the athlete-coach relationship and
mentoring me in “all things speed”. Most importantly, however, thank you for being a good
friend.
Dr. Kimi Sato – for being the man who got me into this incredible program and
supporting me throughout my time here at ETSU.
Dr. Ken Clark – for your guidance through this dissertation process and your genuine
passion for speed development.
Grace Burnham – for being my best friend and the reason that I smile at the beginning
and end of every single day.
Thank you to all of the athletes, coaches, and fellow students who participated in this
project.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………………….2
DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………………………….5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………………….6
LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………………….11
LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………………...13
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………...15
Dissertation Purposes…………………………………………………………….19
Operational Definitions…………………………………………………………..20
2. COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF LITERATURE..………………………………..21
The Importance of Sprint Speed and Acceleration in Sport……………………..21
The Development of Acceleration in Sport……………………………………...25
Resistance Training………………………………………………………26
Plyometrics………………………………………………………………27
Resisted Sprinting………………………………………………………..31
Sprint Drills………………………………………………………………32
Acceleration Kinematics and Characteristics……………………………………35
Acceleration Kinetics…………………………………………………………….43
Physiological Underpinnings of Acceleration…………………………………...46
The Short-to-Long Approach……………………………………………47

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Block Periodization, Conjugate Sequential Sequencing, and Phase
Potentiation………………………………………………………………47
Integrating the Short-to-Long Model within Block Periodization: The
Accumulation Phase……………………………………….......................51
Integrating the Short-to-Long Model within Block Periodization: The
Transmutation Phase………………………………………......................57
Integrating the Short-to-Long Model within Block Periodization: The
Realization Phase…………………………………………………...……62
3. DEFINING THE EARLY, MID, AND LATE SUB-SECTIONS OF SPRINT
ACCELERATION IN DIVISION I MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS…………………68
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………..69
Introduction………………………………………………………………………70
Methods…………………………………………………………………………..73
Experimental Approach to the Problem………………………………….73
Participants……………………………………………………………….73
Testing Procedures……………………………………………………….73
Statistical Analysis……………………………………………………….76
Results……………………………………………………………………………76
Discussion………………………………………………………………………..79
Practical Applications……………………………………………………………85
References………………………………………………………………………..86
4. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRENGTH-RELATED VARIABLES AND
SPRINT CHARACTERISTICS IN DIVISION I MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS…...90
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Abstract…………………………………………………………………………..91
Introduction………………………………………………………………………92
Methods…………………………………………………………………………..95
Experimental Approach to the Problem………………………………….95
Participants……………………………………………………………….95
Testing Procedures……………………………………………………….96
Statistical Analysis……………………………………………………...101
Results…………………………………………………………………………..102
Discussion………………………………………………………………………106
Practical Applications…………………………………………………………..112
References………………………………………………………………………113
5. THE EFFECT OF STRENGTH AND POWER ON ACCELERATION
CHARACTERISTICS IN DIVISION I MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS……………117
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………118
Introduction……………………………………………………………………..119
Methods…………………………………………………………………………121
Experimental Approach to the Problem………………………………...121
Participants……………………………………………………………...121
Testing Procedures……………………………………………………...121
Statistical Analysis……………………………………………………...126
Results…………………………………………………………………………..127
“Strong” versus “Weak” Comparison…………………………………..127
“Higher Power” versus “Lower Power” Comparison…………………..134
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