Introduction
Sprinting is a fundamental capacity of many team sports and involves two key characteristics: acceleration and maximal velocity. The ability to accelerate and reach the highest velocity possible in the shortest period is underpinned by the mechanical components of the neuromuscular system: force, velocity, and power. These are well described by the force-velocity (F-v) profile.
One “simple” macroscopic method used to determine mechanical effectiveness across a sprint acceleration is the horizontal F-v profiling, also known as “Acceleration-Speed Profile” (ASP).
On the left, the top graph shows the time course of velocity and the bottom graph the corresponding acceleration during a 40m sprint. By plotting the acceleration as a function of the velocity (right), the ASP can be easily obtained.
The ASP highlights the athlete’s mechanical strengths and weaknesses when accelerating, specifically the ability to apply horizontal force to attain maximal velocity. ASP helps coaches and athletes understand the F-v relationships, i.e. how horizontal force capacity changes across the acceleration, and provides a global view of the neuromuscular properties involved.
Subjects
The study involved:
- 14 clubs from the Balkan area;
- 8 clubs from Slovenia;
- 8 club from Cyprus.
All clubs participate in the top football league of their country.
Procedures
From 1st of July 2024 to 31st of January 2025, we created a monthly in-situ ASP for each player by using match and training data collected via the gpexe system.
The following criteria were applied to validate the ASP:
- more than 10 training or match sessions available;
- more than 75% of expected points used;
- actual maximal velocity greater than 90% of V0.
The results from this process (A0 and V0) are reported in the following figure. Based on the average values, four quadrants are identified, reflecting the characteristics of each player.
Practical applications: improve sprint performance
Many studies support the use of the Acc-Speed profiling to individualise training.
ASP allow us to understand which player is “force dominant” or “velocity dominant”. Training programs can be tailored to address specific weaknesses, focusing on the horizontal force at low velocity (force domain), moderate velocity (power domain), or high velocity (speed domain).
Here’s a summary of the most common training strategies reported in the literature.
Summary
- Create the ASP.
- Identify player’s strengths (i.e. force dominant or velocity dominant)
- Prescribe appropriate training programs to address the player’s weaknesses.
- Check the player’s ASP to verify mechanical adaptations.
References
- Improving Mechanical Effectiveness During Sprint Acceleration: Practical Recommendations and Guidelines. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 2019
- Mechanical determinants of sprinting performance in elite women’s Rugby Sevens. Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning, 2018.
- Individual acceleration-speed profile in-situ: A proof of concept in professional football players. Journal of Biomechanics, 2021
Author: Alberto Botter