Effects of Six Weeks Sprint Specific Plyometric Training on Gait Variables of Sprinters Singh Amrinder1,*, Choudhary Achal2, Shenoy Shweta3, Sandhu Jaspal Singh3 1Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Sciences and Medicine, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India 2Research Scholar, Department of Sports Sciences and Medicine, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India 3Professor, MYAS-GNDU, Department of Sports Sciences and Medicine, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India *Corresponding Author: Amrinder Singh, Assistant Professor MYAS-GNDU, Department of Sports Sciences and Medicine, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Online published on 21 November, 2019. Abstract Background Sprinting is the act of running over a short distance at top speed. Sprinting is involved in many sports as a way of quickly reaching goal. Plyometric training is involved in dynamic sports and plyometric exercises such as jumping, hopping and bounding are executed with a goal of increasing dynamic muscular performance and explosiveness. Plyometrics is used in the measurement of sports performance outcomes such as throwing velocity, jump height or sprint speed. During sprinting gait, foot motion facilitates and can be affected by compensatory movement of other joints in lower extremity thus it is essential to understand the gait patterns while sprinting in the sprinters. The purpose of study was to find the effect of six weeks sprint specific plyometric training on the gait variables in sprinters. Material & Method 40 university level sprinters were randomly assigned into two groups, group 1 (G1; n=20) sprint specific plyometric training group (mean age 18.65±0.875; mean height 164.10±11.30 cm; mean mass 59.20±10.74 kg) and group 2 (G2; n= 20) control group (mean age 18.95±1.19; mean height 166.60±9.80 cm; mean mass 61.60±9.24 kg). Both sprint specific plyometric training group and control group were assessed for GAIT parameters by Zebris FDM Treadmill. Control group had followed their routine training schedule and plyometric group performed sprint specific plyometric training for 6 weeks. Findings Statistically significant gait variable changes were found in group 1 that is training group: velocity (p=0.00), cadence (p=0.04), step length (lt) (p=0.00) and (rt) (p=0.01) (p=0.00), stance phase (rt) (p=0.04), swing phase (lt) (p=0.02), foot rotation (rt) (p=0.04) and stride length (p=0.00). Conclusion The study demonstrates that the neuromuscular training program can increase the proprioception and explosiveness of lower extremity which can lead to increase in overall performance of the sprinters. Top Keywords Plyometrics, Sprinting, Gait, Strength, Speed, Treadmill. Top |