Introduction: Acceleration ability is one of the important factors for 100 m sprinting performance. Triple extension of the ankle, knee, and hip was required to quickly raise the sprinting velocity from a crouch start. Although the power clean has been used for triple extension training, the relationship between an acceleration ability and the 1-repetition maximum (1RM) of the power clean has not been investigated. In addition, this relationship may differ between sprinters because of differences in strategies to increase sprinting speed (i.e., high stride frequency group or high stride length group). Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the relationships between the 1RM of the power clean and acceleration ability from a crouch start in sprinters. Methods: Nineteen male well-trained Japanese track and field athletes (age: 20.2±1.2 years, body mass: 66.9±6.8 kg, muscle mass 55.1±4.2 kg) were recruited from the Track and Field team at Hiroshima University. The participants specialized in the 100 and 200 and 400 m sprint, 110 and 400 m hurdle were highly-skilled at performance of a sprint start from standard starting blocks. All participants performed the 1-repetition maximum (1RM) test of the power cleans. 1RM of the hang power clean per body mass, muscle mass, and lean body mass were also calculated. In other day, participants performed 2 timed 50 m sprints from standard starting blocks. Results in 2 sprints were averaged, and the mean sprinting velocity, stride frequency, and stride length in each 10 m were used in the statistical analyses. Participants were categorized to high stride length (n=9) or stride frequency (n=10) groups. Results: There were no significant correlations between 1RM and all sprinting values in all participants and the high stride frequency group. However, in the high stride length group, there were significant positive correlations between 1RM and the mean sprinting velocity at 40 to 50 m (p=0.018, r=0.759), 1RM per body mass and the mean sprinting velocity at 20 to 30 m (p=0.020, r=0.749), 30 to 40 m (p=0.049, r=0.699), and 40 to 50 m (p<0.001, r=0.914), 1RM per muscle mass and the mean sprinting velocity at 20 to 30 m (p=0.029, r=0.719), 30 to 40 m (p=0.049, r=0.699), and 40 to 50 m (p=0.008, r=0.813), 1RM per lean body mass and the mean sprinting velocity at 20 to 30 m (p=0.030, r=0.716) and 40 to 50 m (p=0.006, r=0.823). Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a significant positive correlation between an acceleration ability at the second acceleration phase (i.e., 20-50 m) and 1RM of the power clean in the high stride length group. Stride-type sprinters extend their stride length by increasing the vertical ground reaction force at the second acceleration phase. There are kinematic similarities between applying ground reaction force to increase a stride length and acquiring vertical ground reaction force during the power clean. Thus, the positive correlation was found between an acceleration ability and 1RM of the power clean in only the high stride length group. Impact/Application to the field: 1RM of the power clean may predict the acceleration ability of sprinters with a high stride length.
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