A force platform analysis of vertical jumping provides an engaging demonstration of the kinematics and dynamics of one-dimensional motion. The height of the jump may be calculated (1) from the flight time of the jump, (2) by applying the impulse–momentum theorem to the force–time curve, and (3) by applying the work–energy theorem to the force-displacement curve.

Resisted sprint running is a common training method for improving sprint-specific strength. For maximum specificity of training, the athlete's movement patterns during the training exercise should closely resemble those used when performing the sport. The purpose of this study was to compare the kinematics of sprinting at maximum velocity to the kinematics of sprinting when using three of types of resisted sprint training devices (sled, parachute, and weight belt). Eleven men and 7 women participated in the study. Flying sprints greater than 30 m were recorded by video and digitized with the use of biomechanical analysis software. The test conditions were compared using a 2-way analysis of variance with a post-hoc Tukey test of honestly significant differences. We found that the 3 types of resisted sprint training devices are appropriate devices for training the maximum velocity phase in sprinting. These devices exerted a substantial overload on the athlete, as indicated by reductions in stride length and running velocity, but induced only minor changes in the athlete's running technique. When training with resisted sprint training devices, the coach should use a high resistance so that the athlete experiences a large training stimulus, but not so high that the device induces substantial changes in sprinting technique. We recommend using a video overlay system to visually compare the movement patterns of the athlete in unloaded sprinting to sprinting with the training device. In particular, the coach should look for changes in the athlete's forward lean and changes in the angles of the support leg during the ground contact phase of the stride.

In this study, we found that the optimum take-off angle for a long jumper may be predicted by combining the equation for the range of a projectile in free flight with the measured relations between take-off speed, take-off height and take-off angle for the athlete. The prediction method was evaluated using video measurements of three experienced male long jumpers who performed maximum-effort jumps over a wide range of take-off angles. To produce low take-off angles the athletes used a long and fast run-up, whereas higher take-off angles were produced using a progressively shorter and slower run-up. For all three athletes, the take-off speed decreased and the take-off height increased as the athlete jumped with a higher take-off angle. The calculated optimum take-off angles were in good agreement with the athletes' competition take-off angles.

The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of a method of calculating the optimum release angle in the shot put. Using the proposed method, the optimum release angle that produces the greatest flight distance is calculated by combining the equation for the range of a projectile in free flight with the relations between release speed, release height and release angle for the athlete. The method was evaluated using measurements of five college shot-putters who performed maximum-effort throws over a wide range of release angles. When the athletes threw with high release angles, the shot was released from a greater height above the ground and with a lower release speed. For all five athletes, the calculated optimum release angle was in good agreement with the athlete’s preferred release angle. Each athlete had his own specific optimum release angle because of individual differences in the rate of decrease in release speed with increasing release angle. Simple models of shot-putting were developed to explain the relations between release speed, height and angle in terms of the anthropometric and strength characteristics of the athlete.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of run-up speed on take-off technique in the long jump. Seventy-one jumps by an elite male long jumper were recorded in the sagittal plane by a high-speed video camera. A wide range of run-up speeds was obtained using direct intervention to set the length of the athlete's run-up. As the athlete's run-up speed increased, the jump distance and take-off speed increased, the leg angle at touchdown remained almost unchanged, and the take-off angle and take-off duration steadily decreased. The predictions of two previously published mathematical models of the long jump take-off are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.