PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Most studies define a sprint using any running that exceeds
a threshold movement velocity; however, this definition fails
to take into account short duration, maximal effort accelerations
that do not reach high velocities. Given that the
majority of sprint efforts performed in field sports are of
a short duration, and involve maximal accelerations (2,16,17),
valuable information could be lost if coaches only monitor
high-velocity sprint efforts. We present specific velocity
ranges to be used as definitions for locomotor categories and
a new definition of a sprint that includes both high
acceleration and high-velocity sprint efforts. The inclusion
of high-intensity, short-duration sprint efforts provide
conditioning coaches and applied sport scientists with
specific information on the sprinting demands of field sport
competition and a method of capturing the short-duration,
effortful sprints performed by field sport athletes.
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