Changes in leg strength and kinematics with uphill - downhill sprint training

This study examined the effects of an 8-week uphill-downhill sprint training programme on the force generation capacity of leg muscles. Twenty-four university students were randomly allocated to one of two training groups (combined uphill-downhill and horizontal) and a control group. The combined training method produced significant improvements in maximal isometric force (7.1%) and rate of force production (≈25%) of the knee flexor muscles (p<0.05). The combined training was also significantly more effective in improving the maximum sprinting speed (5.9%, p<0.05) and associated kinematic variables. In particular, the propulsive phase of contact decreased significantly by 17% (p<0.05) indicating a link between the improved rate of force production during the isometric test and the rate of production of propulsive forces during sprinting. The increased capacity of the leg flexor muscles to generate force appears to contribute to the improvement of sprinting speed perhaps due to a more efficient muscle function during the support phase of the stride.