Buckeye,
JSAL just gave you possibly the single best source for developing athleticism on the web… and it is very free…
Quite a few people disagree with Nuttal’s work here, on Charlie Francis, and on SportSpecific, etc. But, how many have tries the techniques…? What I thought…
If you want it all broken down simply, just got to Kelly Bagget’s site… the guy takes the complex and breaks it down very simple for you… maybe 30 articles or so… guy is smart when it comes to explosion. This site will take all of DB’s writing and give you a practical application… plus Kelly demystified the whole book in an article on Innosport… guy just gets it…
After having said that, I think most average Joe’s would easily do just as well on the Joe D’s programs, Christian’s programs, etc…these guys get amazing results also…
But, Innosport offers so much insight for free… frankly, much like Christian’s works, it kinda cheeses me off… because the knowledge was so simple, yet unknown for so long…
Guys like Rooney, CT, Kelly Bagget, Charlie Francis, Jay, me, and many other top coaches realize that you must train the entire spectrum of the force curve, and that prior to displaying force, you must first be able to absorb and stabilize it… this is all done progressively.
If you are strong (relative to your bodyweight), then you must work RFD exercises, and force absorption → force display exercises… ie, plyometrics…
The funny thing is to watch the entire spectrum of jumps that are used… makes me smile and know that someone bought a plyo book from Borders…
Light Hops and Skips
Upwards Hops, Jumps, and Bounds
Force Absorption (Altitude Drops)
Force Display (Depth Jumps)
Make this progresssion and understand the loading parameters involved, and the elasticity will come…all of the above are done into an athletic stance or various lunge stances…
Couple these with preparatory exercises like Reactive Squats → Squat Jumps, or Olympic Lifts for MaxForce and RFD and you will improve your elastic qualities…
I prefer the easier lifts due to most kids blocking O-Lifts…but if you really know how to teach them, the O-Lifts are great…
Remember the first thing though: if you muscles cannot lock up so your tendons can properly absorb force, then the whole idea of trainign your elastic components is false…
Weak muscles will never fully lock so your elastic components can absorb force… no force absorbed, equals no extra force output… so then it is just muscle, and not elastic + muscle…
Muscling a jump or muscling a run = sit on the bench you slow piece of crap… simple enough.
So prior to any type of “plyo / reactive work” you better be damn strong… that is why such good gains are made on programs focused on just that: relative strength.
But, the final piece is to A)have relative strength (in ALL necessary muscles), and then B) train elasticity and RFD…
The effciency of movement comes later.
Like I said, and Joe D will tell you…probably Rooney also: Form will take a top runner and make him elite, btu it won’t take a mediocre runner and make them fast…
Form helps, but relative strength is a must…
Watch Adam run his 40 from the combine… awful…plain awful. Loks like a 6 year old…save for the 4.4 part…LOL
Strength, Power, Force Absorption emphasis = wicked speed… even if it is ugly…
Hope this helps…
Get back to me when you are done at those two sites… plus invest in CT’s second book, possibly the Parisi Decel, Agiltiy, and 40 yd video…plus Francis reall helps to understand the micro and macro cycle of integrating sports training with lifting…
These will ehlp with teh basics… all good to have on the shelves…
Kelly and CT outline loading parameters I agree with completely… very smart guys.
Rooney and Innosport provide some learn by seeing and by being told…
Francis, as anyone will tell you knows way too much about getting fast… sickening honestly. LOL, his site is so chock full of great discussions that I have pulled all-nighters just perusing the archives…
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
Jumanji
PS~ Sorry I didn’t proofread…