KP Athletics is running a speed camp until mid-August. Today we tested the 40 yard dash, my least favorite test to perform on athletes.
Speed camps are popping up all over the country that promote great biomechanical running techniques. We teach arm swing, knee drive, and triple extension to get the fastest times possible. But what does it really mean? To me, it doesn’t mean much unless a college/professional recruiter is putting too much stock into the time. I first heard the idea from Vern Gambetta that sport is very similar to dance. Sports, (with the exception of sports such as track & field, rowing and swimming), are a series of dance positions that require the athlete to use great core stabilization and strength to progress from one position to the next.
A common comparison that I commonly hear from Chris at work is to Walter Payton whose nickname was “Sweetness”. He was called sweetness because everything he did was looked so smooth and fluid… like a great dancer. Do you think it mattered it Walter Payton had good arm swing when he ran his 40 time?
I suppose the point that I’m trying to make is that your time in the 40 yard dash is of little importance to your performance on the athletic field. Other predictors such as strength, skill, and mental aptitude are all of much more significance.
