Resisted sprinting and ischemic preconditioning as ergogenic aids in high-level sprinters

With a rise in talent and the number of youths participating in athletics, Canada has a seemingly bright future in track and field at the international level. With the abundance of talent, it is important to improve the resources available to our competitors to continue promoting excellence. We propose to study two novel protocols which can be performed immediately prior to competition in order to enhance performance. Resisted sprinting, which involves sprinting with a weighted sled or using a training device such as the 1080-Sprint is the first protocol under examination. Based on previous research it is expected that our novel technique may improve sprint ability over a greater range of distances than previously able. Ischemic preconditioning, a type of pre-exercise blood flow manipulation protocol, which was initially developed to prevent cell death, will also be examined with high-level sprinters. This protocol has been tested in a variety of other types of activities such as repeated sprints, endurance activities and swimming, and has shown 1-3% improvements in performance. We are excited to partner with the Speed River Track and Field club, who have sent increasing numbers of athletics athletes to the Olympics each year. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Jamie Burr

Student:

Kyle Thompson

Partner:

Discipline:

Food science

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Guelph

Program: