Aspects of Strength Training in Athletics

As any voluntary movement depends on the contraction of muscles, the different techniques in the running, jumping and throwing events are very closely related to, and even depend on, neuro-muscular activity. Generally speaking,‘speedstrength’ or ‘power’ is the main form of strength required. As far as the character of muscular tension is concerned, in the sprints speed-cyclical contractions with sub-maximal impulses prevail, whereas in the jumps explosive-reactive-ballistic and in the throws explosive-ballistic accelerations with maximal activation are needed. The term ‘balistic’ implies short startingtime, maximum speed and no possibility of correcting or adjusting the movement during execution.