FOOTBALL

The 40 yard dash is the measure football scouts use to evaluate player ability. Coaches still believe that speed is the intangible; it is an innate ability. They still cast a weary eye on people who say that speed can be taught. There is 40 yard dash speed and there is competition speed. The goal of Peak Speed Peak Performance is to introduce athletes to the mechanism that provides peak performance in both areas.

The start is relative to the performance goal. Wide receivers and defensive backs are basically the only group which utilize the five contributing factors used by world class sprinters: start, recovery, acceleration, maintenance and deceleration. The rest of the positons utilize all but maintenance. Basically, they accelerate/decelerate.

Wide receivers and defensive backs generally run the fastest times in the 40, yet all the other position groups are expected to display the same quality of speed. So the rest of the position groups must learn how to use an aspect of the running process [maintenance] they are not accustomed to using.

The goal for football players is to "lift off" the launch pad (start) like the space shuttle and use the recovery phase (2 yards) to establish maximum stride length and stride rhythm. For 40 yards this should take the distance covered by the 3rd step. The steps in recovery should be proportioned; the transition phase...acceleration should be marked by steps that are disproportioned. In other words, each step should be represented by an increase in force until peak acceleration is reached. These are skills that must be developed.

Football players running the 40 yard dash should accelerate 40 yard dash is 28 yards. That leaves 12 yards. 7 of the yards which leaves the player 5 yards to decelerate. The longer the player maintains peak accelerated speed... the shorter the distance for deceleration. This results in faster 40 times.

I have seen position groups other than wide receivers and defensive backs reach peak speed in the middle of the distance used to accelerate; remember! the player only has 1 second to maintain peak speed which is about 7 yards. That leave a long decline (25 yards) of deceleration and a slow 40 yard dash time.
Alternative: The player would have to possess great strength in the shoulders to maintain this short, but high rate of acceleration [up to 35 yards], before decelerating that all important 5 yards...otherwise, as previously mentioned...the player's time will be subpar. I reiterate, the longer the distance to decelerate...the slower the time.

Skill tests such as the 20 yard shuttle, 3-cone drill and position specific position maneuvers evaluate quickness, acceleration, speed and deceleration. All are factors that contribute to peak performance, on a consistent basis.