Linear Speed Development - Kildare GAA Youth Athletic Development Webinar

1. Kildare GAA
Youth Athletic
Development
Webinar Series
Session 2
Speed Development
Fri 29th May
7:00pm
Paul Divilly
Ciaran Sloan
Mick Gillick
Dave O’Neill

2. Why ?

3. Game Demands
Youth
Sport
Total
Distance
(m)
HIR
(17-
21.9km/h)
VHIR
(≥22km/h)
Sprint
Distance
per Rep
(m)
Sprint
Duration
per Rep (s)
Sprint
Frequency
(n)
Acceleration
Frequency (n)
Maximum
Velocity
(km)
Gaelic
Football 5731 851 198 20.89 3.35 18 188 31.2
Hurling 6483 583 272 15 - 18 127 29.1

4. Reduce Injury Risk

5. Performance

6. Considering GAA Game
Demands – Should We Train
Maximum Velocity?
• Max Velocity affects entire
Acceleration profile.
• Max Velocity ⬆️ = Acceleration ⬆️
• 0.1 sec improvement over 20m =
1m faster than opponent
(Courtesy of Altis)
- 20m – 3.10sec
- 20m – 3.20sec

7. Considering GAA Game Demands –
Should We Train Maximum Velocity?
Efficiency
• ⬆️ Max Velocity = ⬆️ Sub Max Capacity
• ⬆️ Max Velocity = ⬇️ Energy Cost at Set Sub Max
Intensity (e.g. 7m/s)

8. ”The game alone is not enough for
optimal speed development”.

12. Why
What ?
✔️

13. “Obviously team sport athletes are going to run
differently than sprinter, but its important that
they understand the rules of acceleration and
upright sprinting, before allowing their sport to
show them how to break those rules”

14. Acceleration
• When accelerating the players aim is to apply maximum amount
of force in the correct and appropriate direction.
• For the player to move horizontally during acceleration, the
player positions the center of mass in front of the foot for most
of ground contact.
• As the runner continues to accelerate and approaches top
speed, the body becomes upright and more forces are directed
vertically down into the ground.
• When accelerating we need to push in the ground striking
behind the COM like a piston action.
• Push and Punch
Projection Rhythm Rise

15. Aggressive Arm Swing
Positive Shin Angle
Stiff Ankle =
Matching
Shin Angles
Triple extension from
ankle, knee, hip & fully
extended to the neck

17. Max Velocity
• Maximum velocity is the absolute top speed
achieved by an athlete over a given distance
usually greater than 30-40m in a team sport
athlete
• Once the athlete has moved into the max
velocity phase the force vector is vertical –
and they’re pushing straight down, rather
than predominantly straight back as in
acceleration.
• Producing maximum force in minimum time

18. • Posture upright and neutral
• Reduced Back Side swing
• Good front side lift of the thigh
• Attacking the ground from above
• Stiff Ankle Contact

20. Considerations for Youth
• Great potential to develop during child & youth stage.
• Maturation positively influences speed development. Onset of puberty
accelerates this development in boys.
• Height - Stride length.
• Strength - Ground contact force production.
• Combined training (speed, plyometrics & strength training) will have a
positive effect on sprint speed in youth athletes.
• Resisted sprints can be used to improve sprint mechanics & specific
strength qualities.
• Acceleration should be the focus when coaching speed in youth athletes.
• Coaches need to consider the maturity, competency and training age of
young athlete to create the most effective speed program.
(Lloyd & Oliver, 2019).

21. Why
What
✔️
✔️
How ?

22. INTENT “Not Sprinting is Not Sprinting”
Max Intensity
Races Time Trials
Competition

23. REST
Full Recovery
Speed v Conditioning
45 – 60sec per 10m
Alactic Energy System
Implementation Challenging!

24. DISTANCE Program distance to target different sprint qualities
5-20m Acceleration Focus
30-60m Max Velocity FocusFocus
Acceleration ➡️ Max
Velocity
10m 5-6reps
20m 4-5reps
30m 3-4reps
>40m 1-3reps
Quality > Quantity
Total Volume
100m – 300m

25. Wall Drills Wall Hold Wall March
Wall
Switches
Resisted Drills
Resisted
March
Resisted
Knees Drive
Resisted
Sprint
Acceleration
Races
Walk In
Start
Chases
Partner
Reactive
Acceleration
Starts
One Step
Push
Plyo Step
Lunge
Switch Step
Acceleration Drills
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 1

26. Technical
Drills
A March A Skip A Run
Races
Rolling
Start
Sprint Float
Sprint
Chases
Bounding Height Distance
Into a
Sprint
Max Velocity Drills

27. GAA Athletic Development

28. Sample Acceleration
Sessions
• Wall Marches x 5 E/S x 2
• Wall Switches x 5 E/S x 2
• Plyo Step x 20m x 2
• Walk in Start x 20m x 2
Phase 1
• Resisted Marches x 10m x 2
• Resisted Sprint x 10m x 2
• Lunge Step x 2 x 20m
• Partner Chases x 2 x 20m
Phase 2

29. Sample Max
Velocity
Sessions
• A Marches x 20m x 2
• Skip for Height x 20m x 2
• Rolling Start x 40m x 3
Phase 1
• A Skip x 20m x 2
• Skip Into Sprint x 30m x 2
• Partner Races x 40m x 2
• Partner Chases x 2 x 20m
Phase 2

30. Why
What
✔️
✔️
How ✔️

31. ''The Goal Is To Keep The Goal
The Goal''
Dan John

32. Thank You

33. • References:
• Clark, K., Randall, R., Bruno, R., & Stearne, D. (2017). The National Football League Combine 40-YD Dash:
How Important is Maximum Velocity? Strength and Conditioning Journal, 33(6), 1542-1550. DOI:
10.1519/JSC.0000000000002081.
• Lloyd, R., & Oliver, J. (2012). The Youth Physical Development Model. Strength and Conditioning Journal,
34 (3), 61-72. DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e31825760ea
• Lloyd, R., & Oliver, J. (2020). Strength and Conditioning for Youth Athletes Science and
Application (2nd ed.). New York, NY.: Routledge