Acceleration
Acceleration isn’t about triple extension 1
Acceleration is often described as “triple extension” — hip, knee, and ankle straightening together — but the real goal is simply to project the center of mass forward fast and far.
Hip extensors generate the largest forces early in acceleration, while the knee contributes briefly and the ankle helps attenuate force at touchdown and push off.
Elite sprinters tend to sequence hip > knee > ankle, but individual strategies vary.
Developing athletes may rely more on the knee and ankle due to their current capacities; the body self-organizes to maximize forward projection.
Coaching insight: avoid chasing one “perfect” movement pattern. Focus on building hip strength and overall capacity, and respect that each athlete will find their own solution for effective acceleration.
See also
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