Scientific Programme

Biomechanics & Motor control

IS-BM03 - Biomechanical and physiological trade-offs in sprint and endurance performance: lessons from the animal kingdom to human athletes

Date: 02.07.2025, Time: 11:00 - 12:15, Session Room: Arengo

Description

Animals including human athletes move using energy generated (work done) by muscles, which are activated by the nervous system. Optimum movement performance can occur when muscle activation is maximal and coordination optimal (if maximum strength or speed are required) or when the energy cost of activation is minimized (if movement economy is required), so a trade-off between speed/strength and endurance is apparent. However, no single musculoskeletal design allows force, speed, and efficiency (economy) to be optimized, and some balance must be achieved. This integrative symposium aims to explore trade-offs created by the need for muscle-tendon units to produce forces and power of different magnitudes, at different lengthening-shortening speeds, and over different overall durations (A. Blazevich), while investigating the impact of these trade-offs in various animal species known for speed or endurance (P. McGuigan), and finally addressing these aspects and their implications for the design of optimized resistance training protocols in human athletes (B. Van Hooren).