Sprinting Information: Thoughts on 'Explosive Running'

[Guest guest]

>Mel Siff wrote:

>

>***Recently there was a fair amount of contentious comment here on a >book

>written by Dr M Yessis on running ( " Explosive Running " , >Contemporary

>Books, 2000) and that discussion essentially went >nowhere. My curiosity

>was piqued by the comments here, so I obtained >a copy and have found the

>book to be most informative at a very easy >to read level. The sequences

>of running photographs (of 'good' and >'bad' styles) are rarely found in

>other similar books and are very >helpful to runner and coach. It made me

>feel like returning to my >original career as a teenaged track and fielder!

Let me preface this by saying that I own several books by Dr Yessis and all

of the Soveit Sports Reviews that are not out of print. So this response is

not a general codemnation of him or his work. I recently purchased Explosive

Running and was fairly disappointed. The book didn't seem to offer much new

and was not as advanced as i have come to expect from Dr. Yessis. One of my

major problems is the terminology (such as " push-off " ) and the pictures

which in many instances exhibit fairly poor sprint technique.

Actually, the Soviet Sports reviews are much better investments in my

opinion.

--Kebba Tolbert

Kebba Tolbert (kebba_t@...)

=================

Men's and Women's Jumps & Multis Coach

Syracuse University Track & Field

----------------

Mel Siff:

*** You will note in another post that I stated that the " Explosive Training "

book combined with the Soviet Sports Review articles provided me with a useful

package. The Soviet Review, though it contains some photo sequences of running

needs to be complemented by a text like Dr Yessis' book to fill in some of the

gaps - and for under $18 I could not have taken my own photos and organised them

as usefully and simply.

I have tons of video and slide material on athletes in different sports, but the

digital computer processing takes a lot of time and patience, so I have not

undertaken much of that task yet. Obviously I will be happy to find any texts

that will fill in some gaps and " Explosive Running " did that in providing more

pictures of good and bad technique.

However, I would really like to find a major text which uses modern digital

technology and 3D biomechanical analysis to produce a high level text on all

aspects of track & field actions. You can find some of this scattered all over

the biomechanics world, but I have yet to find one comprehensive book in this

field - any suggestions?

[Guest guest]

Kebba's response that the book 'Explosive Running' offered nothing new was very

surprising. I thought I had perused all the pertinent books to see what the

latest information was before I wrote mine, but maybe I was wrong.

It should be understood that this book was written for coaches and runners in

this country. I would like to know which other books are presently available

that present the detail and illustrations of the following topics:

1) the biomechanics of running

2) the kinesiology of running

3) barefoot running

4) running specific exercises

5) nutrition for runners

Granted, the Soviet Sports Review has great information on sprinting and

running.But how many coaches even know about this journal? The book however,

has much of this information and additional information all in one place.

If there are books that are available that have the same information (not the

same titles), then I would surely like to know about them.

From what I have heard from other runners and coaches, these are all firsts

and they find the book very informative.

Dr. Yessis

President Sports Training, Inc.

www.dryessis.com

760-480-0558

----- Original Message -----

From: " Kebba Tolbert " <kebba_t@...>

Mel Siff wrote:

> >***Recently there was a fair amount of contentious comment here on a >book

> >written by Dr M Yessis on running ( " Explosive Running " , Contemporary

> >Books, 2000) and that discussion essentially went nowhere. My curiosity

> >was piqued by the comments here, so I obtained a copy and have found the

> >book to be most informative at a very easy to read level. The sequences

> >of running photographs (of 'good' and 'bad' styles) are rarely found in

> >other similar books and are very >helpful to runner and coach. It made me

> >feel like returning to my original career as a teenaged track and fielder!

Kebba Tolbert:

> Let me preface this by saying that I own several books by Dr Yessis and all

> of the Soviet Sports Reviews that are not out of print. So this response is

> not a general codemnation of him or his work. I recently purchased Explosive

> Running and was fairly disappointed. The book didn't seem to offer much new

> and was not as advanced as i have come to expect from Dr. Yessis. One of my

> major problems is the terminology (such as " push-off " ) and the pictures

> which in many instances exhibit fairly poor sprint technique.

>

> Actually, the Soviet Sports reviews are much better investments in my

> opinion.

Mel Siff:

> *** You will note in another post that I stated that the " Explosive Training "

book combined with the Soviet Sports Review articles provided me with a useful

package. The Soviet Review, though it contains some photo sequences of running

needs to be complemented by a text like Dr Yessis' book to fill in some of the

gaps - and for under $18 I could not have taken my own photos and organised them

as usefully and simply.

>

> I have tons of video and slide material on athletes in different sports, but

the digital computer processing takes a lot of time and patience, so I have not

undertaken much of that task yet. Obviously I will be happy to find any texts

that will fill in some gaps and " Explosive Running " did that in providing more

pictures of good and bad technique.

>

> However, I would really like to find a major text which uses modern digital

technology and 3D biomechanical analysis to produce a high level text on all

aspects of track & field actions. You can find some of this scattered all over

the biomechanics world, but I have yet to find one comprehensive book in this

field - any suggestions?