Review of Explosive Running
by Anatoly Bondarchuk
This book by Dr. Michael Yessis oversees
different problems involved in developing a system
of preparing runners for short, middle, long and
even ultra long distances. He takes into
consideration the most modern concepts in the theory
and methods of physical (sports) education. The
information presented in
this book can be
recommended without exception for use in all sports
where the main competitive skill is running.
Increases in sports achievements are to a great
extent determined by the levels of absolute speed,
(the sport speed-strength quality) and explosive
strength. Their relationships depend on the level
and qualifications of the athlete, his or her
individual characteristics and the specifics of the
sports event. This doesn’t take into consideration
the tasks appearing before the athlete over the
duration of each consecutive period of sports form
development in the preparatory periods. During each
of these periods, the relationships between the
above mentioned qualities should change according to
the increase in the sports result.
Discussion here is of the multi-year system of
training athletes which consists of preliminary
preparation, deep specialization, achievement of
high sports results, maintaining the achieved level
of sports achievement and the loss of sports form
(peak development). Here it is well known that the
uninterrupted increase in sports results over the
duration of each consecutive period of sports form
development, can be realized only when the
complexity of the program used increases all the
time. Dr. Michael Yessis brings this out well in
the book. He presents complete details for using
exercises to develop the necessary speed-strength
qualities, looking not only at the complexity and
essence of the exercises but also the methodological
principles of their use (number of sets, number of
repetitions).
Of great value in this book is the chapter in
which the biomechanical aspects (technique) of
running various distances are looked at. It is well
known that achievement of high sports results
depends to a great extent on the presence of
effective running technique, the bases of which
should be instilled in childhood. This relates to
the beginning stages as well as base preparation
(beginning specialization in one or another event).
With sorrow, the chase after high sports
achievements at an early age leads to the fact that
for many athletes, it becomes necessary to correct
errors acquired by them in the early years, even on
the level of high sports mastery. In order to do
this, much time is lost in the first two stages of
multi-year preparation. In most cases, it is not
possible to make the changes. As a result, the
ineffective technique used, based on the degree of
improvement in this sports result, becomes more
comfortable rather than trying to acquire effective
technique. The sensations instilled from
ineffective techniques remain for one’s entire
life. To eliminate them is practically impossible
as is changing them to some other more effective
ones.
However, Dr. Michael Yessis tackles this problem
in a way not done before. Not only is the reader
shown how to make appropriate changes but prescribes
special exercises to develop the ability to make the
changes. More than usual attention in the book is
given to these specialized exercises, which help the
athlete correct the earlier acquired technique
errors. In order to overcome them, every coach
should know not only the biomechanical bases of
technique of one or another event but also be able
to find the reasons for the errors occurring.
Recall that an error appears as a consequence of
incorrect execution of an earlier produced
movement. The movement can be local (movement of
separate body links of the athlete as for example,
the arms or legs) or it could be their static
running position.
Prescription of such exercises can only be done
by a specialist, deeply involved in the essence of
this problem. We should note that such work in the
specialized scientific methodological literature is
extremely rare. Most frequently coaches talk about
the errors in execution of one or another exercise
(movement) but write nothing about the reasons for
their occurrence nor do they give clear and precise
recommendations for their correction as does the
author (Dr. Yessis).
It is generally known that in the preparatory
foundation of different level athletes, there are a
definite number of general pedagogical and specific
principles of sports improvement. The author does
not address all of them but selects and writes about
the more important ones. We will relate to one of
these; the principle of individuality, which appears
as the most significant. It is necessary to
understanding and be cognizant of the fact that each
person is different from another not only according
to anthropometric measurements and physical and
other data, but also in the activity of the central
nervous system. We can rise to a higher level of
training mastery by knowing not only the complexity
of the process of sports improvement but also by
seeking more effective means of achieving the
highest sports achievements.
It is very natural that the author devotes
attention to the problem of constructing yearly
cycles of training. Without regularities or laws of
development, maintenance and loss of sports form, it
is practically impossible to effectively direct the
process of sports improvement. Pertinent to this
are the interrelationships between the processes of
learning and improvement of technique and the
development of the necessary physical qualities.
These two processes are separate and mutually
conditioning or as is well known, it is impossible
to separate the content (physical qualities) from
technique.
The book by Dr. Michael Yessis appears as an
exceptional display in the theory and methods of
physical (sports) education in general and more
specifically in the sport of track and field. I
recommend giving careful consideration to the study
of the theoretical and practical aspects of this
book. This will allow specialists to rise up to yet
a higher level of theoretical and practical
knowledge.
In conclusion, I want to give a great personal
thank you to Dr. Yessis who wrote [translated] my
book, Transfer of Training, (keeping in mind
that it appeared as a result of my work done over
many decades). It helped me uncover many problems
in the perfection of runners, and significantly
widen my horizons in the track and field throws.
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