Genetic testing available for sprint versus endurance talent
Former Member
There was a piece on the radio this afternoon about a genetic test for sprint versus endurance aptitude depending, I think, on something to do with fast and slow twitch muscles. Just send a check and a cheek swab to a lab in Australia and find out where your genetic predisposition lies!
www.genetictechnologies.com.au/index_athletic.asp
The radio piece centered on the potential of using this technology to screen children and was against it.
I'm not endorsing the technology, just thought it was interesting food for thought.
Taken from the "Competitive Swim Manual for Coaches and Swimmers" by James E. Counsilmam.
"Over the past 25 years I have used the vertical jump to measure explosive power of swimmers. Results show that swimmers who have a high vertical-jump score for their age and sex make better sprinters, while those who have a low vertical-jump score make better distance swimmers. Those near the norm make good middle-distance swimmers. For example, the vertical jump of one of our sprinters, world record holder Jim Mongomery, was 26 inches (as was that of Mark Spitz); that of world record holder in the disatance events , John Kinsella, was 18 inches".
The following is a rough estimate of the classification of adult males according to their scores in the standing vertical jump:
24 to 31 inches - sprinters
18 to 25 inches - middle-distance swimmers
11 to 22 inches - distance swimmers
"While it is obvious that there are many factors involved in swimming any distance and no coach is so naive as to take a sprinter who has a vertical jump of only 14 inches and yet holds the world record in the 100 meter freestyle, and suddenly change him to a distance swimmer, still the predictive value of the vertical jump is amazingly accurate, causing the case above to be highly unlikely".
Here is the procedure for measuring explosive power with the vertical jump.
1. Start with a testing chart. A series of lines should be painted on the wall, with every fifth line painted a different color and numbered, using the English measuring system.
2. The subject stands at a right angle and next to the testing chart and reaches as high as he can with one hand, keeping his heels flat on the ground. The tester notes the line to which his hand reaches.
3. The subject steps back from the wall 6 to 12 inches and without taking a step dips slightly and jumps as high as he can, reaching with the same hand he used before and throwing the other hand downward vertical toward the body. The tester notes the highest point reached by the subject in three trials to obtain the height of the vertical jump. Do not allow the subject to take a step before jumping.
Also, Wayne thanks for recognizing the accomplishments Urho Saari who was one of the great coaches of our time. He was the 1965 ASCA Coach for the Year for Water Polo. His two sons along with himself are members of the ISHOF. Roy Saari is a member of both the Swimming and Water Polo Hall of Fame and is considered by many to be the greatest College swimmer of all time.
Taken from the "Competitive Swim Manual for Coaches and Swimmers" by James E. Counsilmam.
"Over the past 25 years I have used the vertical jump to measure explosive power of swimmers. Results show that swimmers who have a high vertical-jump score for their age and sex make better sprinters, while those who have a low vertical-jump score make better distance swimmers. Those near the norm make good middle-distance swimmers. For example, the vertical jump of one of our sprinters, world record holder Jim Mongomery, was 26 inches (as was that of Mark Spitz); that of world record holder in the disatance events , John Kinsella, was 18 inches".
The following is a rough estimate of the classification of adult males according to their scores in the standing vertical jump:
24 to 31 inches - sprinters
18 to 25 inches - middle-distance swimmers
11 to 22 inches - distance swimmers
"While it is obvious that there are many factors involved in swimming any distance and no coach is so naive as to take a sprinter who has a vertical jump of only 14 inches and yet holds the world record in the 100 meter freestyle, and suddenly change him to a distance swimmer, still the predictive value of the vertical jump is amazingly accurate, causing the case above to be highly unlikely".
Here is the procedure for measuring explosive power with the vertical jump.
1. Start with a testing chart. A series of lines should be painted on the wall, with every fifth line painted a different color and numbered, using the English measuring system.
2. The subject stands at a right angle and next to the testing chart and reaches as high as he can with one hand, keeping his heels flat on the ground. The tester notes the line to which his hand reaches.
3. The subject steps back from the wall 6 to 12 inches and without taking a step dips slightly and jumps as high as he can, reaching with the same hand he used before and throwing the other hand downward vertical toward the body. The tester notes the highest point reached by the subject in three trials to obtain the height of the vertical jump. Do not allow the subject to take a step before jumping.
Also, Wayne thanks for recognizing the accomplishments Urho Saari who was one of the great coaches of our time. He was the 1965 ASCA Coach for the Year for Water Polo. His two sons along with himself are members of the ISHOF. Roy Saari is a member of both the Swimming and Water Polo Hall of Fame and is considered by many to be the greatest College swimmer of all time.
