Impulse

When asked a few years back, as to what impulse is, I would have given a pre-packaged answer based on the definition.  Impulse is the product of the force applied to an object and the amount of time applied.  I couldn’t simplify  it enough to understand its applied application in the performance setting.  I needed a better way to understand.  The answers to these questions, came from two great books by Dr. Dan Cleather (Force, The Little Black Book of Training Wisdom), and the brilliant mind of friend and colleague Dr. Mal McHugh. So, is there a better way to think of impulse for performance coaches and not physicists?  What does this have to do with performance?  If it’s important, how can we maximize it? 

Is there a better way to think of impulse for performance coaches? 

“Think of impulse as total force.”  -Dr. Dan Cleather.  What a simple way to think.  Got it!  Or job is to improve it!! How?

What does net impulse (total impulse – impulse from body weight) have to do with performance? 

“The net impulse is particularly important variable because it is perfectly related to a person’s change in velocity during a movement – the more impulse equals a greater change in velocity.”  - Dr. Dan Cleather (The relationship is directly derived from Newtons 2nd Law). 

Very often in sport performance abrupt changes in velocity in short periods of time are the key ingredients to success.  Large net impulse is key!  Got it! How do we improve it?

How can we maximize net impulse? 

Increase the area under the force time curve.  Dr. Mal McHugh once told me that looking at a force time curve is akin to looking at an EKG.  A picture tells the story brilliantly.  Raw metrics, a distant second.  So, how do we maximize net impulse?  Increase the area under the curve! I like to use the mountain analogy.

1) Increase the peak of the mountain (increase peak force)

2) Increase the steepness of the mountain (improve rate of force development)

3) Increase the width of the mountain (force duration)

How do we do this?  We use our Gain, Go, Grow model throughout the week focusing on improving all facets of the mountain. 

Gain Day:  Improve peak force (height of the mountain) lifting max loads (this can be accomplished many other ways as well) – acceleration work – high impulse jump training

Go Day:  Improve rate of force development (steepness of mountain) using sub-max loads – linear speed work – SSC plyos

Grow Day:  Improve force duration (base of mountain) using sub-max loads for time– COD work– highest impulse jump training

Thanks gents for your work!