Abstract
This 2021 study by Huerta-Ojeda et al. investigated the influence of maximal isometric force (MIF) in different planes on short-distance sprint performance. Testing high-level sprinters, the researchers found that MIF applied on starting blocks showed a very high correlation (r = -0.84) with the first 5 meters of a sprint, while vertical squat MIF showed only a small correlation.
For elite sprinters, the vector of force application is more important than the magnitude of vertical strength. This study demonstrates that maximal force exerted in the specific sport gesture (horizontal drive) is the primary driver of early acceleration performance.