Thread: The 40 Yard Dash: Something to Remember.

I've been in the lab doing some calculations this afternoon.

The 40 yard dash, frequently exaggerated, too often believed, you'll hear about guys running incredible times.

In track and field the athletes run on mondo track surfaces designed for speed, wearing track spikes, and starting off of the blocks. All designed for maximum speed and starting time.

In Beijing this past August Usain Bolt ran a 9.69 100m dash, which could have been faster.
He reacted to the starting gun in .165 seconds.
Ran his first 10 meters in 1.85 seconds.
Ran 10-20 meters in 1.02 seconds.
Ran 20-30 in .91 seconds.
He then ran 30-40 meters in .87 seconds.
http://speedendurance.com/2008/08/22/usain-bolt-100m-10-meter-splits-and-speed-endurance/

40 yards is 36.58 meters.

So to measure his 40 yard time, I will be using his 30 meter time, plus 6.58 meters.

Since he ran 30-40m in .87 seconds.
6.58 is 65.8% of 10.
65.8% of .87 is .57.
Bolt ran his last 6.58 meters in .57 seconds.

Since the NFL combine starts timing(electronically) the 40 on the athlete's first movement reaction time is eliminated.

1.85(first 10)+1.02(10-20m)+.91(20-30m)+.57(30-36.58m or 30m-40yards)= 4.35 seconds.
The 9.69 second man, world record holder, fastest human being alive, Usain Bolt ran a 4.35 40 yard dash.

He did so on the world's fastest track surface, wearing the best spikes, off of the best blocks, with the world's fastest people racing against him.

However, Usain Bolt is said to have a slow start, making a 40 yard race for him undesirable.

In 2006, the best 100m of all time was created. I say created because someone pieced together the best 10m splits at the time. The total time was 9.54. All of these times are better than Bolt's, as Bolt's real speed is in the middle of the race.

0-10m: 1.67s Kim Collins (10.00 Athens OG 2004, w+0.6m/s)

10-20m: 1.00s, Bruny Surin (9.84s Sevilla WCH 1999, w+0.2m/s) & Maurice Greene (9.82s Edmonton WCH 2001, w-0.2m/s) (Note: 1.00s, also by Ben Johnson Roma WCH sf. 1987 DQ*)

20-30m: 0.89s, Maurice Greene (9.87s Stockholm GP 1999, w+1.3m/s)

30-40m: 0.86s, Maurice Greene (9.97s Crystal Palace BGP 1999) & Asafa Powell (9.77WR Athens GP 2005) (Note: 0.86s, also by Ben Johnson Seoul OG 1988 DQ*, 9.79s w+1.1m/s & Tim Montgomery Oslo GL 2001 DQ*, 9.84s w+2.0m/s)
http://www.hsi.net/cgi-bin/blah/Blah.pl?b=HSI,m=1144433593
Again, 40 yards is 36.58 meters.

So from 30 meters to 40 yards(36.58m)
6.58 is 65.8% of 10.
65.8% of .86 is .566

So the world's fastest humans over the first 40 yards of their 100m races:
1.67(first 10m)+1.00(10-20m)+.89(20-30m)+.566(30m-40yards)= 4.13 seconds.

Again, these times were run on the fastest track surface, against the best competition, sometimes aided by wind, and off of starting blocks.

The combine is run on turf, alone. Same goes for pro days, only, they're hand timed, so the timer has to react to the motion of the athlete. Reaction time of olympic sprinters to the gun is usually around .15 seconds, and most coaches do not have as responsive of nervous systems as professional athletes, so probably -.2 seconds should be taken from the time from the start. Then they must estimate when they cross the finish line, so you can subtract another tenth of a second or so.

Don't believe anything you hear. If it's not run at the combine, and it's a remarkable time, it's in all likelihood bullshit.

So what you are saying is that any football player who runs under a 4.4 is a lie?

I would like to see Bolt run the 40 at the combine, just to see what would happen. Or have some of the 4.4 NFL guys run against Bolt in the 100m.

"gregair13" wrote:

So what you are saying is that any football player who runs under a 4.4 is a lie?

I would like to see Bolt run the 40 at the combine, just to see what would happen. Or have some of the 4.4 NFL guys run against Bolt in the 100m.

No sprinter alive accelerates at 65m. It is a proven fact by the biophysicists for the USATF that the last 30m of a 100m dash every single runner is decelerating, and that is why it looks like some people are getting walked down, sucked up, etc. The faster runners can hold maximum velocity for a longer period of time.

His official 40 yd. dash was 3.53 according to ESPN.
Source(s):
USATF, Clyde Hart (Baylor U--coach of Michael Johnson and Jeremy Warner)

"Vikestand" wrote:

"gregair13" wrote:

So what you are saying is that any football player who runs under a 4.4 is a lie?

I would like to see Bolt run the 40 at the combine, just to see what would happen. Or have some of the 4.4 NFL guys run against Bolt in the 100m.

No sprinter alive accelerates at 65m. It is a proven fact by the biophysicists for the USATF that the last 30m of a 100m dash every single runner is decelerating, and that is why it looks like some people are getting walked down, sucked up, etc. The faster runners can hold maximum velocity for a longer period of time.

His official 40 yd. dash was 3.53 according to ESPN.
Source(s):
USATF, Clyde Hart (Baylor U--coach of Michael Johnson and Jeremy Warner)

Very interesting stuff.

"gregair13" wrote:

So what you are saying is that any football player who runs under a 4.4 is a lie?

I would like to see Bolt run the 40 at the combine, just to see what would happen. Or have some of the 4.4 NFL guys run against Bolt in the 100m.

No, not at all.

I'm saying be skeptical of times run at pro-days, and reported times because they're inaccurate and the inaccuracy improves times(whether it's intentional or not.)


I think of my research as more of a testament to NFL athletes.

Chris Johnson ran a 4.24, other guys have run sub 4.35s on the same turf. These are the best athletes in the world we get to watch every Sunday, think of what type of track times some of them might be able to put up.

Of course they don't train like sprinters do, although it's similar. Sprinters train to maintain maximum speed for the longest period of time.

"Vikestand" wrote:

"gregair13" wrote:

So what you are saying is that any football player who runs under a 4.4 is a lie?

I would like to see Bolt run the 40 at the combine, just to see what would happen. Or have some of the 4.4 NFL guys run against Bolt in the 100m.

No sprinter alive accelerates at 65m. It is a proven fact by the biophysicists for the USATF that the last 30m of a 100m dash every single runner is decelerating, and that is why it looks like some people are getting walked down, sucked up, etc. The faster runners can hold maximum velocity for a longer period of time.

His official 40 yd. dash was 3.53 according to ESPN.
Source(s):
USATF, Clyde Hart (Baylor U--coach of Michael Johnson and Jeremy Warner)

[quote author=http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080820113402AAXfPNV]No sprinter alive accelerates at 65m. It is a proven fact by the biophysicists for the USATF that the last 30m of a 100m dash every single runner is decelerating, and that is why it looks like some people are getting walked down, sucked up, etc. The faster runners can hold maximum velocity for a longer period of time.

His official 40 yd. dash was 3.53 according to ESPN.
Source(s):
USATF, Clyde Hart (Baylor U--coach of Michael Johnson and Jeremy Warner)[/quote]

3rd answer under "other answers."
I don't think Matt H would be very happy about that... unless of course, you are Matt H.

Im With you Anderson, some of those un-official 40 yard times are made up in order to make the athlete look better and getting hype from the fans.

The combine number is the real thing. But i think the scouts of the NFL teams know that, so no worries.

"skum" wrote:

Im With you Anderson, some of those un-official 40 yard times are made up in order to make the athlete look better and getting hype from the fans.

The combine number is the real thing. But i think the scouts of the NFL teams know that, so no worries.

It's not the scouts I'm worried about, just trying to inform some people around here. Mostly stemming from some of the reported Percy Harvin times.

"Mr" wrote:
[quote]
"Vikestand" wrote:

"gregair13" wrote:

So what you are saying is that any football player who runs under a 4.4 is a lie?

I would like to see Bolt run the 40 at the combine, just to see what would happen. Or have some of the 4.4 NFL guys run against Bolt in the 100m.

No sprinter alive accelerates at 65m. It is a proven fact by the biophysicists for the USATF that the last 30m of a 100m dash every single runner is decelerating, and that is why it looks like some people are getting walked down, sucked up, etc. The faster runners can hold maximum velocity for a longer period of time.

His official 40 yd. dash was 3.53 according to ESPN.
Source(s):
USATF, Clyde Hart (Baylor U--coach of Michael Johnson and Jeremy Warner)

"http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080820113402AAXfPNV]No" wrote:

3rd answer under "other answers."
I don't think Matt H would be very happy about that... unless of course, you are Matt H.

Thought I copied the whole thing in....pretty sure if I was trying to steal somebody elses material I would have taken the sources out...

Also, I see your theories were awfully similar to those on there...Just a thought...

"Vikestand" wrote:
[quote]
"Mr" wrote:

"Vikestand" wrote:

"gregair13" wrote:

So what you are saying is that any football player who runs under a 4.4 is a lie?

I would like to see Bolt run the 40 at the combine, just to see what would happen. Or have some of the 4.4 NFL guys run against Bolt in the 100m.

No sprinter alive accelerates at 65m. It is a proven fact by the biophysicists for the USATF that the last 30m of a 100m dash every single runner is decelerating, and that is why it looks like some people are getting walked down, sucked up, etc. The faster runners can hold maximum velocity for a longer period of time.

His official 40 yd. dash was 3.53 according to ESPN.
Source(s):
USATF, Clyde Hart (Baylor U--coach of Michael Johnson and Jeremy Warner)

"http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080820113402AAXfPNV]No" wrote:

3rd answer under "other answers."
I don't think Matt H would be very happy about that... unless of course, you are Matt H.

Thought I copied the whole thing in....pretty sure if I was trying to steal somebody elses material I would have taken the sources out...

Also, I see your theories were awfully similar to those on there...Just a thought...

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No sprinter alive accelerates at 65m. It is a proven fact by the biophysicists for the USATF that the last 30m of a 100m dash every single runner is decelerating, and that is why it looks like some people are getting walked down, sucked up, etc. The faster runners can hold maximum velocity for a longer period of time.

His official 40 yd. dash was 3.53 according to ESPN.
Source(s):
USATF, Clyde Hart (Baylor U--coach of Michael Johnson and Jeremy Warner)
6 months ago


Here you go....Step off your high horse Mr. Anderson, and get down here with us normal people...