22nd Annual Student Research Conference
Difference in Hand Timing and Electronic Timing in the 40 Yard Dash Among College Males
Alexis H. Meinke*, Lindsay M. Dodge, Dan P. Jones, Gabriel I. Anders, Zachary A. Hollingsworth, and Aaron D. Horschig
Dr. Jeremy Houser and Dr. Jerry Mayhew, Faculty Mentors
The purpose of this study was to determine the source of timing differentials between hand-timing and electrical-timing systems. Twenty-seven male college-aged volunteers ran two 40-yard dashes on an indoor tartan floor. A computerized data collection system recorded events from runner stimulated devices: a hand start pad, a foot start pad, and a photocell stop beam. This same system also recorded start and stop hand-held stopwatch button depressions, as initiated by six human observers. Recorded event times showed that hand-timing recorded significantly slower initiations of the start event, 0.065 seconds slower than the two electronic start signals. This disparity combined with the 0.160 s quicker stopping time by the hand timers as compared to the photocell led the hand-timing system to give significantly quicker 40 yard dash times (0.225 seconds) than the electronic timing method. All results were significant at p<0.001.
Keywords: sprints, 40-yd dash, timing, electronic, human, perception
Topic(s):Exercise Science
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 4-16
Location: PML
Time: 4:15