Flywheel Exercise: Biomechanics
Channel: Stuart McErlain-Naylor
Date: 2021-10-18

Flywheel Resistance Exercise: Biomechanical Considerations - this is a version of my recent keynote lecture at the Brazilian Congress of Biomechanics.

Flywheel training is an increasingly common form of resistance training, using isoinertial resistance to potentially overload the eccentric phase of the movement. Common flywheel devices include the Exxentric kBox and kPulley. In this video, I present an overview of our sport science research on the biomechanics of flywheel resistance exercise.

The video will cover flywheel (isoinertial) resistance exercise, a kinetic and kinematic comparison with other forms of resistance such as a back squat or Smith machine squat, as well as applications to acute post-activation performance enhancement. In doing so, I will discuss the force-velocity relationship, discrete and continious biomechanical analysis methods, coordination and control, post-activation potentiation / performance enhancement, and dynamic correspondence.

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00:00 Introduction
02:22 What is flywheel resistance exercise?
07:15 Kinematic comparison of flywheel and barbell back squat
17:08 Coordination and control of flywheel squats
33:42 Effect of inertia on velocity and power of flywheel squats
38:53 Kinetic comparison of flywheel and Smith machine squat
46:34 Application of flywheel exercise to acute performance

More videos of our research: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI7VLEjUJidC-XY5ZjQxHnBjDZN2g6G4i 

Other videos mentioned:
Muscle mechanics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meRLirTKkhQ 
Survey of flywheel practitioners - video summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaKFb28oun0 
Discrete vs continuous analysis lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isLDO0iE6kQ 
SPM in 6 min tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKyNpoU6-_I 
Countermovement jump coordination and control: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZQ8ABKaiyQ 

Key references (in order of appearance):
McErlain-Naylor, 2017 (PhD thesis): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333827844_The_effect_of_joint_compliance_within_rigid_whole-body_computer_simulations_of_impacts 
de Keijzer et al., 2022 (survey of practitioners): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354552136_Perception_and_application_of_flywheel_training_by_professional_soccer_practitioners 
Pataky, 2012 (SPM): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51491994_One-dimensional_statistical_parametric_mapping_in_Python 
Pataky, 2010 (SPM): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/43533754_Generalized_n-dimensional_biomechanical_field_analysis_using_statistical_parametric_mapping 
Robinson et al., 2021 (SPM power analysis): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351247374_Sample_size_estimation_for_biomechanical_waveforms_Current_practice_recommendations_and_a_comparison_to_discrete_power_analysis 
McErlain-Naylor & Needham, 2021 (CMJ coordination): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353514374_Inter-individual_Variation_in_Coordination_and_Control_of_Countermovement_Jumps 
Needham et al., 2020 (colour mapping): http://eprints.staffs.ac.uk/6206/1/Foot_preproof.pdf 
McErlain-Naylor & Beato, 2021 (inertia-velocity & inertia-power): https://www.stuartmcnaylor.com/publication/FW_vel_power/McErlain-Naylor_Beato_2020_authorversion.pdf 
Weakley et al., 2021 (velocity-based training): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341554144_Velocity-Based_Training_From_Theory_to_Application 
Blazevich & Babault, 2019 (PAP / PAPE): https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.01359 
Beato et al., 2019 (flywheel vs traditional PAPE): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222466 
Beato et al., 2021 (effect of rest period on PAPE): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329444151_Effects_of_Postactivation_Potentiation_After_an_Eccentric_Overload_Bout_on_Countermovement_Jump_and_Lower-Limb_Muscle_Strength 
Beato et al., 2021 (medium / high inertia PAPE): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332343740_Effect_of_Postactivation_Potentiation_After_Medium_vs_High_Inertia_Eccentric_Overload_Exercise_on_Standing_Long_Jump_Countermovement_Jump_and_Change_of_Direction_Performance 
de Keijzer et al., 2020 (effect of volume on PAPE): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336699087_Effect_of_Volume_on_Eccentric_Overload-Induced_Postactivation_Potentiation_of_Jumps 
Beato et al., 2020 (PAPE review paper): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335600948_Current_Evidence_and_Practical_Applications_of_Flywheel_Eccentric_Overload_Exercises_as_Postactivation_Potentiation_Protocols_A_Brief_Review 
Beato et al., 2020 (squat / deadlift PAPE): https://www.stuartmcnaylor.com/publication/EOL_SQ_DL/Beato_et_al_2020_authorversion.pdf 
McErlain-Naylor & Beato, 2021 (vertical / horizontal GRF PAPE): https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9010005 

Web: https://www.stuartmcnaylor.com
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