The case against triple extension in lifting and sprinting

Many sports techniques have evolved for the better. Changing from the scissor technique to the Fosbury flop led to a 2.45 meter high jump for a man and a 2.09 m jump for a woman. Adopting the squat technique over the split style enabled a man to snatch 225 kilograms and a woman to snatch 155 kg. Another sports dogma that should remain in the past is the theory of triple extension. Triple extension refers to achieving full extension of the hips, legs, and ankles to produce maximum power. It applies to many athletic movements, from weightlifting to sprinting. Figure 1 shows weightlifter Nicole M...