Elite long sprint running: a comparison between incline and level training sessions.

Purpose: We compared incline and level training sessions as usually used in elite 400-m runners through stride kinematics and muscular activity measurements.

Methods: Nine highly trained 400-m runners (international and French national level) performed two maximal velocity sprints: 1) 300-m on level ground (LEV) and 2) 250-m on an incline ground (INC) characterized by a mean +/- SD grade of 5.4 +/- 0.