Genetic Aspects of Sprint, Strength and Power Performance

The ability of skeletal muscles to produce force at a high velocity is crucial for success in sprint, strength and power performance. There are many factors that influence sprint, strength and power performance, and genetics is one of them. Without the appropriate genetic make-up, the chance of success as an elite athlete is probably reduced. Several different genetic variants (i.e., polymorphisms) have been linked with power and sprint performance in recent years, and it is becoming clear that athletic performance is a polygenic trait, with small contributions from specific variants. This chapter summarizes the knowledge to date of genetic aspects of sprint, strength and power performance and highlights future directions for the field. Of the variants associated with these traits, most notable is the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism, which demonstrates the most consistent results.