Our History

Athletic Republic is the culmination of two decades of improving athletic performance.  That's longer than most athletes' careers.  John Frappier designed the original Acceleration Training programs through careful research and input from a team of sports medicine professionals, athletic trainers, and elite coaches.

His first innovative programs were for gymnasts.  In 1986, he traveled with the U.S. National Team to the Soviet Union as part of the Goodwill Games delegation.  There he realized that America's athletic training lagged behind the Soviets. Soon after, he started devising new ways to train and new machines to push athletes safely beyond their physiological limits.  The first was the Super Running Treadmill, that was quickly followed by the patented Hockey Treadmill, the innovative Plyopress, contrast training cords designed to provide resistance to key muscle groups at game speed velocities, and plyometric platforms designed to improve fundamental movement skills, explosive power and agility.

Following in his footsteps, Athletic Republic's Chief Science and Technology Officer, Steve Swanson, performed several key research studies on incline running, sprinting/skating mechanics, Athletic Republic's patented SprintCords^TM, and developed a number of innovative testing devices like the 3PQ, AccuPower, Force Treadmill and the ability to synchronize test data with Dartfish video.  Steve also developed AIMS, one of the world's first online performance sports training testing database systems that stores key performance data that allows the continued evolution of the training programs through an evidence based approach.  In 2010, AIMS morphed into the interactive athlete database and video profiler called the Athletic Republic Locker Room.  It helps athletes understand how they stack up against their competition, what they need to do to get better and a ways for them to share their athletic accomplishments online to "get noticed".

Want to know more about Athletic Republic's history?  Click on any years below to see how Acceleration Training has evolved since the early years.

ATHLETIC REPUBLIC™ TIMELINE
Products, Protocols, Patents & Research 

^ = journal publication   * = published conference proceedings   ** = book chapter 

1986  
President  & Founder, John Frappier, studied in the Former Soviet Union 

1989

PRODUCT
Generation I Super Treadmill
Generation I SprintCords™
Four-Square Plyometric formation
Munoz Plyometric formation
Krumrie Plyometric formation
Leclair Plyometric formation

PROTOCOLS
Version I Running, levels 1-5 
Version I Plyometrics, levels1-4

1990
Opened First Facility in Bismarck, ND

PRODUCT
Generation II Super Treadmill
PlyoPress 
Pro Multi-Hip
Version III Protocol Manual

1991
PRODUCT
KickingCord™

PROTOCOLS
Version I Gymnastics
Levels I and II Pro Lineman 
Levels I and II Pro Speed

RESEARCH
The Effects of Anaerobic Conditioning on Serum Lactate in Young Athletes, St. Alexius Medical Center (Bismarck, ND)

1992
PRODUCT
Pro Implosion

PATENTS
SprintCord™
KickingCord™

RESEARCH
Biochemical Analysis of Beginner and Advanced Level Athletes Undergoing an Intense Anaerobic Conditioning Program, Frappier Acceleration Training Center (Fargo, ND) and Concordia College (Moorhead, MN)

1993
PRODUCT
Hockey Treadmill

PROTOCOL
Version I PlyoPress Based

1994
PRODUCT
Hitting Harness (prototype)

PROTOCOLS
Hitting Level 1
Version I Skating, levels 1-3  
Version I Home Proprioceptive Plyometrics

RESEARCH

• EMG Activity of Ice Skating and Treadmill Skating In Hockey Players, St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud, MN)
• The Effect of an Anaerobic Training Program Utilizing A Skating Treadmill On Anaerobic Performance, Lactate, And Other Metabolic Parameters, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)

1995

PRODUCT
ThrowingCord™

PATENT
Hockey Treadmill 

PROTOCOLS
PlyoPlatform 
Version II KickingCord™

RESEARCH

• An Electromyographic Study of Back and Lower Extremity Muscle Activity during PlyoPress Exercises, a Squat Lift, and a Vertical Jump, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• Velocity Changes in Throwing a Baseball after Training with the "Throwing Cord" Versus a Traditional Throwing Protocol, The University of Montana (Missoula, MT)

1996

PATENTS
ThrowingCord™
PowerCords®

PROTOCOLS
ThrowingCord™,  levels 1-2
Level I Collegiate Football Lineman 
Levels I and II Collegiate Football Backs
Levels I and II Collegiate Football Plyometrics

RESEARCH

• An Electromyographic Study of Back and Lower Extremity Muscle Activity during a Traditional Squat and the PlyoPress Leg Press, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• An Electromyographic Study of Quadriceps and Hamstrings Activity during Forward and Backward Walking, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
  Muscular Coordination during Incline Sprint Training, University of Massachusetts (Amherst, MA)
• *Swanson SC, JP Frappier, and GE Caldwell.  Joint kinetics during level and incline treadmill running.  Proceedings of the 9th Biennial Conference of the Canadian Society of Biomechanics, Vancouver, BC, Canada, pp. 210.

1997

PROTOCOLS
Level III Pro Football Speed

RESEARCH

• An Electromyographic and Video Analysis Study of the Shoulder Girdle Musculature Activity during Exercises with the Multi-SportCord, i.e. PowerCord, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• An Electromyographic Study of Backward Walking Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• Can Throwing Cords or Arm Ergometry Enhance Throwing Velocity in Collegiate Baseball Players? St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud, MN)
• The Effects of Throwing Cords on Velocity and Strength in Collegiate Baseball Players', University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• *Swanson SC, JP Frappier, and GE Caldwell.  Joint kinetics using an elastic loading device. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, (29) 5S

1998

PRODUCT
Version IV Protocol Manual

PROTOCOLS
Version I Skating 
Version I Figure Skating, Levels 1-4
Version I Figure Skating, Plyometrics, Levels 1-4
Version I Figure Skating Jump Plyometrics
Version II Youth Running, Level I

RESEARCH

• A Comparison Of A Traditional Training Program To The Sports Acceleration Program In Improving Athlete's Speed, Quickness, Agility, Strength And Power, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• Hamstring EMG Activity With the Hamstring Cords Versus A Traditional Ham Curl Machine, Frappier Acceleration (Fargo, ND) 
• *Swanson SC, JP Frappier, and GE Caldwell. Muscular coordination during incline and level treadmill running. Proceedings of the 3rd North American Congress on Biomechanics, Waterloo, ONT, Canada, pp. 343-344An Electromyographic Study of Forward and Backward Walking In Normals And In Subjects Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• A Video Analysis and EMG Comparison Skating On The Hockey Treadmill And On Ice At The Same Stride Frequency, Frappier Acceleration (Fargo, ND) and TOSH (Salt Lake City, UT)

1999

RESEARCH

• An Electromyographic and Video Motion Analysis Study Of Elite Sprinters At Varying Speeds And Inclines,  University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• Electromyographic and Kinematic Analysis of Hockey Skating, University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• An Electromyographic Study of the Effects of Plyometric Training Shoes On the Lower Extremity,  University of North Dakota Medical School (Grand Forks, ND)
• *Swanson SC, and GE Caldwell. Muscular coordination during incline and level treadmill running: trained versus untrained responses. Fifth IOC World Congress on Sport Sciences, Sydney Australia, 37-38.
• *Swanson SC, JP Frappier, and GE Caldwell. Muscular coordination during incline running with an elastic loading device. XVIIth International Society of Biomechanics Congress, Calgary, AB Canada

2000

PROTOCOLS
Version V Protocol Manual
Version II Skating

RESEARCH

• Comparison of Muscle Activation Patterns During a Volleyball Jump with and Without Resistance Cords (PowerCords) During Volleyball Blocking, The University Of Kentucky (Lexington, KY)
• ^Swanson, Stephen C., and Graham E. Caldwell.  An integrated biomechanical analysis of high speed incline and level treadmill running.  Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 32 (6), 1146-1155.
• *Walker JA, Frappier J, Johnson SC, and Swanson SC.  Effect of a 6-week incline treadmill training program on Wingate test results and 40-yard sprint times. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise,.S; ACSM proceedings.
• ^Heidt RS Jr, Sweeterman LM, Carlonas RL, Traub JA, Tekulve FX.  Avoidance of soccer injuries with preseason conditioning.  Am J Sports Med. Sep-Oct;28(5):659-62.

2001

PRODUCT
AIMS® Athlete Information Management System

PROTOCOLS
Version I Distance Running 
Ground Based Training
Recreational Athlete Running 
Recreational Athlete Plyometrics 
Version II Hitting with PowerCords
PowerCord® Baseball
PowerCord® Basketball 
PowerCord® Volleyball
PowerCord® Puck Handling & Shooting (no longer available)

PATENT
Custom Fit Shoe

RESEARCH

• Performance Based Analysis of an Incline Treadmill Sprinting Program versus A Ground Based Sprinting Program, University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY) 
• **Swanson SC and JP Frappier.  Introduction: Application of biomechanics in sports rehabilitation and training. Biomechanics of Sports Rehabilitation, Shamus, E. and J. Shamus, Eds. McGraw-Hill.  New York, NY 10011

2002

FAST reaches 100 training center milestone

PRODUCT
Version I ACL Bridge Instructional VHS
Version III Training Manual
3PQ Assessment Tool and Software Integration with AIMS

PROTOCOLS
ACL Bridge 
Youth Running
Version II Distance

RESEARCH

• A Comparison of Gold Standard Performance Tests Pre and Post Training On the Hockey Acceleration Program, Minnesota Wild (St. Paul, MN)

2004

PRODUCTS
AccuPower Portable Force Plate
Hitting Harness

PROTOCOLS
Golf Resistance Training 
Harness and Resistance Cords added to Plyometrics
Version II ThrowingCord™ 
Version II Hitting 
Version II Junior Skating, Levels 1-4
Version II Collegiate Skating
Version III Skating
Version VI Running

RESEARCH

• *Establishing Validity And Reliability Of A New Power Ergometer When Compared To Wingate Anaerobic Power Testing And Isokinetics, South Dakota State University (Brookings, SD)   
• *Determan, J, S Swanson, W. McDermott, and J. Hamill.  Ground reaction forces in treadmill vs. overground running.  Canadian Society of Biomechanics, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.  August 4-7.
• *Hassan, CJ, SC Swanson, and GE Caldwell.  Three-Dimensional Joint Kinematics and Ground Reaction Forces during Repeated Single-Leg Vertical Jumps in Female High School Athletes.  NSCA National Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.  July 15-17.
• *Thelen, DG, ES Chumanov, DM Hoerth, BC Heiderscheit, TM Best, and SC Swanson.  Hamstring muscle kinematics during sprinting.  American College of Sports Medicine. Indianapolis, IN, May 31-June 3.
• *Young, MA, SC Swanson, and L. Li.  Pelvic tilt kinematics change with increased sprinting speed. American College of Sports Medicine, National Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, May 31-June 3.

2005

Business completes requirements and transitions to awarding Franchises

PRODUCTS
Version IV Training Manual
Version I Online Training & Certification
Version I Training Video 
Certification Manual updates
Online ACL Bridge Exam

PROTOCOLS
Version I Wrestling 
Pre/Post Treadmill PlyoPress Jump
Collegiate Hockey, levels 1-3
Pro Hockey, levels 1-2
Version VII Running

RESEARCH

• Supported studies using the AccuPower® forceplate at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Biodynamics Lab led by Dr. Tim Hewett and University Connecticut under the direction of Dr. William Kraemer.  Two papers published (link to AccuPower reference list).
• *A Comparison of Vo2 Max and Metabolic Variables between Treadmill Running and Treadmill Skating, South Dakota State University (Brookings, SD)
• ^Thelen DG, Chumanov ES, Best TM, Swanson SC, Heiderscheit BC. Simulation of biceps femoris musculotendon mechanics during the swing phase of sprinting. Med Sci Sports Exerc.  Nov;37(11):1931-8.
• ^Thelen DG, Chumanov ES, Hoerth DM, Best TM, Swanson SC, Li L, Young M, Heiderscheit BC.Hamstring muscle kinematics during treadmill sprinting. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Jan;37(1):108-14
• *Swanson, SC and GE Caldwell.  Kinetic limitations of maximal sprinting speed: revisited.  International Society of Biomechanics, Cleveland, OH, August 1-4.
• *Chumanov, ES, DG Thelen, DM Hoerth, TM Best, BC Heiderscheit, and SC Swanson.   Lateral hamstrings are stretched more than the medial hamstrings during sprinting.  International Society of Biomechanics, Cleveland, OH, August 1-4.

2006

PRODUCTS
AIMS® 2.0 - Athlete Information Management System
Dartfish Video Analysis Software integrated into facility training environment
AccuPower software interface integration with AIMS online database
Certification Manual updates
Force Treadmill and associated force and video analysis data collection
PowerCords® Modifications (added thigh attachments to waistband)

PROTOCOLS
Version IV Skating, Levels 1-4
Pre and post test Plyometrics, Levels 1-4 (recorded electronically on AccuPower)

RESEARCH

• ^Myer GD, Paterno MV, Ford KR, Quatman CE, Hewett TE.  J Orthop Sports Phys Ther.  Jun;36(6):385-402. Rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: criteria-based progression through the return-to-sport phase. (AccuPower used for functional/bi-lateral symmetry testing)
• ^Myer GD, Ford KR, Brent JL, Hewett TE.  J Strength Cond Res. May;20(2):345-53. The effects of plyometric vs. dynamic stabilization and balance training on power, balance, and landing force in female athletes. (AccuPower used in study)
• ^Hewett TE, Myer GD, Ford KR, Slauterbeck JR.  Preparticipation physical examination using a box drop vertical jump test in young athletes: the effects of puberty and sex. Clin J Sport Med. Jul;16(4):298-304 (AccuPower used in study)
• ^Walsh MS, Ford KR, Bangen KJ, Myer GD, Hewett TE. The validation of a portable force plate for measuring force-time data during jumping and landing tasks. J Strength Cond Res. Nov;20(4):730-4 (AccuPower validation).

2007

REGISTERED
"Athletic Republic®"
"Unlevel the Playing Field®"
"We have the Athlete down to a Science®"
"Athlete Up®"

PRODUCTS
Initiated development to synchronize Dartfish video and electronic timing systems to upload results automatically to AIMS.

RESEARCH

• Supported study that measured the reliability of dynamic tests designed to isolate bilateral asymmetries in athletes by utilizing the AccuPower® forceplate

2008

REGISTERED
"Athleteology®"

PATENTS
Hitting harness and cords
Golf swing device - "Slice Buster"

PRODUCTS
LEVEL 3 Education incorporates sales, marketing and operations into education curriculum
AIMS® 2.5 - Athlete Information Management System
BAP – Business Acceleration Program for new franchises: comprehensive support for opening a new facility
SoloSpike SmartBall Volleyball Trainer and integration with Dartfish video capture
Integration of Fusion sports timing and reaction system with Dartfish video capture and AIMS database.
Republic Box hockey trainer.
Integration of Fusion sports timing and reaction system with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Dartfish video capture and AIMS database.  

 
RESEARCH

• Several Research Studies published with the AccuPower portable force platform.

2009
REGISTERED
"TEST-TEACH-TRAIN™"
"Training 365™"
"Get Better - Get Noticed™"

 
PRODUCTS
Athletic Republic Playbook
AIMS 2.7 – Athlete Information Management System incorporates real-time athlete reports and allows athletes to share results.
ARVID – Athletic Republic Video IDentification – automatically captures, identifies and labels video with athlete and event information using RFID technology.
On-line Event Management System - Synchronizes testing event video, assessment technology and performance results. Web-based software allows embedded video clips to be uploaded immediately after the testing event, so data and results may be analyzed and compared.
Plyometeric Cords - new adjustment device and Slastic® cord covers
Sprint Cords - Incorporated Slastic® cord covers
Plyometric Cords - new quick-tension adjustment, Slastic® cord covers, and four load ranges to optimize loading of the hips during plyometrics
SprintCords - Incorporated Slastic® cord covers, modular attachment design, and four load ranges for a variety of applications
Start Cords - Specially-designed SprintCords for optimizing sprint starts and balance applications

DartPower 2.0 software development initiated to create a new software platform for collecting data and synchronized video from all available sensing devices with full RFID integration.

 
PROTOCOLS
Hockey - Hat Trick protocols for individual and team training

RESEARCH

• Several research studies published with AccuPower® force platform.
• Supported collaborative research between The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (Dr. Bill McDermott); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Dr. Hugh Herr and Dr. Elena Grabowski); U of Colorado, Boulder (Dr. Rodger Kram); and U of Texas at Austin (Dr. Craig McGowan) that explored the dynamics of sprinting in able-bodied and amputee sprinters using the force treadmill.  Three international presentations were given in 2009 by Dr.'s Grabowski, McGowan and Kram.
• Paper published using the force treadmill for functional assessment of pathological gait (American Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 37 no. 7 1288-1300, 2009).  Dr. Lonnie Paulos, Director of the Andrews-Paulos Research Institute lead the study in collaboration with Steve Swanson, MS.

2010

REGISTERED
Warm-Up Cord™
Train like An All-American™
Where Athletes Who Give 110%, Get the Extra 10%™
Where Unstoppable Starts™

PROTOCOLS
Balance Training protocols for acceleration and Sport-Specific programs

Football Blitz protocols for position-specific training of youth to professional football players
Distance Running protocols for 5k to marathon 

PRODUCTS
Athletic Republic Pro Warm-up Cord™ and Varsity Warm-up Cord™ - Year-round training solution in two resistance levels that reduces an athlete's warm-up time, reinforces correct mechanics and strengthens critical throwing or striking muscles.

Athletic Republic Locker Room™ - A private online athletic profiling tool that allows you to organize, store and ultimately present to the world your best game day highlights, combine scores and training test results.  Edit the film you want the scouts to see and send it out to your online community.  Present your accomplishments to all-star selection committees or submit directly to a coach or university.

Athletic Republic Wall Cord Station and Hip Cord - Used in conjunction with newly developed cord exercise protocols to better develop core strength, functional power and balance.