6.49 in Stuttgart’07 : closed hands all through
6.51 in Valencia’08 : opened hands all through
10.07 World Champs’07 4th place : opened hands during 70m, then closed.
9.93 Doha’06 : opened hands during 30m, then closed
9.85 Doha’06 : opened hands during 15m then closed.
I don’t know what to think from these observations, opened or close, it doesn’t seem to be an key point. Olu uses to say that when he has his hands opened it helps him to stay relax. Other than casual chats, hand position has never been discussed and worked at training so far. More than fingers, i would look at wrist mobility and relaxation.
Could closing the hand decrease the time it takes the arm to swing back and forth?
For example, my coach tells me that my arms pass my hips too low, but I think the problem is I got very long arms (I can touch my knees standing straight), and he’s looking at where my hands pass the hip. When I try to make them pass higher, I keep them flexed more, and can’t get the max from the swing down of the forearm. Also, people tell me I always overstride when I run the last 50 meters of a 100m race. I was wondering whether, if I make a fist when I run the second half of the race, which will decrease the length of my arms by about 9-10 cm, I will be able to increase the stride frequency. I also think I’d be able to move the arms with more force and less energy, which should transfer to the legs somewhat.
Even if it would work that way, it would be hard to learn to do it correctly in a race.
I didn’t meant tightening your arms, but more your shoulders etc…
For example, if i look at myself i always run with my hands open… If i’m getting tired i tend to make a fist… what sometimes results in tightening my shoulders… But that’s me…
You’ll see the same thing from Gay and Gatlin. When you run with a clenched fist, you are fighting yourself and it makes it that much harder to relax at the end of the race.
Basically yes, but I’ve not seen any good 400 runners raise hands higher than tip of the shoulders. In 400 it tends to be a less exaggerated, more economical action from the back-straight through to whenever the athlete decides to make his/her move, usually somewhere approaching or during the third 100m segmental. Then the arms may pump again for a while. The only great guy I’ve seen with higher hands was Butch Reynolds.
Or maybe not. I’m told that iMerritt on Wariner’s shoulder. LaShawn’s hands look pretty normal for a 400m action, up to shoulder level.
Often an excessively high arm action is a sign of weakness off the floor, the sprinter is trying to lift but often there’s nothing there, so all you see if effort manifesting in very high hands (up around the eyes). But in Reynolds’ case, that action was perfectly in sync with his very long legs and high knee action.
I didn’t mean clenched first = closed hand. You can still keep the hands “closed” without tightening up. Rest the thumb on the index/middle finger and act like you’re holding something fragile.
You’re right though, many will tend to clench towards the end of the race and tighten up.
Ahem wearing Nike now eh! :rolleyes: hahaha! I knew you’d see sense boy! Put on some Nike spikes and you’re running 6.6!! You’ve been robbing yourself of good performances for the last 3 years!!!
