Anyone got any ideas of how to improve the back leg moving quickly out of the blocks…
ie reaction is fine, but the actual movement of the leg in the air and then onto the ground…
Any drills, help would be great. thx
What’s the problem with your back leg?
Too quick to hit the ground?, too long?, landing in front of you? What is it?
Most back leg issues are to do with set position. Describe the prob and post a pic.
Why do you want to speed up the back leg? You’ll end up pulling it off the pedal before you’ve applied all the force possible.
Definently not too quick
It takes too long to hit the ground, and before ive taken the step everyone else is gone!
It isnt landing in front
Charlie: not so much speed it up, it seems to come out in a looping type action, the foot seems to come up and around.
You’re just describing a symptom of a problem. I’d look to the set position. You’re probably transfering weight backwards and then forwards whilst others are just going forward.
Two common things here are too much weight on hands and not enough pressure on back foot. They’re just the common ones though. It could be anything. What’s your head doing? What are you leg angles? What are you arms doing when you start?
Weight transferring back - ive been told this happens. when the gun goes, i rock back into the block. will simple practice/concentration improve that?
should i try loading up the back leg more? more emphasise on it?
leg angles are fine, as is head and arms - this is just from what viewers have told me
sorry, i dont have a pic to post.
Make sure your back foot and knee are as far back as they can go like that there is no movement. I had a similar problem months ago, I wasn’t transferring force into the back block because my foot was barely on the block. Once I’m in the blocks I now move that back knee as far as possible on the ground. This is because your ankle (or my ankle was in my case) is probably at 90 degree or greater angle. So by forcing the knee back it reduces the angle and makes sure your foot is well planted on the block. Or at least that’s what I concluded my problem was and why that fix was applied.
Where do you feel most of the weight when are in set?
Do your spikes have a very hard plate? Does it move around on the back block?
Do you feel like you could stay in set for a long time or is it uncomfortable?
Do you feel like are ready to explode like a coiled spring when the gun goes or do you feel you only start going somewhere from step 2.
Do you get hamstring pain down in the lower hamstring?
Beyond position, a rock-back, or wind-up, is often a result of trying to deliver force. You need to react to the gun and let the force be delivered automatically.
Thanks aln!
Charlie: How do you stop the rock back?
Where do you feel most of the weight when are in set? forward on my arms (thinking about that i know it should be on the legs?)
Do your spikes have a very hard plate? Does it move around on the back block? doesnt move around on block, doesnt have a hard plate
Do you feel like you could stay in set for a long time or is it uncomfortable? can stay in set position for long periods
Do you feel like are ready to explode like a coiled spring when the gun goes or do you feel you only start going somewhere from step 2. Not a coiled up spring!
Do you get hamstring pain down in the lower hamstring? nope!
There’s most of your answer. If the weight is on your arms, it has to go backwards when you start because it needs to be transferred to your legs. This takes time.
You can make a set position look “right” to the untrained eye, but it doesn’t mean that it is. Feel is very important.
What are your pedal settings? Do you use two steps three steps? Do you have long or short legs?
Have you tried practicing set positions in front of a mirror. It is quite helpful as it will let you tie up visual feedback and feel. I am guessing that you may be a little cramped up and leaning forward? It’s so hard to give advice without seeing the start though.
Thanks dcw, so just ‘practice makes perfect’ type thing.
Block settings are a little more than 2 steps,3 steps.
I do have longer legs, they arent short and stocky.
Thanks for your help
how far away is your first pedal from your second pedal?
Everyone feel free to answer this…
Usually one to one and a quarter foot-lengths
thanx charlie,
since everyones feet are different and I like to measure precisely with a tape measure I was looking for an answer in cm or inches. I had my blocks at 19.5 inches and 30.5 inches so 11 inches apart. However after reading studies done it seems that that is considered a bunched start and a medium start with the pedals being 16-21 inches apart is better. Thoughts?
Does anyone off hand know in cm or inches?
Measure with your foot (in spikes)! As blocks vary, you can’t measure so precisely that it comes down to cms. Besides, if you loose the tape you’ve got a problem with the race. if you loose your foot, you won’t be racing anyway.
ok ,How about what else I said…
I had my blocks at 19.5 inches and 30.5 inches so 11 inches apart. However after reading studies done it seems that that is considered a bunched start and a medium start with the pedals being 16-21 inches apart is better. Thoughts?
BTW, I got tiny feet… I am a size 7.5 and Im 5’7 I think my shoe is 10.5 inches.
the “two foot, three foot” rule is based on the normal foot to shin ratio of 2/1. with smaller feet, you move the mark back. The bunch start designation is more likely due to the distance from the line to the front foot (make sure that, in the set position, the hip is slightly ahead of the front foot or else you’ll pop up. This has been discussed in the archives.