i seem to be struggling with coming out of the blocks explosively and accelerating. I tried searching but cant find anything specific. Please give as much advise as possible please on best exercises to improve blocks and acceleration without actually doing starts from blocks. The whether here is shocking and the track is iced over. So need things such as weight training ideas and things can think about technically. Thanks
get more maximal strength. put your block pedal settings all the way down. get more maximal strength.
Power / strength is really important for block clearance and early acceleration.
If you have a gym somewhere that you can train in, I really like doing lying starts. Simply lie down on your stomach and then scramble up and sprint for 10 or 20m. You can also work this from the push up position. Also you can do both of these drills on a shallow hill if you can find something suitable.
Finally, you can use medicine ball dives onto a mat. This helps to work full extension and the initial block clearance.
well ya see here is the problem im fairly strong for my body weight anyway. At least i think so. I have and can box squat to parallel 220kg thats with explode up on touch. I can box squat 160kg with 3 sec pause my body weight is 74kg bench 110 clean 90 easy enough but only do weights once a week. I seem to lack power. I have good reaction being about 0.14 ish good top speed in comparison to my start. I always get left my a clear step by 5m 10m and then pull right through
Perhaps you are trying to be too powerful when starting? That is, you are unconsciously winding up to make a big explosion and getting left. Starts need to feel smooth and easy. The more powerful you are, the easier they will feel.
Your clean does seem a bit low in comparison to your other lifting numbers. This would indicate a lack of ability to apply your strength explosively. Try some of the lying start drills and med ball work.
Mortac,
why should the pedals be put all the way down?
Well for most people “having trouble with their starts”, they are generally too bunched or not in a comfortable position in the blocks. I recommend what Charlie recommended to me. Either both all the way down or front all the way down and the back block one notch up. Low block angles help to “open things up” so to speak. There is an article touting the advantages of low block angles but I don’t remember where it is off hand.
low pedals improve stretch-reflex of achilles tendon and gastroc
should my emphasis be on moving down and back at the start or up and forward
I agree 100%, I perfer my front pad all the way down and back one notch high using 2.5 and 3.5 steps.
i have normally used 2steps and 3
is it not the goal to reach optimal horizontal propulsion from the blocks? i would assume lowering the pedals would result in too much vertical propulsion.
How so?..
Well consider that many generic blocks have fixed 60 degree pedals…that theoretically puts you at 30 degrees to the ground. Don’t know of many generic sprinters that can exit with inline posture at 30 degrees… that’s when you lean waaaaay over at the waist. add in the fact that many pedals are a bit concave and your 60 degree pedals become damn near 90 degree pedals.
well my start was still and even more shocking than normal last night
What does that mean? Can you get video?
i get left every time. I am fairly bunched up being knee just behind the line and bullet. But its the only was i feel that i can explod out but even though get left so much
A-J, have you got Charlie’s Fundamentals 1 download? It contains a ton of priceless advice on starting.
Other than that, just stay cool and don’t worry about the start. Stabilise your angles and thought-process in the way CF recommends and it should become fast and automatic again.
no i not got it. I got the old forum review and the old training system
CF do you still teach 2 and 3 shoe lengths for general block pad setting because it seem like most world class guys pad setting are soo much closer then 2 and 3? Also some of my athletes perfer to have both pads at the lowest settings, is this ok?