Can anyone give me any advice. I have noticed that my first three steps coming out the blocks are slow. I tend to accelerate after these three steps. Why is this happening? Could it be a weak core or a strength issue or technique issue?
Ur probably overstriding -
I tried concentrating on getting step 1 down as quick as possible for a while and found it improved my overall cadence in the first 15m - but form was poor and a bit desparate -
I then changed my focus back to the hand flick and found that my first three steps were better because of the previous work -
I’m sure others can probably suggest better ways at improving in this area without this transition between slow but good mechanics to fast bad mech’s and then finally to fast and good
It’s still something I’m working on - good luck
hassan the first step is always the slowest but gradually increases in speed and lenght.don’t worry about it,do some starts against a group and that thought will soon change.look at yourself doing starts via camcorder or whatever so you can get a good idea what exactly you are doing.make sure the basic principles are in place and if not well then its something to work on.
when the gun goes,lift the alternating arm via your front leg as fast as possible.get into this routine every time you hear the gun so it becomes second nature,natural and without thought!
hassan its hard to say whether its a technical/strenght issue without photo etc but if you have a coach well ask him whats the deal or if not video yourself and learn what the basics are you should look out for
Thanx guys for your reply.
X man, I have video taped my start and the only 1 thing I have noticed is that my back seems to be rounded. Is there anything I can do to prevent that. I know Charlie said that it should be straight and that the head should be in line with the spine.
In blocks or form when running Hassan ?
hassan,whats your block set-up like as in whats your spacings?
in the blocks have the arms paralell with the shoulders,head looking down.
in set the head should be in natural alignment with the back,straight.angles should be roughly 90 front,135 back.
any chance of you posting a clip of your start.
take a look at Thor’s thread on his starting technique.we helped him get a proper block set-up and through the advice we gave him it set him up better.even photos will be helpful
Gloopzilla, it’s with blocks.
X man, I am trying to post a clip of my start or a photo. I do not know how but I will find someone who has the software and will post one up as soon as I can.
If ur backs bent in the blocks then maybe ur angles and settings r wrong -
a straight back will give u a better start generally -
are you crowding the line and is this the reason for ur bent back ?
Not that I know much - just going on what I’ve been told
[Gloopzilla]Not that I know much - just going on what I’ve been told[/Gloopzilla]
Thats ok gloopzilla, I appreciate the sharing of information, it does not matter how much you know. My back is not bent, I would say rounded is more appropriate. That’s what I found when I watched myself in slow motion. The distance between the front blcok and the back block is 53inches, the length of my lower leg (from the middle of my knee to my ankle).
Originally posted by hassan
The distance between the front blcok and the back block is 53inches, the length of my lower leg (from the middle of my knee to my ankle). [/b]
Wow, you must be quite tall 
Hassan i have used a picture of Thor(hope he dosen’t mind) before and after shots.
in this picture you see his back is curved rather than straight and overall he looks cramped.also his head isn’t in natural alignment with the back
now i have posted the end result which Thor made successful ajustments too his position.note that he has more room and hes not cramping himself.head position is alot better,angles are good and arms straight.
overall a big difference and better set-up for a solid start
Thanx X man, has Thor just moved the back block back or has he adjusted both blocks?
i’m not 100% on whether he moved the actual spacing themselves but he did move the blocks back from the line leaving more space for himself to get into the correct position.you can see the advantages yourself from the photos
The difference is great and looks like it will work to his advantage. I will try and post a photo of myself when I find out how.
Thor, have you tried upping the notch by one on the back pedal and looking a little more down. Both should help the premature pop up in races.
Also, one other thing that you may have missed. Those green plastic blocks that you have in the photo have a nice S shape to the pedal which is very nice for the back foot stability. A lot of meets use those orange coloured pedals that are very shallow. All the practice in the world on those green blocks will not translate directly to the other blocks. You may find that your back foot is a little off on the blocks in the comp and this will also cause you to pop up.
dcw23 your absolutely right about different blocks. I havent been able to duplicate one hundred percent in a meet what I do in practice ,but still - before my last meeting I did 8xblock-clearance as part of my warm-up and it felt fine if not perfect.
In my case atleast it is just nervousness ,and its getting better everytime.
Thor leave the back block alone,you have a good angle in the back.adjusting it forward/up more will leave you with more weight on your arms.i do agree with dcw about your head position but in the photos you have improved the position really good.work on your head position but please leave everything else the same
Originally posted by X-Man
Thor leave the back block alone,you have a good angle in the back.adjusting it forward/up more will leave you with more weight on your arms.i do agree with dcw about your head position but in the photos you have improved the position really good.work on your head position but please leave everything else the same
X-Man, I didn’t mean to move the entire pedal backwards or forwards a notch, I meant the pedal angle itself to move up one notch.
I agree that the actualy block & pedal placement is good. I think that one plop up on the back pedal angle may just give that little more back block pressure. Could be worth trying?
You may find that your back foot is a little off on the blocks in the comp and this will also cause you to pop up.
DCW, I’ve found that sliding the foot a little farther down the pedal helps this problem out. Especially when the pedals can’t lean back any farther. Sometimes a person might have an optimal setting for them, angles wise, but that back foot, and sometimes the front foot, isn’t against the block all the way. Sliding your foot down a little further not only stretches the achilies a little more, but it allows your foot to placed firmly against the block. Thor didn’t seem to have this problem in the 2nd photo. But I did notice that his hands were a little too far in front of him. I know he’s not on a track, and although it’s only a little, that would be space he would have to clear before he actually started moving forward. Also, I know some people here aren’t in favor of having the head down, but in Thor’s photo, is his head really inline with his spine. I think thats what you meant when you said he could put his head down a little farther?