If you cannot hold Posture, you just running fast, not sprinting.
The reasons as to why you cannot hold posture are different for everybody, either due to tightness and or weakness from front to back and or left to right.
This is why you need a good coach - who can see these issues and fix them.
Once you have good posture, and move from running fast to sprinting, your GCT and front side mechanics Will be much, much better
This is exactly what I have learned about myself over the last four years. I had a lot of back-kick which would cause me to over stride and ease up during the latter parts of my races in fear of pulling a hamstring. Since then I have made it a focus to improve posture which I believe is the reason why I haven’t pulled a hamstring in over two years.
I have also figure out that mechanics cannot be improved if posture is not improved. If someone with less than ideal posture tries to limit the back-kick they will most likely cut off the stride too early which will limit force output. I know this because I have had problems with this. Now I just focus on having the best posture possible, pump the arms, and step down. Those cues have really help to make dramatic changes to my mechanics. I still have a long way to go but I now know that my training on the track, in the weight room, during stretches, and foam rolling are suppose to be geared towards improving my posture by releasing tension and/or increasing the strength of the antagonist muscles. Now I am focusing on release the quads/psoas while increasing the strength of the hip ex-tensors and abdominal muscles.
I’ve had athletes who did not necessarily have a strength or strength endurance problem (though some others certainly have had those issues) with regards to their posture but rather a faulty, incorrrect understanding of how to and why they should try to achieve a hips tall/back straight or that it was an issue at all. These people simply had not been told to emphasize that by previous coaches or with some, it was addressed one or two times then never mentioned again. Like the athlete, the coach must be persistent about those technical issues that need to be continually addressed particularly those issues which involve altering/changing motor patterns let alone the establishment of new motor patterns.
I think that was my main problem along with consciously TRYING to alter my stride.(pushing too long during acceleration and reaching for a longer stride during max velocity)I would also TRY to lean forward during max velocity thinking it would make me faster lol 
Pioneer hit the nail on the head - for every New skill learned, you may have to re-learn everything - you almost Rob Peter to Pay Paul so to speak. Learn one new skill and not let the rest of the body adapt can be bad management and you end up worse than before.
Imagine giving a hair cut over the phone or the net - same thing
Exactly! I love the use of that analogy. As Charlie would say “Paralysis by Analysis” Now I will just continue to keep it simple instead of trying to correct symptoms I will look at the root cause.
[QUOTE=clymb420;240626] I think original question of “what are front mechanics” has been answered.
I hear the term used often, would any one care to share how to achieve it.
[QUOTE=star61;240765] The only way I can see front side mechanics reducing GCT is to initiate GCT further under the body.QUOTE]
The faster a wheel spins the faster the reaction in the recovery zone. Isn’t it nothing more then a reaction
Didn’t Charlie say that when a wheel is already spinning fast something about power angles
[quote="“sady,post:37,topic:44699”]
Good posture/a neutral to posterior tilt of the pelvis.
You should post a video so I can see how it’s done.
How does one learn to have their leg extended earlier?
That is a really great post!!
How do you figure out which muscle groups are more tense than others? Which do you foamroll & what kind of routine do you use…
Thanks
John
I will post a video this weekend.
Most likely the hip flexors are tight due to our lifestyles eg. sitting a majority of the time at school/work which shortens the psoas and elongates the gluteal muscles. The glutes are the main muscles that keep us upright. Personally I have been doing more posterior chain work and more anterior chain stretching. I sped twice as much time foam rolling the hip flexors.
More air time allows you to extend before the hips start to descend.
You can apply it in Running As to get a feel for it. In the drill it will be an effort thing where there is no backside mechanic to recover from after toe-off (when running it will be more of a timing thing). Effort downward will help drive the drill. In the drill I find it helpful to emphasize a vigorous downward extension from my hip/leg, along with downward driving of elbow. If I do this I will get a natural downward extension through the knee from reflex. When running/sprinting it is more of a timing thing rather than an effort thing. When at faster speeds, I try to get early hip/knee extension even before I get to the ground. When I do this I run faster. For me it is that simple.
Below are a couple links to great videos of fast people. Try to pause the vids when the athletes feet are about 4-6+ inches above the ground (or when their leg is reaching a near full extension).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QrlPmK4B94
This isn’t one of Bolt’s fastest races but the angle and slow mo are great to point this out…as well as any other aspect of sprinting. Check out the sprinter in the far lane. His early timing early in the race is incredible…he is possibly 6+ inches off the ground as he reaches a near full extension in his leg. This is ONE of the reasons why he is leading early and through about 60-70m. I’m sure he also had a pretty good start. He falls apart later in the race, which lets Bolt go by.
This is one of the ways “how” sprinters apply so much force so early in support…as well as minimize their ground contact patch (GCT), and are so very elastic on the ground. These are essentially fast cycling single-legged high intensity rudiment jumps. Longer levers naturally apply more force. It is true that you have to be supremely powerful to do what these guys are doing technically, but an average sprinter of average power is more powerful than he/she thinks, and will more closely reach their full potential if the try to get closer to this extension earlier in their running cycle’s front side. An average guy might only be able to reach this position 1-2 inches above ground contact, but will have advantage over sprinter of approximately same average-ness who strikes ground with bent leg and trailing hip who then re-pushes ground in extension late. Youtube search any good/great distance runner in slo-mo and you’ll see difference. As for people of same strength/power, this in my view is a major technical difference in those who run fast on the ground and those who sprint faster over the ground.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1JQFxfLMM
Bolt’s 9.58 in slow mo, you can see him time this extension earlier in his cycle. Timing wise he looks more like the guy in far lane in above video who was beating him early in the race. Again, in my opinion this is a timing issue not an effort issue. It actually took more effort for Bolt to run slower time in above video. If timing is better, body is more elastic and less effort is needed. Hence, elite sprinters talk about fastest races feeling most relaxed and most effortless.
It is in almost every single one of Ralph Mann’s publications going back to 1984. I’m not sure if he mentioned it in very first publication.
The idea that backside mechanics are the keys to speed seem to be more popular nowadays. Is this accurate? I thought athletes don’t concern themselves too much with extension?