Charlie - What are your thoughts on Powell’s block set-up?
His feet are very high on the pads (off the ground - see 2:01 of the video) and he seems very tight to the line (see 0:42 of the video for proximity to line - see how his knee is poking through his arms quite a bit). Wouldn’t that combination create a tendency to over-rotate forward (thus having him stand up to oppose that action)? Seems like it would work better off the block in a swimming race.
I’m not sure if it has been altered because of the ankle problem. He may have a problem coming out as low as he used to because the ankle (his Left I think) doesn’t flex as much as normal. Anyone know?
Nevertheless, I strongly believe this period of misery in the circuit is valuable for Asafa
I share the same opinion. Asafa’s run was his best this year. It seemed at one stage he was catching up with Gay and then decided to let go. Maybe I am trying to see too much into it but I get that feeling when I watch it. With a good start and slightly better drive as well as longer top end phase he just may be where many of us want to see him. Gay ran his “usual” maximum. IMO, I do not think Gay will go any faster in Berlin. Though it would be nice to see all three of them going sub 9.70 
I already bought plenty of popcorn
I also noticed richard tompson and padgett had their feet up very high on the blocks, never seen that before
I agree with this…
Just like the 2008 Olympics, this years World Champs, will be a circus. The 400-meters will be won in low 43s but no record. I expect my athlete to win just like last years 400 meters. In the 100m, the world will see a 9.51 or a time very very close. In the 200m, the world will see something superhuman. Not even the statitcians will have predicted what Bolt will run. I have had the opportunity to watch him train several times this year and I can tell you with certainty that he will go under 18.95
Well I suggested Bolt will soon go under 19.00
While watching the slow-mo front view, I noticed something I thought was interesting.
Powell had a much higher stride frequency in the first few steps than Gay. Their stride frequencies were similar for the drive phase (after those initial steps), and Gay’s stride frequency was higher than Powell’s from about 40m on, though just slightly.
They both took 44.5 steps to finish the race, though if Powell didn’t stop running hard at the end, which lengthened his stride considerably, he would have taken about 45. I suspect this is directly because of the shorter stride he’s taking off his left foot.
Padgett has done it for a couple of years, his now coach obviously didn’t changed it. As far as i know, Thompson didn’t used to do it in the past, but Obikwelu has tried various versions of it during his career.
PJ, I noticed as well padgett made the switch like dix regarding blocks change of back leg, both now start with right back. Do you see anything about this change?
It doesn’t seem that Padgett is starting better or worse than last year, and since his start was ok last year, i don’t see any reason to switch feet on the blocks except for health reasons that i’m not aware of.
If you look at the blocks, you’ll notice that the pads are very long. When u start the heel needs to go back in order to go forward, this is called a stretch reflex.
Stretch reflex
“Another example is the group of fibers in the calf muscle, which synapse with motor neurons supplying muscle fibers in the same muscle. A sudden stretch, such as tapping the Achilles’ tendon, causes a reflex contraction in the muscle as the spindles sense the stretch and send an action potential to the motor neurons which then cause the muscle to contract; this particular reflex causes a contraction in the soleus-gastrocnemius group of muscles.”
maybe this is why they place the foot high up on the block so as the heel can go back with out hitting the pad.
although i think i saw john smith on HSI video teaching to put the heel against the pad when in the set postion.
Charlie,pj, any views on how does a high v low foot placement on the pad make a differnce to your acc mechanics from the blocks
It makes a difference when every meet doesn’t have those long starting block pads.
wow tyson 9,77
I got some additional reliable information on Asafa. The surgery on his Pec from last year left the ROM on that side limited and he has needed alot of therapy to get it back. I don’t know if this caused his ankle problem but the pec issue is being resolved. With what he’s giving away at the start, behind Gay, who is not noted for great starts, improvements in the ankle and pec can gain him alot of time. We’ll see.
Rank Athlete Nation Result Reaction time
1 GAY, Tyson USA WL,NR,MR 9.77 0.171
2 POWELL, Asafa JAM SB 9.88 0.151
3 BLAKE, Yohan JAM PB 9.96 0.223
4 BAILEY, Daniel ANT PB 9.97 0.148
5 MULLING, Steve JAM PB 10.01 0.163
Wow, another Jamaican under 10 and one knocking at the door. Anybody know what clubs these two are with?
I wouldn’t be surprised if the two are related as this is along the lines with something that one of our team orthopods told Buddy and I: a lack of mobility at the hip has been found to be directly linked with instance of shoulder injury.
mullings im not sure but Blake is with Bolt’s coach Glen Mills (who also trains Daniel Bailey). Their club is on fire:cool:
They the next HSI!
Asafa doesn’t have the same power drive he had last year where he pretty much went zig zag and covered both sides the lane. I dont know how serious his ankle injury is but as everyone else is saying it is affecting his start.