HELP!?!? Block Settings and which leg should be up?

Expert Discussion Advanced Sprint Training
1

I’ve always wondered if there is a correct way to set your blocks. Is it all based on comfort?

When I was taught back in the day to set blocks, the general way to do it was put your foot on the line and the blocks at your toe and that was the distance from the line that your blocks should be, then the front pedal should be two lengths of your foot from the line and three to back pedal.

Is this correct? What are all of your thoughts on settng blocks? Is there a certain distance as far as inches that they should be?

I’m right side dominant and I’ve always wondered if I would have more push with the dominant side up? Well, I tore my ACL in my left knee in high school and I had to put my left leg up infront in the blocks because it hurt to have it on the ground. What I am wondering is, how do you decide which foot should be up infront in the blocks?

I can’t wait to hear what all of you think and what all of you think I should do. This is something I think I have always been doing wrong.

2

my dominant leg is right but my left leg is the front leg in the blocks.this is the case with 95% of sprinters,dominant leg to the rear.

3

What is your dominant leg.

I jump off left leg, so I am guessing that is my dominant leg. I have that leg in front out of blocks, because it feels more comfortable to me.

4

most of the time, the side to which you are mostly dominant (right handed, left handed) that leg is back in the blocks. for example, i am left handed, i jump off my right leg, and my right leg is in front, left in back.

5

I’m part of that 5% who is right-side dominant and has my right leg forward. It’s more comfortable to me. I’ve had the left leg forward before and my starts were all goofy.

6

What is the correct spacing from the line?

Lead footack foot, 3 lengths two foot lenghts from line, and back foot
3 lengths from line?
I’m talking about a conventional start, not a bullet start etc.

7

Hurdlers must have their trail leg in the front block to make the proper 8 steps, now what do you do if this is new to a sprinter and they are used to starting the other way? Do you have them practice both ways one for hurdles and one way for flat sprints? or change to the hurdle way?
I try and have them start the hurdle way and tell tehm that si teh way they should haev been starting all the time and convince them it is faster.

8

my dominant side is my right.i kick farther and better with my right and if i were to throw something it would be with my right arm.this is my dominant side.