Pull don't push sprinting introduction

Agreed, I’ve had this video in my collection do demonstrate this subject

heres my limited opinion on P vs Pull. im with the tellez camp on this one as id rather think of pushing off the ground rather than pull. think about putting the feet down and push vertically which will engage the hip extensors leading to full extension/triple extension. any thoughts?

What about pulling one’s body into the ground?

Buona sera Pakewi, something I’ve previously described is the fact that the actual cue of “pulling” is highly likely to encourage the sprinter/athlete to “claw” at the ground and therefore, either intentionally or inadvertently, drop the hips by making GCT father in front.

I think Charlie’s bicycle tire analogy is perfect to describe this phenomenon because almost anyone who flips a bicycle upside down in order to make the tires spin freely- who is then instructed in anyway to “pull” in order to make the tire spin faster will almost unanimously “reach” to make contact with the tire farther in front of its apex that is perpendicular to the line of gravity.

Those of us with biomechanical knowledge understand that our hands will be in contact with the tire longer for the first few rotations (same as the nature of GCT in sprinting) but still not “pulling”, however, we also know that the ultimate goal is to slap the tire, minimizing the the time our hand is in contact with it), at/very close to the point that is perpendicular to the line of gravity.

So while there is a case to be made for certain aspects of “pulling”, from a biomechanics point of view, after the fact when analyzing the sprint action (whether it’s pulling the recovery heel to the butt or describing the extension of the knee prior to GCT) I think it’s very important to make the distinction between what is possible to describe via slow motion video analysis and what is actually useful to cue to a sprinter/athlete in real time.

I might go so far as to make the rudimentary analogy that when we watch a powerlifter squat on video, it’s feasible for someone to say “watch the lifter pull himself/herself into the squat position” whereas we all know in actuality the lifter is “pushing” the hips backwards in order to get into the squat position. Dare I say if a novice was cued to “pull” themselves into the squat position they may very well do so at the expense of lumbar flexion and exposing the discs to trauma.

I use that demonstration with high schoolers. Flip an equipment cart over, pick a freshman and tell them to spin the wheel as fast as possible, then explain what just happened. You can just watch them light up as they make the connection. Then we go run flying 20’s to practice the concept.

Indeed, a very useful coaching tactic.

https://www.facebook.com/charliefrancisdotcom/videos/1341418405992412/

Take a look at Charlie’s comments about the push and pull in sprinting

What would you say Asafa does?

I’d say do that.

Is he pushing?

Cant wait for the lost tapes vid

You mean the NEW RELEASE!

THANK YOU TO number two for his support.