At what point in a 100m and also in a 200m should one be relaxed exactly where they are trying to exactly accelerate anymore?
As I was taught…right from the start!!! Its as simple as that. From the blocks to the tape.
I think a lot of guys relax a little too much at the start. I think relaxation is most important at top speed. Some have to think ‘aggressive’ instead of ‘relaxed’ at the start in order not to get blown out.
I hear what you’re saying…When I turn the action into emotions like aggression I tend to raise my shoulders,tighten up and as you know this restricts the hips…shortens stride etc. Now I just stay relaxed and focus on the first movement.
I think they key is “controlled fury”. I believe Donovan called it that at one point. I think it’s possible to be real aggressive and relaxed at the same time. I want as much neural activation I can get. I think this sums it up my point well:
‘With what I know now about training, I do wish I could still compete. I really enjoyed the rush I would get before a race. Sometimes the adrenalin was so overwhelming, you felt you would die, but is was awesome. I marched into every race thinking “fuck you guys, I am going to kill you today”, even when I didn’t win.’
-Angella Issajenko
I relax after about 60 meters. I am digging hard from 0-30 then from 30-50 I am going from drive to getting up and from about 50-60m I am relaxed to the tape. If you relax from the start you might as well jog. How can you reach max velocity relaxing from the start. You relax when you hit top speed to maintain it. Does your car relax from when you go from 0-top speed?
Ya thats basically what I do.
In a 100m I power with everthing until the 40m then maintain a “aggressive” run while I am pretty well at top speed, after 50-60m, I fully relax.
For the 200m I do it completely different. I do a relaxed and slow acceleration to top speed, then power coming off the turn to reach full speed then completely rela and usually finish well, but it is something Im working on. I heard Michael Johnson did a similar thing in both his 200s and 400s, powered coming off the turn.
For a 60m race like in indoor, I forget relaxation and just power through the whole thing.
Same for relays, always finish strong and dont relax.