You are getting upright too early.
In the last few years, from what I know, due to Ralph Mann’s USATF biomechanics projects with the top US sprinters, he is advocating a toe drag start for 3 steps. Gatlin is one who he works with a bit. Others, like Felix, Jeter and those groups, do too, but I don’t see the toe drag. Seagrave’s group works closely with Ralph as well. I’m sure you will see Tianna with similar tactics.
If you watch closely and repeatedly, this race has many toe draggers as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvM8onc-0Rg&hd=1
Is this a fad? Kitkat and PJ seem to think so in chats about it I’ve had.
For hurdles, would this help get a hurdler to 7 steps? Possibly. I’m not 100% sold on 7 stepping, even though nearly all top men and women do it currently. However, (I need to see data to prove this) it’s possible the 7 stepping saves runners from going out too hard leaving more at the end of the race. I do know the hurdlers who 7 step have odd start positions as well.
From your set up, I think you are too close to the line, even though both shins are parallel to each other. If you are having issues getting to the hurdle with your steps, then moving up like this I would consider. I do this with my girls until they have enough strength to move the blocks back. I’d rather teach them 8 step rhythm while strength develops, instead of doing a 9 or 10 step using regular block spacing. Did you chose this set up, or the coach?
My kids use traditional 2 steps, 3 step set up.I can then tweek it so hips and angles are where I prefer them. I’d like to see the back leg thigh perpendicular to the ground, and the foot of the front leg behind the hips a few inches. Using 2 steps, 3 steps this can easily be done. Once here, I might like to see 3-4 good acceleration steps out and then a transition of the eyes to the first hurdle. Each hurdler I’ve coached has been different with their own rhythm and mechanics. We do a lot of short hills and tire pulls to work on first hurdle speed. If you can get a photo or video fro dead sideways to the blocks that would help be more precise.
I could be wrong but I don’t think Mann specifically advocates for the toe drag but rather just low heel recovery. I think if it that happens as a result of that emphasis then it’s fine but to not specifically seek to drag the toes. Maybe some of the guys from U.S. Bobsled that post here and who worked with Mann could comment but that was my understanding.
From the video, I agree, too close to the line. Also, avoid allowing your shoulders to shift forward of the line-not enough tension of the legs on the blocks and too much effort will be required (due to too much weight on the hands) to as Charlie used to say, to clear the hands off of the track. Try to achieve more of a even distribution of weight between the hands and the front pedal at set.
Also keep the head in line with the back throughout as CF used to say and don’t let the chin drop to the chest. I feel the head is dropped down too low and not -again CF-eyes in the line with the spine.
@rainy.here - Looking back at the tape I do believe I was too close to the line. I think at practice that day, I was playing around with block settings; trying to move it as close to the line as possible. But it seems like a tactic without fruition. I will go back to the basics and make sure everything is textbook.
@wermouth - Agreed. There are probably more things that need to be worked on before I need to worry about the toedrag. The best course of action right now seems to be doing normal ‘starts’ and make sure breaking forces aren’t happening. A lot of times I have long strides coming out of the blocks. The ‘digging’ cue I believe would prevent me from over striding. Lots of stuff to work on.
@flettotenko - http://youtu.be/ytk4gZ3-KbI?t=16s
This video shows a side-to-side action. Maybe there is an inverse relationship between the toe drag and a skating motion…
@sady - Agreed!
@ESTI - I mentioned in the beginning of this post - I think I purposely tried to move the blocks closer to the line because I remember about Robles doing the same to make the seven step a possibility. I figured that putting myself closer to the line will make the distance to the hurdle shorter… guess that doesn’t work. But otherwise, I also use the common 2 step 3 step block setting. http://youtu.be/KMEu5mLqEPc I think this video shows what I am trying to do. High knees to the first hurdle in particular, and the toe drag. Not the best example, but I guess to achieve the same effect I would have to be correct from the blocks.
@Pioneer - That is something I will keep in mind. Some faulty block starts from me might feel like my feet aren’t secured in the foot pads at all. Should push from my legs at the start not my hands.
just watched the video for the first time.
your head goes straight up and you’re upright from pretty much the first step. I would suggest some hill work and probably some proprioceptive exercises to get a feel for coming out at closer to 45deg. toe drag, side to side - all that doesn’t matter if you pop straight up…
you can see here the angle of exit.
compare the pair…
And?
Hurdles project body differently.
re your comparison to Tianna (4x100 final 2012)
Tianna Madison didn’t project body that low in the final of 100m http://turntherightcorner.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/london-2012-summer-olympic-games-womens-100m-dash.jpg I think its a optical trick?
T Slow spent a week with Mann, Seagrave and Smith in Florida, where the toe drag was talked about and demonstrated. Maybe he will comment soon.
JC, keep in mind the race is over 10 Hurdles. not just to the first one 
jccc110m
You have to make sure that you make it clear if you are 7 or 8 strider,
For 8 strider blocks set up pretty the same as for 100m (up to 3 strides). Difference to 100m is that when you are clearing block you need to establish contact (see) with the hurdle.
The 7 strides set up are for really fast guys with huge power outputs, NOT for everyone. You really need to be fast cause you need to take off to H1 being around 2.40m, if you are not powerful enough and you make a mistake eg over dragging your toe you’ll be in the big trouble.
Robles got his front foot 30cm from the starting line other 110m hurdlers are little bit further from the line eg: Merritt, Oliver, Richardson (little bit too far therefore has to over-stride GC4 and GC6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKcOLRniyDo) If your power test are good enough then you can try but if not then forget about it and try to perfect 8 strides.
Power test.
Standing long jump 3.30m+
Skipping for distance (5 ground contacts from standing position) around 16.50m
Clean around 1.5 of body weight.
Shot 4kg OHF, OHB 18m+
Mann definitely advocates the toe drag for the first three steps. Part of his reasoning is that it’s an easy motor learning cue so that the body gets the lowest heel recovery possible, and his research shows that low heel recovery saves time in the first three steps.
Mann is an interesting character- he is very self-assured, but ultimately he is not a coach, so everything he says must be taken in careful context. A select gem from Florida: He was talking about studies recently done with force blocks and electronic timing out to 3m, 5m, and 10m. What was found was that the start of the 100m race is FAR more important than initially thought. Immediately, someone brought up Ben Johnson. Mann’s reply was, “I’m not sure how great of a starter Ben Johnson was, but he certainly had great top speed.” WHAT? You don’t need electronic timing or a 300 fps camera to see that Ben Johnson was a metre ahead of the field at the 3 metre mark. A few brave souls jumped all over his ass for that comment, but he is very self-assured and more or less blew the criticism off.
One of the best things I learned in Florida from Mann is that (no surprise) Charlie was right, and was 30 years ahead of science about the “big picture” of the start- it was critical, and CF worked on acceleration incessantly right from the early season while Tom Tellez was doing his 800, 600, 400 GPP. While some of the fine details of the start are different due to the research with force blocks (e.g. absolute full extension of the rear leg coming out of the blocks is unnecessary as virtually all force is delivered early in the push), the reality is that what CF was doing 30 years ago by focusing so much on the acceleration phase was visionary.
With regard to the toe drag, I would say that one of the biggest issues with the toe drag (and I have experimented with it) is that it can lead to overdragging and an excessive opening of the shin angle in the non-elite starter.
Even more important than dragging the toe is how you set up the pelvis in the blocks. If you can set the pelvis in a neutral position (flat back, scapula retracted, lower abs / TA activated) you will have a much better chance of executing it properly. However, Mann doesn’t cue it this way at all, and the way he sets athletes up makes things less repeatable. There are a lot of holes in his implementation in my opinion.
The toe drag is probably best used by athletes who are already excellent at pistoning their legs in an effective manner on the start, rather than by those who start heel cycling right off the blocks. In other words, it’s an advanced technique that isn’t going to cure the problems of the mediocre high school aged starter.
That is a change then over what I believe(?) he recommended to the bobsled people though that could well be due to a slight variation in event demands.
I think the point about Mann not being a coach is a very important one. He’s certainly a great bio-mechanical resource but some of his practical training/programming recommendations I have viewed in the past were not quite so useful-just my opinion.
It is quicker between 2 points in a straight line, going side to side is not quicker. Suggest you look down for the first 5 steps and expect a hurdle at 7.
The toe drag, is it an action or reaction, suggest the latter.
I coach sever athletes including Seb who drag their toe and it is not on purpose.
Mann literally has athletes practice dragging their toe on grass for three steps prior to getting in the blocks and trying it. It is definitely something he actively teaches.
I have no doubt, putting into practice what the biomechanics robot sees.
Newton
Does Lauren still use the foot flexr, would make dragging the toe easier.
Stilljd used to say Pluto
Been awhile since I’ve updated.
I’m no longer a young hurdler is the first thing I’ll say. Currently I’m training in Eastern Canada as a varsity athlete. It is spectacular to train in the same physical environment as Charlie Francis and be trained by a system in tune to such climate. The coach I have paired with is extremely smart and demonstrates a cunning ability to manage variables. He is able to operate on short notice such as the changing of workouts when there is torrential downpour outside. I am excited to work with him. Today marks the first day of SPP. The last 8 weeks have been heavily focused on acceleration development and developing a positive endocrine profile in the weight room. My body feels incredibly strong already. We have done lots of work on sleds and hills along with general body circuits. It feels great doing things I should have been doing a long time ago, under a watchful eye.
Can’t be more excited than when I’ll have some footage I can share!! Looking forward to some fast times this year!
Go jccc110m, go!!!
looking forward to your updates and improvements of course.
All the best.
[video=youtube_share;Cml6_Uf0-x4]http://youtu.be/Cml6_Uf0-x4[/video]
Today in practice we worked on developing hurdle rhythm. Coach made the spacing closer and closer as the we moved through the sticks. The last 2 of the 5 hurdles were 36", different from the 39". It was challenging trying to up the frequency as you did the rep. I really enjoyed this session. My ability was remarked by him as really being able to get into it. My start to the first two hurdles are not good but once I get into rhythm I am able to put my feet down and really “beat the drums”. I find this similar to what I think. Last season, my acceleration phase was weak but once I moved through hurdles 4-7 I had excellent rhythm. This might be because of the spacing.
The limit agreed by us both is my speed. In particular my ability to accelerate. Think gradual, powerful pushes is what I am telling myself now.
Looks like perhaps Guelph, if so you surely know one of my athletes.