Hello guys, I’ve finally managed to get some footage of my training on tape. This is a vidcap of me doing starts (poorly).
I don’t know how much you will be able to see from this due to the poor choppy quality (unfortunately the original footage was removed so it will take a while for me to get some smoother footage). But most of you guys have the ability to see things that I don’t, so here it goes anyway. 
Please critique and let me know how I can improve. Thanks.
(file is 368kb)
Thanks for everybody’s comments.
I’m going to put the rear block further back next time. Currently I have it 15cm (6") from the front block, should I make this 20cm (8") or even further to 25cm (10")?
The back heel depressing… I thought that was normal? There was a thread on the V1 forum about this but I can’t find it.
Thanks again.
David,
I dont suggest tucking your head into your neck. You should just first align your head with you spine and let the eyes fall straight down. (usually on or slightly behind the line). Also, I would not cue you to keep the eyes on your feet while driving. This will cause you to tighten up and run choppier.
David,
just curious. what kind of times do you run and how old are you. sorry if you have already posted this somewhere.
David,
Make sure that your head is in line with your spine. You could focus your eyes a little lower to assist this. Also, read the new thread on Arm Mechanics. It has some good pointers on swinging that front arm up. That should help get you started.
Brad, regarding my head position, would it help if I tucked my chin into my neck or would that cause me to tighten up?
Another cue to focus on could be to keep my eyes on my feet during the drive phase?
My initial reaction after seeing myself on tape was that I was looking up and making myself pull upright way too soon. This was probably one of my better starts on the day (I had a crap training session overall).
Could you also let me know what I’m doing wrong on the front arm flick (I read the thread on this, I believe it was the ‘Exit Angles’ thread which discussed the arm action during the start, not the ‘Arm Action’ thread?)
mj, I’m a highschool athlete with my most recent 100m time being 12.40 electronic (running with a sciatic nerve injury which I was too stupid and naive to allow full recovery). My PB was a 11.95 electronic when I was 14 which is some time ago. Up until this coming season, I’ve rarely competed in track. Now idea how fast (or slow!) I am now since I don’t time my workouts (would be useless anyway, since I mark out my distances with strides).
David
Try spreading your front and lower block futher apart, as a result of very close block spacing your hips are too high in the set position which makes your knee angles to high, this doesnt allow for optimal power outuput.
David, try to eliminate the backward movement of your right foot just before you leave the blocks. I think this is just a reaction from the body not having a natural position and therefore must compensate in order to get a better power output. Sharmers point of spreading the blocks further apart seems to be a good choise.
Dave you have potential to have a good start but your not using it!!! How is your start at the meets??? Why so high at the set postion? (I have seen people do this before but it looks like this is causing you to pop up after the 3rd step) If your going to do this you need way more arm drive. Dont force it so much. It looks like your trying to hard. Relax and let it happen. Also because of your set position you are not getting enough arm drive. Or full extention from your legs exiting the blocks. Maybe someone could post a model of this. The start is not about the push off or reaction really. Its more about arm drive (lead leg) and correct angle. Everything thing else follows. Check tapes of ato boldon and jon drummond or any national track meet and watch it in slow motion and compare it to yourself. There is always room for improvement at the start and you have plenty of time. Keep us posted on any improvements. By your senior year you should be blazing.
Good luck, Tim
by Sharmer
Try spreading your front and lower block futher apart, as a result of very close block spacing your hips are too high in the set position which makes your knee angles to high, this doesnt allow for optimal power outuput.
This is excellent advice. If you look at your video, what is the very first thing your hips do? They drop right? What Sharmer suggests will help with this. As a result of the droping, you are also poping up into an almost completely upright position after only a few steps. This too will be taken care of once your hips are at the proper height in the blocks.
by lorien
try to eliminate the backward movement of your right foot just before you leave the blocks.
I would not worry about this. It is of course a problem, but to fix it you need to worry about something else…your arms. There is one thing and one thing only that you should be thinking about while you are in the blocks…and that is your lead arm (in your case the left arm). It should fly directly out in front of you like Super-man taking off in flight. Furthermore concerning the arms, they should be pumping down, down down, like pistons going mad. Your foot contact will change for the better as a result of your focusing on this.
RE: Your head position
Don’t worry too much about this either. You should be relaxed. That is the most important thing. As your mid section and lower back strength increases, you head position will naturally find it’s place. Be patient in the start.
The start is fundamentally sound. You are allowing the torso to come up naturally.
The question about the head position can be fixed before the gun even goes off…look at where your head is at “SET”. You are already looking up. Relax your head and neck at “SET” and then your head will be in line with your spine.
Keep it simple. You’ll be fine.
Why so high at the set postion? (I have seen people do this before but it looks like this is causing you to pop up after the 3rd step)
Tim: An appropriate cue for the correct height at set is for the shins to be parallel. If the athlete is “popping up” as you say, it is usually b/c the hips are too low at set and instead of driving out of the blocks in a balanced, powerful position, the athlete is falling and “pops up” to save themselves from falling on your face.
Although I agree that the lead arm is an important cue, remember: summation of forces. Big muscles, then small muscles…an appropriate push of the blocks COUPLED with a good upward drive of the lead arm are both important at block exit. 
The first thing you need to fix, is your angles in the block. To start things off, try 2 steps to the front block and 3 to the back block. Take some starts and post a clip.
The back block should be approx. one foot length away from front block. Occasionally an athlete might be better off with even a little more spacing between the blocks but I would not go with less that one foot length.
Cheers, 3 foot lengths is 25cm distance between blocks.
Two feet to the front block and three to the back is the starting point, but, rather than worrying about your start mechanics right now, how about working on accel drills away from the blocks as a first step. Have a friend or coach give clap signals to you while you simply lie flat on the ground (no set), and take off for 10 meters per start. Just scramble out and let the mechanics take care of themselves. I usually find that a young athlete will end up in a better mechanical position after three steps this way than if he went out of the blocks. Post us a clip of you doing this and we can see if it works (make sure you get at least 5 or 6 steps on the clip). Good luck.
Thanks Charlie, I should be able to get some footage by next week, hopefully.
I’ve been doing starts from the ground (lying face down on the ground), 3pt starts and falling starts. I only changed to blocks last month. Although originally when I did starts face down on the ground, my mechanical position during the first few steps was still not very good (I have a habit of looking forward too early rather than just coming up naturally).
Dave have you ever tried falling starts? They seem to help me the best.
Note how the lead arm goes backwards and then forwards due to the poor rear pedal position and angles.
I think Charlie has the best ideas here.
Another reason for going his way is doing blocks on the grass can have its problems too, i.e. what shoes are you wearing? I say this because the wrong footwear can cause you to establish bad motor patterns as you will subconciously twinkle toe to avoid slipping on the grass, and if your blocks aren’t secure enough, you may even subconciously reduce power to avoid ripping the blocks out of the grass. If you do this enough times, that’s the way you will always do it.
whats falling starts