Short version:
http://los.idx.com.au/100_1987.zip
Long Version (22mb)
http://los.idx.com.au/100_1987_long.zip
I find the commentary on the long clip really good. Does anyone know where it is taken from and who does the talking?
Hey Thor, I remember you’re looking for tall sprinters with good starts for motivation, I just saw in the results from Athens that Obikwelu ran 6.56, isn’t he like 6’4" or 6’5"?
Thor,
It is Charlie Jones who does the commentary.
I believe he is about 6’3" and, regardless of his height, it is great to see him return to form. I think this is his second PB of the season.
in the long video, the comentator (the sidekick I think) mentions that ben has a “new start” where he pops up on both feet, whereas carl has the more traditional start. Charlie, is this truly a different “type” of start, how was it developed and why don’t we see it more often in other sprinters. Also, how realistic is it to practice a start which has a similar motor pattern to ben’s start, i.e. is it dependant solely on the power which the athlete is able to exert on the blocks, or is it “trainable and learnable”?
It isn’t a new start, it’s Ben’s start and he did it from the beginning. When he was slower than some, everyone suggested changing it. When he was faster than all, everyone suggested copying it. Wrong on both fronts.
The best starting technique is the one that is natural to you. Ben, Desai (second to Ben on world indoor list and in second out to 60m in Seoul at 6.47), Mark (6.47 60m and Olympic champ in 110Hurdles), and Angella (world record in 50 at 6.06) all developed terrific starts, yet only Ben used that style.
Its amazing that as good of a coach as dan pfaff is. He was never able to fix donovan bailey’s start. I wonder why? Any comments.
so how do you go about making “your own” start more efficient and more powerful, what are the steps to follow when analyzing: distance from line to blocks, distance between blocks, distance between arms etc…
could you suggest video analysis for example, i.e. taping myself and seeing what goes on during the start, what video angles to get, etc…
This maybe the best thread/topic i´ve read at this site,
it is a summarized topic but filled with good tips and advices.
A real Sprint School by Charlie Francis.
The best starting technique is the one that is natural to you. Ben, Desai (second to Ben on world indoor list and in second out to 60m in Seoul at 6.47), Mark (6.47 60m and Olympic champ in 110Hurdles), and Angella (world record in 50 at 6.06) all developed terrific starts, yet only Ben used that style.[/QUOTE]
I understand that everyone does what comes natural to them but…6.33 (ben) vs. 6.47 (desai) and those times were on yesterday’s tracks! Compare that to todays athletes on todays tracks… If something (Ben’s start) is THAT more effiecient don’t you at least have to question the traditional type of starting technique?
One, I’ve already read that thread, and I re-read it last night, but I’m going to have to re-phrase my question. I know what the basic mechanics are, and what we’re supposed to achieve in the start, however what is the best way to analyze it, because it’s hard to see what you’re doing when you’re the one that’s starting, so what would be the best way to analyze our own starts??? Where should we setup the cameras and how much should we tape, as in how far should they acompany our movement, etc…
It´s hard to say without images,
post a video with some starts to ilustrate the mechanics.
I understand that everyone does what comes natural to them but…6.33 (ben) vs. 6.47 (desai) and those times were on yesterday’s tracks! Compare that to todays athletes on todays tracks… If something (Ben’s start) is THAT more effiecient don’t you at least have to question the traditional type of starting technique?[/QUOTE]
yes, but Ben was faster than all others inEVERY PART of the race. this is the point that people seem to have missed.
Number 2, Can you post the Zurich 86 race (full speed and slow mo) here. This is where you’ll see Bens top speed superiority over the whole world (0.81!), off a rather casual start.
so charlie, what camera angles do you suggest?? straight on side view, front view from behind etc… please, I’m taping myself on thursday and I don’t wanna waste film on somehting that can’t be analyzed properly
Each angle has it avantages. For example, from the front you can see the hips/shoulders rotate. However, I think a side view would be best for now.
Side view straight from the start line is first, but front view also helps
Thanks for the answers. I’m taping my block starts on thursday, and a mate of mine who has a video taping company is gonna give me a hand so we can set up a few cameras at a time, hopefully I’ll have the images ready for analysis by saturday, and I’ll try to post also my 60 meter race on friday.
Cheers, Alex