Running the 40 Yard Dash

Stance and Start

If you read my other blogs, you'll see that I'm a proponent of creating leverage and momentum via skillful positioning, balance, coordination, and timing. A big part of that is learning how to be poised to react well and explosively out of a standing start, and to then be able to carry those skills over to the other starting positions. So, I suggest that you read my blogs pertaining to starting.

A major difference for the 40 is that the athlete is able to decide when to start. In a typical sprint, where there is a starter giving commands, when at the top of the "set" position, in anticipation of needing to propel forward and upward, it is normal for the athlete to have a slight lean (described in previous blogs) to take the weight forward a bit. This lean, however; needs to be controlled, and the athlete needs to be coiled and poised to react quickly and to move explosively as I described in other blogs.

When running the 40, since the athlete can choose when to start, this can lead an athlete to lean too much, "overly load up", and try to "over-power the start". This results in a force application that is not as explosive. The objective should be for the athlete to take advantage of being allowed to choose when to start, yet still do so explosively. This includes allowing reflexes to contribute to success as has been described in my other blogs.

Learn How a Good 100-Meter Dash is Run

I think it is valuable to acquaint the athlete with how a 100-meter dash should be run. The 100 is a race where, if run skillfully, can allow the athlete to build to the maximum velocity that he/she is capable of.

For the start and initial acceleration for the 100, skillful sprinters will try to utilize as much power as possible, while at the same time trying not to unnecessarily burn energy. Energy conserved can be applied toward continuing to accelerate over much of the race. A max velocity is reached, maintained, and hopefully minimizing the inevitable deceleration.

A major challenge presented when running the 40, of course, is being able to come close to the athlete's max velocity potential for a significant portion of that short distance, obviously not having the luxury of as gradual an acceleration as compared to the 100-meter dash. Doing so without tightening up/tying up, does require skill!

The Start Defined

My, "The Start is Actually the First Three Steps", "Developing a Good Standing Start" and "Three-Point and Four-Point Start" blogs are must reads for laying the groundwork for an understanding of what starting is, but my other sprint blogs are very important as well, for maximizing starting and overall performance.

Similarity to the 100-Meter Start

Because the aim is to be poised for a pretty much maximum explosion that is directed up the track in an optimal fashion, the first three steps for the 40, in my opinion, will be very similar to the 100-Meter Dash. This includes having an appropriate elevation and a hip height that will progressively rise through each step. In my "Start is Three Steps" blog I quoted Ralph Mann in summing up the start as "three very short Air Phases". Regardless of the shortness of the 40, I believe that rushing these three short air phases is a mistake and can lead to tightening up.

Initial Acceleration After the First Three Steps

Beyond the starting three steps, there is not the time to accelerate as gradually as is done for the 100 meters, so the rhythm of the run will need to be a bit quicker. This includes a quicker rhythm for the all-important, rest of the first 10 meters. As I quoted Ralph Mann in my "Initial Acceleration" Blog, the first 10 meters is where “the production of Horizontal ground force is of critical importance”. After the first three steps is the initial portion of what is commonly called the "drive phase". Being in touch with the effects of the Horizontal ground forces early on, will allow the athlete to best apply them later in the race. Check out my "Initial Acceleration" blog for details.

Beyond the 10-Meter Mark

Mann stated, “The maximum velocity that the athlete can produce is dependent upon how long productive Horizontal forces can be applied. As long as the Total Horizontal force created during ground contact is positive, Horizontal Velocity will increase." With the shortness of the run, this should not be a problem, however; once again, being in touch with the effects of these forces, as well as the rhythm needed, will allow the athlete to use them skillfully as vertical forces become more and more prevalent as the run progresses.

Cues for the Athlete

For powerful athletes, beyond the 10-meter mark, there may be some drive phase left as the hips and body continue to assume a taller position. Velocity should be increasing as the body becomes more upright and is transitioning into the top speed gear. This transition occurs sooner in the 40 than in the 100-meter dash. A key is for the athlete is to be able to attain high velocities soon enough to be able to use them over as much of the 40-yard dash as possible as I stated earlier. See my Max Velocity blog.

In the 100 there is a noticeable bounciness to top speed, as learning to apply vertical forces effectively is critically important. For the 40, with the adjusted rhythm, there won't be quite the bouncing. See my "Max Velocity" blog for details of applying vertical forces.