The Initial Acceleration Beyond the Start

An emphasis of mine is for the athlete to learn to make great use of positioning, balancing the body, and coordination of movements to effectively move up the track. This includes creating sufficient leverage to appropriately get the hips and body out explosively and an optimal distance up the track, with good body positions during the first three steps. This includes establishing good front side mechanics during this time, with hips that are rising. As was explained in a previous blog, I'm in agreement with Ralph Mann that the "start" is comprised of "first three steps". The following instruction on continuing the acceleration after the first three steps is assuming that the first three steps were executed in a decent manner. In other words, the effects of collapsing joints and deficiencies in flexibility and power that occurred during the first three steps won't magically disappear as the run progresses.

After Starting Well

After clearing the blocks explosively, with adequate elevation, while moving up the track adequately, I believe that utilizing momentum effectively, accelerating powerfully and efficiently, is a key aspect. This includes the element of energy conservation. As former 100-meter dash world record holder Maurice Greene said, in referring to the drive phase, "use as much power as possible while using as little energy as possible". The next paragraph is expanding on what Greene said, with several of his quotes. See if you can get from it how he maximized efficiency.

Greene described his starting and accelerating from starting blocks as a combination of explosiveness and control, saying, "sweep the ground with your arms during block clearance, then pump arms very strong keeping them at 90 degrees, relax the upper part of your body, hands are open and come down like you’re slamming a hammer. You want things going straight, using less energy and less time, avoiding side to side." Greene also says, "in the drive phase use as much power as possible while using as little energy as possible, controlling your breathing and feeling your way through it." In addition, Greene referred to “the body position and angles that allow you to access the power in your glutes."

The word "patience" is very appropriate as it relates to realizing that executing the start and initial acceleration adequately puts the athlete in position to maximize the effectiveness of the max velocity later in the race. I believe it is a mistake, however, to mis-interpret Maurice Greene's commentary in a way that leads away from the realization that intense efforts are needed at the start. Like with anything else, with practice, the skill level can improve and result in better control, efficiency, and effectiveness.

World-renowned sprint coach John Smith summed things up very well when he described the objective of the start and initial portion of a sprint: “It isn’t about thrust as much as it is about balance—about each step being so perfectly placed that it sets the stage for optimizing the power of the next step.”

I like to think in terms of the athlete having demonstrated explosiveness over a good range of motion for block clearance, having channeled that into an effective 2nd step, and proceed into step three with a good forward knee drive and subsequent push back into the track. This completes the start in my eyes and the good knee drive should continue through the next several steps, then with the athlete being more upright for a last stride before exiting what I call the "power zone" (1st 10 meters) the knee lift should continue to be at a height proportional to the running posture and the push back down into the track should also be appropriate for that part of the race, ie; not an inappropriate attempt for power. In my mind this sets the athlete up for a successful race.

What You Don't Want

Contrast what was explained above with the tendency to launch into the race from the starting blocks from a "set position" where the hips are not high enough, the launch trajectory is too low and/or have strides that grind into the ground (Dan Pfaff's term) to continue getting out and accelerating to attempt to make up for what wasn't accomplished previously. Obviously, these things impact maximizing top speed.

Directions of Force

After the first three steps, Mann states, “The Mechanics of the Sprint begin a transition from a powerful Horizontally directed drive to a more Vertically directed effort seen in the Maximum Velocity Sprint Mechanics.” This is not, however, to minimize the importance of horizontal forces. Alluding to the first 10 meters, Mann states this is where “the production of Horizontal ground force is of critical importance.” This being said, this is why I refer to the first 10 meters as the "power zone" and first section of a short sprint.

Take Into Consideration

Coaches differ on how long they suggest that their athletes try to stay in a "drive phase", and it is important to consider individual differences athletes may have and realize that below I'm giving estimates as to the number of steps, meters, etc... Generally speaking, if an athlete running a 100-meter dash is able to explosively get out at the start, with big enough movements, going up the track, projecting and rising as he/she should, realizing that the objective is to build to an effective top speed, then he/she should be on their way to running a good race.

Drive Phase

During the first 10-meters zone, after block clearance, in my mind, the next two steps help accomplish "getting out", with the third step making sure the knee drive and push back into the track is adequate, as was thoroughly described in my "First Three Steps" blog. There also is the blending into "driving" to continue effectively projecting down the track in that well known "drive phase" posture. This should include good front side mechanics, which, again, should have occurred from very beginning, and with hips and shoulders that rise properly together. This includes the hip and shoulder axes rising higher off the ground as the run progresses. I also detailed this in my "The Start is the First Three Steps" blog.

Critical Cues for the Driving Phase

For now, I'm going to address the first 10 meters. Go to the 36-minute 15 seconds mark of this video to hear Jonas Dodoo add some important details about this early portion of the race, ie; although there is stiffness on the contact, the effort is at the end of the push during these early strides.

As for how fast the legs move, it is important to refer back to my "The Start is the First Three Steps" blog for an explanation of having "trunk discipline" and "shin discipline" during the extension into each stride. If the glutes/hips are emphasized during without over-using the back for extension, then the extension can more easily be followed immediately by hip flexion. A term that is often used to describe this limb exchange is "switching".

Impacts the Effectiveness of the Force Application and Rhythm of the Sprint

The athlete typically spends more time on the ground than in the air for each stride until during strides 6-8 (close to the 10-meter mark) where this reverses, and as the body continues to rise, and hopefully is effectively being projected up the track, the feet spend less and less time on the ground, and the body spends more and more time in the air for each stride. The glutes/hips are still primary during the extension, but the cue "power" loses its effectiveness after about stride # 8.

A critical aspect is for the sprinter to have managed the efficiency of movement up the track during the "feeling of power" phase. Common mistakes include athletes trying to emphasize power for too long of a period, resulting in the athlete to spending too much time on the ground for each stride in an attempt to apply force, rather than doing so with timing and coordination. Ideally the timing a rhythm of the run results in appropriate projection and rising during each phase of the run. As speed and performance guru Dan Pfaff noted, "With most great sprinters the foot contacts are relatively silent. You don't hear a pounding slapping. You hear a dull thud, or spikes grabbing on the surface." What you don't want is what Pfaff labels "grinding", which is an over-emphasis of directing forces down into the ground. In my mind, doing what is appropriate early on in the race makes it easier to effectively execute during the ensuing phases of the race. Again, read my other blogs to get the big picture.

In Addition

I also like to stress how the upper and lower body parts need to work together with proportional intensities as the hips and shoulders rise together and the feet spend less and less time on the ground while moving up the track. This supports the body being projected efficiently through space. Over-emphasizing arm movements, knee lifts, etc... work against this.

A Bit Beyond the First 10 Meter Zone and Further

If the athlete is powerful, there likely will be more driving beyond the 10-meter zone. Since the hips should be rising, with the body elevating and becoming more upright, some may refer to this as "driving from a taller position". I'm obviously estimating here, but let's say around step 13-15 there may be the beginnings of a torso and pelvic repositioning toward a more upright position to better continue toward max velocity. In my mind, skillful starting and initial acceleration leads to a more seamless pelvic repositioning. "Foot dragging" after block clearance, in my way of thinking also repositions the pelvis, but in my opinion, this is premature and fails to maximize the development and use of momentum.

As the athlete is upright and moving toward max velocity, the effort for each stride is now more on delivering the feet downward toward the track before the foot actually is on the track, similar to how effort is put into directing a hammer down at a nail. This is demonstrated by Jonas Dodoo at the 27 minute 40 second mark of this video. Mind you that this is accomplished as the strides come through very fast, and the feet are on the ground a very short period of time for each stride. Again, this works best when projection and rising of the body has been done well prior to this.

During the initial steps the feet, although landing beneath the hip, should actually be landing behind the body's COM, meaning more of the body is ahead of the foot's landing point than is behind it. As the athlete continues up the track and the body becomes more upright, the landing point of the feet progressively moves forward in relation to the COM, so that when upright at a certain point the feet land ahead of the COM. With elite sprinters this typically is only slightly ahead of their COM, minimizing the braking time. Not everyone can handle the landing point of the feet being only slightly ahead of the COM. Falls may occur.

At the End of the Day

Despite all the specific technical aspects described above, the bottom line is for the athlete to move through space, and over the ground in an effective manner. There is a coordination and timing aspect that the athlete needs to accomplish for this to occur at a high level, and coaches need to somehow be aware of how to help the athletes achieve this. Read on!