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 the first three steps, and to also establish 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".
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.”
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 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, this impacts 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, my way of thinking is to consider the first 10 meters of a short sprint as the first section of the race.
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...
Drive Phase
During the first 10-meters zone, after "getting out" with the starting three steps, the athlete will do some "driving" to continue effectively projecting down the track in that well known forward posture that rises gradually. This should include good front side mechanics, which, again, should have occurred from very beginning, with the positioning and rising of the hips that I detailed 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" 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. 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". Around step 10 or 11 there may be the beginnings of a torso and pelvic repositioning toward a more upright position to better continue the good front side mechanics that feature appropriate elevation, as the athlete prepares for an approach toward max velocity. In the vicinity of stride 15 the athlete may be firmly positioned to continue to 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 the hips and shoulders have risen together properly. Another common mistake is for the sprinter to try to stay low, and what results is a bend at the waist but hips that become more upright without having risen as they should.
What the Start and Initial Acceleration are Preparing For
What we want is for the hips and shoulders to rise together during acceleration to progress toward the body position demonstrated in this Tom Tellez video. Mistakes during the stages that precede max velocity can disrupt the flow into max velocity as well as the effectiveness of the max velocity.
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!
Comments