track starts

Former Member
Former Member
Everyone seems to be doing "track starts" off the block now - one leg behind the other. How and why do you do this? I haven't been in a meet for a long time...back then everyone did the "grab start". Any instructions on doing a track start would be appreciated.
Parents
  • Allen - I'm curious if you use a grab start for breaststroke. Way back when track starts first came around, the thinking was that you could go deeper on a grab start and it was better for breaststroke pull outs. As a breaststroker, I've never switched over from the grab start because of that thinking. Is that outdated now? I still use the grab start because I have found it faster for me.It is not the fastest off the block for me,but it is the fastest to 15 M. I think butterflyers with a good SDK should experiment with the grab start.It is easier to leave the block with a slightly up angle with the grab start. Many coaches teaching the track start recommend launching from the blocks straight out(horizontal.)This leads to good reaction times but is not good physics.You are never going faster than in the air so the further you go in the air the faster you will be.For maximum distance you want to be vectoring up and out,not straight out.
Reply
  • Allen - I'm curious if you use a grab start for breaststroke. Way back when track starts first came around, the thinking was that you could go deeper on a grab start and it was better for breaststroke pull outs. As a breaststroker, I've never switched over from the grab start because of that thinking. Is that outdated now? I still use the grab start because I have found it faster for me.It is not the fastest off the block for me,but it is the fastest to 15 M. I think butterflyers with a good SDK should experiment with the grab start.It is easier to leave the block with a slightly up angle with the grab start. Many coaches teaching the track start recommend launching from the blocks straight out(horizontal.)This leads to good reaction times but is not good physics.You are never going faster than in the air so the further you go in the air the faster you will be.For maximum distance you want to be vectoring up and out,not straight out.
Children
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