In Rushall's paper on sprinting he recommends the forward leaning start.Several years ago I read an article on a forward leaning start,but that was a grab start. I practiced it for awhile and went to a local meet. I was disappointed with my results and a referee I respect told me that I needed to practice it more if I was going to use it in a meet as I was unsteady on the blocks and near a DQ.I gave up on it as a waste of time until I read Rushall's article. I tried it with a track start a couple of times.I felt steady on the blocks and fast off the block,but I didn't feel my jump was as strong. The only pool I use that lets me use the blocks regularly suffered storm damage and is closed at least a month so I haven't had the chance to get times to 15M to see how it compares with my standard start.I have never seen anyone use this start at a meet. Do any Forumites have experience with it and what are your results?
I've tried a more forward leaning start before, from the omega style blocks and, while i got away quickly, I didn't gain overall. Elite swimmers can obviously spend far more time working on an optimal start, so I won't dismiss the idea but I think you have to be very careful. If you watch the 100m *** at the Worlds last year, Peaty leans further forward than van der Berg and gets away quicker, but VDB comes up miles ahead (extra fly kick or not).
Thinking it through, the biomechanics will be very personal, but I would have thought that you have to get the balance between leaning further with your body and losing power from your legs. The more forward momentum you can get with your upper body, while keeping a relatively neutral leg position, would seem to be an optimal position to me. It may well be that a forward leaning start needs the board to be brought much further forward to get this? As for tinkering with starts on non-omega blocks, I wouldn't personally bother as none of the meets that I really care about have 'standard' blocks now. Unfortunately, none of the pools that I practice in have the omega blocks....
I've tried a more forward leaning start before, from the omega style blocks and, while i got away quickly, I didn't gain overall. Elite swimmers can obviously spend far more time working on an optimal start, so I won't dismiss the idea but I think you have to be very careful. If you watch the 100m *** at the Worlds last year, Peaty leans further forward than van der Berg and gets away quicker, but VDB comes up miles ahead (extra fly kick or not).
Thinking it through, the biomechanics will be very personal, but I would have thought that you have to get the balance between leaning further with your body and losing power from your legs. The more forward momentum you can get with your upper body, while keeping a relatively neutral leg position, would seem to be an optimal position to me. It may well be that a forward leaning start needs the board to be brought much further forward to get this? As for tinkering with starts on non-omega blocks, I wouldn't personally bother as none of the meets that I really care about have 'standard' blocks now. Unfortunately, none of the pools that I practice in have the omega blocks....
