Starts. Most of us don't get to practice them enough. More people have questions than answers,but I wanted to start a thread for both.
I did the grab start for many years and was convinced that since it gave me 2 legs with even thrust that it should be better for me. A Forumite explained the physics of why the track start would be faster,so I have gone to the track start. It had the surprising advantage of being much easier on my back. With the track start I had more trouble consistently getting a clean entry.I saw the Olympians were getting into the starting position(albeit relaxed) well before "take your marks."I tried it and found it was easier to get my foot position and balance exactly like I wanted it,making for more consistent entries.
Starts. Most of us don't get to practice them enough. More people have questions than answers,but I wanted to start a thread for both.
I did the grab start for many years and was convinced that since it gave me 2 legs with even thrust that it should be better for me. A Forumite explained the physics of why the track start would be faster,so I have gone to the track start. It had the surprising advantage of being much easier on my back. With the track start I had more trouble consistently getting a clean entry.I saw the Olympians were getting into the starting position(albeit relaxed) well before "take your marks."I tried it and found it was easier to get my foot position and balance exactly like I wanted it,making for more consistent entries.
We teach our kids to have a consistent start routine. We teach them to get up on the block position the feet shoulder width apart with toes curled over the front of the block, then to take one one foot straight back. When the starter tells the swimmers to take there mark the swimmer is in the start position and does not need to move. It amazes me how many swimmers just get up and sort of wing it. Often the foot that goes back crosses over the bodies center line and the swimmer is off balance. A consistent method to get into the same start position that evenly distributes the body weight is key. Good luck!
I try to follow the same routine every time I step up on the blocks: I set my set my forward (left) foot on the front of the block, then set my back (right) foot, with both feet about shoulder width. I'll then grab the front with my hands, again at shoulder width, with my head looking down. At "take your mark", I'll rock back a little to load or tension my arms. At the beep, my first move is to pull up with my arms. In the past I've started my leg drive with my front foot, but my coach has me working on actually starting with the back foot, then the front. As soon as I launch from the blocks, I try to lock into a tight streamline to enter the water.
Here's a sequence of pictures that my coach took from a meet back in June, that's interesting for the variety of start techniques on display (I'm in lane #4 in the blue suit).
In particular, notice how the guy in lane #3 and I got off the blocks together, but his arms came apart in the water right away, creating a lot of drag. I did a pretty good job of staying in a tight streamline and managed to glide out to about a 1/2 body length lead by the last picture. (No, I didn't win the race, thanks for asking... )
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I am a new swimmer, and have not even attended my first meet yet, but I will tell you a trick that my coach gave me on avoiding the flop. I was looking out towards the water before my start, but he had me look straight down at my front toes before exploding off the block, driven by the rear foot.
Perhaps you're already doing this, but it was helpful for me in avoiding the flop!
I tend to "wobble" a bit from 5 hip surgeries when trying the track start. I will try more to adapt this year to the balance thing with the track start.
This thread is well timed. It has been pointed out to me that I am still doing the old belly-flop entry into the water on my starts. I have not figured out the go-through-the-hole-in-the-water thing. I never swim events longer than 200 yards--lots of 50s and 100s--so starts are a significant factor in my times.
First meet in 18 months in two weeks. Starts are hard to practice.
Any advice on making this adjustment? Good resources?
Thanks!
Red
As soon as I launch from the blocks, I try to lock into a tight streamline to enter the water.
Here's a sequence of pictures that my coach took from a meet back in June, that's interesting for the variety of start techniques on display (I'm in lane #4 in the blue suit).
In particular, notice how the guy in lane #3 and I got off the blocks together, but his arms came apart in the water right away, creating a lot of drag. I did a pretty good job of staying in a tight streamline and managed to glide out to about a 1/2 body length lead by the last picture. (No, I didn't win the race, thanks for asking... )
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Thanks for posting Mark and for starting the thread. Like the guy in lane 3 my biggest problem now is not keeping my streamline - my arms get pushed back and apart, and I really loose momentum. My shoulders aren't loose enough anymore for my arms to pinch my head behind my ears and stay streamlined. Guess some sort of yoga stretching might help. My reflex isn't a streamlined start and I don't think that helps when there is only a split second to get it together - too many years of old school starts skimming across the surface won't go away.
