Since getting back into masters swimming after a long (12 year) hiatus I've been playing around with the track start which came into vogue after my first "retirement". I'm still torn between the two and have been trying to find what fits me best.
The last month or so I've had a chance to watch ASU, UA, Auburn and UNLV swim meets and what's interesting is that I only saw one or two swimmers using a traditonal "grab" start. I know a few of these coaches and they all said the same thing, it's hands down the fastest start of the two.
Recently a new group has introduced a program caller "PowerStarts" (www.quickgetaway.com) which advocates the complete opposite philosophy. By the way, I'm NOT endorsing this TI type program but do find it interesting!!!
I've had a chance to discuss some of this with Wayne and have basically come to the conclusion that a traditonal grab (power start style) start still works best for my body type (and lack of fast twitch ability!). I do however need to commit the workout time to run a series of 15 M sprints and see what really works.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
Parents
Former Member
Ho! If Bert is contributing, then I'd better. When I came back to swimming I was employing the 'windmill' start that I had been taught as a kid (much flailing of arms purportedly to catapult one from flat blocks). When you try to employ that technique from modern blocks you cause much hilarity amid falling into the water before the starter has even started to play head games with the swimmers. An age group coach took pity upon me & taught me the track start & lo, I was soon known for my great start, but sad inability to retain correct positioning of goggles so I concentrated solely on sprinting & did not too badly.
Years have passed, I left government service & got a real self-employed job (pioneered the stress-reducing rapid weight-gain diet) & found the track start too hard on my body, most especially on my chronic neck problem so I started employing the grab start.
Now, I must admit that I first tried this by cautiously entering some distance events Where Nothing Rode On My Start (indeed my mantra upon entering the water was 'slow down, you idiot!')& I rather enjoyed the torpor of a distance start & the mellow marshalling for an event rather than the high-octane, spincter-tightening prelude to an all-out sprint- but lo & behold! my start has been timed as faster off the blocks than track start & my goggles stay roughly in the vicinity of my nose--so in my long-winded & slightly less scientific than Wayne's way, I vote grab.
By the way, relay turnovers could be an entirely different question...
Ho! If Bert is contributing, then I'd better. When I came back to swimming I was employing the 'windmill' start that I had been taught as a kid (much flailing of arms purportedly to catapult one from flat blocks). When you try to employ that technique from modern blocks you cause much hilarity amid falling into the water before the starter has even started to play head games with the swimmers. An age group coach took pity upon me & taught me the track start & lo, I was soon known for my great start, but sad inability to retain correct positioning of goggles so I concentrated solely on sprinting & did not too badly.
Years have passed, I left government service & got a real self-employed job (pioneered the stress-reducing rapid weight-gain diet) & found the track start too hard on my body, most especially on my chronic neck problem so I started employing the grab start.
Now, I must admit that I first tried this by cautiously entering some distance events Where Nothing Rode On My Start (indeed my mantra upon entering the water was 'slow down, you idiot!')& I rather enjoyed the torpor of a distance start & the mellow marshalling for an event rather than the high-octane, spincter-tightening prelude to an all-out sprint- but lo & behold! my start has been timed as faster off the blocks than track start & my goggles stay roughly in the vicinity of my nose--so in my long-winded & slightly less scientific than Wayne's way, I vote grab.
By the way, relay turnovers could be an entirely different question...
