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?
Taking your mark with your back leg straight is madness. If your back leg is straight then you can't flex the big muscles in that leg to propel yourself off the block. That would put the burden on your front leg, resulting in a weaker start.
My advice is not to lean back when you take your mark. Don't lean forward either; just be neutrally balanced. You will get off the blocks faster, though some guys who lean back and do slingshot/trebuchet starts for greater power may catch up on the dive. I don't feel comfortable with those kind of starts; I do track starts with reaction times consistently under 0.70 so I just do that and don't worry too much about it.
On the same token as Allen, I tried a track start with the back fin when it was available to me at a meet. I was definitely faster off the blocks than my usual flat start, which is usually around 0.85. But those expensive blocks are not widely circulated.
My major complaints for track starts are with regard to all the various block dimensions and textures. My mind is at ease doing flat starts and most of my races are not determined by one or two tenths anyways.
Taking your mark with your back leg straight is madness. If your back leg is straight then you can't flex the big muscles in that leg to propel yourself off the block. That would put the burden on your front leg, resulting in a weaker start.
My advice is not to lean back when you take your mark. Don't lean forward either; just be neutrally balanced. You will get off the blocks faster, though some guys who lean back and do slingshot/trebuchet starts for greater power may catch up on the dive. I don't feel comfortable with those kind of starts; I do track starts with reaction times consistently under 0.70 so I just do that and don't worry too much about it.
On the same token as Allen, I tried a track start with the back fin when it was available to me at a meet. I was definitely faster off the blocks than my usual flat start, which is usually around 0.85. But those expensive blocks are not widely circulated.
My major complaints for track starts are with regard to all the various block dimensions and textures. My mind is at ease doing flat starts and most of my races are not determined by one or two tenths anyways.
