I've always had horrible starts and I think they have gotten worse from all the years of not being used. Are there some drills I can do, since I rarely get to do starts during my designated lap swim time? Specifically I need to get my arms doing the right thing. I don't know where I picked up the habit of bringing my arms toward my chest and then out when I start, but it looks silly, and isn't very effective. I was so worried about not falling off the blocks this afternoon that I didn't even realize I had done that strange maneuver until I was hitting the water.
I have had problems with my starts too. For the last few weeks I have made a point at the end of practice to make time for a few starts. If there is someone around to watch what I am doing I will ask for assistance and comments. I know my bad habits I am trying to break (the thighs slapping the water) and I am trying to add a dolphin kick. When I don't have a red mark I did something right, but then I am working on speed and distance on the start too and I use the red line at the bottom of the pool as an indicator if my start got me far enough with speed. Practice makes perfect.
Find someone at the pool who can critique your start, then just do a few each day. Even if you are by yourself, you can practice, practice, practice. If you are working on what you do with your arms then focus on that for a few starts each day. See what feels fast and gets you farther.
Good luck.
Donna
I have found that the track start works best for me, I feel much more stable. You have to try both to know what works for you.
I grab the blocks with my hands and lift up and bring my elbows to my side and then shoot them forward before I hit the water.
By your post I'm not sure if you meant this is what your doing also.... but I looked at Micheal Phelps starts on you tube and it looks like he does the same thing. So I figure if he does it can't be to wrong. Take a look and see, also try having someone video tape you that helps alot too.
youtube.com/watch
Hey, runner girl, this is a good thread. I know most all swimmers don't work on their starts enough, nor have the blocks in place to practice them. As one of the other poster's said, she does the track start. I worked on that one for two years and never got the momentum, nor the distance I needed. I do the traditional start with my hands down at my feet, but I do not WIND UP. When the gun goes off, my arms lunge directliy forward taking my body with it. I found this to be better for ME because my weight was all in one place; not distributed with one leg in front and one leg in back as with the track start. That particular start made me wobble too much and my weak leg didn't provide very much thrust at all.
But keep working on them, that is the only way to perfect them.
donna
Since starts aren't allowed during lap swim, can you think of some land drills that may erase the bad muscle memory? Maybe just stand in the start position and do the arm movement or something. And do that about 10,000 times to burn it in. That would really put some variety into my morning shoulder exercise routine!
There is no substitute for the real thing. I would suggest talking to the coach or the lifeguards and try to arrange something where you can get a few starts in once in a while. Even if it's only from the pool deck you can still work on what happens between the ground and the water. Practice might not make perfect but it will make better!
In a large room with the funiture out of the way get in your start position and then start.Don't jump much and land on your feet,not your head. This is no substitute for real starts,but it gets the initial movement down and can help with reaction time.
