Anyone have ideas on reducing the reaction time off the blocks? Only one of my events at Nationals posted a reaction time, and it looks like I went ahead and finished a cup of coffee before I left. Was I just thinking too much? Or do I need a cattle prod?
I was really happy to see the reaction time thing used. I have always been curious to see the numbers, as I have been told that my starts are really slow. And I can finally tell all the naysayers that I'm just as fast as everyone else.
As for how to improve, I have a few suggestions.
Following the light is huge, as we all know light travels faster than sound. If there aren't lights on your blocks, bend your head towards the starter just a little, or look out of the corner of your eye for the flash.
Anticipation - go hang out behind the starter a few heats before yours. Get a feel for when they're hitting the button so when you get up on the blocks, you know its "Take your Mark," 1and2and3and GO!!!.
Change your start. I switched from 2-footed grab to the track start and saw some improvements. I'll probably switch back at some point. And again and again.
Work on starts in practice. Have someone stand behind you with a kickboard. They say take your mark, then bang the kickboard twice (you leave as soon as you hear a bang), and then wind up for a whack of your rear. One slow start and one sore butt later and you'll be flying off those blocks quicker.
Go to more meets. There's no practice like the real thing.One thing that can suck about watching the light is camera flashes. The only time I ever false started was because I flew off the blocks when a camera flashed. The starter never hit the button, and I came up off my dive screaming "I SAW A FLASH!!!" They let me back up, yelled at the cameraman, and I was still the first guy off the blocks next heat.
The only bad thing about the reaction time stuff is they can dq your relays a lot easier:doh:
Poolraat, I was at .71 for the dives; .62 for backstroke
I was really happy to see the reaction time thing used. I have always been curious to see the numbers, as I have been told that my starts are really slow. And I can finally tell all the naysayers that I'm just as fast as everyone else.
As for how to improve, I have a few suggestions.
Following the light is huge, as we all know light travels faster than sound. If there aren't lights on your blocks, bend your head towards the starter just a little, or look out of the corner of your eye for the flash.
Anticipation - go hang out behind the starter a few heats before yours. Get a feel for when they're hitting the button so when you get up on the blocks, you know its "Take your Mark," 1and2and3and GO!!!.
Change your start. I switched from 2-footed grab to the track start and saw some improvements. I'll probably switch back at some point. And again and again.
Work on starts in practice. Have someone stand behind you with a kickboard. They say take your mark, then bang the kickboard twice (you leave as soon as you hear a bang), and then wind up for a whack of your rear. One slow start and one sore butt later and you'll be flying off those blocks quicker.
Go to more meets. There's no practice like the real thing.One thing that can suck about watching the light is camera flashes. The only time I ever false started was because I flew off the blocks when a camera flashed. The starter never hit the button, and I came up off my dive screaming "I SAW A FLASH!!!" They let me back up, yelled at the cameraman, and I was still the first guy off the blocks next heat.
The only bad thing about the reaction time stuff is they can dq your relays a lot easier:doh:
Poolraat, I was at .71 for the dives; .62 for backstroke
